Hi all!
Happy New Year! Thank you for wonderful work on Christmas Eve! You gave my arrangement of Ms. Patsy’s music very real and meaningful life! I hope that your holiday season since then has brought joy, mirth, reflection, and love, as it has mine in spades.
With the new year in mind, I wanted to start 2025 by doing something a little bit different. On the 12th, the theme of the service will be Nostalgia, honoring the creators of many iconic moments in our lives who passed on in 2024. Melanie will not be available to accompany us on the 12th. However, Su Livingston and RevPaul have asked me to collaborate with them on a choir-friendly rendition of USA for Africa’s “We Are the World,” which was produced by the now-late Quincy Jones with Su accompanying. I sent an email out earlier this week about soloist opportunities that either had let me know personally that they were interested in such a thing or were recommended by Paul off the tops of our heads. If that’s appealing to you, and you did not receive anything from me, PLEASE reach out so we can fit you! My goal is to have everyone sing where they feel will best blend the impact of the piece and their own joy in the song.
That being said, this is a new idea that we want to make sure is appropriately rehearsed. Paul, Su, and I have carved out three rehearsal times where I’d like to have as many of you attend as possible before Jan 12. They go like this:
Sunday 1/5 after service from 11:45-12:45 in the sanctuary (this should give enough time for people to funnel out of the sanctuary and for y’all to take care of whatever stretch/food/coffee/water/bathroom needs you might have before this)
Tuesday 1/7 5:30-6:30 in the sanctuary
Our normal Wednesday rehearsal from 6:45-8:15
Attached is a lyric sheet for the song that Paul has drawn up which has a map for who would sing when. The numbers refer to a given soloist’s part, and the letters SAT or B refer to when non-solo choir members would sing.
Here is a link to the song for all of your reference: https://youtu.be/9AjkUyX0rVw?si=MjOSRp_ALNguhJeI
My hope is that all of you can make it to each rehearsal, but if that time commitment is too heavy, I totally understand that. The rehearsal structure for each date will reflect special attention to either the chorus or the soloists’ roles as a result.
The first rehearsal will be more solo focused. I would still like as many chorus members to be there as possible so that you can get a sense for the flow, I can gauge whether chorus sheet music needs to be made, and any other questions can be answered.
The second rehearsal will be more chorus focused. I would still like the soloists (as many as possible) to be there to help the call and response aspect of the chorus flow later in the song.
The third rehearsal will be spent singing the song all the way through as much as we can, as well as blocking where everyone will be on the stage.
This song is much of the same pattern over and over again, as well as an icon we have all been hearing since 1985. I think, as well as Paul and Su, that this will be a stunning performance opportunity for us. I hope to see as many of you as possible for these three meetings! If you have any questions, please email me directly at choir@buf.org.
Best,
Ben
Hi Folks,
Ben asked me to be in touch as he’s having continuing challenges with BUF email. Unfortunately, he’s had issues with the recording process and that’s why there are still no practice tapes on the BUF website. Please keep looking today! Hopefully, they’ll be up there in time to rehearse at home at least once before tonight’s rehearsal.
And speaking of rehearsal, remember that we’ll be doing a short but essential practice of the Xmas Eve service tonight. I’ll be working with our candle dancers starting promptly at 6:30PM then we’ll do a rehearsal in the dark starting at 6:45PM. Having choir members there really helps but please keep conversation to a minimum as we go through this practice. That way we can get more quickly to our song!
All the best, Barbara
AKA the Christmas Queen
Here’s my gazette for y’all this week!
1) First and foremost, WHAT A SPECTACULAR LULLABY SERVICE THIS PAST SUNDAY!! I was so moved by both pieces that I almost couldn’t get through my own. Seeing those kids so into it as well added life that we normally missed. Thank you so much for your skill and care!
2) Looking ahead, we’ve got Christmas Eve on the horizon, where we will be singing my arrangement of Patsy Cline’s “If I Could See the World through the Eyes of a Child.” No recordings of the fast section yet, but I will be making practice tracks ahead of this weekend. If you still feel like it would be helpful, the original recording of the song is great insight into the first part of my arrangement.
3) For BATS this week, Altos are on the docket. I would like to see both Altos and Sopranos this week, as we’ve only got this rehearsal and next before Christmas Eve. Basses and Tenors together again next week.
4) As always, a MASSIVE shoutout to Jen and all the choir volunteers who make our community dinners such a SMASHING success! I’m proud that we continue to prove this choir is integral to this assembly’s existence. My arms raise for you all in gratitude! Please reach out to Jen or either of the choir committee chairs if you are interested in volunteering yourself!
5) Lastly, here are the rest of the choir’s performance/obligation dates for the 2024/2025 season! I’ve grouped them by month for those of you who like calendars.
- December 24th (Christmas Eve evening Service)
- January 12th and 26th
- February 9th and 23rd
- March 9th and 23rd
- April 13th and 27th
- May 11th
- June 8th CHOIR FINALE!
Best to you all,Ben
Here’s my gazette for y’all this week!
1) First and foremost, WHAT A SPECTACULAR SUMMIT THIS PAST WEEKEND!! Thank you to all who attended and to all
2) Looking ahead, we’ve got our ALL MUSIC SUNDAY coming up on 12/8! This has a couple of reminders attached to this.
- As mentioned, here are the links to the pieces we will be singing.
- “Grace Before Sleep” by Susan LaBarr https://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=b3OR7CKFuj8 - “Dreams of Thee” by Eric William Barnum https://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=EyT7Rdpq25c - I hope these words help you understand my inspiration, and I hope they help you find yours in these two beautiful pieces of music as well! We’ll start rehearsals on both tonight, prioritizing “Grace Before Sleep.”
- “Grace Before Sleep” by Susan LaBarr https://www.youtube.
- A couple of you have asked about practice recordings. I am still working on them and hope to have them up by Thursday, 12/5. For now, Elie has sent me this video of extra help for sopranos 1 and 2. Soprano 1: https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=nBxVSpKc7F8, Soprano 2: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=65OamnjEXYs
4) As always, a MASSIVE shoutout to Jen and all the choir volunteers who make our community dinners such a SMASHING success! I’m proud that we continue to prove this choir is integral to this assembly’s existence. My arms raise for you all in gratitude! Please reach out to Jen or either of the choir committee chairs if you are interested in volunteering yourself!
5) Lastly, here are the rest of the choir’s performance/obligation dates for the 2024/2025 season! I’ve grouped them by month for those of you who like calendars.
- December 8th and 24th (Christmas Eve evening Service)
- January 12th and 26th
- February 9th and 23rd
- March 9th and 23rd
- April 13th and 27th
- May 11th
- June 8th CHOIR FINALE!
Best to you all,Ben
Here’s my gazette for y’all this week!
1) First and foremost, NO REHEARSAL THIS WEEK! There will also be no dinner. Happy Thanksgiving Break! I hope I will see at least some of you for the Native American Heritage Day concert at BUF this Friday from 6-8 PM!!
2) Looking ahead, we’ve got our ALL MUSIC SUNDAY coming up on 12/8! This has a couple of reminders attached to this.
- We’ll be having a CHOIR SUMMIT on Saturday, 11/30, from 1PM-5PM, followed by a Holiday Party at 6 in the social hall! This will be an hors d’ouvre pot luck, so be hungry!
- I was brought to light that there are some singers for whom 1-5 PM will be a huge commitment where health and other concerns are present. To accommodate this, I’m dividing the Summit into sections. The goal here is to accommodate those needs while still offering extra help and challenge for the people who can be there the whole time. Here’s a link to the Spreadsheet for the Summit, which will have all of the sections you can RSVP for. If you’re coming, I NEED you to come to the two rehearsal proper sections and the teambuilder. The others are for those interested in leveling up some skills like Music Reading, Dynamic Range, and Vocal Ped. Sign up early so that I know who will be where!
- The purpose of this Summit is to focus on the two pieces the choir will be performing for the Lullaby theme that Sunday, as well as do some teambuilding work that will take our sound into the rest of the year. I’m really excited for these, and I hope you find these two songs as inspiring as I do.
- “Grace Before Sleep” by Susan LaBarr https://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=b3OR7CKFuj8 - “Dreams of Thee” by Eric William Barnum https://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=EyT7Rdpq25c - I hope these words help you understand my inspiration, and I hope they help you find yours in these two beautiful pieces of music as well! We’ll start rehearsals on both tonight, prioritizing “Grace Before Sleep.”
- “Grace Before Sleep” by Susan LaBarr https://www.youtube.
3) No Rehearsal means NO BATS SECTIONAL THIS WEEK! I’ll see Basses next week! Sopranos smashed their own record for sectional attendance with ELEVEN SINGERS!! Basses, can you top that, at least per capita?4) As always, a MASSIVE shoutout to Jen and all the choir volunteers who make our community dinners such a SMASHING success! I’m proud that we continue to prove this choir is integral to this assembly’s existence. My arms raise for you all in gratitude! Please reach out to Jen or either of the choir committee chairs if you are interested in volunteering yourself!
5) Lastly, here are the rest of the choir’s performance/obligation dates for the 2024/2025 season! I’ve grouped them by month for those of you who like calendars.
- November 30th (Summit from 1-5PM, 6PM Party!)
- December 8th and 24th (Christmas Eve evening Service)
- January 12th and 26th
- February 9th and 23rd
- March 9th and 23rd
- April 13th and 27th
- May 11th
- June 8th CHOIR FINALE!
Best to you all,Ben
Hi Choristers!
Here’s my gazette for y’all this week!
1) Thank you for your help with the hymn in Spanish and English this past Sunday. I know that I was leading it, but it’s also true that y’all are really speaking my language with how to follow speeds and all that. Thank you a bunch!
2) Looking ahead, we’ve got our ALL MUSIC SUNDAY coming up on 12/8! This has a couple of reminders attached to this.
- We’ll be having a CHOIR SUMMIT on Saturday, 11/30, from 1PM-5PM, followed by a Holiday Party at 6 in the social hall! This will be an hors d’ouvre pot luck, so be hungry! I will be rolling out a schedule of events in the next Gazette, as well as hopefully organizing another post for this forum as soon as I finalize details with the choir committee after some recent feedback.
- The purpose of this Summit is to focus on the two pieces the choir will be performing for the Lullaby theme that Sunday, as well as do some teambuilding work that will take our sound into the rest of the year. I’m really excited for these, and I hope you find these two songs as inspiring as I do.
- “Grace Before Sleep” by Susan LaBarr https://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=b3OR7CKFuj8 - “Dreams of Thee” by Eric William Barnum https://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=EyT7Rdpq25c - I hope these words help you understand my inspiration, and I hope they help you find yours in these two beautiful pieces of music as well! We’ll start rehearsals on both tonight, prioritizing “Grace Before Sleep.”
- “Grace Before Sleep” by Susan LaBarr https://www.youtube.
3) SOPRANOS! Y’all are on for BATS sectionals this week! Last week, the Tenors had 1 representative, along with 3 sopranos by the end of it, and it was incredibly helpful. Please, as many of you as possible, COME! It’s really fun I promise. The rep number to beat right now is 8 from the sopranos. The basses came close with 7 at their last sectional. What can y’all pull off?4) As always, a MASSIVE shoutout to Jen and all the choir volunteers who make our community dinners such a SMASHING success! I’m proud that we continue to prove this choir is integral to this assembly’s existence. My arms raise for you all in gratitude! Please reach out to Jen or either of the choir committee chairs if you are interested in volunteering yourself!
5) Lastly, here are the rest of the choir’s performance/obligation dates for the 2024/2025 season! I’ve grouped them by month for those of you who like calendars.
- November 30th (Summit from 1-5PM, 6PM Party!)
- December 8th and 24th (Christmas Eve evening Service)
- January 12th and 26th
- February 9th and 23rd
- March 9th and 23rd
- April 13th and 27th
- May 11th
- June 8th CHOIR FINALE!
Best to you all,Ben
Hi Choristers!
Here’s my gazette for y’all this week!
1) Let’s talk “Bein Green” for a sec. What an absolute spectacle! Your character, diction, attention, and INtention were all felt by the (PACKED) congregation present, for everyone online, and I’m sure to all the future audiences who will hear stories about it. So spectacularly done. Thank you!!
2) Looking ahead, we’ve got our ALL MUSIC SUNDAY coming up on 12/8! This has a couple of pieces of news attached to this.
- We’ll be having a CHOIR SUMMIT on Saturday, 11/30, from 1PM-5PM, followed by a Holiday Party at 6 in the social hall! This will be an hors d’ouvre pot luck, so be hungry!
- The purpose of this Summit is to focus on the two pieces the choir will be performing for the Lullaby theme that Sunday, as well as do some teambuilding work that will take our sound into the rest of the year. I’m really excited for these, and I hope you find these two songs as inspiring as I do.
- “Grace Before Sleep” by Susan LaBarr https://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=b3OR7CKFuj8 This piece thrills me. I’m seeing this as the prelude in the order of service. An astounding statement of gratitude for the gift of being able to sleep safely. The whole purpose of this service is to ask ourselves what we may want to communicate to the next generation as we sing them their lullabies. Gratitude for their safe sleep is, to me, the perfect place to begin. - “Dreams of Thee” by Eric William Barnum https://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=EyT7Rdpq25c This one I love because anyone who reads these words can take something different from it. I’ve read these over now probably 10 times, and each time have come away with a different character who could be singing these words and a different person to whom these could be addressed. Ultimately, I believe this song allows us to sing a lullaby to ourselves in processing the anxiety of waking in the middle of the night from the first dream, and allowing us to come back to normal before sleeping again. Lullabies can be sad occasions, too. I think the congregation needs to hear us validate that. - I hope these words help you understand my inspiration, and I hope they help you find yours in these two beautiful pieces of music as well! We’ll start rehearsals on both tonight, prioritizing “Grace Before Sleep.”
- “Grace Before Sleep” by Susan LaBarr https://www.youtube.
3) TENORS! Y’all are on for BATS sectionals this week! Last week, the altos had 3 representatives, and it was incredibly helpful. Please, as many of you as possible, COME! It’s really fun I promise. The rep number to beat right now is 8 from the sopranos. The basses came close with 7 at their last sectional. What can y’all pull off?4) As always, a MASSIVE shoutout to Jen and all the choir volunteers who make our community dinners such a SMASHING success! I’m proud that we continue to prove this choir is integral to this assembly’s existence. My arms raise for you all in gratitude! Please reach out to Jen or either of the choir committee chairs if you are interested in volunteering yourself!
5) Lastly, here are the rest of the choir’s performance/obligation dates for the 2024/2025 season! I’ve grouped them by month for those of you who like calendars.
- November 30th (Summit from 1-5PM, 6PM Party!)
- December 8th and 24th (Christmas Eve evening Service)
- January 12th and 26th
- February 9th and 23rd
- March 9th and 23rd
- April 13th and 27th
- May 11th
- June 8th CHOIR FINALE!
Best to you all,Ben
Hi Choristers!
Here’s my gazette for y’all this week!
1) This Sunday, we’ll be singing “Being Green,” arranged by Paul Langford. Please see this link for a good practice recording: https://www.
2) Looking ahead, we’ve got our ALL MUSIC SUNDAY coming up on 12/8! This has a couple of pieces of news attached to this.
- We’ll be having a CHOIR SUMMIT on Saturday, 11/30, from 1PM-5PM, followed by a Holiday Party at 6 in the social hall! This will be an hors d’ouvre pot luck, so be hungry!
- The purpose of this Summit is to focus on the two pieces the choir will be performing for the Lullaby theme that Sunday, as well as do some teambuilding work that will take our sound into the rest of the year. I’m really excited for these, and I hope you find these two songs as inspiring as I do.
- “Grace Before Sleep” by Susan LaBarr https://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=b3OR7CKFuj8 This piece thrills me. I’m seeing this as the prelude in the order of service. An astounding statement of gratitude for the gift of being able to sleep safely. The whole purpose of this service is to ask ourselves what we may want to communicate to the next generation as we sing them their lullabies. Gratitude for their safe sleep is, to me, the perfect place to begin. - “Dreams of Thee” by Eric William Barnum https://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=EyT7Rdpq25c This one I love because anyone who reads these words can take something different from it. I’ve read these over now probably 10 times, and each time have come away with a different character who could be singing these words and a different person to whom these could be addressed. Ultimately, I believe this song allows us to sing a lullaby to ourselves in processing the anxiety of waking in the middle of the night from the first dream, and allowing us to come back to normal before sleeping again. Lullabies can be sad occasions, too. I think the congregation needs to hear us validate that. - I hope these words help you understand my inspiration, and I hope they help you find yours in these two beautiful pieces of music as well!
- “Grace Before Sleep” by Susan LaBarr https://www.youtube.
3) ALTOS! Y’all are on for BATS sectionals this week! Last week, the sopranos had 8 representatives, and it was incredibly helpful. Please, as many of you as possible, COME! It’s really fun I promise. The rep number to beat right now is 8 from the sopranos. The basses came close with 7 at their last sectional. What can y’all pull off?4) As always, a MASSIVE shoutout to Jen and all the choir volunteers who make our community dinners such a SMASHING success! I’m proud that we continue to prove this choir is integral to this assembly’s existence. My arms raise for you all in gratitude! Please reach out to Jen or either of the choir committee chairs if you are interested in volunteering yourself!
5) I know we’ve been appreciating the updates we’ve been able to give and receive. I have wonderful news regarding my ability to communicate with all of you. WE ARE ON THE WEBSITE, BABY!! This means that all of our Gazettes will now be posted to the Choir page of the buf.org website! Here is a link to the update page directly: https://wp.buf.org/
6) Lastly, here are the rest of the choir’s performance/obligation dates for the 2024/2025 season! I’ve grouped them by month for those of you who like calendars.
- November 10th and 30th (Summit from 1-5PM, 6PM Party!)
- December 8th and 24th (Christmas Eve evening Service)
- January 12th and 26th
- February 9th and 23rd
- March 9th and 23rd
- April 13th and 27th
- May 11th
- June 8th CHOIR FINALE!
That is a wrap! As a little note, I know we’ve been at this intense performance pace for a bit now. It’s been a challenge, and I’m humbled by how you all have risen to this occasion. We have been sounding wonderful! And where we haven’t, we’ve been able to learn with grace. And I do mean WE. For this, I’m very grateful. I’m so excited to see y’all next this Wednesday! I’m grateful for your community, and I’m excited to continue the fun!Please let me know if you have any questions via an email addressed to choir@buf.org.
Best to you all,
Ben