A small triumph
  • rogue63
    Posts: 410
    I have two choirs----boys and girls, and we've been singing well this year. The Terry Short Mass in C, a couple of familiar canons (When Jesus Wept, Jubilate Deo, Tallis Canon, etc.), Simple English Propers too, but we haven't approached vertical harmony yet (simultaneous soprano/alto lines). Until yesterday, when we read through Richard Rice's Simple Choral Gradual setting of the Communion for the 2nd Week of Lent. They got it----not perfect, but they got it. We have one more brief rehearsal before the school Mass on Thursday, and then we sing it. Kudos to Mr. Rice for such an excellent teaching tool---simple, beautiful and liturgically useful.

    They're quite young---I have only 3rd and 4th grade students. Please keep us in your prayers. This feels like the first step of a fruitful journey for these students. Deus vult!
    Thanked by 13Ragueneau CHGiffen canadash Ben PMulholland miacoyne kevinf bgeorge77 Ally AngelaR tomboysuze IanW Ioannes Andreades
  • PMulholland
    Posts: 120
    Excellent,
    Breakthroughs like that will only snowball into more success!!!
  • canadashcanadash
    Posts: 1,499
    The young ones have the squishy, spongy, information absorbing brains as far as I'm concerned. They get everything if they are taught. I taught my sons the Ecce Sacerdos (gregorian introit) and within a couple of days they were singing it in the car. I then realized that they had it memorized AND they enjoyed it, in LATIN (even though they complained that it was in another language.) I'm going to choose a few more for them to learn over the next few weeks. This is going to be a fun project and it will help my solidified brain cells as well.
  • Richard R.
    Posts: 774
    Well, that makes it worth it, for sure. Regards to the kids.
  • pipesnposaune
    Posts: 113
    Glad to hear it is going well, rougue63! How has Ward worked this year?
  • tomboysuzetomboysuze
    Posts: 289
    I know that great feeling (and the struggle) all too well. Congratulations. It's a real high and I'm sure you've worked for it. They're doing great to be able to approach that and hold onto their own notes being so young! You may have already tried this, but if not: after teaching each part as a separate melody - have each section stand in a circle and sing into the circle doing their harmony. Gradually move the circles closer and closer together until they can sing in one circle. This has the effect of training the brain to hear something other than what they're singing. (you didn't ask for advice so forgive me for offering it...i was back in my classroom for a minute.)
    Thanked by 2veromary bonniebede
Add a Comment