| Forum message: moth-balling and inventing | Nate Logan Pike | March 11, 2010 |
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I tell this story for anyone who might be in a similar
situation and lamenting the death of some musical dreams. I
encourage you to be an optimist and try something different. I
have very few colleagues where I live that have the courage to
get out of the proverbi... |
| Forum message: family-choir | Nate Logan Pike | January 27, 2010 |
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Any experience or tips for working with a 'family-choir' in a
church?
I am thinking two part songs, canons and such, that we can
teach by rote and add percussion to for rhythmic interest.
"family-choir": parents with children who are mostly under age
12. Other caregivers and gran... |
| Comment: Re: Choir loft chairs | Nate Logan Pike | January 26, 2010 |
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]]>Holly: I suggest you wait and find what really works for you. I hope you consider the weight of each chair and the ability to stack them - I think these are two important factors.
Have you considered asking a local designer or architect to do some sourcing? They have contacts that the g... |
| Forum message: Choir to Ensemble: Trend? | Nate Logan Pike | January 26, 2010 |
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I'm fortunate to work for a midsize congregation in a large
city. We have somewhat balanced our books and we are embarking
on a very large building project - taking our huge mammoth old
building apart, keeping some of the good architectural bits,
and shrinking our square foot... |
| Comment: Re: Decent Organ Alternatives? | Nate Logan Pike | January 26, 2010 |
| I found a little Korg keyboard in a closet at my church. I happend to have a very good, very small speaker, that I owned, and connected to this little Korg it does a super job with piano or basic organ sound.
It is simple: the Korg keyboard, a speaker, two electrical plugs and a cord between the ke... |
| Comment: Re: Dream Choir Risers for Flexible Venue | Nate Logan Pike | December 4, 2009 |
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]]>John: Dream on topic... risers. I am at the beginning of a very big project and I have the budget to get designers and engineers as needed.
So, I glean from your comments that weight is often an issue. We need light but stable safe materials to construct the risers.
I have done the rese... |
| Comment: Re: The Miserable Life of the Professional Musician | Nate Logan Pike | December 4, 2009 |
| "...But we as a profession should probably spend a lot more time in the shoes of Monsieur Joe Public and his lovely spouse Jane. Perhaps those occasional concerts of whole notes wouldn’t seem quite like such a grand tragedy. Remember, from their perspective our worst day is still better than t... |
| Forum message: Dream Choir Risers for Flexible Venue | Nate Logan Pike | December 4, 2009 |
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You have the pleasure of designing your dream risers for a
30 voice choir -plus chairs for seating. The room these risers
are in is used as a church and as a concert venue and
everything needs to be flexible, movable, adaptable and
safe.
What would your dream be?
... |
| Comment: Re: Choir Robes Make You Sing Better? | Nate Logan Pike | December 4, 2009 |
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]]>No,oh MY goodness! BACK to uniforms for church choirs.
- -
Benjie: I related most to your post and THANKS for sticking to the topic. One point - in over twenty years of working with choirs I have never had anyone show up in attire that was inappropriate. It may be a factor of where I liv... |
| Comment: Re: Choir Robes Make You Sing Better? | Nate Logan Pike | November 23, 2009 |
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]]>John: Thanks for the history lesson and more importantly the information about teaching in the 70’s. This is exactly what the modern church is thinking. Why do we need to identify ourselves as any kind of authority figure? Surely, the group singing the anthem would not be ‘confused’ for ... |
| Comment: Re: Choir Robes Make You Sing Better? | Nate Logan Pike | November 23, 2009 |
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]]>Robes are unnecessary and poor stewardship in this age of fiscal crisis when so many walk hungry can’t care for themselves or their family and only find despair in the coming holiday season. They are an outdated luxury that responsible, thinking and justice centered institutions like the mod... |
| Comment: Re: Choir Robes Make You Sing Better? | Nate Logan Pike | November 23, 2009 |
| No need to seek shelter Robert. This is exactly where we need to be exploring as we head into the 21st C.
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| Comment: Re: Leaving church before the postlude ends | Nate Logan Pike | November 20, 2009 |
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]]>Daniel – I totally agree and to that end I just don’t give them the chance to applaud any more. I have carefully observed for over 20 years that when I play loud and fast, they applaud. If I play softly, maybe darkly, they don’t.
In my current tradition I play the loud, fast music just b... |
| Comment: Re: Adult community chorus behavior | Nate Logan Pike | November 20, 2009 |
| SINGERS WHO WORK HARD AND ARE EASY TO WORK WITH - the only way. Get rid of the diffiuclt people it makes room for good energy, good people, good souls.
I have always abided by this theory.
It works.
N.
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| Comment: Re: Choir Robes Make You Sing Better? | Nate Logan Pike | November 20, 2009 |
| the latest report - very poetic
Just tonight I had three comments about the fact we needed to wear robes (all three people age 75+). One of these three, talking with a new member who just came out tonight to sing for the first time (around age 30), discoverd a factor in her joining the choir was ... |
| Comment: Re: Silence | Nate Logan Pike | November 13, 2009 |
| Protestant vs Catholic. It rages on. How sad.
N
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| Forum message: Choir Robes Make You Sing Better? | Nate Logan Pike | November 13, 2009 |
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Choir robes, do they make you sing better? Do they make you feel superior? Are choir robes on the way 'out' ? What role do choir robes play in the 21 st Century choral scene in our churches.
Some clergy are opting out of robes. Should choirs be following their example?
At our church ... |
| Comment: Re: Leaving church before the postlude ends | Nate Logan Pike | November 12, 2009 |
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]]>A novel solution that the late Paul Manz had. I really like that idea.
Yes, I have always maintained the service ended after The Blessing and Dismissal.
I just started at new church and I have had a hard time training folks NOT to sit like lumps and then applaud after my postlude. I play my... |
| Comment: Re: Transforming the C word: choir | Nate Logan Pike | November 12, 2009 |
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]]>Thanks for this post. I have been thinking along the same lines for some years now. I just convinced ‘the junior choir’ –that’s what they were called for the last 50 years- to come up with a new name. They rose to the challenge and adopted an Italian musical term as their new name.
N
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| Comment: Re: Need standard apparel suggestions! | Nate Logan Pike | November 12, 2009 |
| A simple look I go with is all black, top and bottom for both men and woman. Tart the look up with a sprig of holly at Christmas if you wish.
It is a classy and simple solution. On stage is looks very smart.
N |
| Comment: Re: SATB church an outdated model? | Nate Logan Pike | November 12, 2009 |
| Ron, so what, in your opinion, is that really saying? I really don't know what your getting at.
N. |
| Comment: Re: SATB church an outdated model? | Nate Logan Pike | November 10, 2009 |
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]]>Thanks everyone for your thoughts and suggestions. I read them rather quickly as I am off to my other ‘day job’. I just wanted you to know you gave me a little boost for the day and something to ponder when I’m on my breaks.
I look forward to hearing from more of you out there in ch... |
| Comment: Re: Which Way do I Go About Becoming A Choral Conductor? | Nate Logan Pike | November 7, 2009 |
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]]>Kathleen: At the age of 42 I am only offering a personal tip. Given the economy and the way the future looks I strongly suggest that anyone in the arts has something in their back pocket in the way of an alternate career, something far outside of the arts. I wish someone had boldly told me, an... |
| Comment: Re: Need advice on setting up an SA choir, thanks! =) | Nate Logan Pike | November 7, 2009 |
| Hi: In my opinion I like more altos than sopranos in my choir. The sound is richer and deeper. However, if the balance is right for your ears then go with it.
I have had luck taking some sopranos and having them 'swing' in as altos when I need a darker sound. 2nd Sops are often versitile.
N.
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| Forum message: SATB church an outdated model? | Nate Logan Pike | November 7, 2009 |
| Hello: Just wondering what folks might be thinking with regards to the traditional SATB church choir in North America. Is it a model that small churches should consider dropping?
A recent experiment I tried with a 25 SSA choir showed great results. We tackled some hard rep. sang unaccompanied and gr... |
| Comment: Re: choir on orchestral/band stands | Nate Logan Pike | July 31, 2009 |
| I found a similar question was made in the recent past.
Music stands for choral singers
Date: April 16, 2009
by Felipe Gasper
http://www.choralnet.org/view/229739
Nate Logan Pike
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| Forum message: choir on orchestral/band stands | Nate Logan Pike | July 31, 2009 |
| Do you have any words of advice about using music stands (orchestral/band stands) for choir rehearsal? I'm thinking it would encourage folks to sit up on the edge of their seats, free them from holding folders and get heads up out of scores. Standing, there would be a similar freedom... |
| Comment: Re: choral publishers | Nate Logan Pike | July 1, 2009 |
| Hi Greg: Kelman Hall Publishing in Kitchener, Ontario Canada accepts and has published choral works from many countries and many composers.
I believe they have an 800 phone number and a website - you can contact them to get addresses and contact names.
Good Luck
L.
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