congregational-singing

Hey Laura.

Review:

That felt like a breakthrough today. I think we did great work. Nice.

Kenny and Michael who I expect you know, were very complimentary. Kenny especially mentioned the participation.

Also Linda Cobb was thankful for the fast tempo of A Rose in the Wintertime (come sing a song with me but you know that). Perhaps you know she’s always wanting more up tempo. You probably know this but she had told me she has a very engaged UU musical history and I’m wondering if we can perhaps engage her somehow even just in suggesting good songs.

The role of our music:

We’ve talked about wanting to do more songs that the congregation are familiar with and I’m excited about kind of documenting/assembling our congregational repertoire (and also of seeing it evolve).

In a way the musical service actually begins at 9am and at the end of rehearsal when we “break”, even if there needs to be a stop in music for bathroom, discussion, etc… basically the opening hymn is a continuation of a musical environment that’s been brewing.

There’s a great funk band (Parliament Funkadelic) who would (and perhaps still do) say, a p-funk show is basically a party that starts off-stage then then moves on stage and then moves back off stage.

Pardon me if you’ve already said this but we might want to actually aim to repeat the same hymn once or twice in a few week period. I bet people would enjoy singing Come Sing a Song again once or even twice in the next few weeks.

I am loving the idea of in a way rehearsing as a congregation. I actually was thinking that having the choir members spread out across the front of the platform today is very powerful: that in a way what our roll is, more than it is as performers, is to guide and encourage and unite everyone into our one big joyous voice. I think it also makes it feel more like we are all doing this together (as opposed to just at the same time). Side benefit is that there will be more room for instrumentalists.

Jack Cxxxxxck told me today that he’s been told he (can’t sing, sings out of tune, doesn’t have a good voice, whichever one) and Rivka and I were saying that probably everyone who thinks they can’t sing, it’s because somebody (ignorantly) said that to them at some time. I know you had that experience and thankfully you recovered (or are still recovering) from it.

Maybe we can shift our approach of inviting people to “join the choir” toward welcoming anyone who would ever like to to arrive early, join us for the stretch/warm up and be able to hear the day’s songs without rehearsing with us.

Our schedule:

Again, I wish we all had more time like where we could get together midweek or even one time a month (perhaps just for 20-30 minutes end of service) where we (some or all of you, me, instrumentalists, choir members) can review our thoughts and experiences in the music recently and look forward together. That makes me wonder if it’s at all realistic to aim for a regular 11:10/11:15 five minute review of the service.

The organ:

I think I told you Amir is hoping to take the organ, which I told him Daniel’s truck and I might be able to help him, but he needs thirty days to figure it out. If that happens Joey may bring his standup bass and have it live there.

23/03/2025