Online Magazine MEDINA, STM 17

ArmonĂ­a A Guide to Chorale Singing

FIND OUT: The Four main classifications of voices in a Chorale and the importance of each voice

PART OF THE FAMILY Includes special photos of the CSA Himnayon Chorale Featuring different events and rehersals.

Issue 01 | MAY 2020 armonia.com

CONTENTS All About Auditions...

4

The Four Basic Voice Classifications...

5

Chorale Dictionary...

9

Gallery ft. CSA HIMNAYON...

11

The first step for you to officially start your chorale journey is the...

AUDITIONS!

Here are some tips for your auditions: Before the auditions, be ready with at least two song.

When auditioning to join a choir, it is better to sing a slow song. This is because a slow song is your best shot at truly showing your voice quality. Also remember that though you want to impress the choir master, DON'T OVERDUE it by singing a song that you are not comfortable with. (e.g. songs with high ranges)

Don't use too much stylization, like riffs and runs. When mixed with nervousness, it could really mess up your performance.

So the best advice it to keep it simple and focus more on the accuracy of your notes.

When battling nervousness, it is best to arrive at the location of the auditions early. It helps if you converse with the other people who are waiting as well. Do your best to calm down and bring an extra bag of confidence with it. Easier said than done, yes. But, just remember to enjoy your performance and all will be well :))

CONGRATULATIONS! You've passed your auditions.

The next step for you is to be classified in one of the four voice groups.

THE FOUR BASIC VOICE CLASSIFICATIONS Soprano The highest voice type for females, sopranos usually have a vocal range of C4 to A5, but a lot can sing higher than this range. The melody of the songs is usually sang by this voice group. Sopranos possess a light tone that floats above the other voices, capable of bringing you into an entirely different world with their gifts.

THE FOUR BASIC VOICE CLASSIFICATIONS

Alto These ladies may be classified as having the lowest voice for females with a vocal range usually around F3 TO F4, but they should never be underestimated. Most people, when hearing that someone is an alto, immediately has this thinking that altos are where the not-so-good singers are placed because they can't reach high notes. They can't get more wrong.

Altos often have the hardest notes out of all the voice types in songs, playing along the staff from high to low and back again. Without the raw, wholeness of the voices of these ladies, chorale songs will never be the same.

THE FOUR BASIC VOICE CLASSIFICATIONS

Tenor Now, for the male classifications.

The highest register for males is the tenor. They can sing an impressive B2 to G3, some who are gifted beyond measure could even sing beyond that, well into the altos' range.

These men have that beautiful melodic voice that could make you fall in love or bring you to tears with a few notes.

THE FOUR BASIC VOICE CLASSIFICATIONS

Bass For the last, but most definitely not the least, voice classification, the lowest voice classification for men is the bass.

They have a voice normally ranging from E2 to E4. But there are a few who can reach even lower than this.

Altos are the equivalent of basses in women. And similarly, basses are not that appreciated by those who are not music enthousiasts. But for those who know the true treasure that lie within the bass lines, they know how different, how hollow a song sounds like without these latented people who give depth, wholeness and life to every song.

CHORALE DICTIONARY Here are some terms you might hear chorale singers use:

Piece (Piyesa) n.

1 A song 2 Print out of the Music sheets of a song.

Sharp n.

1 A note that is a half step higher than its natural 2 A symbol (commonly known as the hashtag) which means the note should be sung a semitone higher than the natural note. adj.

1 Singing higher than the actual note that should be sang.

Flat

n.

1 A note that is a halfstep lower than its natural 2 A symbol (commonly known as the hashtag) which means the note should be sung a semitone higher than the natural note. adj.

1 Singing higher than the actual note that should be sang.

CHORALE DICTIONARY Vocalization v.

1 The vocal equivalent of exercise to warm up the vocal chords for rehearsals or performances.

Melody n.

The words that you sing in a song can be known as the melody. Similarly, chorale song have their own melody line..

1

Placement n.

1 The proper way of singing. It is done when the air that is pushed by the diaphragm hits right to the concave of the hard pallete which creates the right roundness of sound as one sings.

Blending 1

v.

When two or more notes are sang together and creates a beautiful and smooth combination..

GALLERYÂ Ft. CSA HIMNAYON You will want to do your best in every performance. Strive to deliver and be better every time.

But the most important thing to remember...

GALLERYÂ Ft. CSA HIMNAYON ...is to enjoy and make the most out of the time you have with a family like this.

There is no greater joy than getting to perform with people who are so talented and have gone through everything with you

GALLERYÂ Ft. CSA HIMNAYON

"Where words fail, Music speaks."

- Hans Christian Anderson