Sad Announcement

We thought many of you would want to know that Mark Ridings' father passed away Dec. 26. He had struggled with congestive heart failure for the past five years and was 70 years old. The funeral service will be at 11:00 on Monday morning, Dec. 29 at Lemley Funeral Home in Oneonta. The family has requested that in lieu of flowers you consider making a donation to the non-profit company that provided hospice to Mr. Ridings. If you wish to do so individually, details may be found at the following website: http://www.newbeacon.org/donations .

The Concert Chorale has arranged to have a potted plant delivered to Mark's home with our corporate condolences. If you wish to send an individual note, Mark's email address is mridings@vhumc.org .

We hope you have all had a wonderful holiday season, best wishes for a properous New Year and see you at rehearsal on January 5.

BCC Archives

Remember, you can see our latest review 24/7 (or refer your friends to it) as well as reviews from recent years by going to the concertchorale.org website and clicking on "Member Info" and "Archives."

Five Star Review

I don't believe in letting others determine my self-worth . . .

but a five-star review sure is nice!

The whole review here.

A portion here:

Leppard molded this exquisite music like raw clay, fashioning it into a sculpturesque masterpiece that surely would have pleased Handel. Everything clicked, from the edgy string playing to John McElroy's piccolo trumpet, from dramatic airs by the vocal soloists to the engaged singers of the 120-strong Birmingham Concert Chorale, who seemed genuinely excited about finding unique insights in a 266-year-old staple.

A highlight reel might begin with the Sinfonia, the ASO strings crisp and lively with incisively-etched imitation in the fugue, and end with a spine-tingling "Amen" that retained its transparency despite full-throttled volume.

The conductor's insistence on concise choral singing, even in the difficult melismas, paid off in "And He shall purify" and "Since by Man came Death," in which a chamber choir of 24 alternated with full chorus. In "But Thanks be to God," the quartet of soloists took a choral role. The three-dimensional depth in these modifications was striking.

---

The "Hallelujah" chorus is hard to upstage, but the BCC, ably prepared by Philip Copeland, delivered just as much heart and passion to the less prominent, and in many ways more difficult, "His Yoke is easy" and "All we, like Sheep."

Leppard has given Birmingham an intelligent and fluid "Messiah" that overwhelmed the heart without numbing the senses, and which is likely to be pondered for some time.

The whole review here.

Opus Article

A pdf version of the current Opus magazine article on the Chorale is now posted in the archives. You can view/download at: http://concertchorale.org/addendum/archives/opus_winter_08.PDF

the early review: a "Messiah" to be remembered

more here.

Raymond Leppard's concept of how Handel's "Messiah" should go might be a little risky. Choirs and orchestras don't often take kindly to too much manipulation of the score, even in an oratorio for which it's expected.

But the proof is in the listening, and the 81-year-old maestro's brilliant, sculptural vision of multiple choruses and bands of instruments made this "Messiah" one of the most satisfying in memory.

Everything clicked, from the edgy string playing John McElroy's piccolo trumpet, from dramatic airs from the vocal soloists to the 120 voices of the Birmingham Concert Chorale, who seemed genuinely excited about finding unique insights into a 266-year-old annual staple.

Leppard has given Birmingham a "Messiah" to be remembered.

a great rehearsal with leppard

There is much to say about last night's rehearsal with Maestro Leppard.

A few quick thoughts:

• I was very pleased with his work with you . . . you responded quickly to his ideas and made changes quickly.
• Dale Reynolds and the ASC Staff created a great stage for the group.
• We need to rehearse in a bigger room. The sound of the choir was not as good at the beginning as it was at the end. You made adjustments as you went along because you could hear . . . and you learned to listen as the rehearsal progressed. We'll talk more about different rooms soon.
• Vowel shapes influence pitch. I hope I can address this before rehearsal begins tonight.
• You held up well throughout the long rehearsal. I appreciate your stamina and your dedication to this grand event. It's going to be a wonderful performance.
  

News and Radio

We're in the news and radio this week.

I do my best to honor you and not make a fool out of myself in a radio interview here and a newspaper article here.

This is a decent quote from me:

Copeland said it will be a "Messiah" like no other, even for those who know it well.

"The thinking that Leppard brings is creative and, I would use the word 'brilliant.' He's not just someone trying to do authentic performance practice. He has embraced the performance practice spirit and brought a unique flair to it."

But here's what I find most interesting:

Leppard is confident his ideas will serve the purposes of "Messiah," which are as much dramatic as spiritual.

"Handel wasn't a great believer, but he was so moved by the whole concept of 'Messiah,' and that's probably true for a lot of people," he said. "Music will do that a lot of times."

I find Leppard's comment about his dramatic and spiritual ideas to be the most fascinating part of the article. That's what I've found most interesting in preparing my first Messiah with you guys . . . the dramatic and spiritual nature of Leppard's ideas. I think we are in for a treat . . . and I'll see you there soon!

plc

Messiah Performance Week Schedule

Messiah Performance Week Schedule

NOTE: ALL remaining rehearsals for Messiah will be at the Alys Stephens Center!

Enter and check-in at back of Jemison Concert Hall downstairs (entrance at foot of stairs)
Leave all coats, purses, etc. in an audience chair - make sure cell phones are OFF
You may have bottled water on the stage for rehearsals....but no open containers or Starbucks!
Space is very tight so please bring only yourself, score, pencil and water to the stage
Reminder: Do not ask any questions of the conductor....make a note of them and ask Philip or Dale later

CALL TIMES:

Monday, Dec. 15 - 6:30 in Concert Hall (or a bit earlier if possible for seating)
Tuesday, Dec. 16 - 6:30 in Concert Hall
Thursday, Dec. 18 - 6:30 in Concert Hall
Friday, Dec. 19 - 7:00 in formal attire in Hulsey Recital Hall (downstairs next door)

All rehearsals are scheduled 7:00-9:30 for this week - Friday's performance starts at 8:00 p.m.

VOUCHERS:

The performance may be sold out by now (it was very close on Wednesday). However, as a reminder, you may NOT present a voucher the night of the performance as a ticket. It must be redeemed for an actual ticket at the ASO Box Office (on 6th Avenue South between 36th and 37th Street).

Monday December 15 rehearsal

Rehearsal this coming Monday, December 15 is at the Alys Stephens Center.

Please arrive at 6:30 (for seating/placement issues) ready to go!

Email Issues

The ASO Ticket announcement just prior to this listing was emailed to our membership Tuesday morning as the article was being posted to the blog. If you did NOT receve this email, it is either because your software is rejecting our mail to you, or we do not have your correct address. Please email concertchorale@yahoo.com if you believe the latter might be the case.

ASO Tickets

BCC Members,

The ASO has just announced a 15% discount to BCC members on ASO tickets. To take advantage of this offer or to redeem BCC vouchers, you must go to the ASO Business offices, located at 3621 6th Avenue South. You can only redeem vouchers and get the BCC discount at this address, and in person.

If you were not at rehearsal 12/1, please see Vicky Carstens next Monday to receive your voucher for the Messiah performance.

Also a reminder that rehearsal next Monday (12/8) begins at 7:15 pm at Briarwood.

Your BCC Board

Russian conductor story

Pretty amazing story here from Boston.

Established Russian composer quits after discovering that he wasn't the top billing and seeing where he was placed in the advertising literature for the orchestra.

Here's the central part of the article:

The week's early rehearsals had gone marvelously, he continued, speaking with occasional help from a translator. The trouble began on Wednesday during a rehearsal break, when the conductor and his wife took a stroll around Symphony Hall. They came upon a promotional poster that gave the week's soloist, the cellist Lynn Harrell, top billing, both with large print and a photograph. Rozhdestvensky's name appeared in smaller print as part of the program announcement.

Soon afterward, the conductor came across a copy of the orchestra's season brochure, a marketing tool designed to entice potential subscribers. He found a page with the heading "Artists who inspire" and a smaller section devoted to "Distinguished Conductors." That section, while including the names of two little-known conductors, did not mention his name. It appears only in a third section on the page under the heading "The Cello Shines," in connection with Harrell, this week's cello soloist.

"I felt insulted by the actions of the administration," he explained, "I feel not only slighted but I suffered what is called in Russian a moral insult, and I'm free to take any actions to defend myself in public."

Read the whole article here.

Thanks to A choral musician's blog for the tip . . .

Email Confirmation

If you have not received any emails from concertchorale@yahoo.com, it means we either have a bad address for you or we are blocked by your software. Please send an email to this address to give us your correct information, or instruct your software to allow messages from this address into your inbox.

Thank you.

Messiah Plans

If you are planning on NOT singing the Messiah concert this year, please send an email to Vicky at carstensv@yahoo.com and let her know.

Thank you.

Small chorus

Greetings choir,

The conductor for this year's Messiah (Raymond Leppard) wants a smaller chorus to sing several spots in the work. We will be choosing the "small chorus" for the Messiah this coming Monday and based on performance of these two spots of music:

p. 127 - Lift Up Your Heads
p. 35 "And He Shall Purify" (first 15 measures)

Please work on those if you are interested in being in the smaller chorus.

Please Pick Up Your Rehearsal CDs

If you have ordered a rehearsal CD either via email or at rehearsal and haven't picked it up, it is ready and waiting for you at our next rehearsal. PLEASE pick up your CD. It has been made especially for you and otherwise I'm just having to tote it to rehearsal every week. See Dave Balius during the break or immediately after rehearsal. CDs are $2 each.

Rehearsal CD's

From Dave Balius:

Rehearsal CDs for both Messiah and Carmina Burana are available. These are part-specific and have a click track with a piano playing your vocal part and the other parts in the background. CDs are $2 each and can be ordered by emailing concertchorale@yahoo.com with your name, work needed & choral part. WHEN ORDERING CARMINA CDs, SPECIFY 1st OR 2nd PART, PLEASE! Pick your CD up at rehearsal from Dave Balius.

A word for the basses

Dick Voran weighs in with a word for the basses:

‘And He Shall Purify’ page 40 m. 50.

The first 4 notes in the bass line are more often sung incorrectly than correctly. Handel plays a little trick there and inverts the usual beat 1 pattern – many singers never get it. It’s probably not that noticeable in the grand scheme of things, but it is a problem area and has been every year. It will likely become apparent when we do sectionals.

The J. Clyde

The J. Clyde
jclyde.com

1312 Cobb Ln S
Birmingham, AL 35205
(205) 939-1312

Rehearsal CDs

Rehearsal CDs for both Messiah and Carmina Burana are available. These are part-specific and have a click track with a piano playing your vocal part and the other parts in the background. CDs are $2 each and can be ordered by emailing concertchorale@yahoo.com with your name, work needed & choral part. Pick your CD up at rehearsal from Dave Balius.

Fantastic Work

Great concert tonight, choir!

It felt like we became a choir tonight . . . all on the risers, dressed, together, memorized music.

I was so proud and you did so well. I felt especially good about the Russian piece--very musical. The spiritual was powerful and a great beginning with the Weelkes piece.

Exhausted now . . . . and I'll see you Monday!

Call Information for Friday Night

6:45
Jemison Concert Hall
Alys Stephens Center

Parking in lot across from ASC.

His Yoke Is Easy

Jennifer Fisher asked for some clarification on the small/tutti chorus on "His Yoke Is Easy" so I created a color-coded version for all of you to clearly see what was what.

Click here for a PDF version of the score.

Bogoroditse Devo

Bogoroditse Devo

Bo-go-ro-dyi-tse Dye-vo, ra-duy-sya,
BO-GO-RRO-DYEE-TSE    DYEH-VOH  RRAH-Dö-SYAH

Bla-go-dat-na-ya Ma-ri-e,
BLAH-GOH-DAT(SOFT “T”)-NAH-YAH  MAH-RRI-EH

Gos-pody- sto-bo-yu
HOS-POD-YEHSTO-BOH-YOO

Bla-go-slo-vye-na Ty vzey-nah
BLAH-GOH-SLO-VYEH-NAH  Tï  VZZEH-NAH

I bla-go-slo-vyen plod chrey-va Tvo-ye-go,
EE BLAH-GO-SLO-VYEHN-PLOHD  CHREY-VAH TVO-YEH-GOH

Ya-ko Spa-sa ro-dyi-la ye-shi du-sh na-shee
YAH-KOH  SPAH-SAH  RRO-DYEE-LAH    YEH-SHEE  DOO-SH  NAH-SHö

Russian Text Recording

Listen here for help on Bogoroditse Devo:

Bogoroditse Devo - pronunciation (Rachmaninoff)

Special thanks to Nick Cummins for taking the time and having the knowledge to accomplish this task.

Leppard's Messiah

Here's the recording Mo. Leppard made of Handel's Messiah (our conductor this year).

Conductor Raymond Leppard will lead is in the 2008 Messiah.

(reposted from earlier date)

Here's a link to his recording of the work.

Markings for Messiah - UPDATED

It's time to start marking scores for the Messiah.

I've compiled nearly all of Mo. Leppard's marks into this document and will post a scan of one movement that got a little complicated.

Please mark your scores accordingly and ask me to translate anything . . . it's likely that I will post answers to questions here on the blog for the benefit of everyone.

UPDATED: Here's the marked version of "And With His Stripes."

UPDATE II: I didn't give any markings in the versions above on No. 51 "But Thanks." It was an oversight; probably because I did this over three SEC football games this weekend!

Here are some markings to get into your score:

No. 51 "But Thanks."
Beginning: TUTTI

Publish Post

m. 36 all parts decresc.
m. 37-53 SOLOISTS ONLY
m. 53 tutti chorus, forte on the & of 4
m. 60 SOLOISTS TAKE OVER AGAIN
m. 64 Soprano joins on & of 3; rest of choir joins again on & of 4

Memory goals

I know that asking you to memorize a piece of music is different from what you've done before. Trust me on this: singing our music from memory will transform our performances.

It's not much and here is the schedule:

Due September 22: Rachmaninoff Vespers, Bogoroditsie Devo.
Due September 29: Weelkes, Hosanna to the Son of David.
Due October 6: Morris, I Thank You Jesus.

Carmina Translations

I strongly encourage you to take a significant interest in the text and translations of Carmina Burana. Look here for each text and write it in your score. Know what you are singing!

Look here for translations of each movement.

UPDATE: Probably the same translation, but this is the one I read from last night.

Dues due

Everyone:

All BCC members should have paid at least 1/2 of the annual dues by now. The second half is due before the first concert. Dues are $80.00 ($40.00 for full-time students). Checks can be made out to the BCC and mailed to BCC, P.O. Box 26441, Birmingham, AL 35260, or they can pay Bruce Burson at next Monday's rehearsal.

Also Vicky Carstens needs mailing addresses, email addresses, phone numbers for all members. Some of the new people may have slipped in without seeing either Vicky or me and if so we need full information on them.

Vicki's email: Vicky.Carstens@scasurgery.com

Welcome New Board Members

The Board of Directors of the Birmingham Concert Chorale are happy to welcome new members for the class of 2008-2011:

Jennifer Fisher
Shilpa Gaggar
Wayne Hay
Carolyn Tompkins

Please be sure and thank these Chorale members for volunteering their service on the Board.

RSS Video: How to Subscribe

You can subscribe to blogs with services like Bloglines or Google Reader.

Here's more about RSS (Real Simple Syndication)

Inspired Thinking

Visit TED for more great videos.

TED Talk: Benjamin Zander

Here's the TED talk that I referenced in rehearsal tonight.

Dress for Sale

Traci Cornett has a new Andrea dress for sale:

 

She sang with the BCC for the last four years but moved to Kansas City, Missouri over the summer. She has a size 6 dress and would like to sell.  It's only been worn a few times, and she will ship it freshly cleaned.

 

The dress is hemmed fairly short (She's 5'3"), but there is a *lot* of fabric at the hem to let it out for pretty much anybody.

 

Asking $40, including shipping.

Her email.

Board of Directors Candidates

Jennifer Fisher
Jennifer has been in the BCC's alto section for a few years now - her first performance was "Annie Get Your Gun" (not the "traditional" choral repertoire, but a very fun induction!). Her favorite performances are always "Messiah" – she feels there's just something magical about being part of a Birmingham tradition and of the community's yearly holiday festivities - now her Christmas season just isn't complete without the ASO, the Alys, and the "Messiah".

Jennifer’s been singing her entire life. She was raised on Broadway, jazz, barbershop (her Mom was in Sweet Adelines), and Baptist hymnals. Classical music was only what she listened to when she studied. When she transferred to UAB, she decided to take voice classes for fun. Her voice professor suggested she try singing classical music, and she suggested he refrain from partaking so heavily of recreational pharmaceuticals! But he was right - and he helped her fall absolutely in love with classical music. She joined the UAB Concert Choir and her first classical choral performance was "Carmina Burana" - to this day, nothing cheers her up like the men's chorus "In Taberna".

Currently, Jennifer’s back at UAB (after an unscheduled hiatus) in her senior year as a biology major. She’s doing undergraduate research and hopes to enter UAB's cellular and molecular biology PhD program next fall. She’s a nursing assistant during the week, and spend weekends as the sound director at a wedding house in Roebuck (where she’s lucky enough to get to work with a few ASO members). Singing with the BCC truly is what keeps her sane, and she can think of no better way to give thanks to a wonderful organization that she loves than by serving on its Board.


Shilpa Gaggar
Shilpa sings in the alto section of the BCC and has been singing with the BCC for 2 and half years. She is originally from New York and moved to Birmingham in 2001. She had always enjoyed music and singing, but discovered that she could actually sing while participating in musical theater in high school. At the University of Michigan, she was a member of the Women’s Glee Club for four years, after which she took a break from extracurricular activities while finishing pharmacy school and continuing on for residency training in Lexington, KY.

Shilpa currently works part-time as a pharmacist at UAB hospital and spends the rest of her time running after her 1 year old son, Akash. In addition to singing, she enjoys reading and amateur photography. She first learned about the BCC during a performance of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony. In 2006, she met a BCC member at a Christmas party, who encouraged her to audition. She has really enjoyed getting back into singing and music and being a member of the Chorale. She is looking forward to the current season and is very excited about the future of this group.


Wayne Hay
Wayne has been a member of the BCC for 7 years and served on the Board from 2004 to 2007. During that time he was Treasurer for two years and headed successful spring fund raisers for 3 years.

Wayne’s musical background started in bands playing the Baritone Horn (Euphonium) from elementary school through college. Since then, he has been in church choirs and a few musical comedy productions. He is currently a member of the Asbury United Methodist Church choir in addition to being a proud member of the BCC looking forward to this new season.

Wayne was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky. He received his Bachelor and graduate degrees in Electrical Engineering from the University of Louisville. After spending five years as an officer in the Navy’s nuclear submarine program, he started working for South Central Bell which later became BellSouth and is now AT&T. He retired from BellSouth as a Network Vice President and has since worked as a tax preparer. Wayne and his wife, Susie, have three adult children (one of which lives in Australia) and four grandchildren (two in Australia).


Margaret McCollum
Margaret sings in the soprano section and has been in the BCC for 4 seasons. She is a native of the Birmingham area, a member of the Alpha Xi Delta sorority and held the offices of Marshal and Historian, and a graduate of the University of Alabama in Early Childhood Education. She was a member of the Theater Guild of Rockingham County, North Carolina where she was in several productions as an actor, assisting with costumes and the stage crew. She played the principal role of Mrs. Sourberry (the Funeral Director’s wife) in “Oliver”.

Margaret enjoys teaching school, competitive figure skating, singing in the BCC and Independent Presbyterian Church choir. When time allows, she participates in the Birmingham Community Band. She began singing at an early age and has studied voice, been in church choirs and other musical organizations all her life. She played oboe in the Alabama Youth Symphony, marched and played in various bands and honor bands on flute, piccolo, and oboe. She has traveled overseas and had the opportunity to sing under Joseph Schreiber and now with Jeff McLelland. Their love for music and quest for musical perfection have had the greatest influence on her personal love and quest for musical perfection. Her travels allow her to share her experiences with school children to broaden their knowledge of the culture of different places around the world.

Margaret counts it a privilege to sing in the BCC with the Alabama Symphony, reaching out musically and presenting our talent as a group to every audience and in representing Birmingham.


Carolyn Tompkins
Carolyn has been a member of the BCC since last season, singing in the first soprano section. Relatively new to Birmingham, moving here in June of 2007 from Washington, DC, Carolyn now lives in Bluff Park with her husband, Jason, along with our two “kids”, Scout, a Greyhound, and Noah, a Manx. Prior to Birmingham, Carolyn has lived in ten states and two countries, so music has provided a wonderful stability.

Carolyn’s musical background extends back to early childhood with a total shift to vocal music during middle school. Her favorite experience was her time with the Erskine College Choraleers and Chamber Singers, in which she participated throughout her undergraduate years. Carolyn graduated from Erskine College in 2002 with degrees in English/Theatre Arts and History. She is currently back in school at Samford University working toward her Paralegal Certificate, as well as working full-time as a paralegal at the law firm of Wallace, Jordan, Ratliff & Brandt.

Carolyn is offering her time and energy to serve on the BCC Board because she feels it is an important part of contributing to an organization that is significant to her.

Great recordings of our music

Hosanna to the Son of David (Weelkes)

On Itunes
On Amazon MP3 download
A great CD of renaissance music with this work on it


Rachmaninoff: Vespers: Bogoroditsye Devo, Raduisya - Rejoice, O Virgin
Rachmaninoff vespers on ITUNES
Rachmaninoff vespers on Amazon
Rachmaninoff vespers on Amazon MP3 download

Robert Morris:  I Thank You Jesus
Robert Morris:  I Thank You Jesus

Calendars Galore!

Just a reminder that you have three ways to keep up with the Chorale schedule throughout the season:
1) Philip's Google Calendar available on this blog
2) The posted calendar on the website under "Member Info"
3) The printable PDF version of the website calendar via link on the calendar page

Don't let things slip up on you... be sure and check the calendar periodically!

Want to Serve on the Chorale Board?

Please note that at our next rehearsal we will elect new members for the Chorale Board of Directors. If you would like to be considered for a Board position, please read the information on page 10 of the Chorale handbook at: http://www.concertchorale.org/addendum/handbook_6-08.PDF
and then email Board President Dan Bell at dbell35068@netzero.net and let him know of your interest. Dan will also need a short biography if you decide to run. Please contact him by next week so we can prepare properly for the election.

If you're interested in the Haydn Festival later this concert season, a cleaner color version of the brochure is posted on the website at: http://www.concertchorale.org/addendum/archives/haydn2009.PDF

October Concert

BCC,

I just added the October Concert date on the Google Calendar.

It's on Friday, October 17 and we'll be joining the UAB Choirs in their Fall Concert.  It will start at 8:00 and last about an hour.

We'll sing:

Hosanna to the Son of David (Weelkes)
Bogoroditse Devo (Rachmaninoff)
I Thank You, Jesus (Morris)

I anticipate us gathering at 7:00 and beginning the concert.

Rehearsal and Haydn Festival

Folks,

Great rehearsal last night.

It was musically satisfying and fun. I appreciate your hard work in sectionals and the new piece, "I Thank You Jesus."

Terre Johnson announced last night that it was still possible to go on the Haydn International Festival trip this coming summer. More information here.

What I was most pleased with last night was the fellowship time after rehearsal. I appreciate you staying around and meeting all the new people. Many thanks to those who brought food and made the social event possible.

plc

Mentioned in Huebner's column

This in today's paper:

OPERA, CHORALE SEARCHING FOR FINE VOICES

Philip Copeland, Birmingham Concert Chorale's new music director, heard 31 singers on Aug. 11, which he described on his blog (http://concertchorale.blogspot.com/) as "extremely high quality for the most part." But don't despair if you missed the first chance to sing "Messiah," "Carmina Burana" and Beethoven's Ninth with Alabama Symphony's official chorus in 2008-09. More auditions are scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday and Sept. 9 at Briarwood Presbyterian Church, 2200 Briarwood Way. Auditioners must be able to read music. For details, check out the blog and BCC's Web site, http://www.concertchorale.org. To schedule a time, e-mail philip.copeland@gmail.com.

Membership Chair Request

If you are going to miss a rehearsal, please send an email to our Membership Chairperson, Vicky Carstens at carstensv@yahoo.com . This will help Vicky immensely in the task of keeping up with our attendance.

Thank you!

Contribution Announcement

Dan Bell, President of the BCC, announced today a $2000 donation to the Chorale from EBSCO Industries. EBSCO is known for their support of the arts in the Birmingham area and they also helped support the BCC last year. A big "thank-you" goes to EBSCO Industries for their continued support of the BCC.

Remember that the Chorale relies heavily on tax-deductable gifts from our supporters, both individuals and businesses. Many businesses also offer matching funds on charitable giving by their employees, so please consider a tax-deductable donation to the BCC, and check with your employer about matching funds, too.

The Chorale is looking to be a strong musical performer this season; help keep it strong financially, as well.

Our mailing address is:
Birmingham Concert Chorale
P. O. Box 26441
Birmingham, AL 35260-0441

First rehearsal

Tremendous first rehearsal, everyone.

A few notes:

1.  Some have asked for the power point presentation I did.  Microsoft Powerpoint 2007 version here.  Microsoft Powerpoint 2003 version here.

2.  Link to Robert Shaw's recording of the Rachmaninoff piece we did is here.

Carmina Burana 2009

Here's the recording I recommend for Carmina Burana.

Messiah 2008

Conductor Raymond Leppard will lead is in the 2008 Messiah

Here's a link to his recording of the work.

Greetings, potential BCC members

A few potential singers might be checking out this blog today.

Welcome! Please look at these previous posts if you are interested in joining us:

1. How to audition.

2. Where to audition - directions to Briarwood.

3. Where to go when you get to Briarwood Presbyterian.

4. How to pre-register as a prelude to joining the group.

5. Letter from BCC President Dan Bell concerning the new year.

That's it! Please consider joining us.

Registration Form

Greetings, Birmingham Concert Chorale!

We're going to try to speed up registration with this online form. Please fill it out here:

Audition Results

I'm pleased to report that I have auditioned a total of 31 people so far for the Birmingham Concert Chorale.

None of these people sang with the choir last year and only a few are returning singers from past years. The auditions have been of extremely high quality for the most part and it's gotten me very excited about the potential for the group.

I credit the interest to the two-week long advertisement on WBHM . . . we've gotten tons of calls from that. I've also received a number of calls from people that read Birmingham Parent.

More auditions are scheduled before rehearsal begins on Monday, August 18. It's going to be an incredible year of singing.

Auditions tonight

Here's the information I just sent to those auditioning tonight:

Greetings, fellow musicians!

I wanted to give remind you of the schedule and give you directions for the evening.

Here are the directions to Briarwood Presbyterian, using Google Maps.

Once you get to the church, follow these directions to get to the choir room:

1. Keep to the right when you turn to get on the campus at Briarwood Presbyterian.
2. Park in the big parking lot to the right.
3. Look for the entrance labeled with a large M.
4. Once you enter, look for stairs or an elevator go get you to the second floor.
5. Turn left once you get to the second floor.
6. Look for signs directing you to the choir room.

Remember, here's what the audition will be like. Don't worry.

Here's the schedule for the auditions tonight. It looks like a great crowd and promises a wonderful beginning to the season.

5:00:00 M. Bicknell
5:10:00 W. Fischer
5:20:00 OPEN
5:30:00 F.Black
5:40:00 X. Roberson
5:50:00 E. Jackson
6:00:00 S. Olm
WORK IN J. DeGarmo
6:10:00 D. Hackman
6:20:00 M. Martin
6:30:00 N. Merrow
6:40:00 P. Pleasant
6:50:00 H. Rushing
7:00:00 B. Walker
7:10:00 T. Uptain
7:20:00 J. Griffin
7:30:00 M. McDowell
7:40:00 M. Higginbotham
7:50:00 M. Tolliver
8:00:00 F. Smith
8:10:00 E. Files
8:20:00 S. Crawford
8:30:00 M. Bittle
8:40:00 F. Piazza
8:50:00 C. Giddings
9:00:00 E. Chick
9:10:00 Husband Chick

A New Season Begins - from Dan Bell

Dear BCC Membership,

I hope you've had a restful summer and are ready to get back to making music! Registration for the new BCC season will be August 18 beginning at 6:00 p.m. in the "glass room" at Briarwood Presbyterian Church on the second floor immediately to the right of the stairs. Please arrive early to register so rehearsal can begin at 7:00 p.m.

The BCC Board met August 4 and determined rising costs in maintaining the Chorale will require dues for the upcoming season to be raised to $80. Keep in mind that the director's salary has been raised and although we expect to obtain some funding from the ASO, we still have to cover our costs. You will have the option of paying the entire amount at registration or may elect to pay half ($40) that evening with the balance due by November 3.

We will be using online computers to facilitate registration this year, so you will only need to verify your information, purchase (if needed) a new Messiah score for $10, pick up your additional music (no charge) and pay your dues. In future seasons we hope members will be able to register online prior to the first rehearsal.

Please take a few moments and review our updated Member Handbook at this link on our website: www.concertchorale.org/addendum/handbook_6-08.PDF, also available on the Member Info page. Remember, when you are paying your dues you are agreeing to abide by the guidelines set forth in the Handbook and it's your responsibility to know them.

At our first rehearsal we will welcome our new director, Philip Copeland, and he will take a few minutes to discuss his exciting plans for the BCC. In the short time Philip has been our director, I have had several conversations with him and can tell you he has some wonderful ideas. For one, we want to minimize our use of paper in communications. Those of you that have recently visited www.concertchorale.org will note we now have a Chorale blog found on the Member Info page also accessible at http://concertchorale.blogspot.com/ . Philip intends to use the blog and a Google calendar to communicate on a regular basis with the membership. I know to some this may sound a little techie, but Philip will explain it all in detail and assist those who may have questions. It is an excellent way to keep us up-to-date and maximize rehearsal time for singing rather than lengthy announcements. The more familiar schedule format is still maintained and available 24/7 at the website in both web format and a printable PDF for those who like to keep a hard copy handy.

At our second rehearsal (August 25) we will have a social for our membership (food!) during an extended break. We are expecting 25-30 new members this season, and ask for "old-timers" to be sure and take time to welcome the newcomers. Make it a point to meet someone new every week... it's a great way to build the team!

We also have 3-4 positions coming open on the Chorale Board for the upcoming season. Details regarding serving on the Board are described in the Member Handbook. If you are interested in serving, please respond back to us via email at concertchorale@yahoo.com . We will have an election for new board members before the next board meeting (September 8), so please let us know of your interest as soon as possible.

Many exciting things are in the works with the BCC. Philip and your Board have some great ideas to strengthen and encourage our membership. For starters, keep an open mind regarding alternative concerts. We are now looking at a possible fall concert with UAB that would include a portion of Carmina Burana. We are also exploring a spring "thank you concert" for Briarwood Presbyterian Church. We need to show our appreciation to Briarwood for the use of their wonderful facilities year after year. Both of these will be added to our schedule if and when confirmed.

Our relationship with the ASO continues to improve. Those who attended the BCC director's audition noticed that both Justin Brown AND Christopher Confessore were present. I think that speaks very well of the ASO's interest in the BCC. Justin and the ASO simply want the BCC to be the best we can be. The ASO also has a new Executive Director, Curt Long. Curt was the Executive Director for the Dayton Symphony Orchestra for 14 years. Philip and I recently met with Curt and discussed how the ASO and BCC can work best together. Curt was very clear in his goals to improve the ASO for both the short and long term, as well as continuing to strengthen the ASO/BCC ties.

Please allow me to thank each member of the BCC for your hard work and dedication in the past. You are appreciated for faithfully attending rehearsals and performing well at our concerts. I think we are going to have a great season this year and one every member will enjoy.

Thanks for being a part of the BCC. See you August 18!

Dan Bell
Board President
Birmingham Concert Chorale
P.O. Box 26441
Birmingham, AL 35260-0441

Directions to Briarwood for Auditions & Rehearsal

Click here for individual directions.


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Auditions

Some information about auditions for Birmingham Concert Chorale:

1. Members from last year do not need to audition . . . just show up for registration and the first rehearsal on Monday, August 18th at 6:00 p.m.

2. New members, even if you are a former BCC member, need to audition.

We'll audition on Monday, August 11th between 5 - 10 p.m.

Email me when you want to audition.

Don't stress about the audition.

This is what it will be like:
1. we'll sing a few scales, maybe "My Country 'Tis of Thee"
2. you will sing a few notes back to me
3. a little bit of sight reading. Nothing hard! I promise.

Reading about Carmina

Here's a wonderful summary of the work, it's history, and the text.

Messiah 2008: Raymond Leppard, Conductor

A little about our Messiah conductor this year, from his official bio:

An exceptional and versatile musician, Raymond Leppard is one of the most respected international conductors of his time. In four decades on the podium he has conducted nearly all of the world’s leading orchestras, made over 150 recordings, written two books, created legendary realizations of Cavalli and Monteverdi and composed several film scores.

In addition to his fourteen-year tenure as Music Director of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and long association with the English Chamber Orchestra, Raymond Leppard has an impressive list of conducting credits: he has appeared with the New York Philharmonic on numerous occasions, toured with the Chicago Symphony and Detroit Symphony and has conducted many other major orchestras including the Boston Symphony, The Philadelphia Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Pittsburgh Symphony, Israel Philharmonic, the BBC Symphony (including the Last Night of the Proms), as well as in all European capital cities and Japan.

In the great opera houses of the world, highlights include Britten’s Billy Budd at the Metropolitan and San Francisco operas, Alceste and Alcina at the New York City Opera and the world premiere of Nicholas Maw’s Rising of the Moon at Glyndebourne Opera, where he has been a frequent guest. He has also appeared at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and in Paris, Hamburg, Santa Fe, Stockholm and Geneva. In the late 1950s, Mr. Leppard accepted a post at Cambridge as University Lecturer in Music, beginning a distinguished joint career as academician and performer. During his tenure at Cambridge he was responsible for bringing the operas of Monteverdi and Cavalli back to the professional stage where they had not been seen for 300 years.

A prolific recording artist, Raymond Leppard has earned such international prizes as the Deutsche Schallplattenpreis, a Grammy Award, a Grand Pro/Am Music Prix du Disque and the Edison Prize. Recent recordings include works for organ and orchestra with Gillian Weir and the English Chamber Orchestra, two recordings with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and a disc of 20th century American music with the Indianapolis Symphony. Mr. Leppard has composed a number of film scores including the music for Lord of the Flies, Laughter in the Dark and Hotel New Hampshire. His second book, Raymond Leppard on Music: An Anthology of Critical and Personal Writings, was published by Resources in 1993.

The Queen of England has honored Raymond Leppard with the title Commander of the British Empire (CBE). For his services to Italian music, the Republic of Italy has conferred upon him the title of Commendatore della Republica Italiana. In America, he has received honorary degrees from Purdue University, Butler University and the University of Indianapolis.

Born in London, Raymond Leppard was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge. He currently resides in the United States.

Google Calendar

The BCC Calendar for 2008-2009 is now up. I was as thorough as I could be with the information that I know right now.

XML Link for Calendars
ICAL Link
HTML Link for Calendars

Find out more about Google Calendar here.

First post for PLC

Hello world . . . . glad to be here. More soon. (this is a test post)

Welcome to the BCC Blog!

In the future we will use this blog site to communicate rapidly changing and/or timely information. Be sure and bookmark this URL or access through the link on the Member Info page on our website concertchorale.org.