NOVA Community Chorus

Welcome. This site provides information to chorus members. The official webpage is located at the Northern Virginia Community College site.

Judas Maccabaeus

July 29, 2010 by Admin

From Fred: Kate has posted my MP3 files of the following parts of Judas Maccabaeus:
1 Overture
4 For Sion lamentation make
19, 20, 21 Lead on & Disdainful
25 & 26 Hear us O Lord & Fall'n is the foe
34 Hail Judea, happy land (You'll probably recognize this tune)
48 & 49 Never bow down
58 Sing unto God
65 Hallelujah, Amen (yep, another Hallelujah Chorus - well... it's Handel)
Download and enjoy.
PS: Look up Judas Maccabaeus in Wikipedia if you have not already done so.
A really interesting history lesson.

Judas Maccabaeus

July 29, 2010 by Admin

(7/28/2010) From Fred:
There were 30 copies of Judas Macabaeus were on the campus book stores this morning. I told the clerk we'll probably need 70 more.
I found the rehearsal tracks that Mark recommended download as MIDI format. You can drag those MIDI files over to iTunes and they'll play fine if you have a player such as Quicktime in your computer. More interesting is that iTunes will convert the MIDI files to MP3 files which you can copy into your iPOD or equivalent.
You can also go to Youtube.com and play 10 of our choruses on your computer in full up chorus and orchestra performances. It is clumsy at best to find them but you get an idea of the glorious sound when it is performed.
I am experimenting with the audio I have mined from youtube and hope to make MP3 files from them. If all goes well, they can be on our web site soon.
- MIDI Rehearsal tracks of Judas Maccabaeus are here:
http://www.learnchoralmusic.co.uk/Handel/Judas%20Maccabaeus/judas-mac2.html

From Dr. Whitmire

July 16, 2010 by Admin

Dear Singers-
I trust that you are enjoying a wonderful summer. I am just pack from France where 20 members of NCC joined my church choir for five performances, culminating at Notre Dame last Sunday. It was a wonderful trip.
Now I am on to the Fall and I know there are eager-beavers among you who want to get ready. As you know, we are singing Handel's Judas Maccabaeus. We'll be doing Judas twice with the Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic (Dec. 5, 12), and well as at the Holiday Concert (Dec. 9) in Schlesinger. I am really excited about the music, and it's a wonderful Hanukah piece.
We are using the Kalmus edition of Judas Maccabaeus. It will be in the campus bookstore ($24.99). As always, I will provide rehearsals CDs ($10.00). In the meanwhile,
-There is a pdf of Judas Maccabaeus here.
-Rehearsal tracks of Judas Maccabaeus are here.
-Here are the selections we will be performing

The Planets by Gustav Holst
As you know, women of the chorus have been invited to sing "Neptune" in The Planets by Gustav Holst for two concerts (Oct. 17, 24 at 3:00 pm) with the WMPO. Rehearsals for The Planets will take place on Saturdays 9/11, 9/18, 9/25, 10/2, 10/9 from 2 until 3 pm. The Dress Rehearsal with orchestra will be Oct.10 at 6 pm. I hope that as many women as possible will plan to sing this exciting piece.

I look forward to seeing you at our first rehearsal on Tuesday, August 24. In the meanwhile, enjoy the rest of the summer.

Sheet Music

July 16, 2010 by Admin

According to the NVCC Alexandria Campus Bookstore online, the sheet music for the Fall semester is:
JUDAS MACCABEUS BY KALMUS K06206, By HANDEL, Publisher: ALFRED, ISBN: 281859008731
Link to Alfred Music Publishing
Link to Sheet Music Plus
Please note that this information has not been confirmed. Order items at your own risk.

Fall Enrollment

July 16, 2010 by Admin

Regular NOVAConnect registration for all 2010 Fall semester sessions is under way. Classes begin on August 23.
Chorus is MUS 137 001A (subject MUS, catalog number 137, section 001A, class number 14285).

Bonnaroo

June 22, 2010 by Admin

(6/21/2010) From Dr. Whitmire: Here's a link to Jeff Beck's performance at Bonnarroo of "Nessun dorma" from Puccini's Turandot.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9zn2_rBM8Q

Performance Schedule with WMP

June 15, 2010 by Admin

(6/10/2010) From Fred: The Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic mailing for this season contains the following concerts with NOVA Chorus:
(There is also this note: "Although the dates below have been requested, they are not yet firm.")
October 17 & 24: Gustav Holst - The Planets (Womens' Chorus, I believe)
December 5 & 12: Handel - Judas Maccabeus
April 10 & 17: Beethoven - Symphony No. 9

Cathedral Choral Society

June 7, 2010 by Admin

(6/5/2010) The Cathedral Choral Society is looking for additional very experienced singers (especially tenors and basses) for their concert with the American Guild of Organists on Monday, July 5 at 8:15 PM. If interested, please email Catherine Beaucham (cbeau7 [at] verizon [dot] net) The orchestra is large and many CCS people will be on vacation. Members of the Fairfax Choral Society will be joinin them, too. The music is a very beautiful mass by Paray. See below for the schedule of rehearsals.
Schedule of rehearsals, (.pdf)

Berkshire Choral Festival 2011

June 1, 2010 by Admin

(5/29/2010) From Chorister Grace: Perhaps some of the NOVA e-mail list would be interested in next year's BCF schedule - looks like a great season.
Read the entire announcement, here, (.pdf)

Summer Sings

June 1, 2010 by Admin

(5/29/2010) From Fred: Summer sings are a lot of fun. No rehearsals. Hundreds of top singers around you (and a few beginners). Show up early (to get a parking spot under the church or nearby); check in/pay $10/rent music if you didn't bring your own; find your vocal section; talk to the singers around you ("who do you sing sing with?....").
Their web site is: www.newdominion.org/summersings.php
Apparently they didn't update it with the information, below, as they usually do.

[Admin: The New Dominion Chorale website has been updated, with the schedule, (.pdf)]

Remember that you can also sing Carmina Burana on June 27th. at the National Cathedral with Reilly Lewis conducting. Go early to park and sit up in the front and be surrounded by one of the great organs in this area.

Frequently Used Documents

June 1, 2010 by Admin

Reminder: Frequently Used Documents are always linked on the right side of the page:
Info for New Members (.pdf)
Dr. W's Choral Singing Tips (.pdf)
Performance Tips (.pdf)
Join the Chorus (.pdf)

Summer 2010

June 1, 2010 by Admin

Please see below for previous postings regarding Summer or Fall 2010.

For archived Spring 2010 information, please see to the right-hand side of the page, under Archives.

More Carmina Burana

May 25, 2010 by Admin

(5/24/2010) From Fred: Yes! There is still another opportunity to sing Carmina Burana. This time there are NO rehearsals. NONE! Just show up and sing it. (Bring your music.) There is plenty of seating.
It is on Sunday, June 27 at 5:30 pm in the National Cathedral (awesome).
J. Reilly Lewis (Cathedral Choral Society, Washington Bach Consort, etc.) will conduct it.
Bring your friends. Cost is only $10 per person. Be early. Get a good parking place.

Check it out at: cathedralchoralsociety.org/CONCERT6.htm
Check out Reilly Lewis at: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Reilly_Lewis
There is underground parking plus street parking in the neighborhood.
See cathedralchoralsociety.org/COMINGtoCathedral.html for driving directions, Metro, underground parking etc.

Choral Workshops

May 25, 2010 by Admin

(5/24/2010) From Chorister Peggie: Here's info on two excellent early-music choral workshops. I can vouch for the quality, as I've participated in similar ones in the past.

Voix Humaines, One-day Chorworks workshop, Saturday 5 June, All Souls Episcopal Church
The fam’d Italian Masters, Chorworks Summer Workshop, July 6 – 11th, (pre-workshop day Monday 5th), Washington National Cathedral & Cathedral College

For more information: http://www.philipcave.net/2010/junejuly.html

Picnic Photos

May 14, 2010 by Admin

From Admin: Those wishing to submit picnic pictures for posting on this site, please contact the Admin. Click on "Contact" at the top of the page. Thank you.

From Dr. Whitmire

May 14, 2010 by Admin

(5/6/2010) Dear Singers- . . .
We have enjoyed such a beautiful blend of veteran members of the chorus and the finest group of first-year members that we have ever had. I need every single one of you to be back in the Fall (and bring a friend who sings as well as you do). We have an equally exciting program: Handel's Judas Maccabeus, Holst's The Planets [women], Beethoven's Ninth, Verdi Requiem and more.

I will send precise dates as the schedule firms up over the course of the summer. I will also send publisher information as I know many of you can't wait to get started. . .

From Dr. Whitmire

April 27, 2010 by Admin

(4/24/10) Dear Singers- Please mark your calendars for this important event:
Jon Lackey will sing Britten's "Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings" with the WMPO.
May 30, 3:00 p.m. at Epiphany
June 6, 3:00 p.m. at Bishop Ireton
This is one my favorite pieces of all time sung by one of my favorite tenors. I hope that you can attend.