Thursday, February 21, 2019 by Brian Glosh | Uncategorized

Good morning,

Hopefully you have already registered for the Sacred Music Festival this weekend!However, if you haven’t, you can still come on Saturday with $25 and I will have music packets for your son/daughter. The most important thing is to let me know about your lunch requests so that we can make sure we order enough food over the weekend.You can do this by following this link:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdmOJzXaKtDCSR-lDoaHd-cwUkw18zFQVimpFafP17NEtDhnw/viewform

A reminder that we have been working on most of this music through our Novice rehearsals and this would be a wonderful experience to sing with other Choristers from across the DMV.

Youtube Practice:

Since we didn’t have any novice rehearsals this week we missed our final touch up before the actual festival!Here is the link again to the youtube channel with all of the music from the festival:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6OgZCCoXWc&list=PLNoGJE8QhsZmu2x7Z7K0HAMrDmxWVFJLX

The Novices will be singing:

Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring – Bach

Non Nobis Domine – Byrd

Keep Your Lamps – Victor Johnson

Risen Lord – Rose

Love one Another – (Blessed be God and Father)There is a middle section that is a treble solo that they will join the Cathedral choir.

If your chorister would prefer to take the music home and practice, please let me know and they can come and pick the packet up today or tomorrow.

Uniforms:

On Saturday, children should be dressed in school appropriate clothing.We will be in rehearsals most of the day with some games that will require movement.Think layers as the Cathedral can get warm and cold in different places.

Sunday, Novices should wear a white-button down shirt and black pants/long skirt for the evensong service.If boys have a sports coat and tie that would be great.I have extras of both if you do not have one.Black shoes!

Schedule:

The entire schedule can be found on this online pdf: https://cathedral.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Festival-Schedule-and-Rep.pdf

If you have any questions, please let me know!!!

Monday, February 11, 2019 by Brian Glosh | Novices

This week is the deadline for Sacred Music Festival online registration! 

Washington National Cathedral’s 2019 Sacred Music Festival February 23rd and 24th, 2019

Directors, organists and choristers are invited to participate in our annual festivities!

DIRECTORS & ORGANISTS:

‘Non-Participating’ Directors (not bringing choristers)

Even if you are not bringing choristers this year, join our VIP round table talks and discussions with fellow music directors and organists on Saturday. Our goal is to bring friends and colleagues together in the restorative environment of the Cathedral campus. We also look forward to developing next year’s festival at the conclusion of the day. What is your favorite evensong repertoire?

Participating Directors (bringing choristers)

You may register your group as a whole or have your chorister families sign up individually online. We will need to know number of singers attending no later than Monday, February 18 ^th .

DIRECTOR COURSES & DISCUSSIONS:

Organ Improvisation Techniques in the Great Quire: George Fergus, Cathedral Organist

Vocal Pedagogy: Laura Stuart, Cathedral Voice Instructor

Choir Camp & Recruitment: Brian Glosh, Chorister Manager

Roundtable Discussion on Choral Pedagogy Tips & Tricks: Canon Michael McCarthy, Music Director 

To sign-up for courses only, please register as a ‘non-participating’ director, $25 (lunch included.)

CHORISTERS: 3 ^rd -12 ^th grade

($25 per singer, includes lunch)

Junior Choristers

Music will be reviewed at the festival, so if you have children who love to sing, we encourage them to jump right in to participate in the choral prelude.

JUNIOR REPERTOIRE

Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring – Bach (CPDL)

Non Nobis Domine – Byrd (CPDL)

Blessed be the God and Father – Wesley (CPDL) (Love One Another section for juniors)

Risen Lord – Rose (Two-Part, 14027800)

Keep Your Lamps – Johnson (Two-Part, 15/3488H) – ALL

CLICK HERE for the festival repertoire YOUTUBE playlist!

Senior Choristers

A weekend designed for choristers who participate in existing choral programs, have prepared festival music with their director and can read music.

SENIOR REPERTOIRE

The Call – Williams (CPDL) – Senior Only

Non Nobis Domine – Byrd (CPDL)

Praise – Dyson (Unison, Nov. 290659) – Senior Only

Keep Your Lamps – Johnson (Two-Part, 15/3488H) – ALL

The Lamb – Tavener (SATB, CH55570) – ALL

Phos Hilaron – Walker (Copies available from Cathedral) – Senior Only

Service in G – Sumsion (SATB, Nov. 290290) – Senior Only

Blessed be the God and Father – Wesley (CPDL) – ALL

Throughout the weekend choristers (3rd-12th grade) will rehearse in preparation for Sunday’s Festival Evensong in collaboration with our Cathedral Choristers and the Cathedral Singers. Directors and organists are invited to attend courses and discussions on vocal pedagogy, choir recruitment, organ improvisation techniques and share fellowship with visiting colleges.

For full details and online registration, including the festival schedule and repertoire list, please visit our festival website.

Questions? Simply reply to this email or connect with Brian Glosh at (202) 537-5730.

Warm blessings,

Elissa Edwards

Voice Instructor & Junior Chorister Festival Director

WASHINGTON NATIONAL CATHEDRAL

Massachusetts and Wisconsin Avenues, NW • Washington, DC 20016

Telephone (202) 537-5729 • Fax (202) 537-6678 • eedwards@cathedral.org

www.nationalcathedral.org

Thursday, January 24, 2019 by Brian Glosh | Full Choir

Dear Chorister Parents,

Thanks you for your patience as we have tried to confirm our plans for June 2019. Regrettably, we have not been able to secure the funding for our recording project. Knowing there are opportunities out there for summer trips, courses and camps, it is only reasonable now to relinquish those dates and therefore confirm that the final requirement for boy and girl choristers will be graduation ceremonies on Saturday 8 ^th June 2019.

I can confirm that June 2020 following graduations we will be going to Spain and touring across the Camino de Santiago. Details of that tour will be forthcoming as we finalize the details and the cost of this trip.

Again I appreciate your patience as we have tried to make this project come to fruition.

Best wishes

Mike McCarthy

Monday, November 5, 2018 by Brian Glosh | Uncategorized

Good afternoon Parents,

We are a month away from Messiah!This means tickets are on sale now for Messiah and chorister parents have the opportunity to purchase two tickets at 50% the cost.You may use the Cathedral’s online ticket site by going to https://cathedral.org/what-to-do/concerts/ and selecting which performance you would like to see.Insert HANDELFRIENDS in the code to receive the discount.You may also call Sarah Rockwood at (202) 537-2234 and mention that you are a chorister parent.

Important Note: There is a 4 ^th performance of the Messiah called the Family Messiah on Saturday at 12:30 PM.The Choristers will not be performing at this performance. 

If you have any questions regarding tickets, please be sure to ask either myself, Sarah, or Sandy Caracciolo.

Thank you!

Friday, August 10, 2018 by Brian Glosh | Uncategorized

Good afternoon Choristers and Parents,

You will find the 2018-2019 National Cathedral Choir Camp Handbook in the Library and Downloads section of MyMusicStaff.  This handbook includes a suggested packing list, full schedule of choir camp events, contact information for myself and the Roslyn Retreat Center, rooming lists, and other important information.  For those who have experienced choir camp before, there are a couple of changes that are different from the past couple of years. 

Thursday, August 23 ^rd   Opening Day

The morning will feel similar to parents as we will still have breakfast and a family oriented Eucharist and a 9:15 am parent send-off.  The choristers will then begin their Cathedral Orientation.  This will include vestment fittings, a meet and greet with important Cathedral Close staff, fire and safety drills, processional practice, and a Cathedral tour, which will extend our time at the Cathedral.  We will hopefully have lunch in the Bishop’s Garden and then depart for Roslyn to arrive around 3:30 PM.

More information about expected fees for food, breakfast and opening day business to come…

Sunday, August 26 ^th Concert at RRCB

In the past, this concert has been placed on Monday, after Kings Dominion.  We have moved our schedule around this year so that Kings Dominion and the Community Service Project happen after the concert.  This fits better with RRCB’s schedule as well and hopefully will allow the choristers to have a bit more energy for the concert!  Parents are welcome and invited to come.

Wednesday, August 29 ^th

We have added two items to the schedule at Roslyn that will make our arrival time later in the afternoon. (4:30 PM)  As a department we felt it important to spend some time discuss with the Choristers before they return to school and begin to manage their chorister and academic schedule and share some advice on how to ask for help, what to expect for the first weeks, and answer any questions they may have.  We will also be creating a Choir Camp Wrap-up video to look back on the all of the fun times and to reinforce our theme for the week. 

Important things to do:

1. Make sure that you have a Chorister Uniform that fits for Choir Camp!  If you need help ordering or would like to come try on some uniform pieces please let me know.
2. Update and complete all required medical forms for the schools.  This is required for any students to travel on a school trip!  If you have a doctor’s appointment set up it is also helpful to let the nurses know so that they can expect the incoming information.
3. Get excited!  This is one of the best parts of the year in the program.  Encourage your son/daughter to start thinking of talent show ideas and practicing their dance moves.  We are going to have a blast!

I am available all of next week and will be at the Cathedral to answer any questions you may have.  

Thank you,

Brian Glosh