From Dr. Whitmire: Dear Singers-
Our Fall music is quite wonderful, but quite challenging (anyone surprised?). I’ d like to try something new: quartets. It’s a system that I experienced in both high school and college and it proved very helpful. It’s pretty simple—you learn your music so well, that you are able to perform in a quartet. You get together periodically and work as a quartet to make sure you are solid. If each quartet is solid, you can imagine how music easier the music will be for everyone.
I can tell already (not really) that many of you like the idea, so let’s get started. As a start, I have created ten quartets below. Don’t worry—If you are in a quartet and don’t want to be, let me know and I will take you out. If you are not yet in a quartet and want to be, let me know and I will put you in.
Some of our most challenging music will be the double choruses by Gabrielli and Monteverdi so that’s where we’ll begin. I have created five chorus I quartets and five chorus II quartets (.pdf).
The sheet music (.pdf) and a recording (.mp3) are attached. Also, here is a great site where you can hear (and see!) the music.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KCj3SDrpG8
If you like the idea I’ll send the other double choruses later. If the system works, all the quartets will know the music by our first rehearsal on August 28.
We have made great musical strides recently. I think this may help take us to the next level.
Yours-DrW
Tags: dr. whitmire, recording, rehearsals, sheet music