Participant Information- Join us this Monday evening at 7 PM

Hi, musicians!  Peace be with you!  We're so very excited!  It's been difficult for us to wait until Labor Day to turn on our recruiting searchlight!  This new season, with wonderful music we selected even before it was published, will be a powerful musical & spiritual adventure for all of us!  We believe you will want to be a part of this choir!
 

• We're eager & want to turn up the CD every time we listen!  It includes narrative & a variety of styles & opportunities.  We've gotten extremely positive feedback from many who have already heard this season's CD.
   
  • We will need a great group of accompanists like we have every season.  Some powerful songs will move us all.
  • Bring your friends.  Bring all your singing friends!  Join us for this season & share with others as you receive for yourself!
  • We believe this will continue to build upon our wonderful 2006 and 2007 Christmas seasons & our tremendous experience in the spring of 2007!  Bring it on!  Mark your calendar!  Assemble your Prayer Partners!
     

Some of you in the past have asked for pre-season access to our materials so you can begin to enjoy & learn the music prior to our first assembly on October 6, at St. James Catholic Church in Yamhill.  Prices for supplies are the same as during 2007, so songbooks & listening CDs are priced the same as before.

• Songbooks @ $15/each
• Listening CDs @ $20/each

We will order songbooks & listening CDs not later than Thursday, September 18 (for those of you who don't have them already).

We're ready to know if you wish to commit to this new season.

This brand new cantata includes a tremendous message and very powerful music in a blend of narration and songs that are both new and part of our Christmas tradition.  It involves solos, ensembles, a group of young (or children's) voices, and narration!  It has already deeply moved me spiritually and I know you will also be touched by it!  I'm thrilled & thankful to have this musical ministry opportunity!

Lee

1. GREETINGS! Linda and I are excited to welcome you to this season’s COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS CANTATA CHOIR! This "welcome memo" is revised from past seasons, so please read it thoroughly. We have selected "JOY, JOY, JOY". We pray that God will be pleased and glorified as we worship and praise God and minister to others in song. Our new piano accompanist is Chrissy Tomlinson. We are not a "select" group of singers assembled by audition, but we are Called to honor God with excellence through the very best music we can perform. In that respect, it is important that we blend our voices. We are not all individual soloists, but a choir Called together to blend our talents as one. Thank you very much for your commitment to our Lord and your respect and trust in Linda and Lee’s shared leadership! Lee will direct while Linda works specifically with technical aspects of our preparation, soloists & small groups. God bless you in this wonderful ministry.

2. CHECKING IN: Please sign in with your name, singing part, telephone number, your email address (if any), and then pay for your songbook (mandatory @ $15) and listening CD (optional @ $20). If you are uncertain, please let us help you find your appropriate part (this project is a partnership ~ we all need to participate in the role that is best suited for the gifts God has given). Mark your name inside your book and on your CD. If you leave the choir, please give us the opportunity to help you sell your materials to another participant (or an audience member). We cannot return any materials to our supplier for a refund or credit.

3. MORE: We intend to involve Prayer Partners again. All singers are encouraged to memorize their parts (no books from late November through December)! This allows us to get our faces out of our songbooks. Smiling while we sing will be mandatory because we’ve heard many audience comments that we don’t look as joyful and happy as the words we sing.

5. STILL MORE: Tell us soon if you wish to be considered for a solo or small ensemble part. Prepare the part you want to sing. If there are many who wish to be considered and we already know the characteristics of your voice, you may or may not be asked to audition. We hope to have an "understudy" for each primary soloist for situations such as illness and scheduling conflicts. Understudies may not actually be called upon to perform. We will hear individuals for solo or ensemble parts as a part of our regular rehearsals. You may or may not be asked to sing an entire song. Although you may sing something several times, please do not assume the part is yours until you are told so just prior to our performance season. If we offer suggestions on how a song can be improved, please be open and take our remarks constructively. We need help with promotion, audio, video, risers and a sponsor to pick up some expenses associated with the production.

6. RECYCLING: When we finish in December, you can give us songbooks (please mark them with your name) from this and previous cantatas to store in our "archive" for possible future re-use.

8. SUGGESTIONS: The following are some suggestions for singers. Please keep this information for future reference.

• Don't shout, cheer or chant loudly or converse in a noisy environment.

• Don’t consume dairy products just before singing.

• Don’t drink beverages containing alcohol or caffeine (including mouthwashes and gargles). These dehydrate you.

• Don’t clear your throat or cough frequently.

• Don’t practice singing over loud music.

• Don’t try to hit the highest or lowest notes in your range more than once or twice while practicing.

• Drink eight glasses of free liquids per day to keep oral secretions thinned. Add a little lemon juice to your water.

• Avoid whispering.

• Limit speaking during the day you plan to sing.

• Warm up in an easy manner before singing.

9. COMMUNICATION: Periodic updates will be broadcast by email. Paper copies will be available for those not using email. The choir’s website, www.CantataChoir.org, will occasionally be updated with information for choir members, potential participants and audience members. Check it frequently. A phone tree will be developed to help us distribute last-minute information such as the cancellation or postponement of a rehearsal or performance due to inclement weather. Please contact me if you cannot attend a rehearsal, either the week earlier, by note, telephone (503-662-3926), fax (503-662-4270), cellular (503-939-1562) or email (Lee@FruithillInc.com). Please also call (after noon the day of) if you are uncertain if weather or other conditions may have resulted in cancellation of a rehearsal or performance. Please communicate with me in written or electronic form so I don’t lose track of what is said during the commotion of a rehearsal. Please give a note to me very soon if you wish to be considered for a solo or small ensemble part.