Special Information for VCS Members

Newsletter from our (new) President

July 27, 2007

Dear Vienna Choral Society Member,

We’re coming upon the start of our 2007-2008 season, which marks the Vienna Choral Society’s 20th season!

As your new president, I’m especially looking forward to this anniversary season as we continue to enhance our musicianship and share our love of singing among ourselves and with our audiences. I’m pleased to announce that Paul Patton, our Musical Director, and Tom Leich, Accompanist, will be joining us again this season.

This year, our first formal rehearsal will take place at 7:15 pm, Tuesday, September 4th. Before that, you’re encouraged to join us at 7:30 on Tuesday, August 28th, at Vienna Baptist Church to register and to receive your music for the first concert. This gathering will give us a chance to enjoy some light refreshments and visit with new members as well as singers from prior seasons, before we begin rehearsals the following week. Membership dues will remain at $100, the same level as last year. The music for the first concert will cost approximately $20-25. Please be prepared to provide separate checks for membership and music.

We will be presenting three concerts this season:

December 8, 2007 Christmas in the Americas

March 8, 2008 The Sound of Music

May 31, 2008 You Shall Have a Song!

In addition, we will seek opportunities to perform at community events, assisted living centers, and other gatherings, as we have done in previous years.

I encourage you not only to sing with us, but also to consider helping in some capacity with a variety of operational responsibilities and tasks. These include organizing our community service appearances, helping publicize our concerts (design and produce our flyers; notify newspapers and other media; send mailings to surrounding churches; and batch and send reminder postcards to our audience mailing list), and giving us direction for the technical logistics for our concerts and rehearsals (stage management). We also need 1-2 non-chorus members (spouses, other relatives, friends) to help with the box office/ticket purchases before each concert. Each one of these responsibilities only requires a small amount of time for each concert or appearance (2-3 hours total, depending on the task) but is crucial in our preparation for our concerts. Please let me know if you can help with one (or more!) of these necessary items.

We hope you will join us again this season and bring any family, friends and acquaintances who would like to share in the joy of choral music. We welcome new members who have the basic skills to match pitch and are willing to invest the time and effort to master the music in a choral environment. No formal audition is required; however, each new member will have a brief placement screening with Paul Patton, our director, so he can determine the singer’s best fit within the chorus. The placement screening is not required for current members.

As always, we will display a large banner over Maple Avenue during the last two weeks of August to announce our coming season and to invite others to join. Please mark your calendars and join us as VCS turns twenty!

Sincerely,

Lisa Robinson

President

Vienna Choral Society Expectations for Member Commitments

Dear Choral Member,

Our choral society is a team of singers. All individuals must work together each week to refine what we have reviewed at home and during previous rehearsals. We ALL have many important commitments other than VCS, but the purpose of any choral group is to produce quality music. We depend on each other -- some are stronger with rhythm, some with pitch, some read music well, some may already know the music. Interdependence helps us learn from one another to become better singers. Therefore, the Vienna Choral Society expects members to adjust their personal schedules to achieve the goals of the group by doing the following:

Practice Your Music at Home

You will set aside time at home to practice the assigned pieces. We realize that not everyone owns a piano or reads music, however just reviewing the words or rhythms makes a big difference. (It helps to know what you are singing about.) Tape recorders today are tiny and digital, and we encourage you to tape rehearsals and practice with your tape during the week.

Sing in all Concerts

You will sing in all concerts. Please look at the concert dates. We may not accept your membership if you will miss more than one concert per season. It is up to the director to excuse you.

Attend all Rehearsals

You will attend every rehearsal. If you miss two rehearsals per concert period (for any reason), you will be advised to consider not singing in that concert. Section Leaders keep a record of attendance, and you should discuss absences with them (in advance when possible). Contact info is in your member packet and on the website. Your section leader may refer you to the director.

Be Punctual

You will be on time for rehearsals and concerts.

Program Order

Carols and Anthems from North & South America

December 8, 2007; Vienna Baptist Church

CANADA

Hodie, Christus Natus Est, Healey Willan

‘Twas in the Moon of Wintertime (The Huron Carol), arr. Healey Willan

UNITED STATES (I)

A Christmas Carol, Charles Ives/arr. Paul C. Echols

Gloria, John Leavitt

On Christmas Eve a Child Cried Out, Alan Hovhaness (with flute & harp)

This Child, This King, Daniel E. Gawthrop (with organ & harp)

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day, Jean-Baptiste Calkin – chorus & audience

CENTRAL AMERICA

Riu, riu, chiu, ed. Noah Greenberg – Mexico (Spain)

A La Nanita Nana, arr. Folstrom (with harp) – Mexico (Spain)

Calypso Carol, arr. Craig Curry – West Indies

The Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy, arr. Lynn Trapp – West Indies

- INTERMISSION -

SOUTH AMERICA

Niño Lindo, arr. Alberto Grau - Venezuela

Ave Maria, Villa-Lobos – Brazil

El Cielo Canta Alegria, Pablo Sosa/arr. Roger Bergs (women only) – Argentina

UNITED STATES (II)

The Little Drummer Boy, Harry Simeone/arr. John McCarthy

Do You Hear What I Hear?, Noel Regney/arr. Harry Simeone

Walk in the Light, arr. André Thomas

Beautiful Star of Bethlehem, R. Fischer Boyce

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing – chorus & audience

Contacting Section Leaders

Please let section leaders know you won't be at rehearsal.

Soprano: Hazel F. 703-938-4839  Soprano Section Leader (Please Call).

Alto: Kathy T. 703-319-9697  E-mail Alto Section Leader

Tenor: Robert B. 703-281-1659  E-mail Tenor Section Leader

Bass: John M. 703-281-2847  E-mail Bass Section Leader

Keeping Costs Down

Giant Food Gift Cards: Purchase during the break for yourself or to sell to others. We have $50 and $100 cards. Take to GIANT and swipe through the machine. If you use a $100 card but your purchase is only $75, you will be left with $25 on your card to use on your next trip.

Membership Packet Information

Click on this link to read the Membership Packet.