Monday, May 16, 2016 by Brian Glosh | Full Choir

National Cathedral Choristers 2016

May 27th at the STA Refectory

2016 Chorister Barbecue and Talent Show

The Washington National Cathedral Choristers annual Family Barbecue and Talent show will be held at the St. Alban's Refectory on Friday, May 27 from 6 - 8pm.  The Cathedral music department will be providing hamburgers, hotdogs, and fixin's.  Our generous families are encouraged to sign-up below to bring a variety of sides, desserts, and drinks.  We'll also need volunteers to set up and we can all pitch in to clean up at the end!  Enter Saint Albans through the main doors on Senior Circle.  Parking available on Pilgrim Road.

Monday, May 9, 2016 by Brian Glosh | Full Choir

Dear Singers and Parents,

We are looking forward to holding Year-End assessments on May 13 and 14 for our choristers. The schedule is as follows:

Friday, May 13 – BOY CHORISTER ASSESSMENTS

Choir Room

Pianist: Ms. Suter

Time: 3pm-6pm

Boys will sing in order of grade, beginning with C form boys at 3pm sharp. Junior boys should plan to come immediately after school. Senior boys should arrive by 4:15 pm. Ms. Stuart will be on the premises to monitor boys as they prepare and until they are picked up afterward. They need not stay after they are finished singing, so junior boy parents can plan to pick up their singers no later than 4:30 and Senior boy parents not later than 6pm (it is very possible that we will end early).

Saturday, May 14 – GIRL CHORISTER ASSESSMENTS

Choir Room

Pianist TBA

Time: 9am-12pm

Girls will sing in order of grade, beginning with 7^th grade girls at 9am. 8^th and 9^th grade girls should report at 10am, 10^th and 11^th grade girls at 11am. They need not stay after they are finished singing. Ms. Mondel will be on-site to facilitate the process.

Please let us know of any schedule conflicts. We realize this is a busy time and will do our best to accommodate you. 

The Assessment itself will be very similar in format to last year’s. Each singer will have approximately 7-8 minutes to present a program to a single adjudicator. The program repertoire will be:

• 1. Unaccompanied, memorized folk song (singer will receive first pitch and key)
• 2. Sightsinging exercise (singer will receive first pitch and key). Level will be assigned by voice instructors.
• 3. 3 memorized repertoire selections.

Singers will be judged on Pitch, Rhythm, Tone, Expression, and Performance. Unlike last year, NUMERICAL SCORES WILL NOT BE ASSIGNED. Singers will sing for comments only, with the exception that extraordinary performances may be awarded a Distinction.

Boys will have a chance to rehearse with Ms. Suter in the week leading up to assessments. We will make every attempt to schedule rehearsal time with the girls’ collaborating pianist when he/she is secured.

This year’s adjudicator will be Dr. Richard Giarusso, chair of Musicology at Peabody Conservatory of Music and celebrated baritone and conductor. We are honored to have a musician of his caliber participating in the Assessment process.

Many thanks for your support, and please be in touch if we can help in your preparation.

Ms. Stuart

Tuesday, May 3, 2016 by Brian Glosh | Full Choir

Dear all,

I hope that this email finds you well in this very busy time of year. With among other tests, piano juries are approaching fast. Some of your children already took the juries since they can take piano juries whenever they’re ready throughout a year. They can still take their juries whenever they’re ready during their regular piano lesson times. However, I need to set up some designated piano jury dates in order to have everybody take their juries before the year ends. Those dates are:

Girls

Tuesday, May 10^th, 11:45 am – 1 pm

Wednesday, May 11^th, 3:45 pm – 4:45 pm

Wednesday, May 18^th , 8 am – 9 am

Thursday, May 19^th , 11:45 am – 1 pm

Boys

Tuesday, May 10^th, 3:45 pm – 4:45 pm

Wednesday, May 18^th, 12 pm – 12:30 pm

Thursday, May 19^th, 9:05 am – 10:05 am

Thursday, May 19^th, 3:45 pm – 4:45 pm

Thursday, June 2^nd, Time TBD – Form I boys and 10^th Grade girls only and retake juries if that’s necessary.

In order to prepare their juries and make them successful, they need to practice diligently. A 15-20 minute practice session every day will help their juries greatly. I understand that this is a very busy time of year and we all are tired and anxious to go onto summer. Please help me to encourage them to finish their year strong and successfully.

Thank you very much for your support and help with piano study!

Sincerely,

Chuyoung

Tuesday, May 3, 2016 by Brian Glosh | Full Choir

Congratulations to all of our Sr. Choristers and our Jr. Girls for an absolutely amazing performance of the Durufle Requiem at the Kennedy Center with the Washington Chorus.  If you would like to read the review from the Washington Post, the link is listed here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/washington-chorus-and-a-parisian-spring-make-for-exuberant-concert/2016/05/02/90ab638a-1074-11e6-a9b5-bf703a5a7191_story.html

As we receive more amazing reviews I will post them as well.  Hopefully you have already checked out some of the Kennedy Center Pictures on our Facebook page, and please feel free to post your pictures as well!

Another congratulations needs to go out to Will Hohlt, who successfully and brilliantly represented the Cathedral Choirs with his "Chichester Psalm" solo with the Catholic University of America Choir, also on Sunday!

Recordings of the Pie Jesu and the solo can by found on the Home Page!