Jo and Deborah are on the Pride of America, which has just set sail (well, not literally - started the motors, really) and departed Honolulu. On Sunday morning we arrive in Maui and go on a volcano excursion.
Today we packed, went to a music ed class with Harborlites, saw the chorus finals (very exciting and entertaining) and embarked on our ship.
Education Class with Harborlites - Buried Treasure
Handouts from this class will be on their website in a week or two (wwwharborliteschorus.org), so we won't go into detail here. Here are the key points:
- vocal skills are essential in all judging categories - their goal is to be the best singers they can possibly be - they have a Vocal Gold program that includes compulsory workshops, vocal skill building at every rehearsal (Vicki does this with CKC), individual attention through PVIs and riser tape feedback. It is relentless, constant, reinforcement of basic skills, and takes a lot of time.
- Pam then did some breathing exercises with us.
- directing skills include musical selection, musical plan creation, using artistic vocabulary with the chorus, vocal modelling and body language (these last three were demonstrated by Pam and Harborlites).
- the judging categories talk about creating on stage magic; how do we achieve this? Erin Howden works with Harborlites as a visual coach and for this seminar she recorded an interview about her approach to creating a physically enhanced visual plan. She says mind, body and emotion can't be compartmentalised, they all have to work together. The level of physicality depends on the song (the music must call for the movement); chorus size and level of vocal skills.
- Harborlites demonstrated Bring Him Home first without planned choreo, then with.
- how to be physical and maintain good vocal production? posture is important, moving up and out of the floor, travellling across the floor on skates, keeping movements fluid and low; also singing in phrases and thoughts not words; singng from power centre regardless of what your limbs are doing to keep the sound constant; understanding the purpose and meaning of movements; increasing physical stamina
- summing up, challenge yourself, take risks, and grow (quote from Peter Sellers about vocal music)
- Visual Gold program includes an all day workshop for new members (and old members, at least once a year) working on showmanship, small group exercises, You Be The Judge (watching yourself on video), stamina building, practising artistic movements
- example of Sweet Georgia Brown - the difference between sexy and flirty; the difference in performance between chorus members making their own interpretation of her character, and how much more unified when they all do "sexy and flirty"; and then adding choreographed moves to that.
After the Music Ed class Deborah and Jo checked out of the hotel and handed their luggage over to a Witte Travel person to be delivered to their cabin on the Pride of America. Then it was off to the Chorus Finals.
Chorus Finals
Once again, we're just commenting on the stand-out performances. From our point of view, musically they were all great and we're glad we didn't have to judge.
Pacific Empire Chorus were the mic testers. They were dressed as bell boys (purple striped pants and vest, with bell boy hats tied under the chin). The scene was the Grand Hotel, about to close because there was no money for repairs, and there was a bit of dialogue along these lines to link the four songs they did.
Skyline were the first contestant. They had some very funny dialogue about the abbreviations used in text messages, which had to be translated into English. A daughter is upset about her wedding day arrangements going wrong, and her mother gives her good advice. At one point the front row is down on their knees, scrubbing the floor, and then lying full length on the floor. At another point the front row is pushed and falls like dominoes.
North Metro were next. They were stunning in black velvet with a vivid green underskirt, and their theme was Irish (Great Day for the Irish; Tooralooraloo) and included a lot of Irish dancing by the front row, brilliantly done. There wasn't much dialogue, apart from a chorus member speaking the Irish Blessing' and they ended with Arise Arise (which we're told was sung in 8 parts). It was a moving performance.
Song of Atlanta had a pirate theme, with the pirate ship about to be repossessed, so they enter a "Pirates Got Talent" contest but Razzcals quartet beat them (and appear as themselves).
The Melodeers theme is about Jim Arns being a music theory geek and turning his chorus into geeks as well. The chorus start off in a red and black pinafore sort of thing that didn't look very spectacular, but then they pull off the pinafore to reveal geeky black skirt, white top and braces. The Circle of Fifths becomes a prop. Jim crawls behind the legs of the front row. All through this they are producing great sound. It's very cute and very clever.
Ronninge are wearing black tunics with a silver diamond on the chest, and black headbands and black boots. They have a Mission Impossible theme: "your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to find out how to win the competition". They mimic the performance styles of some other well-known choruses.
Scottsdale perform four songs, without any theme or dialogue. They sound great too, but aren't as entertaining as some of the others.
San Diego are a smaller chorus, but still produce a big sound. They tell a story about being a dancer at different ages - all done with the frame of a mirror - it made Deborah cry (again). For the first song the front row wear leotards and a short fringed skirt - looked great as they tap-dance! Then they go off stage to change into the same costume as the rest of the chorus.
Pride of Portland do a set about capturing Molly Member, and finish with Joshua Fought the Battle of Jericho. They use some very clever chorus formations to form the walls, with other chorus members marching around them.
Spirit of the Gulf have got us all wondering what their costume is - and then the lights come up and they are nearly all dogs (in full dog costume) with a few handlers and a kennel owner (director). There is a dog show. Songs include Beautiful Dog,How Much Is That Doggie, Will It Be Me This Time, We are the Champions, Nothing you can say will take me away from My Dog, We are Family.
Jokes include asking dogs what is on top of a house (roof) and what is sandpaper (ruff); there is mention of Jean BARKford, Airedal Syverson, Joni BISCUIT; and Betty Clipman is the HOUND Judge. So clever!
Last competitor is Buffalo Gateway, who tell the story of Frosty the
Snowman in Hawaii. Susie Snowflake is jealous of the other girls; she takes him home when he begins to melt.
While we're waiting for the results we're entertained by the Family Chorus (very cute, with some little girls sitting on beach balls). Peggy Gram presents Marge Bailey with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Moxxy Ladies perform. Then the Directors and Team Coordinators of the finalists come on stage and the results are announced:
Audience choice: Spirit of the Gulf
10th - Buffalo Gateway 2543
9th - Pride of Portland 2606
8th - Spirit of the Gulf 2646
7th - San Diego 2657
6th - Song of Atlanta 2663
5th - Ronninge Show Chorus 2769
4th - Skyline 2788
3rd - Scottsdale 2815
2nd - North Metro - 2837
1st - Melodeers - 3023 (and there's a great roar as the score is announced, as this is the first time ever a chorus has scored over 3000; the perfect score is 3280).
We sing Send Your Love (badly, because of the time delay between the front and the back of the auditorium and because we don't know it); the Winners Song (also badly because we don't know it); and Harmonize the World - but people are already streaming out of the auditorium. And that's the end of our first International Convention.
The Cruise
Deborah and Jo head for the Witte Travel bus to the ship, and we're redirected to the other side of the Convention Centre because there are so many buses picking people up. Then we're off. We get our passports and tickets ready to be checked. There's a security check to go through, then we show our tickets and credit cards so we could be issued with ship cards, then we board. We found our way to level 10 and our cabin. It's tiny compared with our hotel room, and we struggle to get our suitcases past the first bed. We unpack, put our half-empty cases under the bed, and go looking for food because at this stage it's 8 pm and we haven't eaten since lunch time.
We find the Aloha Cafe, which has a huge buffet. Food is included in the cruise price, but drinks are extra, and a glass of wine is about $7 USD. The nice barman tells Deborah the wine bar has a happy hour with half price drinks each evening.
After dinner we explore a bit, and find the Harmony in HawaII registration desk where we pick up an updated class schedule and extra info. Then we come back to our room, because we're tired. The beds are small but with very soft mattresses. The toilet makes a very loud farting noise when flushed. Deborah pays $100 for 280 minutes of internet time and updates the blog. Jo sits on the balcony with a cup of tea until the ship leaves port around 10 pm, and then we go to bed.
Today we packed, went to a music ed class with Harborlites, saw the chorus finals (very exciting and entertaining) and embarked on our ship.
Education Class with Harborlites - Buried Treasure
Handouts from this class will be on their website in a week or two (wwwharborliteschorus.org), so we won't go into detail here. Here are the key points:
- vocal skills are essential in all judging categories - their goal is to be the best singers they can possibly be - they have a Vocal Gold program that includes compulsory workshops, vocal skill building at every rehearsal (Vicki does this with CKC), individual attention through PVIs and riser tape feedback. It is relentless, constant, reinforcement of basic skills, and takes a lot of time.
- Pam then did some breathing exercises with us.
- directing skills include musical selection, musical plan creation, using artistic vocabulary with the chorus, vocal modelling and body language (these last three were demonstrated by Pam and Harborlites).
- the judging categories talk about creating on stage magic; how do we achieve this? Erin Howden works with Harborlites as a visual coach and for this seminar she recorded an interview about her approach to creating a physically enhanced visual plan. She says mind, body and emotion can't be compartmentalised, they all have to work together. The level of physicality depends on the song (the music must call for the movement); chorus size and level of vocal skills.
- Harborlites demonstrated Bring Him Home first without planned choreo, then with.
- how to be physical and maintain good vocal production? posture is important, moving up and out of the floor, travellling across the floor on skates, keeping movements fluid and low; also singing in phrases and thoughts not words; singng from power centre regardless of what your limbs are doing to keep the sound constant; understanding the purpose and meaning of movements; increasing physical stamina
- summing up, challenge yourself, take risks, and grow (quote from Peter Sellers about vocal music)
- Visual Gold program includes an all day workshop for new members (and old members, at least once a year) working on showmanship, small group exercises, You Be The Judge (watching yourself on video), stamina building, practising artistic movements
- example of Sweet Georgia Brown - the difference between sexy and flirty; the difference in performance between chorus members making their own interpretation of her character, and how much more unified when they all do "sexy and flirty"; and then adding choreographed moves to that.
After the Music Ed class Deborah and Jo checked out of the hotel and handed their luggage over to a Witte Travel person to be delivered to their cabin on the Pride of America. Then it was off to the Chorus Finals.
Chorus Finals
Once again, we're just commenting on the stand-out performances. From our point of view, musically they were all great and we're glad we didn't have to judge.
Pacific Empire Chorus were the mic testers. They were dressed as bell boys (purple striped pants and vest, with bell boy hats tied under the chin). The scene was the Grand Hotel, about to close because there was no money for repairs, and there was a bit of dialogue along these lines to link the four songs they did.
Skyline were the first contestant. They had some very funny dialogue about the abbreviations used in text messages, which had to be translated into English. A daughter is upset about her wedding day arrangements going wrong, and her mother gives her good advice. At one point the front row is down on their knees, scrubbing the floor, and then lying full length on the floor. At another point the front row is pushed and falls like dominoes.
North Metro were next. They were stunning in black velvet with a vivid green underskirt, and their theme was Irish (Great Day for the Irish; Tooralooraloo) and included a lot of Irish dancing by the front row, brilliantly done. There wasn't much dialogue, apart from a chorus member speaking the Irish Blessing' and they ended with Arise Arise (which we're told was sung in 8 parts). It was a moving performance.
Song of Atlanta had a pirate theme, with the pirate ship about to be repossessed, so they enter a "Pirates Got Talent" contest but Razzcals quartet beat them (and appear as themselves).
The Melodeers theme is about Jim Arns being a music theory geek and turning his chorus into geeks as well. The chorus start off in a red and black pinafore sort of thing that didn't look very spectacular, but then they pull off the pinafore to reveal geeky black skirt, white top and braces. The Circle of Fifths becomes a prop. Jim crawls behind the legs of the front row. All through this they are producing great sound. It's very cute and very clever.
Ronninge are wearing black tunics with a silver diamond on the chest, and black headbands and black boots. They have a Mission Impossible theme: "your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to find out how to win the competition". They mimic the performance styles of some other well-known choruses.
Scottsdale perform four songs, without any theme or dialogue. They sound great too, but aren't as entertaining as some of the others.
San Diego are a smaller chorus, but still produce a big sound. They tell a story about being a dancer at different ages - all done with the frame of a mirror - it made Deborah cry (again). For the first song the front row wear leotards and a short fringed skirt - looked great as they tap-dance! Then they go off stage to change into the same costume as the rest of the chorus.
Pride of Portland do a set about capturing Molly Member, and finish with Joshua Fought the Battle of Jericho. They use some very clever chorus formations to form the walls, with other chorus members marching around them.
Spirit of the Gulf have got us all wondering what their costume is - and then the lights come up and they are nearly all dogs (in full dog costume) with a few handlers and a kennel owner (director). There is a dog show. Songs include Beautiful Dog,How Much Is That Doggie, Will It Be Me This Time, We are the Champions, Nothing you can say will take me away from My Dog, We are Family.
Jokes include asking dogs what is on top of a house (roof) and what is sandpaper (ruff); there is mention of Jean BARKford, Airedal Syverson, Joni BISCUIT; and Betty Clipman is the HOUND Judge. So clever!
Last competitor is Buffalo Gateway, who tell the story of Frosty the
Snowman in Hawaii. Susie Snowflake is jealous of the other girls; she takes him home when he begins to melt.
While we're waiting for the results we're entertained by the Family Chorus (very cute, with some little girls sitting on beach balls). Peggy Gram presents Marge Bailey with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Moxxy Ladies perform. Then the Directors and Team Coordinators of the finalists come on stage and the results are announced:
Audience choice: Spirit of the Gulf
10th - Buffalo Gateway 2543
9th - Pride of Portland 2606
8th - Spirit of the Gulf 2646
7th - San Diego 2657
6th - Song of Atlanta 2663
5th - Ronninge Show Chorus 2769
4th - Skyline 2788
3rd - Scottsdale 2815
2nd - North Metro - 2837
1st - Melodeers - 3023 (and there's a great roar as the score is announced, as this is the first time ever a chorus has scored over 3000; the perfect score is 3280).
We sing Send Your Love (badly, because of the time delay between the front and the back of the auditorium and because we don't know it); the Winners Song (also badly because we don't know it); and Harmonize the World - but people are already streaming out of the auditorium. And that's the end of our first International Convention.
The Cruise
Deborah and Jo head for the Witte Travel bus to the ship, and we're redirected to the other side of the Convention Centre because there are so many buses picking people up. Then we're off. We get our passports and tickets ready to be checked. There's a security check to go through, then we show our tickets and credit cards so we could be issued with ship cards, then we board. We found our way to level 10 and our cabin. It's tiny compared with our hotel room, and we struggle to get our suitcases past the first bed. We unpack, put our half-empty cases under the bed, and go looking for food because at this stage it's 8 pm and we haven't eaten since lunch time.
We find the Aloha Cafe, which has a huge buffet. Food is included in the cruise price, but drinks are extra, and a glass of wine is about $7 USD. The nice barman tells Deborah the wine bar has a happy hour with half price drinks each evening.
After dinner we explore a bit, and find the Harmony in HawaII registration desk where we pick up an updated class schedule and extra info. Then we come back to our room, because we're tired. The beds are small but with very soft mattresses. The toilet makes a very loud farting noise when flushed. Deborah pays $100 for 280 minutes of internet time and updates the blog. Jo sits on the balcony with a cup of tea until the ship leaves port around 10 pm, and then we go to bed.
1 comment:
Well, I'm glad you're having to buy internet time for our benefit - Deborah! I think you captured the Chorus Finalists really well...my favourites were Melodeers, Spirit of The Gulf and North Metro. Have fun on your cruise!!
Post a Comment