One of each. And you are not assigned.

For polyphony, you look at the repertoire and conductor (online on the Colloquium page) and see which of the polyphonic choirs you'd like to be part of.

As for chant, you have to place yourself in either the beginning class (newbies, can't read square notes), intermediate men's or women's scholas (you can read square notes, but you're ready to take it beyond the basics. Ready to dig in and learn more difficult chants like the propers, focus on rhtyhm, nuance, etc) or the advanced men's or women's schola (you are fluent - a seasoned chanter and regularly sing the propers. You are looking for more mastery of your skill, and enjoy the advanced scholarship).

Hope this helps.

"if you don't know how to sing a podatus..."

well in this particular case, yes, everyone should know "how" to do that...but what about some of the other neumes, especially controversial ones? What seems obvious to one person about "how" to sing a particular neume, may not be agreed upon by everyone. (For example, I consider myself an "advanced chant singer," but I don't sing according to the "Solesmes interpretation," so when I sing with people using that system, I am always forgetting to lengthen the first note of the quilisma! Someone sitting next to me might *think* that I am not a very good chant singer, but really I am! Just not in their style!)

So...that might make it difficult for some people to determine which level schola they should be in.

I think it is good for you to be familiar with the basics of the Solesmes method - the ictus, the rhythm, Salicus, etc. The way you are familiar with modern notation. You can count, recognize keys, time signatures, basic harmonic structures, etc. It is fundamental knowledge that can be built upon and interpreted.

My guess is that if a person knows what a podatus is and what a quilisma is, and can sight read his way through a proper with proficiency (without a lot of stumbling around) then the advanced class is right, regardless of his approach at home. Even in the CMAA, there is a range of just how much Solesmes is used by the different instructors - depending on instructor and the level of the class. We don't want to exclude someone who doesn't use Solesmes. But it comes in handy to be familiar with the basics - a common vocabulary.

That probably muddles things even more!

I remember the first colloquium I attended in 2007. We had an advanced polyphony group that was audition-only. I realize that auditions take valuable time away from the colloquium schedule, but I believe it is time well spent. I realize that making the best possible performance is not the goal of the colloquium; however, I believe the musical quality of the colloquium would improve enormously just by better utilizing the talents and resources we already have.

My church choir uses polyphony extensively for the ordinary of the Mass (including Palestrina, Viadana, etc.) Now chant is an entirely different affair--we use PBC setting of the sprinkling rite (Latin) during Lent---I don't exactly know how to read these heiroglyphics---I just watch whatever our conductor does and listen to everyone else.

I have not been able to sing chant in a schola for some time and am still working on my solfege, so I am definitely going in the beginning group. I like how all of the groups are integrated in the masses in terms of having a part of the mass to sing.

I think that, even for some one who has not performed publicly reading square notation, some simple practice before the Colloquium would solve a lot. There are many websites to get info. But I would give two suggestions from my own experience:

1) Notes are notes. In chant notation, they are still just little men climbing up and down the ladder, like we were taught in grade school. The most basic rule is that you sing the bottom note first, then move upward. If you are to start with the top note, the subsequent notes will move downward like stair-steps. The variety of sizes and shapes of the notes involved pertain to their rhythmic values and interpretation.

2) Solfege is great. Most people have the major and minor scales down pat in their minds. You just need to expand on that concept. Practice singing nine-note solfege scales (with keyboard to start, if necessary): DO up to octave RE and back down; RE up to octave MI and back down; &c. This will eventually make all of the modes second nature.

2a) Now introduce to your ear the very important "movable DO" concept. Practice the above scales, defined ONLY by where you place the half-steps, in every key. Alternatively, practice each scale from C to octave D and back down ONLY adjusting where the half-steps are.

with the risk of going slightly off topic, miacones comment about the non catholic lady made me want to share a somewhat disdurbing event at last years colloquiem. As most of you know, im the handicapped guy who in fact, plays organ.
I was having a discussion with a fellow travelor when a woman came up and blurted out that her parish was looking for a music director. Im not totally happy where im at so i expressed interest. The alarm on her face was memorable and the reat of the conversation was between her and my collegue. even her body language sent a very clear and dismissive signal that i was not welcome. Her assumption was insulting yet familiar
the friendliness of colloquiem participants is indeed legendary but perhaps all of us should try a little harder to make sure that friendliness isnt a causualty of growth.

Thanks, everyone, for your thoughtful input. Auditions aren't the way we want to go with the Colloquium. We did it one year as an experiment.

You will be happy to know that guidelines for choosing choirs and scholas are being drawn up and will be published soon -- along with some specifics on the polyphonic repertoire chosen for this year, graded according to difficulty.

Also, this year one of the polyphony groups will be for beginning choir singers - people who haven't sung in a choir or sung polyphony before.

And thank you, Don, for the reminder about friendliness. I'm very sorry about your bad experience.

We have a cap of 250 participants this year. That is what our program and the space is set up to handle. We don't want it spinning into something out of control - where people are not engaged and working and singing and making connections with instructors and other participants. We want the Colloquium to retain the spirit of love, camaraderie, and forward motion that makes it work.

jeff , charles(and everybody e;lse)
you are prime examples of why cmaa and the colloquiem are so wonderful. what wonderful things to say (and to hear) The affirmation from collegues whom i respect greatly has helped in so many ways.
Paul
I envy you your first time colloquiem experience. no matter what chant or polyphony choir you end up with, it will be an experience like none other!

Don,

I came across a video on youtube of you performing at the organ two days ago. I was immediately moved to come here and tell everyone to go have a look, but then decided that you deserve your privacy. (well, as much as anyone who posts on YouTube deserves!) Your hard work and ability really brings home how many of us that are fully able, myself included, do so little to try and reach the limits of our abilities but sit in some midway place.

Thank you.

frogman
thank you for your beautiful comments. they mean a great deal to me


olbash
another selfless thing jeffry (and others such as aristotle) do, is to act as "ringers". they are always around just as the director casts his "my firstborn for a tenor" look.

while i think its always good to be reminded of the need to reach out to first timers the reality is that the people ive met here and at the colloquiem are among the best ive ever known.somehow, i dont think that reality will change any time soon.

Since the packet is put online far in advance, one also has ample opportunity to review it, learn the parts, and decide which ensemble one might prefer for the week. While this seems obvious, it never seems urgent; so if you don't sight-read like a bandit, that presents an opportunity to learn the music in a no-pressure setting - in front of the keyboard, where no one will see if you have to stop and check a note!

People shouldn't be so hung up on choosing the "right" choir, or be worried that they might not be good enough. Everyone is there to learn. We all, conductors included, strive to do our best. It isn't a contest in who is the best alto in the section - and the flip side, pointing fingers at the worst. We are learning and honing our skills, no matter the level. Everyone leaves having learned something. And we are singing in liturgy. It is not a performance. There are no music critics or talent scouts hovering about.

but there is nothing "amaturish" about the sound thats for sure...

Well, despite being thoroughly intimidated by Colloquium I'm coming back this year. Looking forward to seeing y'all and hoping I can "get it" this year in a way that I didn't last year.

Don Roy, I saw the video. Some days, I don't play that well, and I have no handicaps - well, none besides old age and contrariness. ;-) You do excellent work.

Hah! LOL.

And as someone who can't read music in modern notation and can't figure his way around a keyboard or piano, Colloquium is the most difficult thing I attempt every year. There are non-musicians among you. I'm one of them.

I think this is wonderful, Flambeaux. Thank you for your service!

Also, if you get stuck, perhaps this site would assist you?

Free Videos on how to sing Gregorian chant

G, of what do you speak?

No one in this group is known to wear bowties on a regular basis.

(Allow me to remove my tongue from my cheek so my playful sarcasm maybe understood.)

For folks who don't have a lot of singing experience, and whose parishes don't sing traditional music, I heartily recommend looking for a chorus in your community.

Most choral groups that do classical music at all will be singing sacred music; it's not usually chant or polyphony, but it's worthy music and a good choral experience, and it'll help you tackle the pieces we do at the Colloquium more easily.

While I appreciate Chonak's encouragement of community chorus singing, many community choruses sing little classical music, often relying on arrangements of pop standards. And that might be hard to take if it's not your taste, even though I'll admit that the Sweet Adelines have everyone beat on vocal training and group discipline.

Shop around. If you can find a group that sings a repertoire of interest, go for it. Otherwise, don't be afraid of coming to the Colloquium. That's what the beginning chant and polyphony groups are for. We need to grow our own singers or we have no future.