Is this guy a true B3? or perhaps B4! He was famous in the the 60s through the 80s as a gospel singer. He holds the World Record for the lowest note ever recorded (C1, 3 octaves below Middle C). The video starts out with “normal” basso profundo singing, and then BAM! You should watch it without skipping ahead…it makes the moment when he really drops down into the basement all that more impressive (if you must skip ahead, the action starts at 2:55-ish). As awesome the basses where on the Rach Vigil last year, this guy would’ve helped us out a bit…

Madrigal Dinner Reminder for Sunday

-Royal Court and Beggars, 6:30

-Full Cast, 8:00.

See you there. Happy Thanksgiving.

 

 

We sang Beethoven’s 9th last year. We will be singing Bach’s Der Geist Hilft next semester. Do you and you brain know the difference? [via mental_floss]

for the entire series, start here. Absolutely fascinating:

Check out UNT A Cappella Choir (one of the best in the country), streaming live at 8:00pm tonight. Here is the link. Director is Jerry McCoy. If you’ve got a little bit of time, I highly recommend it. – Bronfman.

Pretty incredible if you ask me. This is from the national choral festival they put on in Estonia every couple of years. The dome behind the choir is a choir shell specifically designed for this purpose. Choral singing is fundamental to the Estonian national identity. Sounds like my kind of place!

Here are the opening ceremonies for the 2009 festival. Skip to 4:30 to hear the opening song (and the conductor giving pitches). This video gives a better idea of the scope and size of the event.

I’m sure many of you have already seen this article in the Dakota Student but for those of you that haven’t, click here. The article, written by UND graduate student, David Barta, deals with more than the concert, but he does have some nice things to say about the choir.

Kyle

[via buzzfeed]

As you all know, I’ll be gone all next week. I will be driving around North Dakota and Minnesota auditioning kids for the UND Honor Choir…many of you in CC were in the UND Honor Choir as high school students (a truly notable honor…just as notable as All-State, I say). It’s a fun and also grueling trip (I listen to literally hundreds of high school singer auditions this week), and I will probably listen to a number of kids that will wind up here at UND. So for me it is fun because I get to look at the future a little bit, as some of these kids will be sitting next to you all next year.

That said, we have work to accomplish while I’m gone. Mr. Gunderson will be supervising and leading most of the rehearsals. Additionally, many of your peers will be spending time rehearsing different pieces…Mary, Kyle, Chris, Nolan, and Shawn will also be up in front of the choir. Show them the utmost respect and support. They are learning how to be choir directors, just as you all are learning to be Expert Choral Singers. If there are any problems (there won’t be…I have total confidence in everybody I’ve asked to lead you) please save your comments for when I return. Above all, be supportive, encouraging, and gracious choir members. After all, that’s what life is all about, isn’t it?

I will miss you next week. Get well. Purge yourselves of Mono, H1N1 and whatever else you may have, and learn some Xmas music. See you in a week. – B

Choir 1

Gunderson, Henrickson

Soprano: Fox-Brenton, Loff, Salveson, Diers, Arvin, Hogenson, Ramstorf

Alto: Abbe, Halvorson, Johnson, Wessman, Braun, Gisvold, Krause

Tenor: Moser, Solberg, Stein, Pearson, Schmaltz

Bass: Beckman, Elness, Stoltz, Azure, Kelly, McGurran, Railsback

Choir 2

Luskey, Weisz, Entzel, Burkland

Soprano: Biel, Bell, Klaus, Mattson, Berhow, Miranda

Alto: Fehr, Burkland, Spies, Skjervheim, Dobson, Doll, Ranstrom

Tenor: Luskey, Oss, Larrabee, Ray, Wright, Weisz

Bass, Entzel, Gapp, Olson, Ramm, Granle, Quibodeaux, Schuette

Philip Copeland at ChoralBlog posted this link to a talk about passion and classical music by the conductor of the Boston Philharmonic, Benjamin Zander. Very funny, and very insightful.

You can also find his talk here.

You did exceptionally well, especially given the circumstances. Here is a message from Tom Young, who is the other choir director at Red River High School (yes, they have two…a rarity).

Josh, thanks for a wonderful concert at the temple. You’re choir sounds great: Very well balanced throughout a full dynamic palette. Your choir sings with passion and controlled unity.   I  loved the Schutz — great tonal unity between the two groups. “Suite” de Lorca was really exciting. You produce with your choir the type of sound I would have my high school kids aspire to: Vocally free voices combining into a rich, cohesive whole.

Thanks again and keep up the good work.

Tom Young

High praise coming from a choral director, for sure.

We will have class on Wednesday and Thursday. No Class Friday. Recording session is canceled (more about that in class).

If you are free around 11:00 we could use a few people to help set up at the Masonic Temple. Myself and Mr. Sherwood will be there around that time. We just need a few, so send me an email if you can. See you there!