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December 30, 2016 #40
Admin Issue
GHC, HNC, SOUNDINGS & CCLT
Choir Community Newsletter
<><><><><><><><> Quick
Reminders! <><><><><><><><>
Choir Start-Up
GHC Jan 2, 3 & 5 – HNC Jan 3
Sing! Sing! Sing!
Denis & Lanny ~ New Year’s Day Music
Jan. 1, 2:00 - 4:00 - First Metropolitan United Church
Details in the Admin Team Special Announcements Section
End of Fall Season Concerts
Jan. 27 & 28 with Fintan O’Brien
Details on our web site’s Concerts Page
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For access to all current and archived issues please go to:
http://www.gettinhigherchoir.ca/choir_life/newsletters.php
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Special Notes!!!!
GHC Choir Rehearsals
Here is a schedule for you so that you will know what we will be working
on over the next few weeks up to the concert:
Week of Jan.2:
Week of Jan.16:
anything that still needs note-learning
we'll learn the backup parts to
Fintan's "Wayward Wind" song
By Breath
In This Heart
River Of Light
Here Is My Home
Oy Vey
Week of Jan.9:
Week of Jan.23:
All You Need Is Love
So Alike
Water Is Life
Wayward Wind (Fintan) backup parts
any song that still needs work
"dress" rehearsal Thursday Jan.26
concerts Jan.27/28!
Shivon and Denis
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Admin Team Notes
SHIVON
Dear Choir Community
This holiday time has been a very difficult and sad time for me, as well as
profound and heart opening. My darling mum moved into our house on
December 17, for us to care for during the holidays. On December 23
she was admitted to Jubilee Hospital, where she died 3 days later. Her
last words were, I love you all so much. She fell into a long peaceful
sleep, and never woke up.
My sister Brenda and I were by her side.
Prayers are welcome, for Sarah Siobhan (McCormack) Gannon. 1919 2016.
Life is precious. All we need is love.
(I have just decided this instant of writing, to reclaim the Irish spelling of
my name.)
~ Siobhan
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Admin Team Notes (cont.)
DENIS
BILL
Well, here we go, everyone, to the most exciting time of
the session – when we really start to hear the fruits of all
our learning over the past few months and start to make
music. I hope you will be able to be at as many
rehearsals as comfortable for you, and that you are able
to get to a sectional or two - very helpful.
If you have any business or questions I will be at choir
pretty much every night from now on and, as always I
can be contacted at 250-920-4160 (9 to 9 daily) or at
[email protected] (anytime).
…and to close out 2016 I offer what has become my
traditional new year’s wish for us all…
And Happy New Year to all.
May the coming be the best one of all of our lives so far
and may every subsequent year be better than the one
before it.
~ Denis
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~ Bill
GLORIA
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Hope you all had a wonderful holiday - and Happy New
Year to everyone
~ Gloria
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Gettin’ Higher Choir Info
GHC Concert Info
Concert Tickets
THE GETTING’ HIGHER CHOIR IN CONCERT
with guest artist Fintan O’Brien
Jan. 27 & 28 - 7:30 - Alix Goolden Performance Hall
Tickets are $25 regular and $20 for seniors, students and the unwaged.
When you purchase them at choir please make it easy on the ticket
sellers by working out in advance which concerts you want tickets for,
how many of each type you need and their total cost.
If you need to change the concert night later simply bring the tickets back
and exchange them. Please make cheques payable to The Power of
Hope.
Tickets are also available on our web site and at all choir nights from
now until concert time as well as from these generous businesses that
st
freely volunteer their time and facilities (starting Jan. 1 ):
Munro’s Books, 1108 Government
Ivy’s Books, 2188 Oak Bay
James Bay Coffee & Book, 143 Menzies
~ and ~
Dig This, Broadmead Village
Members of our extended choir community are welcome to drop-in
around the 8:30 break time any choir night to pick-up tickets for their
family, friends and associates and to enjoy a song or more.
~ Gloria
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GHC Concert Info (cont.)
DONATED TICKET FUND
Entering The Concert Home Stretch
A GHC CHOIR COMMUNITY CONCERT PROMO
HEADS-UP
In past seasons the collective generosity of our
membership has resulted in 20 to 30 people coming to
hear each concert who could not have afforded to pay
for tickets themselves and would have had to miss the
exquisite aural experience that we so humbly offer.
If you like the idea and wish donate the price of a ticket
(or two or a few or even part of one) please see whoever
is selling tickets during the break. Please make
cheques payable to the Power Of Hope
If you know of someone needing a “donated ticket” to be
able to come you can request it from the ticket sellers.
They will be given out in the order requested as
donations make them available.
~ Bill
We members of the GHC, HNC, Soundings & CCLT
choir community are the backbone of each GHC
season's concert promotion efforts and the high
audience turn-out at our concerts is always the result of
our collective promotional activities.
Barbara McLintock (GHC Alto), Gloria, Bill and Shivon
as the core of our promotional team organize the
posters, encourage media coverage, make promotional
resources available and administer choir and public
ticket sales but our community effort to get the word out
is our most powerful promotional resource. The more
willing we each are to pass the message on to our
family, friends, associates and the general public the
more ticket sales our collective efforts will generate for
the benefit of the our friends at the Power of Hope.
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As always our primary concert promotion period starts
as soon the stores that start selling them on Jan.
1st…(Continued with: more info & promo tools to help
you in spreading the word)
Our Concert Beneficiary:
The Power Of Hope (A reminder)
As most of you already know our end-of-season
concerts for the Fall season are benefits for The Power
Of Hope. If you haven’t already done so you can get a
feel of what they do with, and for, the youth that
participate in their programs by checking out:
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The PoH web site
Videos on Vimeo:
2004 photo essay
Then invite your family, friends and associates to
support what The Power Of Hope does by coming to our
concerts to enjoy what we do!
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GHC Home Sectionals
For fun and practice…Host
A Home Sectional!
With the exception of the Tenors all the sections now have 2 Home
Sectionals either scheduled or planned (a new date needs to be set for
Mary-Wynne’s postponed Alto sectional or it would be listed below with
the rest)
Is there a prospective Tenor host out there who would like to take it on?
If you are interested but need more information on hosting click on
Sectionals-What/How? or call me at 250-920-4160 (9 to 9 daily)
~ Bill
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Scheduled Home Sectionals
Basses @ Bills ~ Jan. 4th
I am hosting a home sectional for all Basses on Jan. 4th
from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. The more of us there are the
better it will be.
I will host an Alto sectional at my home off Oldfield Road
at 445 Brookhaven Road.
Denis will firmly lead us by the notes.
Shivon will be leading.
Beverages of choice and snacks to share are welcome.
The practice will be followed by a social gathering for
those feeling social.
Saturday morning January 14 with coffee and muffins at
9:00, singing from 10:00 to 12:00.
Season’s Greetings,
77 Gorge Rd. West, (at Wascana across from Wings ~
#8 or #11 bus). Follow the signs from the gate. Map:
http://www.crucible.ca/home77.jpg
For further information or answers to your questions
please contact me at 250-920-4160 (9 to 9) or at
[email protected]
Submitted by Mary Squance
Monday Alto
Sopranos @ Marg’s ~ Jan 15th
Hi all, and Happy New Year!
I've been able to book the clubhouse here at Waters
Edge, 2600 Ferguson Rd in Saanichton, for a Soprano
Sectional on Jan 15 at 1:30-3:30 PM.
Submitted by: Bill Hanson,
multi-night rotating Bass
Sopranos @ Frances’ – Jan 8th
Shivon will lead us.
Soprano Sectional Sunday, January 8th 2 to 4pm at
Frances' place. Shivon will join us. Bring an appy or a
treat to share afterwards if you'd like to stay and
socialize.
It's by the water off Lochside Drive.
103 - 945 McClure (off Vancouver St. - no entry from
Quadra St.). Buzzer no.13. On street parking free.
Please email to let me know you are coming. The limit is
25 people. [email protected]
Turn off the highway at Mt Newton X Road, go left - north
on Lochside, and take the first right on Ferguson Rd.
The clubhouse I'd at the very end of the road on the left.
Parking is available near the clubhouse or on Ferguson
just before you get to the gates. It's the third sign for
2600 Ferguson Rd, as it's a large development.
Submitted by Frances Strauss
Tuesday/Thursday Soprano
Hope that either Shivon or Denis is available.
There is a piano we can use and the room is large.
Tenors @ Dale & Merrie’s – Jan 8th
Hope it works to have a leader with us.
Submitted by Marg Stothart, Monday Sop
Denis will join us - thank you, Denis!
Date: Sunday, January 8th
Place: Dale Shpak and Merrie Houghton's 8646 Emard
Terrace, North Saanich
Time: Singing 2:00 - 4:00 ; Potluck and socializing
starting at 4:00.
We will make pizzas. Bring salads or appies, if you like.
Please park on the street, since there is not much of a
turn around by the house....
Looking forward to singing and getting together soon!
Any questions? Please contact Me:
[email protected]
250 652-2703
Submitted by Merrie Houghton
Monday Tenor
Altos @ Mary’s ~ Jan 14th
Basses @ Lee’s – Jan. 22
Chris Jenkins and I will host a Bass Sectional at my
place in James Bay at 2 pm on Sunday, Jan. 22. Denis
plans to be there; all basses welcome. Singing till 3:30 or
so, socializing for a bit after. Tea available, beverages of
choice and snacks to share welcome.
The location: 802 - 350 Douglas St., across from Beacon
Hill Park. (Some street parking likely available; also
visitors parking spaces in the NE corner of the parking lot
at the rear of the apartment buildings, accessible most
easily from Toronto St. west of Douglas.) RSVPs
appreciated but not required, to [email protected],
250-888-6825.
Submitted by Lee McLeod
GHC Tuesda/Thursday Bass
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GHC News & Business
The Post Holiday Break
“WILL I REMEMBER ANYTHING” SYNDROME
Except for those with “unforgettable” memories, and those
who would rather practice than succumb to holiday
temptations, we will all (new singers and veterans) probably
come back to choir next week with hesitations about how
well we remember our concert songs.
The best way to answer that question is to stay off book as
much as possible for the rest of the season. As has been
said before…that way we will learn what we don’t know so
that we can focus on learning that rather than going over
and over what we already know.
PLEASE BE SCENTS-ITIVE
Between now and the concerts there will be increasing
numbers of “time-travellers” at choir and we will be filling up
more space than usual with people. Please keep in mind
that there are a number of choir members who are
extremely sensitive to smells of perfume, cologne, after
shave, and cigarette smoke.
This is reminder to everyone to not wear scents of any kind
to choir. If you wear perfume, or use other scents, at other
times, or if you are a smoker, please be aware that you may
still carry the odor on your clothes at choir. What to do?
Perhaps keep a special set of non-scented clothes for choir
and concerts, and shower just before coming.
For a refresher on “off book” tips and benefits check out:
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How To Make The Most Of Your Concert Experience.
~ Bill
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NO NUTS REHEARSALS AND CONCERTS
Our Tuesday Tenor who is seriously allergic to nuts (all
kinds) will be singing in the concerts and could be at any or
all of our remaining rehearsals. Please do not bring
anything to choir that contains any type or amount of
nuts. In fact please don’t eat nuts before coming to
rehearsals or concerts. Even the smell of nuts on
someone’s breath can trigger an anaphylactic reaction with
drastic negative results.
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A REMINDER OF THE VALUE OF SILENCE
As we get closer to the concerts there will be more and
more of us coming to choir more than once a week. The
increased numbers each week will make casual chatter
between songs even more disruptive than usual.
With mindfulness, we can curb the urge to chatter, and stay
focused on the vibration within that the song has set up. In
this way, the whole time can be experienced as a very deep
sound healing treatment.
Offering silent mindfulness will make it easier for Shivon
and Denis to lead our practices and for all of us to get our
parts solidly into our hearts so that we can truly get higher
in our concerts.
Let’s get the greatest possible value from these last few
weeks of preparation for our concerts by giving Shivon,
Denis, ourselves and those around us the gift of silence
mindfulness between songs. This can really deepen the
effect that this practice of singing in harmony has on our
whole being.
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SHARE YOUR CONCERT ANTICIPATION &
EXPERIENCE!
Whether you will be in the audience or on stage for our
upcoming concerts you can share your thoughts and
feelings in anticipation of them by adding a comment on our
web site. To add pre-concert comments click on:
http://www.gettinhigherchoir.ca/concerts
While you are on the concerts page please click on the
Facebook LIKE or SHARE button (or both).
We also invite you to scroll through the site’s Past Concerts
listings and check out some of the comments for them.
This will enhance your anticipation and may generate some
warm memories. If you experience a memory about one or
more past concert that you would like to share go for it. It is
never too late.
To leave a comment for any concert click on the Comment
link found in the bottom right corner of each listing. You
can then read all the comments that have been posted
about it and add your own comment in the box provided at
the bottom of the listings page. Check back any time to see
what new comments have been added.
Your comments on, both current and past concerts, can
help promote our next concert to site visitors doing curiosity
scrolls through the various listings. You will also add heart
to the concert history that is evolving on the site. So, even
if you didn’t add a comment right after any previous concert
don’t hesitate to take a little memory trip by checking out its
listing and adding one now.
We look forward to reading about your thoughts and
feelings about your past experiences and about your
anticipation of concerts to come.
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Other Info About Our
Community Of Choirs
High Noon Choir News & Business
High Noon Choir….
A daytime community choir
Join us for the Winter Session - here’s when, where and how
When: Tuesdays 12 noon – 1:30 pm
Where: Church of Truth 111 Superior St. (James Bay)
New singers always welcome
Orientation for new singers - Tuesday, Jan 3 – 11:30 – 12:00
Our Winter Session runs from Jan. 3 ‘til Mar. 21
This is a non-audition choir, all are welcome.
Shivon Robinsong and Gloria Hansen
HNC Director and Registrar
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Admin Team
Special Announcements
From time to time Shivon, Denis, Gloria or Bill will use this section to announce
activities and events that they are involved in, or support, outside of their normal
work for the choirs and the CCLT.
Denis & Lanny’s New Year
Power of Hope
Creative Facilitation Training
I will be performing my annual New Year's Day music
(on Irish harp and guitar) with my friend Lanny Pollet
(flutes and recorders) at First Metropolitan United
Church, 2:00 - 4:00 on Jan.1. There is no admission
charge, and no applause. Just quiet, contemplative
music for the start of a new year. This will be our 17th
annual performance. Come and go as your schedule
suggests. There will probably be a very full house, as
usual. It's a delightful tradition to be a part of.
Power of Hope will be running the Creative
Facilitation Training at Royal Roads on February
25th and 26th.
This is an awesome training for teachers, youth workers
and anyone who works with groups -- that wants to bring
more arts into both their own lives, and with the groups
they work with.
Also, I want to thank everyone who came to one of the
Soundings concerts this past weekend. The houses
were full and it was an amazing weekend for us!
Here is the link : http://www.powerofhope.ca/creativefacilitation-register-today/
~ Denis
Submitted by Gloria Hansen,
GHC and HNC admin and Power of Hope Board
Member
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CCLT UPDATES
Community Choir Leadership Trainings
A two week workshop for current and prospective
community choir leaders facilitated annually by Denis & Shivon
CCLT Grad’s Updates This Week
Please Pass This On
To Potential Singers…Wherever They May
Be!
Many of the graduates of the Shivon and Denis’
Community Choir Leadership Training program (CCLT)
are involved in choirs of their own across North America
as well one each in Malaysia and Australia. The style of
these choirs ranges from “influenced by” to “based on”
the Gettin’ Higher Choir model.
You can find information about them by clicking on:
http://www.ubuntuchoirs.net/wp/member-choirs
If you know someone who might like to sing in a
GHC/HNC style environment send them the above link
so they can check to see if there is a sister choir in their
area.
Laurence Cole CCLT3 - 2006/7 ~ Pt. Townsend, Wa.
Many of us in our choir community are aware of
Laurence and his wonderful, heart opening songs.
Those of us in the current GHC season will have the
pleasure sharing one of them with the rest of you in
our upcoming concerts. If you aren’t aware of him yet
treat yourself and visit his site’s Song Album page.
Some months ago Laurence Launched “The Laurence
Cole Song Sharing Project” with a goal of recording
most of his catalogue of songs and posting them
online to make them available free of charge to
singers and song leaders everywhere. Many of us
recognized what and incredible gift he was offering
and contributed.
This Indigogo update recently came in from him about
the project:
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For all of you who have donated to my campaign, I
want to deeply thank you. We have done rough
recordings of over 80 songs so far, and we have a
few of them completed and installed on my website,
More new songs keep showing up, and we
uncovered some of my older songs which seem
important to add to the mix, so any further
donations to the cause will definitely be useful and
much appreciated.
I’ve donated again and I hope those of you who
donated previously will do so again along with anyone
else who recognizes a worthy cause when they see it.
Sing in joy with gratitude for Laurence’s songs
~ Bill
================== THATS NOT ALL FOLKS ================
Our Choir Community Issue (Part 2) follows next Friday with lots of
interesting submissions from other choir community members
plus some Quote Breaks and the Just For Fun section!
Please submit any items you have for it by midnight
next Wednesday to [email protected]
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You can always find links to both current and past newsletter issues at:
http://www.gettinhigherchoir.ca/choir_life/newsletters.php
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