Saturday March 30 Recording

This coming Saturday is our last scheduled recording session. Please be at the cathedral by 9 AM to help set up downstairs and warmup. We'll begin recording very soon after our recording engineer, Doug, is all set up.

Things that we still have to record:

1. Psalm 103, Greek Chant
2. Blessed is the Man
3. Stichera at Lord I Call (five total)
4. Praise the Name of the Lord
5. Magnificat
6. Cherubikon
7. It is Truly Meet
8. Open unto us the doors

Just like our last recording we'll have lunch prepared for everyone from Jimmy John's at the end of the recording session. 

I can't emphasis how important tomorrow's rehearsal is for our last recording this coming Saturday. Please make every effort to be there on time and focused, ready to rehearse. I need your focus attention for 90 minutes!

Last but not least, here is an audio file from our last recording session. Bishop Hilarion Alfeyev's Beatitudes. As you'll hear it turned out very nicely. You should be proud!

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1pAahvAILzVCMB6J81WLTpa4uNHQgjAOL
 

Saturday March 9 Recording

Thank you for a very productive rehearsal last evening. We covered a lot of material that we'll record this Saturday, so thank you for your focus and endurance!

About this Saturday:

As most of you know the weather is looking pretty bad for Saturday. The forecast now has the snow starting in the afternoon - maybe even right at noon and getting heavier as the afternoon progresses. After talking to Doug (our recording engineer) and all of you last evening at rehearsal, we've decided to start the recording at 8 am to avoid the bad weather and everyone get home safely. We'll end right around 11 and have lunch. So, please be at the cathedral by 7:30 AM. I don't think I need to express to you how important it is that you're there at 7:30 so that we can start on time.

Also, there's still a possibility that the forecast changes for the worst. In this case we'll just have to cancel the entire recording session. In consultation with the choir board and Doug, we'll make this decision Friday evening and send an email to you.

I don't think any of us like the idea of starting at 8. Think of it this way, though. The next day we have to change our clocks anyhow. Just think that you're changing a day early...maybe that will help just a tad :-)

See you all Saturday bright and early (hopefully!).

Today's Recording and Looking Ahead at What's Next

Choir - what a huge effort and great job you did at today's recording session. Congratulations! We got off on the right foot today, and I'm confident that this will translate into two more good recording sessions and a wonderful final product. Thank you for all of your focus, stamina, and love for liturgical music.

Just to review what we recorded today and where we stand looking forward.

At today's session we recorded:

1. Canon to the Theotokos
2. Troparion, Common Chant
3. Troparion, Serbian Chant
4. Troparion, Russian Greek Chant
5. Kontakion, Common Chant
6. We Have See the True Light
7. Blessed be the Name of the Lord
8. Antiphon 1
9. Antiphon 2
10. Magnification

The canon was a big thing to get out of the way, and we sang it so beautifully. Kurt asked that we send him a copy of the final product and I'm sure he will be satisfied. We still have quite a few things to tackle in the next two recordings. At this coming Wednesday 's rehearsal, along with other things, I'd like to rehearse Kastalsky's Open Unto Us and Glagolev's Praise the Name of the Lord.  I'd prefer not to wait till the last recording session on March 30 to have our first stab at Kastalsky's piece. But, with the other things that we still need to record, and the extra rehearsal time we'll get waiting until the end of March to record this piece, it just might be worth it to wait. I'll have to think about it a bit more. Regardless, here is a list of all the pieces we still need to record:

1. Psalm 103
2. Blessed is the Man
3. Stichera at Lord I Call
4. Gladsome Light (male choir)
5. St. Simeon's Prayer (male choir) 
6. Praise the Name of the Lord
7. Matins Prokeimenon
8. Magnificat
9. Exaposteilarion (Russian Bulgarian)
10. Exaposteilarion (male choir)
11. Stichera at the Praises (male choir)
12. Beatitudes
13. Come Let us Worship
14. Kontakion (Resa)
15. Trisagion
16. Cherubikon
17. It is Truly Meet
18. Open unto me the Doors
19. Beneath your compassion
20. O Victorious Leader (Sarov Chant)
21. O Victorious Leader (Valaam Chant)

Looking at what we still have to record and comparing it to what did today may seem like a lot. But, please remember that in today's recording session we recorded the canon, which has eight troparia. So, essentially we recorded 18 pieces today and not ten. And, in the yet-to-do list, there are four pieces that only the male choir will sing. So, female singers - you're off the hook for those! It's good to keep things in perspective.

Needless to say, this Wednesday's rehearsal is very important for everyone to attend! Please, eat well, get plenty of rest and stay healthy. We need everyone's voice!