Friday, July 29
Another morning to get ready for our last day in Canterbury. I hear Mrs. Reddy has had a great helper in Alexandra O. helping to get breakfast ready each morning. All the singers have done pretty well about getting up and being ready on time. The place we are staying has brought us fruit, cereal, croissants, juice and milk for our breakfasts each day. Of course Mr. Eby had to outdo some of the chaperones for breakfast. Eggs!! We hear he is a good cook!
Final rehearsal this morning had the singers rehearsing all of the songs one more time. During the Kyrie Mr. Leck was certain their Italian was a little off and he asked if they had put their Italian dictionary away. In another song he told them to “Mind the gap” meaning they breathed when they weren’t supposed to. He always has a great way to get a point across.
At the end of rehearsal Dr. Flood told the singers they had learned their music extremely well before coming here and their directors did a good job preparing them for this festival and the singers should give them a hand. He also acknowledged the accompanist and asked the singers if they realized how many notes he has had to play over the last couple days. He was going to release them early but Mr. Leck wanted to do one more! As we left one of the singers commented that they sang so powerful that they thought they were going to shatter the stained glass in the room!
Following rehearsal was the last concert of other choirs. Today it was the Australian Children’s Choir, The Children’s Choir of Carroll County and the Youth Chorale of Central Oregon. Again it was a treat to hear other children’s choirs and some sang familiar songs that FWCC has performed before.
Lunch was a treat today. Some of the chaperones left early and returned to the flats to prepare lunch for us so we walked back there. The chaperones prepared a spaghetti lunch for us. We all filed in to one of the kitchens, got our food and went outside to the courtyard and had a spaghetti picnic. Definitely a FWCC first. It was very good and a wonderful treat. Singers got a little down time before we headed back to the cathedral for our clinic with Mr. Leck.
We got to the room ahead of Mr. Leck so warm-ups had already started. When he came in he commented that he recognized the vocal exercise they were doing. For those of you who don’t know, Mr. Leck was Mr. C.’s teacher in grad school at Butler University. He first asked the singers to tell him what they had learned at the festival. Grace said she learned about singing bright; Olivia said she learned to take risks; Cassie said she learned how to conserve her energy; Jacob A. learned that singing here is different than in Indiana; Grace N. Commented that she learned it is better to smile when you sing because if you don’t you look bored. All good comments.
The choir sang Tching Tchinga Ryah first. He asked them what the song meant. He told them to sing what it means with energy inside your body. He asked if they had seen the little bells that people in India use. The make the sound he wanted to hear them do when they sang the word Tching. Crisp, short, clear. Next comment was not to bump the last word in the phrase. Think about the important words in the phrase and what to emphasize and to do it with consonants. We are a small choir but we could be stronger. He asked if they wanted to play a game. Of course. The answer was yes!
They got in a circle. He asked them to sing like a 12 year old. It was very sweet. Now sing 16. Right away the tone changed and they had more courage. What happens if they become 18 year olds? Which did they like better..12 or 18. Of course it was 18. Then he told them to imagine they were in college and they were doing their senior recital and a scout was there from Julliard. How would they sound? It was a great sound and Mr. Leck said, “I think I’m liking this”. Now they are 26 singing and someone from the Met was there. Again the sound built tremendously. This time Mr. Leck said, “You probably didn’t think you had it in you”. Okay, now you are 36 and you are auditioning to sing for an Opera company in Milan how would you sound? The choir was just amazing and the sound rang beautifully in the chapter house. Mr. Leck’s comment was, “Now you’ve found your Tching Tchinga Ryah.”
He did another exercise with the same song and had Samantha S. and then Grace go around the circle while they sang and point out the people that had good expression and those who didn’t. Next it was a color game. What color do they want to sing? When they picked different colors and sang them their tone changed. They sang the song again and Mr. Leck called out colors and it was interesting how the sound changed. He also described different images as they sang and the sound changed as well.
It all comes down to knowing what you are singing, what you are singing about, singing properly and remembering the consonants. Where have they heard these things before?!!??
They then did Bist du bi mir. Mr. Leck was very proud of their German being German himself. Then the questions about the song, who wrote it, when was he born, when did he die, how many wives did he have and how many children. Wow, that’s really getting to know a composer. He was making a point about finding out what was going on in that time period and does it dictate how you sing the song? There are many versions of this song but the melody and bass line stay the same. It all comes back to knowing what you are singing.
Mr. Leck closed by telling them they did a good job and to remember to sing 36! He wished them luck and thanked them for coming to the festival.
One more chance for last minute shopping. The kids had been telling Mrs. Treadway and Mrs. Ator they had to go to Hotel Chocolat. Obviously a chocolate store. They finally made it and bought some tasty treats. We found out they have just opened a store in Boston. Next time we are there I believe we will make an effort to find the store! Such good chocolate!
Off to one more dinner at the dining hall. Then we walked back to the flats again to put on our concert dress uniforms, and then back to the cathedral. The concert was beyond believable. Spectacular. One of the songs The Voice, used soloists at the beginning of the song. Each director was to choose one singer to be in that small ensemble. Mr. C. chose Samantha B. She was so excited, especially since her parents are on the shadow tour and got to see her. The concert closed with Homeland and the chaperones agreed that if that song and the concert didn’t move you to tears, there must be something wrong with you. That about sums it up.
It was great to have the parents of Samantha B. Mom of Mallory, Mom and Grandpa of Holly, parents of Alexandra C. and parents of Grace. M. there. So glad we had some of our own there to share in this magnificent experience with us.
As we left the concert and said goodbye to the Cathedral it was very moving to see it lit up in the nighttime sky. As we walked back to the flats the singers were excited and hopefully very proud of themselves. When we returned, the singers packed suitcases and some had a chance to sit around and talk with friends in their flat. Not to be outdone, Mrs. Treadway did finally cook for her girls in her flat. Fried cornflakes! They girls loved them. You’ll have to try them sometime.
Off to bed and early to rise tomorrow to head for London!
