First Week of Spring

Dear Preparatory 3 Families:

It was great to see everyone at our first class of the term. A special hello to the new faces that are joining us in 2015 – welcome to the Cantabile family! For those of you who are new to the organization, this blog is reading for Preparatory 3 singers and families. It’s updated once a week, and contains class materials on your weekly practice, recordings and details on upcoming special events and performances. Please check the blog regularly, and email jina@cantabile.org if you are experiencing any technical difficulties.

Our theme of the semester is "Around the World." We will be exploring multicultural music and learning about different cultures and ethnicity. Here are the recordings of songs that will be sang at the Spring concert:

Doraji
Korean Traditional Folk Song 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7Gb6rGycbk
Diction:
http://picosong.com/L5tw/

Translation
Doraji, white doraji by the mountain stream,
Dig up one or two roots to fill the bamboo basket to overflowing.

Pronunciation Guide
A= ah as in fall
E= eh as in set
I= ee as in marine
IH= ih as in tin
O= oh as in hold
OO= oo as in noon
U= uh as in run
R= lightly tongued or flipped, not a hard R
CH= ch as  in children
G= hard G as in gate

Siyahamba (We Are Marching)
South African Hymn
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6XUBIwi1NA

Translation:
We are marching in the light of God

Happy Singing!

Welcome to the 2015 spring semester!

Dear Preparatory Families:

Welcome to the 2015 spring semester with Cantabile Youth Singers. I hope each of you had a terrific winter break. I welcome each of our returning singers and I am very happy to see you continue with us this term. A special welcome also to our new Cantabile families- we are delighted to have you join us and look forward to a wonderful semester. 

Throughout our twenty year history, Cantabile has consistently offered children the opportunity to experience the joy of singing, to learn music reading and participate in one of the fastest growing and most important youth activities in the country: singing in a choir. What differentiates Cantabile is our attention to each singer’s musical, emotional and social development as a whole person: voice, body, mind, and heart. Every year we are thrilled and moved by the commitment each family shows in bringing their child to our classes to share the important value of a musical education. This choice will enhance and support your child’s development throughout their school years and beyond.

Our preparatory classes start on the week of January 26th. Please visit our website http://cantabile.org/ to find the yearly calendar, class time schedules and other important information including how to obtain a uniform for your singer and information about Cantabile’s history and mission as well as all of the events and concerts that will happen this semester for the upper choirs- we encourage you to join us!

We will hold parent orientation during the first week of preparatory classes, and we ask that all families participate. We ask that you come to the beginning of your child’s scheduled class time and stay for about 10 minutes to learn about the program and the logistics of your child’s class.

 FAQ document:

http://bit.ly/Cantabile-FAQ2014

Please feel free to e-mail me at [jina@cantabile.org] with questions or for more information.

Yours in song,

Jina Han  

Concert Week Update

Dear Prep 3 Families,

We’re less than 24 hours away from our big Holidays With Cantabile concert and I could not be more excited! A few quick reminders about tomorrow and next week:

Saturday, December 6 Concert

Where: Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph, San Jose

Call time: 11:00am 

Concert: 1:00pm

Uniform: arrive wearing FULL Cantabile concert uniform including black socks (boys)/stockings (girls), black dress shoes (no boots please!), and hair neat/off the face.
Sign in: with Choir Parent at the curb - Cantabile volunteers will walk your child to Parish Hall.

Please DO NOT:

- Bring your music binders or theory books

- Bring any personal items that you don’t absolutely need

Please DO:

- Have a good, hearty breakfast so that you have lots of energy!

- Bring a water bottle – it’s extremely important to stay hydrated.

- Bring your focus, positive energy, and smiles!

Sign out: in Parish Hall with Choir Parent - at the end of the concert, please follow the choirs to Parish Hall. Prep 3 singers should be picked up from downstairs.

Winter Recitals at Foothills Congregational Church

Class recitals are coming up next week! Please come and support your young singers by enjoying a performance of our songs, games, and activities. This is a relaxed and fun event that you don’t want to miss! All singers must arrive wearing their Cantabile uniform.

Recital Times

Monday Prep 3: Monday, December 8, 5:15-6:30pm. (Please note that the time of this recital is later than the usual Monday class time in order to accommodate other recitals on the same day.)

Tuesday Prep 3: Tuesday, December 9, 5:15-6:30pm

Potluck

Thank you to those families who have already signed up to contribute to the recital potluck for your class. If more of you could please go ahead and sign-up, that would be fabulous – both classes could use more contributions! :) To sign up, visit the appropriate link below. Write your name and a description of the item you're bringing in the column of your choice. The categories on the spreadsheet are helpful suggestions, but feel free to use the "other" column and specify what you'd like to bring. Please ensure that all food items are nut-free. If your child has a serious allergy to something besides nuts, please email me immediately.

Monday Potluck Sign-up

Tuesday Potluck Sign-up

Practice Instructions

Please practice all of your pieces for the Holidays With Cantabile concert one last time tonight, and continue to practice for your recitals over the weekend! ALL pieces must be COMPLETELY memorized! 

Silent Night CANDLES for the Holidays With Cantabile concert:
Hold your candle in your left hand at your side until the lights go down for Silent Night. Then turn your candle on (switch at the bottom) and hold it with both hands. Please do NOT play with it, use up the battery by turning it on before everyone is about to sing, or drop it (it will break!) - we do not have extras for everyone.

Practice Recordings

Please download and practice all practice recordings you have received by email. You can also download them all via google drive HERE. They are:

- Solstice

- O Sifuni

- Sh’ma Yisrael

- Star Carol

- Hanerot Halalu SLOW version (to help practice text)

- Dormi Dormi

- Dance Gentle Willow

- Silent Night

Holidays Repertoire List:

-       O Sifuni Mungu (all choirs)

-       Solstice (Prep 3 + Intermediate)

-       Sh’ma Yisrael (Prep 3 + Intermediate)

-       Star Carol (all choirs)

-       Silent Night (all choirs)

Monday Recital Repertoire List:

-       Dormi Dormi

-       Dance Gentle Willow
  Solstice
  Sh'ma Yisrael

-       Hanerot Halalu

Tuesday Recital Repertoire List:

-       Solstice

-       Dormi Dormi

-       Hot Chocolate - click HERE for a practice video of this piece!

-       Hanerot Halalu

Happy Concert Week!

Sincerely,
Cassie and Natalie, Prep 3 Conductors

Rehearsal Blog Update 11/28/2014

Dear Prep 3 Families,

Our Holidays With Cantabile concert and Prep 3 Winter Recitals are fast approaching! In this week’s blog are practice instructions and important updates about upcoming events. Please read carefully all information below and go over relevant details with your children – especially the section on what to practice!

Holidays With Cantabile 

Dress Rehearsal and Concert Information

Wednesday, December 3 Dress Rehearsal – mandatory for all singers!
Where: Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph, San Jose

Call time: 4:30pm sharp in the church pews - please allow additional time for traffic/drop-off

Release time: 6:45pm

Wear: warm clothing and soft-soled shoes (eg. Sneakers)
Bring: water bottle, nut-free snack, coat

Sign in: with Choir Parent at the curb - Cantabile volunteers will walk your child into the church

Sign out: with Choir Parent in the Vestibule - Cantabile volunteers will walk your child down to the curb to meet you

Saturday, December 6 Concert

Where: Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph, San Jose

Call time: 11:00am sharp

Concert: 1:00pm

Uniform: arrive wearing FULL Cantabile concert uniform including black socks (boys)/stockings (girls), black dress shoes (no boots please!), and hair neat/off the face
Sign in: with Choir Parent at the curb - Cantabile volunteers will walk your child to Parish Hall.
Sign out: in Parish Hall with Choir Parent - at the end of the concert, please follow the choirs to Parish Hall. Prep 3 singers should be picked up from downstairs.

Uniform

Please ensure that you have already ordered your Cantabile uniform, worn for both the Holidays concert and the class recital. Children without the proper uniform won't be able to participate in the concert. Thank you for understanding Cantabile’s concert policies.

Winter Recitals at Foothills Congregational Church

At the end of each term, Cantabile’s Prep classes all have their own recital at FCC to showcase what we have accomplished. Please come and support your young singers by enjoying a performance of our songs, games, and activities. This is a relaxed and fun event that you don’t want to miss! All singers must come in their Cantabile uniform – please see instructions above.

Recital Times

Monday Prep 3: Monday, December 8, 5:15-6:30pm. (Please note that the time of this recital is later than the usual Monday class time in order to accommodate other recitals on the same day.)

Tuesday Prep 3: Tuesday, December 9, 5:15-6:30pm

Recital Potluck

It is a Cantabile tradition to follow our holiday recital with a potluck! Please sign-up to contribute by visiting the appropriate link below this week. Write your name and a description of the item you're bringing in the column of your choice. The categories on the spreadsheet are helpful suggestions, but feel free to use the "other" column and specify what you'd like to bring. Please ensure that all food items are nut-free. If your child has a serious allergy to something besides nuts, please email cassie@cantabile.org immediately.

Monday Potluck Sign-up

Tuesday Potluck Sign-up

Practice Instructions

ALL pieces for the Holidays Concert and Winter Recital must be COMPLETELY memorized for next week! Please listen to all practice recordings and videos as much as possible between now and our next class.

O Sifuni Mungu Choreography Practice Video:

Click HERE to watch me sing and perform the choreography for O Sifuni Mungu. Practice with this video as many times as possible!

Practice Recordings

Please download and practice all practice recordings you have received by email. You can also download them all via google drive HERE. They are:

- NEW: Solstice
- O Sifuni

- Sh’ma Yisrael

- Star Carol

- Hanerot Halalu SLOW version (to help practice text)

- Dormi Dormi

- Dance Gentle Willow

- Silent Night

Holidays Repertoire List:

-       O Sifuni Mungu (all choirs)

-       Solstice (Prep 3 + Intermediate)

-       Sh’ma Yisrael (Prep 3 + Intermediate)

-       Star Carol (all choirs)

-       Silent Night (all choirs)

Monday Recital Repertoire List:

-       Dormi Dormi

-       Dance Gentle Willow
  Solstice
  Sh'ma Yisrael

-       Hanerot Halalu

Tuesday Recital Repertoire List:

-       Solstice

-       Dormi Dormi

-       Hot Chocolate - click HERE for a practice video of this piece!

-       Hanerot Halalu

Happy Practicing and see you on Monday!

Sincerely,
Cassie and Natalie, Prep 3 Conductors

Rehearsal Blog Update 11/21/2014

Dear Prep 3 Families,

Our Holidays With Cantabile concert and Prep 3 Winter Recitals are fast approaching! In this week’s blog are practice instructions and important updates about upcoming events. Please read carefully all information below and go over relevant details with your children – especially the section on what to practice!

Holidays With Cantabile 

Dress Rehearsal and Concert Information

Wednesday, December 3 Dress Rehearsal – mandatory for all singers!
Where: Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph, San Jose

Call time: 4:30pm sharp in the church pews - please allow additional time for traffic/drop-off

Release time: 6:45pm

Wear: warm clothing and soft-soled shoes (eg. Sneakers)
Bring: water bottle, nut-free snack, coat

Sign in: with Choir Parent at the curb - Cantabile volunteers will walk your child into the church

Sign out: with Choir Parent in the Vestibule - Cantabile volunteers will walk your child down to the curb to meet you

Saturday, December 6 Concert

Where: Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph, San Jose

Call time: 11:00am sharp

Concert: 1:00pm

Uniform: arrive wearing FULL Cantabile concert uniform including black socks (boys)/stockings (girls), black dress shoes (no boots please!), and hair neat/off the face
Sign in: with Choir Parent at the curb - Cantabile volunteers will walk your child to Parish Hall.
Sign out: in Parish Hall with Choir Parent - at the end of the concert, please follow the choirs to Parish Hall. Prep 3 singers should be picked up from downstairs.

Uniform

Please ensure that you have already ordered your Cantabile uniform, worn for both the Holidays concert and the class recital. Children without the proper uniform won't be able to participate in the concert. Thank you for understanding Cantabile’s concert policies.

Winter Recitals at Foothills Congregational Church

At the end of each term, Cantabile’s Prep classes all have their own recital at FCC to showcase what we have accomplished. Please come and support your young singers by enjoying a performance of our songs, games, and activities. This is a relaxed and fun event that you don’t want to miss! All singers must come in their Cantabile uniform – please see instructions above.

Recital Times

Monday Prep 3: Monday, December 8, 5:15-6:30pm. (Please note that the time of this recital is later than the usual Monday class time in order to accommodate other recitals on the same day.)

Tuesday Prep 3: Tuesday, December 9, 5:15-6:30pm

Recital Potluck

It is a Cantabile tradition to follow our holiday recital with a potluck! Please sign-up to contribute by visiting the appropriate link below this week. Write your name and a description of the item you're bringing in the column of your choice. The categories on the spreadsheet are helpful suggestions, but feel free to use the "other" column and specify what you'd like to bring. Please ensure that all food items are nut-free. If your child has a serious allergy to something besides nuts, please email cassie@cantabile.org immediately.

Monday Potluck Sign-up

Tuesday Potluck Sign-up

Practice Instructions

ALL pieces for the Holidays Concert and Winter Recital must be COMPLETELY memorized for next week! Please listen to all practice recordings and videos as much as possible between now and our next class.

NEW O Sifuni Mungu Choreography Practice Video:

Click HERE to watch me sing and perform the choreography for O Sifuni Mungu. Practice with this video as many times as possible!

Practice Recordings

Please download and practice all practice recordings you have received by email. You can also download them all via google drive HERE. They are:

- O Sifuni

- Sh’ma Yisrael

- Star Carol

- NEW: Hanerot Halalu SLOW version (to help practice text)

- NEW: Dormi Dormi

- NEW: Dance Gentle Willow

- NEW: Silent Night

Holidays Repertoire List:

-       O Sifuni Mungu (all choirs)

-       Solstice (Prep 3 + Intermediate)

-       Sh’ma Yisrael (Prep 3 + Intermediate)

-       Star Carol (all choirs)

-       Silent Night (all choirs)

Monday Recital Repertoire List:

-       Solstice

-       Dormi Dormi

-       Dance Gentle Willow

-       Hanerot Halalu

Tuesday Recital Repertoire List:

-       Solstice

-       Dormi Dormi

-       Hot Chocolate

-       Hanerot Halalu

Happy Practicing and see you next week!

Sincerely,
Cassie and Natalie, Prep 3 Conductors