Masterworks Singers Newsletter Fall 2024 No. 15

Dear People,

Good Wednesday to all.  Here is your reminder email about our important rehearsals this week with orchestra members.

Thursday evening at 7 pm:  Regular all-choir rehearsal.  Strings and percussion will be present.

We will rehearse all movements of the Magnificat. We will follow that with Let there be Peace on Earth.  At the conclusion of that portion we release the strings and rehearse And the Night Shall be Filled...with percussion.  He is released and we end our rehearsal with our other pieces.

Saturday morning Nov. 16 : We will have a final dress rehearsal on Saturday morning November 16, in the Sanctuary.  There is a slight change in what was announced in the last Newsletter.  The Sanctuary is not able to be set-up for our rehearsal until right at 9:40 due to a need for Adoration. Therefore, we will have to rehearse our choral only pieces at the end of the dress rehearsal time.  Downbeat for all instruments and singers in position is 10 AM.  

Our Call time for concert on Sunday the 17th will be... Singers at 5:45 pm for chorus only pieces.  Full Orchestra stop / start warm-up rehearsal begins at 6:15 pm downbeat.  House opens at 7:10 pm.  Concert is at 7:30 pm. 

Concert Program Order: 

1. And The Night Shall Be Filled With Music
2. Magnificat ... all 5 movements 
3. Intermission
4. Soon We Will be Done
5. Until Love Is Spoken
6. Let There Be Peace on Earth
7. Reprise of ending of Movement 5

Links to the Fall Concert Poster:

PLEASE CLICK HERE: to be taken to a file for the Poster in JPG format.

PLEASE CLICK HERE: to be taken to a file for the Poster in PDF format.

Thursday rehearsal goals and process:

1. Rehearse all movements of Magnificat in order.  Goal to set solid tempos and dynamics with strings and piano.  Our first focus will be towards the orchestra for this portion.
2. Rehearse Let There Be Peace on Earth with strings and piano.  Same goals
3. Rehearse And The Night Shall Be Filled.... with percussion.
4. Please work towards memorization of   A) the end of Magnificat movement 5.  B) the "refrain section" of And the Night Shall be Filled. C) beginning and end of the Marrolli Until Love is Spoken.... .  D) The unison section, plus the end of Let There Be Peace.

Our last rehearsal was stupendous.  Let's be very aware of how important it will be for me to have the first meetings with our orchestra. Please don't talk to your neighbor while I am conversing with orch. 

Please be on time.  

Give some solid listening to your rehearsal aides before this rehearsal.  In particular, listen to the full performance of the Magnificat with orchestration so you will still be concentrating on your part while singing.

PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR THE EDUBLOGS PAGE OF SCORES AND LEARNING TRACKS.

I know you will all be inspired by your own beautiful artistry on Thursday evening.

Blessings to all,

Morris

PS.  For those of you who have claims as part of the Canada trip Bankruptcy, please read the top frame just below.
 

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

NEWS ON THE BANKRUPTCY

By now, you have probably received some more information from the Bankruptcy court.  This latest letter is another notice that you do not have to respond to.  However, it is good news that the case is nearing a completion and that funds will begin to be disbursed, hopefully in the not too distant future.

I have received a letter at my address that I will forward to member this evening.  

It is important to make sure that the court has your correct mailing address.  If you do not receive a notice from the court outlining the info of what is being filed by the lawyers as charges for their fees, and also listing the final hearing that is upcoming, please let me know.  

If you have changed addresses, it is important to inform the court.  You will need to make sure they have the correct address to insure you receive your claim.

MASTERWORKS SINGERS WEB PAGE

Thanks to our web master Mark Stern, we now have the Newsletters archived on our Masterworks website for you use so you don't have to scroll through your emails to find what you want.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO BE TAKEN TO THE MASTERWORKS WEBSITE 

From the Home Page, look at the top banner.  Find the button for Current Season. Click on that button and find the button for Past Masterworks Newsletter. The Newsletters for the Season will be listed with the most recent Newsletter being on top.

Please also feel free to forward the website address to you friends and family so they can learn about our wonderful community of fine musicians.  The website address is https://masterworkssingers.org.

FALL 2024 SCHEDULE:  ALERT.... (UPDATED NOVEMBER 7)

• Dress rehearsal for Second Performance: Rehearsal will begin with the choral only pieces at 9:40 AM downbeat.  We will have the one and only full rehearsal with our Chamber Orchestra beginning at 10 AM and going until noon on Saturday, November 16.
• Call Time for Second Performance: Call time for concert on Sunday the 17th will be... Singers at 5:45 pm for chorus only pieces.  Full Orchestra stop / start warm-up rehearsal begins at 6:15 pm downbeat.  House opens at 7:10 pm.  Concert is at 7:30 pm. 
• Second Performance: Sunday, November 17, 2024. 7:30 pm. St. Theresa Catholic Church. Austin, Texas. This concert is our major concert for the Fall semester 2024.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THE FALL SEMESTER 2024

LITERATURE FOR FALL 2024 UPDATED September 11

An exciting and inspirational new setting of Magnificat by award-winning composer Taylor Scott Davis. This amazing text from the Gospel of Luke is set in five movements.

Reviews have described Davis' music as ... “sonically luxurious”, memorable, and inspiring of hope. He believes in supporting collaboration and creating musical opportunities at all levels.

Other pieces in our Fall program Include a thrilling opening by Paul Halley, an a cappella gem by Karen Marolli, a lovely new setting of Let There Be Peace on Earth with chamber orchestra by Craig Courtney, and an exciting new arrangement of the spiritual Soon We Will Be Done by Kyle Pederson that will close our concert.

PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR THE EDUBLOGS PAGE OF SCORES AND LEARNING TRACKS.
 

SCORES IN PDF FOR TABLET USERS Updated September 11
PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR THE EDUBLOGS PAGE OF SCORES AND LEARNING TRACKS.

REHEARSAL AIDES AND LEARNING TRACKS UPDATED August 24

We all need to thank the members who work so hard to give us learning tracks to practice outside of rehearsal times. Without these aides, we would spend way too much time chasing notes in rehearsal.

Here is the link to our Edublogs page for the Fall 2024 Season. Please read carefully as you click on the links. The first set of learning tracks for Magnificat are now up, created by the great and marvelous Peter!!

PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR THE EDUBLOGS PAGE OF SCORES AND LEARNING TRACKS.

REGISTRATION PROCEDURE FOR FIRST REHEARSAL UPDATED August 24

Our Fees for registration cover the cost of the music, plus a contribution to help offset the small orchestra we use for accompaniment. To help offset the expenses for music and orchestra, please be prepared to pay $30 for registration for the Fall semester. As has been our norm, we discount those who are from St. Edward's. SEU faculty, students, and grads are asked to pay $15.

Registration will be by cash, check, or credit/debit card.

If writing a check please make it out to Masterworks Singers.

Here again is the link to register online if you choose.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THE FALL SEMESTER 2024

If you wish to register at the first rehearsal you may still do so.
If you prefer to pay by cash or by check, you will register at the first rehearsal in person.

For the mini-tour to Fredericksburg in October we will be offering a bus should you wish to not drive on your own. There will be an extra charge for riding the bus. That charge will be collected later, and will not be part of the first registration fee.

I look forward to welcoming new members into our community.  For those of you joining us for the first time, please invite a friend or two to come and join along with you. The fun is always better with friends on board! 

We will allow new members to continue to join us through the third rehearsal of this Fall Season.

This image is The Annunciation by Henry Ossawa Tanner

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