Madeleine Humer, Director of the Victoria Children's Choir, describes the challenges faced in rehearsing Vivaldi's "Gloria":This has been a fascinating and very exciting project for me. From
the start when I started looking at the SATB score, and comparing the
parts that would have to be moved (tenor to soprano 2, bass to alto
2) to existing SSAA pieces by composers of the same era, I knew there
was going to be a lot of hard work ahead, but it would be so much fun.
The choristers from the VCC who sang last year had performed a mass
by Mozart, and so were already sold on the idea of early music
practices, as they found the music so much more interesting and fun
to sing, rather than singing in the usual romantic style. They were
so curious and excited about the prospect of singing another large
composition, and as many of them are also string players, could
hardly wait to work with period instrument musicians.
Learning the latin was a not a big challenge as the choir often sings
music with a latin text, and indeed in many other languages from
around the world. Singing in 4 parts is also quite normal for these
young singers. Performing a whole piece without a conductor was
something they were worried about, and although we have been
rehearsing it as such, it will not be known until the rehearsals with
the orchestra how it will all fit together. They were not very strong
at first with the word and note stresses, these being young singers
and as anyone knows who is insecure about anything, it is safer to
blend in rather than be noticed. However, one brief rehearsal with
Marc and the piece has come alive with contrasts of text and dynamics
as each chorister encourages the others to "go for it"!
It is this spirit of adventure, and of courage, and of support that
has really defined the learning process. These young singers have
jumped into the deep end of working through a "standard" choral
piece, one usually performed by an adult choir, with conductor, with
invited soloists and with many voices on each part, and in SATB where
the parts are spread out over a 3 octave range. The choristers of the
VCC (ages 12-16), will have no conductor to help them during the
performance, the soloists have been chosen from the choir, there are
only 5-7 voices on a part, and they are singing in close harmony (2
octave range). Luckily they are kids and show no fear! They decided
it was a matter of pride that THEIR section would not make any
errors, so they worked together as a team, each supporting the other,
more experienced singers standing next to the newest members, nodding
and pointing to keep them as one voice, encouraging the ones who had
not practiced to get going and catch up! Over half the choir took on
the extra work of learning the solos, coming in early to rehearsals,
listening to and learning from each other, no jealousy present but
keen to help and be there for the soloists and understudies who were
chosen. The hours have been happy, full of hard work and
frustrations, but the combined joy exploding from each of them when
we know that the last section, or phrase, or word stress, or dynamic
progression, or even
as at last weekend's choir camp where each run
through was so much better than the previous one, has made a lasting
impression on me and everyone else involved. This is the essence of
singing in a choir, where a musical challenge is set out, we all work
so hard together as a team to get ready to perform it, and unlike
sports, there are NO losers. For these young musicians, their faces
said it all when I told them that the choir was giving them their
Vivaldi scores, and that we all knew this would be an experience none
of us would EVER forget!
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