Rehearsal Resources

REHEARSAL RESOURCES are linked to the music titles listed on the Schedule, on the left side of the page, to assist you in rehearsing each week outside of choir.

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Coming Back Together

Merry Christmas.

Thank you for your excellent singing over the holiday season. We resume rehearsals this Sunday, January 3 at 9:00. This is a rehearsal-only week; it allows us to prepare for the weeks ahead without the pressure of singing this Sunday morning.

What we sing on the 10th will be decided at rehearsal. It will be one of the following:
  • "The Lord is My Light" by Hank Beebe
  • "Set Me as a Seal" by Rene Clausen (video/audio recording below Rehearsal Resources section)
  • "Shall We Gather at the River" by John Carter
Hoping to have all of you back together this Sunday.

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Christmas Eve Contingency Plan for Musicians

Good evening:


Since threatening weather is possible on Christmas Eve, here is our plan for the musicians involved in worship:

Before leaving home for rehearsal tomorrow afternoon, consult WDAY television or radio. That is our first contact to announce the church closing.


They also have a list on their website: http://www.wday.com/event/severeweather/


We hope to see you on Christmas Eve.


Thank you and Merry Christmas.


Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Preparing for a Musical Christmas

After a tremendously successful Carols by Candlelight, we are moving on to Christmas Eve.

If you will be able to sing on Christmas Eve at 5:00, join us for rehearsal on Wednesday, December 23 at 6:30 in the Sanctuary. We will be finished by or before 7:30. The music for that evening will be "Jesus, Oh, What a Wonderful Child" and "Love Came Down at Christmas." See the Rehearsal Resources section below for recordings.

On Christmas Eve, we will meet at 4:20. That evening we will not wear choir robes; dress festively for the holiday.

Merry Christmas and thank you for your committed singing.

Thursday, December 17, 2009

An Exciting, Musical Weekend

December 20 is going to be a wonderful day.

We begin the day with a 9:00 rehearsal of the adults and youth/children's choirs, where we will work on "Climb to the Top" and "Jesus, Oh What a Wonderful Child." The adults will continue to prepare for the 7:00 Carols by Candlelight concert and Christmas Eve 5:00.

Sunday evening's call time is 6:15, ready to sing in the sanctuary with orchestra.Concert dress is festive holiday attire. (It can be colorful!) Ties for men, please.

This concert is going to be delightful. Many people are contributing time and talent to make it significantly meaningful. Hope to see you there.


Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Special Holiday Music Rehearsal, Wednesday, December 9

Join us this Wednesday evening, December 9, 7:30-8:45 for a special holiday music rehearsal in the choir room.

This is an excellent time to re-connect with our ensemble if you haven't been with us recently. We will be preparing music for the Carols by Candlelight concert on Sunday, December 20 at 7:00 pm and for the 5:00 Christmas Eve service.

See the Rehearsal Resources section below for recordings of most of the music that we will be singing during the holiday season.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

The First Sunday of Advent

After enjoying our Thanksgiving holidays, let's gather together again on Sunday, November 29 for the First Sunday of Advent. We will be preparing "A Voice Proclaims" by John Bell. There is a partial recording of it in the Rehearsal Resources section below.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Back at it!

Congratulations to all who were involved in the Kirkin' services. It was a wonderful morning and your singing was excellent. Thank you.

We resume our rehearsals this Sunday morning. Our rehearsal time will be greatly benefited if everyone takes a few moments to listen to "Thou Visitest the Earth" (below). The recording is exceptional because it also displays the music. This piece will be the introit at the very opening of the service.

The service will conclude with Marty Haugen's "Soli Deo Gloria." There is a brief recording of the choral verse which is the one challenging part of the piece.

Looking forward to working with you again on this music and advent music as well.

Friday, November 6, 2009

The Plan for Kirkin' Morning

8:00 is an early start, but we jump directly into our rehearsing at 8:00 am this Sunday.

Shelley Z. will be working with you in the choir room.

This is The Plan:

Arrive early enough to get into your robe and have your music ready before warm-up time.

8:00 Warm-up

8:10 Speak, O Lord

8:20 Dismiss to Chancel Steps

8:25 All Things Bright and Beautiful


When finished, choir moves to loft


8:35 The Old 100th Psalm Tune

8:45 Break time and line up in Celebration Hall

8:52 Prelude begins


These are the pieces that you need in your folder in addition to you bulletin:

  • The opening hymn is printed in your bulletin: "Sing With All the Saints in Glory," sung to the tune of "Joyful, Joyful..." in unison
  • "Speak, O Lord"
  • "Amazing Grace" hymn sheet
  • "All Things Bright and Beautiful"
  • "The Old 100th Psalm Tune"
  • "A Celtic Blessing"
Between services there will be breakfast in the choir room. Remember there are 30 fewer minutes between services now. The prelude for the second service will begin at 10:37.

Thank you for your commitment in being a part of this day.


See you at 8:00. It is going to be a wonderful morning.

Monday, November 2, 2009

Wednesday Kirkin' Rehearsal

Let's meet together this Wednesday from 7:30-9:00 in the choir room to prepare music for Kirkin'. Three of the pieces that we are doing have recordings below. Take advantage of those resources so that we can maximize our brief rehearsal time this Wednesday.

Stay posted with further Kirkin' info later in the week.

Monday, October 26, 2009

An Important Rehearsal

This Sunday, Nov. 1, we have the luxury of rehearsing without having to prepare to sing for morning worship. We are going to work Kirkin' music and other future things. It is a week to get caught up and be well prepared for our Scottish heritage services. This Sunday's rehearsal will be an important rehearsal. See you then.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Adults, Youth, and Drums

Once again, the adult choir has the pleasure of doing a collaborative effort this Sunday, Oct. 25. We will be singing "Together a Dwelling" with the Proclamation Choir and additional percussionists. This is a rhythmic piece that moves quickly. Listen to the recording below to help you get the feel of it. The youth will be singing the solo parts and the adults will sing the choral parts that you hear on the recording.

We are also going to excerpt a potion of "To the Praise of His Glorious Grace" to be used as a benediction response. We will begin at page 6, measure 25. If you are listening to the recording in the Rehearsal Resources section, the portion that we will be singing begins at 1:15.

Adults and youth will meet at 9:00 in the choir room, and we will do our best to be finished around 9:30 so that the youth can get to Sunday School.

Monday, October 12, 2009

Adults and Children: Singing together on Oct. 18

Our adult choir has the privilege of singing Allen Pote's "A Jubilant Song" with our 3-6 grade choir this Sunday. The children will be joining us early in our rehearsal time (at 9:15) to finalize details and participate in a final run-through.

Monday, October 5, 2009

Something Old, Something New

This Sunday we will be singing something old and something new.

"All Creatures of Our God and King," arranged by Melody Bober, was written for the First Pres choir. The choir has sung this a number of times in recent years. It will be familiar to many of you. Unfortunately, there are no listening resources for this one.

"To the Praise of His Glorious Grace" is the new one. We are going to excerpt a potion of it to be used as a benediction response. We will begin at page 6, measure 25. If you are listening to the recording in the Rehearsal Resources section, the portion that we will be singing begins at 1:15.

Thank you for your fine singing thus far this season. And bless you for taking the time to prepare before we meet together again.

Monday, September 28, 2009

"Cordero de Dios" for World Communion Sunday, Oct. 4

"Cordero de Dios" is the Spanish setting of the Agnus Dei (Lamb of God) text. We will be using it during communion; singing it in Spanish as part of our awareness of World Communion Sunday. It is an awareness that the Christian church is global and no longer predominantly North American.

There is a fine YouTube video to assist you in preparing for Sunday. This is a piece that necessitates additional work outside of choir rehearsal. A pronunciation guide is located on the inside cover of the anthem. Please take some time to prepare before we meet this Sunday.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

"Saints Bound for Heaven" for this Sunday, Sept. 27

This Sunday, due to the limited time that we have together, we are going to need to begin rehearsal where we left off last week. If you weren't able to be with us at rehearsal last Sunday, take some time to work on or listen to "Saints Bound for Heaven." It is going to be a fun anthem to sing. If we are all prepared, it will be all the more enjoyable. Thank you for faithfully sharing your gifts with your church.

Brahms Concert Postponed

Hello, friends:

We are indefinitely postponing the Brahms concert that was originally scheduled for Oct. 11. The idea to do this concert came late in the year, and we need a bit more time to prepare and publicize for it than we have. But we will keep this or something like it in mind for our future. Thank you to those who were quick to respond in support and participation of this event. The rehearsal, singing, and anthem schedules have been adjusted accordingly on this blog page.


Monday, September 14, 2009

"Rehearsal only" weeks

With the new rehearsal schedule that we now have, there are two things that each of us can do to make this venture successful:
  1. Make it a priority to attend rehearsals even when we do not sing for that morning's service; this coming Sunday is one of those. It will give us some time to prepare ahead, so that we are not scrambling each week to barely pull things together.
  2. Use the recording links above to practice outside of our rehearsal time.
Before Sept. 27, take a few moments to listen to "Saints Bound for Heaven." If you have your music at home with you, the best preparation that you could do would be to get comfortable with the words. Chant them along with the recording and don't worry about the pitches for now. Facility with the text will make everything else seem much easier.

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Our first rehearsal is approaching

We are approaching our first morning with our new rehearsal format. Join us on Sunday, September 13 at 9:00 in the choir room for rehearsal. We will prepare to sing for the 10:45 service.

If you will be with us that morning, please look at the "Jubilate" by Wood (at the top of this page). It is a simple but lovely setting of a classic morning worship text that uses the familiar tune OLD HUNDREDTH, commonly sung as the "Doxology." There is a midi file that will give you a bare-bones idea of what it sounds like. Take a few moments before Sunday to acquaint yourself with this music.

See you on the 13th.