Covers

This week, our blog post is about covers and it is twofold. What are covers? Covers are recordings of music, usually vocal, by artists or performers who did not originally write or record the music. We see them all the time on YouTube in particular and in karaoke bars, but they are seen in other places both live and recorded. This is important because as we prepare for POPS Concert, the majority of the music is all covers.

Part 1: This part of your assignment this week is to find a cover of a song that you like. Post one paragraph (about 5 complete sentences) about the song, why you like it, who it is by, and specific musical elements that make the song a good choice to cover. Examples of good musical sentences are "I enjoy this song because it has a good rhythmic beat accented by the singer's vocal melismas" or "The piano part has a lot of higher notes that sound like bells which add to the whimsy of the song". You cannot use the sample sentences in your post. Examples of poorly worded/poor sentences are "I like the song because it is fast" or "I like the song because I like it". Be precise in your wording.

Part 2: Using your smartphone or any app that allows you to record, record yourself singing a cover of a song that you like. It can be a cappella or with accompaniment. Free apps like the YouTube app on most phones allows you to record and upload to YouTube. All videos must be uploaded to YouTube. The minimum time that your video must be is 1'30" and that does not include any speaking you do before singing. Record an entire song or one verse and a chorus. We will go over how to do this in class on Monday and Tuesday. When recording please make sure that you choose to make your video unlisted and include the link provided to you on YouTube to the video at the end of your post.

All posts are due by Friday, September 20, 2019 by 11:59 PM. After that, points will be deducted and posts will be scrutinized for any and all errors and whether all elements of the prompt are present. Have fun recording and we will watch all videos in class the following week.

Choral Music

For this second blog post, you will need to choose one choral piece that you like or enjoy hearing or performing. Tell the name of the piece, who it is by, what voicing it is for (mixed voices= SATB, women's ensemble, men's ensemble, children's choir, etc), if it uses any accompaniment (piano, drums, other instruments) and what you like about the piece. Be as specific as possible and use as many musical terms as possible. At the end of your post, please include a link to your video either on YouTube or another website/source.

In your second paragraph, discuss what critiques you have about the performance. Think like a musician and make informed comments. Do not be too broad--comments like "they sounded good" or "the tone could have been better" are not specific. Instead, write something like "the sopranos blended well when singing the higher notes and they all used the same vowel space" or "the piano was not too loud compared to the singers, providing a good balance". These are much better comments. Please check all spelling, grammar, and punctuation. All posts are due by Friday, August 30, 2019 at 11:59 pm. Late posts will received the appropriate deductions.

Back To School

In this first blog post, please introduce yourself to the class. Tell 1) name, age, how long you've been at BTW, 2) your favorite type of music and why, 3) any musical experiences you have had in the past (include any performances, solos, choirs, instruments, etc), 4) your favorite song. Please double check spelling and grammar before posting your response. Complete by Friday, August 23, 2019. Late posts will receive the correct deductions per MPS grading policy.

Black History Month

This week, we are going to look at Black History selections. You can choose a composer, choral piece, or solo singer performer. Include a link to your video selection or webpage. Reply to this blog post with a tune by one of your favorite African American artists from history. Refrain from using modern day musicians (such as Usher, Rihanna, etc.) and describe musical elements that you like about the piece. As always, be sure to check your spelling and grammar. Posts are due by 11:59 pm on Friday February 8, 2019. Remember, you can not use a song that someone already posted!

Notes For Choir- Showcase and Following

Notes for the week of January 7-11, 2019

This is Showcase 2019 week! Students will be in rehearsal this week on Tuesday through Thursday at the Montgomery Performing Arts Center inside the Renaissance Hotel in downtown Montgomery.Based on the schedule sent today, choral students need to attend rehearsal on Wednesday and Thursday night only. All rehearsals begin at 4 pm and end at approximately 8:30 pm each night. Students should arrange to ride with a classmate or have someone bring them to rehearsal each night. You will receive information Monday on Showcase meals for performers only.Please be mindful that this is an important week for the entire BTW community. Students should try to maximize downtown during rehearsals by studying, preparing for other assignments, catching up or getting ahead on reading, etc, so that time is not lost. It is important to get a good night’s rest daily, stay hydrated, and be prepared to give your best in performance.

Showcase tickets will be handed out to those students who have paid their Blue/Gold Event Fee. If you need additional tickets, please bring the money to the school and Mr. Williams will receipt it and give you tickets. Non-performers and individuals not involved in BTW’s performance are not allowed backstage. Attendees will need a ticket; performers will not.

There are three performances of Showcase: Friday morning, Friday evening, and Saturday. Students will need to coordinate a drop off/ride to the Friday morning performance. However, transportation will be provided by school bus back to the Hayneville Rd campus for those who do not drive. Students are cleared to go home and rest after the morning performance. Parents may pick them up from the MPAC or at Hayneville Rd. Students may ride the school buses provided back to campus if they need to. Call time for the morning performance in 8:00 am and the performance begins at 9; Friday evening-6 pm and start time is 7pm; and Saturday is 1 pm with start time of 2 pm. Parents may not attend the morning performance on Friday. 

Choral performers- per Gary Moore, the creative director for Showcase, choral students will wear concert attire. This means dresses, tuxes, and pearls for ladies. Please wear makeup! You will not be seen if you do not. Make sure to follow all directions when given during performance and rehearsals. If you fail to have the required costumes or fail to follow directions, you will not perform and will receive the appropriate grade reflecting your actions.

Week of January 14-18, 2019

Following Showcase week, we have been asked to sing for Governor Kay Ivey’s inauguration. It will take place on January 14, 2019 at the Capital Building (same place we sang for the tree lighting ceremony). It will begin at 10 am. We need to arrive by 8:30 am. This is early! However, we need the publicity for our school and this will be a great opportunity to showcase the hard work we have been doing in choir. The plan (most likely) is to meet that morning at the old BTW campus, park cars, and have a bus transport us together to the capital building. I will finalize this with Dr. Starks. Parents I am sure you are welcome to attend. Dress is dresses and tuxes (note that this is not a school day for us).

Tentatively we have planned a PBIS day for choir since we have been working hard lately. The plan is either to go bowling, go to Launch park in Prattville, or some other activity per Dr. Starks approval. TBD