Hi Choirbolical,

Firstly – what a fantastic effort at rehearsal on Tuesday night!!!! I’m really happy with, and thankful for the effort you’ve put into learning your repertoire outside of rehearsals. Please don’t stop!! We’re on the home stretch now and will just need one last push before our upcoming concerts.

We are apparently receiving the George Michael “Freedom” arrangement this week (supposedly tomorrow). As soon as I get this, I will obviously forward it to you all, and I will set about recording some rehearsal tracks ASAP so that you can learn it as quickly as possible.

However – with this extra piece, it just means we will have to dedicate valuable rehearsal time to learn it. Could I ask that you:

1. Continue frequently listening and practicing along with “Sing Me To Heaven” and “Father Father”. These are 85% complete, so one last little push at home would be much appreciated.
2. Make sure that you know “I Wish I Knew How It Feels To Be Free”, and “Heyr Himna”, and “Red Hot” from memory – Sing along with them whenever you get the opportunity.
3. Sing through “E Malama”, “E’we Thina”, and “Mother Earth”, and “Riu Riu” every now and then to keep them fresh in your mind.

I envision that for our last two rehearsals, I will have to spend essentially the entire next rehearsal on June 20th dedicated to learning “Freedom”. We will then use our final rehearsal on June 27th to sing through everything (hopefully twice). So you see, it would be great to have the other songs under your belt, ready to go.

HAPPIEST PRACTICING! IT IS ALL WORTH IT!
Thanks,

Astrid

Hi all!

Great job on the weekend – with every pop up performance the songs sounded better and better. A really productive day of singing and laughing!!!

As a few more concerts and the Festival of Voices approach us, I thought I should just reiterate again what I would like you to focus on when you find some time to practice. The following pieces are in order of importance:

1. Father Father. Listen to the track, start to learn from memory.
2. Sing Me To Heaven. As above.
3. Listen to “90′ Freedom” by George Michael*****
4. Red Hot.
5. Riu, Riu Chiu. Sopranos especially!
6. I Wish I Knew How It Feels To Be Free. Sounds beautiful, just learn the words
7. Heyr Himna. Also sounds beautiful, focus on words.
8. E Malama
9. Ewe’ Thina.

***** The festival has asked us to learn a George Michael Song to sing at the Bonfire opening ceremony in front of 5000 people. They originally wanted “Faith”, but have now changed it to “Freedom”. Paul Jarman has been commissioned to especially write out an arrangement to suit Choirbolical. This is HUGE! I am so excited. You should become very familiar with this song. Listen to it a number of times, get to know the rhythm of the lyrics, and sing along as often as you can so we know the song really well by the time we receive the arrangement.

Here’s a link to the youtube clip for your convenience: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diYAc7gB-0A

Cheers,

Astrid

Dear Singers,

As our first public performance approaches, I am proposing the following list of repertoire to prepare for May 20th:

1. E Malama
2. E’we Thina
3. Heyr Himna Smidur
4. Riu Riu Chiu
5. They’re Red Hot
6. I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free
7. Mother Earth

We will move between pop-up locations, and sing 2 or 3 at each spot.

Please continue learning and listening to “Father, Father”, and “Sing Me To Heaven”, but we might give them a little more time to cook before May 20th.

Happy practicing!
Astrid

Hi all, here are the lyrics for “Ewe Thina”, which we have learned by ear in rehearsals.

Basses:
Ewe Thina
Amadimoni

Tenor/Alto:
Ewe Thina
Nyathe amadimoni

Soprano:
Ewe Thina
Sizowa nyathe amadimoni
I am working on the practice recordings for “Heyr Himna” today, so check the website tomorrow and they will be ready. Don’t forget to keep listening to “Father Father”, “Sing Me to Heaven”, and “I Wish I Knew…”. We will look at these on Tuesday!

Cheers,

Astrid

Hi all,

Some information and a link to the flyer for a concert in Toowoomba this Sunday, April 9th, that might be of interest to you.  I’m honoured to have one of my own pieces included in the program!

Astrid

singing of stories flyer A4

Three women composers with Toowoomba connections will be featured in a special fund-raising concert on Sunday 9th April.

Well-known singer and performer, Elaine Coates, with Fay Miller on piano will be presenting “A Singing of Stories -Songs by Australian Women Composers” at St Stephens Church at 3pm.  As well as showcasing works by Australian women, the concert will raise funds for Elaine’s humanitarian aid trip to Uganda to work with children in slum schools and with the African Children’s Choir.

The featured composers are Astrid Jorgensen, musical director of Toowoomba group, Choirbolical; Shannon Gralow, currently starring in “Wicked” at the Empire Theatre and Sharney Russell, jazz icon.

Guest artist will be Sharon Matheson on harp.  

 Tickets are $20 waged and $15 unwaged and are available from Elaine by email or phone 4596 6381.

(Tickets for the Dalby (30th April) and Bundaberg (25th August) concerts will be available soon.)

Hi Choirbolical,

Rehearsal tracks for “Father Father” are up in the Repertoire section of the website (members only). Instructions are also there.

See you tonight!
Astrid

Hi Choirbolical!

Happy 2014!

I have put up some repertoire for you to print out for our first rehearsal on Tuesday Feb 4. Head over to the repertoire tab on the website – if you click on the titles of the first four pieces, that should open up the corresponding pdf files.

Thanks!
Astrid
P.s. Here’s a pic of me with the northern lights at New Years! Wahoo!

Hi all,

Here’s the repertoire list that I’ve given to the TVE for our joint venture:

First half:

Alleluia (canon)
Can’t Buy Me Love 
I’ve Been Down
Shivna  

Second Half:

Sing Me To Heaven
Malt’s Come Down
Famine Song

For the Lifeline AGM this Thursday, please have the following with you (I’m not 100% about the length of our performance)

I’ve Been Down
Sing Me To Heaven
Can’t Buy Me Love
Famine Song
Alleluia
In The Wee Small Hours
I Shall Not Walk Alone

Enjoy the joint rehearsal this evening, and see you on Thursday!

Astrid

Good grief. I’ve finally done it.

Here are the parts for Famine Song.

P.s. Tenors – again, to avoid screeching out this part, I sung it at the actual pitch. So it sounds low for a woman, but in actual fact you are singing quite high.

Good luck!

Famine Song – Bass

Famine Song – Tenor

Famine Song – Soprano

Famine Song – Alto