Week 5 • April 29, 2020

The Importance of Choir • This pretty much says it all!

Hey ladies, this video is "how not to sing flat"!!! What do you know... :)

Though we can't change the key of the song, we can always try for better technique! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZ1vMNhqjXY

This video is titled "5 Easy songs to sing." Try them out and see if you agree!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lxotz-e9LMQ

Kyumin xoxoxo

If you're looking for something to do, here is a link to 15 Broadway Plays and Musicals that I thought you'd enjoy.  Also, this is a link to 157 Musicals you can watch on-line.

Continue working on A Place in the Choir.  After watching "Mamma Mia!" on the weekend, we definitely have to review Girls Gone ABBA.  Here are the two featured choir pieces:

It's De-Lovely
Honey, Honey, Does Your Mother Know?, Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!

Theory

Lesson 13, Lesson 14, Lesson 15, Lesson 16

Answer Keys

Lesson 9, Lesson 10, Lesson 11, Lesson 12

Ear Training / Sight Singing

I have added a metronome track for some of the exercises.  Be sure to feel the pulse of notes that are longer than one beat.  Sing each line separately, then try to sing them in any combination.  All the lines fit together.

Week 4 • April 22, 2020

Rather than reposting things, I'd recommend that you review the ear training and other exercises from previous weeks.  Continue working on  "A Place in the Choir".  I have also added an accompaniment track (careful . . . it's fast) that you can try singing with.  It starts with a 2-bar intro.
This week the featured choir pieces are:

All That Jazz
Feed the Birds

Theory

Lesson 9
Lesson 10
Lesson 11
Lesson 12

Theory Answer Keys

Lesson 5 • Answer Key
Lesson 6 • Answer Key
Lesson 7 • Answer Key
Lesson 8 • Answer Key

Name the Notes on the Keyboard • Answer Key

Ear Training • Sight Singing

There are audio tracks for each page of the ear training exercises.  For "Rhythm • Let's Begin", be sure to feel the pulse of all notes that are longer than one beat, as indicated at the top of the page.  There is a one-bar rest between exercises, so keep the pulse going in your head going from one line to the next.

For the pitched exercises, I would like you to try to do them using Solfege (do, re, me, fa, so, etc.).  If need be, you can write in the syllables or just use d, r, m, f, s when you're first trying this out.  Eventually, as you learn to read the notes better, you won't need to write the syllables in.

On each page there are notes about lines that can be sung simultaneously.  As an extra challenge to yourself, try playing one exercise while singing it's partner exercise.  This will really help you develop your ear, especially for singing harmony.

From Kyumin:

Hi ladies, 

As a continuation of last week, here's the video again. I watched it again, and it's good. :)

Warm-Up

Here's something funny to watch. NOT giving you any ideas though. :)

Something Funny

We'd both be interested in your feedback.

Take care . . . and stay safe.

Week 3 • April 15, 2020

A belated Happy Easter to you all.  I hope you are all healthy and happy and are finding things to keep you busy.  I've finished four or five jigsaws, we watching plenty of TV, doing some house projects and attempting to use things from our pantry that have been there for a while . . . mainly to avoid going shopping.  So far so good.  I think I've averaged going out about one a week.

Your assignment for this week is a little different.  I have written an arrangement of "A Place in the Choir" and have made practice tracks for it.  Your goal this week should be to learn your part.  It is mainly in three parts, but I have made four tracks to accommodate the Alto Ones when they are singing with the Alto 2s.  I'm trying to figure out a way we can successfully sing this together in the coming weeks.  I'm not sure Zoom will work, but I'll look into other options.  Any ideas?

A Place in the Choir • Practice tracks and pdf of sheet music.

I will be sending some of the theory answer keys over the next week.  If you are doing the theory, can you please let me know, as I don't want to sent it if no one is doing it.

From Kyumin . . . 

Vocal Lesson:  This lady does an amazing job on how to warm up your voice.  It's 30 minutes long, and you can actually participate like a real lesson.  It is very thorough, and has a lot of information.  To give you some time to digest the info, it will be on for next week as well.

Vocal Warm-up

Ellis Marsalis (father of Wynton and Branford):  This jazz pianist is one of my all-time favourites.  He passed away last week due to COVID-19.  Here's a Jazz at the Lincoln Center honouring him last year.  Something different from all the vocal stuff.  Enjoy. :) 

Lincoln Centre Tribute to Ellis Marsalis

Week 2 • April 8, 2020

Please don't forget to touch base with the practice tracks.  This week the featured songs are:

Love Changes Everything
Beautiful • Section 3

Practice Tracks

Music Theory • Lessons 5 to 8 have been added.  There is also an Answer Key for Lessons 1 to 4.

Virtual Piano

Name the Notes on the Keyboard

Choir Warm-Up • Intervals

Intervals in music are the tonal spaces between the notes.  In this exercise, there is the same interval sounded both above and below the starting note, which in this case is F.  Sing this exercise with the sound track.  Gradual rely less and less on the track, checking your pitch from time to time.  (Even if you don't know how to play piano, you can certainly find an F as a starting point.)

Solfege • Part 3 • Train Your Ear With Solfege Syllables

Solfege • Part 4 • Scale Exercises for Singers

This is from Kyumin:

This singer explains the 3 techniques of singing.  We hear this from our lovely director; which sound she wants.  So have a listen and see which pieces you can apply them to.

Singing Techniques

This is from America's Got Talent Choir edition.  Fun to watch all the different choirs!

America's Got Talent

Sending much love to you all. ❤

Brenda and Kyumin

Week 1 • April 1, 2020

Music Theory • It is important that you read all the instructions carefully.  Feel free to leave out the bass clef segment if you want. In the review (lesson 4) you can substitute treble clef answers for any of the bass clef questions.  Answer keys will be available soon.

Virtual Piano

Guide to Learning Notes on the Piano

How to Read Music

Solfege • Part 1 • A Beginner's Guide

Solfege • Part 2 • Exercises for Singers

Vocal Warm-ups • basic singing; good points to remember!
(Not my favourite, but pretty good.)

A few youtube Videos for Inspiration

East Carolina University Women's Choir • Lovely singing of a Women’s Choir; a cappella

Elektra Women's Choir • “Songbird"