We had to start using a new feed service to send out posts to this blog via email. Please resubscribe yourself. You will find the form in the right hand column. Just enter your email address and click "subscribe." Kevin
Monday, June 14, 2021
Tuesday, June 8, 2021
We're taking summer 20121 off - yay!
Dear BUF Musicians,
With the Choir Finale on June 6, featuring the "Turn the World Around" vocal ensemble, our BUF choir season came to a close for 2020-2021. Now we're taking the summer off!
Thanks to everyone for participating in the various ways of BUF music making during the pandemic. We made it through - with shining colors!
There will be two more services broadcast from the sanctuary this month: June 13 and June 20. After that, all the Sunday services through September 5 will originate from presenters' homes and be broadcast over Zoom. If you have something to offer for a summer service, musical or otherwise, that you can deliver in a pre-recorded format, or that you are able to perform live from your home over Zoom, please email your offering to Rev. Paul. He will be taking most of July and August off himself, but he will still be coordinating the summer services.
I hope and expect that BUF choir rehearsals will resume on Wednesday, September 8, as if Covid never happened. We'll have Chalice Choir from 6:45-8pm, and Phoenix Ensemble from 8:15-9pm. The Chalice Choir will sing "We Are One" for the Ingathering Service on Sunday, September 12.
The choir committee will be meeting soon to brainstorm ideas for choir events and repertoire for 2021-2022. If you have questions or suggestions, please don't hesitate to contact me or Choir Committee Chair Elie Friedlob at
Happy summer!
Love,
Kevin. kevin@buf.org
Monday, May 17, 2021
Stand By Me and Turn the World Around
Dear BUF Singers,
We have about 40 singers signed up so far to sing "Stand By Me" for the Totem Pole Kick-Off event on May 24. Others are welcome to join us. Please read the invitation in the upper right corner of the choir blog for all the info. You may participate even if you missed the first rehearsal, just join us this Wednesday, May 19 at 7pm in Waypoint Park. To participate, you must be fully vaccinated, sing masked and stand 6 feet from others not in your bubble. We will rehearse there outdoors rain or shine.
Our final BUF choir event of 2020-2021 will be the Choir Finale service on Sunday, June 6. A 15-voice fully vaccinated ensemble will prepare the song "Turn the World Around" (#1074 in the teal hymnal) in-person at BUF from 7-8pm, on two Wednesdays, May 26 and June 2. These 13 singers have signed up so far: Barbara tH, Jim R, Karen F, Jayme C, Barbara G, Karen N-F, Jane R-W, Ron Q, Barbara E-Q, Lawrence A, Ann S, Melanie R, Kevin A-S.
There is room for 2 more singers. Please email me if you'd like to join us - first come first served.
Just to clarify - there will be no more Wednesday Zoom choir rehearsals this year. This Wednesday, May 19, you may join us at Waypoint Park to sing in person. The following 2 Wednesdays, May 26 and June 2, a 15-voice ensemble will rehearse in person at BUF.
I believe the choir committee is planning an end of year party at Carl and Pete's place on Sunday afternoon, June 6. Stay tuned for more details.
Love,
Kevin
Monday, May 3, 2021
News Flash! BUF Choir Invited to Sing for Totem Pole Kick-Off Event!
Hi BUF Choir!
Great news!
We are invited to sing "Stand By Me" for the "Red Road to DC" Lummi Nation Totem Pole Journey kick-off event on the Bellingham waterfront at 5pm on Monday afternoon, May 24!
Look on the BUF Choir blog for the invitation and a score, with links to all the information that you will need.
We'll talk about this at our Zoom rehearsal this Wednesday, May 5, starting at 7pm. Then, instead of finishing the year on Zoom, we'll finish it with live, in-person, outdoor singing for an inspiring public event! Yay!
See you on Zoom this Wednesday, May 5.
Kevin
Monday, April 26, 2021
BUF Choir Plan, Wednesday, April 28
Hi BUFsters,
This is a reminder that this Wednesday, April 28, the "Stand By Me" vocal ensemble will be rehearsing in person at BUF from 7-8pm for the Sunday, May 2 performance, and there will be no Zoom choir rehearsal.
On Wednesdays May 5, 12 and 19 we will resume "regular" Zoom choir rehearsals from 7-8pm.
On Wednesdays May 26 and June 2, the "Turn the World Around" vocal ensemble will rehearse for their Sunday, June 6 performance. There is still room in this ensemble. Email me if you'd like to join it.
Thanks,
Kevin
Monday, April 19, 2021
BUF Music Plan April-June 2021
Dear BUFsters,
Our music plan from now thru the Choir Finale on June 6 is now posted on the choir blog.
Click on "BUF Music Plan April-June 2021"
There is no regular Zoom choir this Wednesday, April 21. Instead, an ensemble will rehearse the song "Stand By Me" (also posted on the blog) in person in the BUF sanctuary from 7-8pm. Please text or email me if you would like to be in this ensemble. We are capping the ensemble at 15 singers and I will reply to confirm whether you are in or not.
All the info is in the plan that is posted. Please read it :)
Thanks,
Kevin. kevin@buf.org. 406-858-0142
Sunday, April 11, 2021
SIng Seal Lullaby along with the Eric Whitacre Singers this Wednesday
Dear BUF Singers,
Responding to an invitation from Lummi Nation, BUF will mark Earth Day this coming Sunday, April 18, by holding a service called "Bring Tokitae Home." Our service will feature songs, poems, prayers and words shared from the heart in a spiritual ceremony.
You may watch Lummi Nation's invitation in this one-minute video, with contributions from around the world:
Similarly to how we performed Handel's Messiah with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir last December, in this ceremony, BUFsters will sing "Seal Lullaby" along with the Eric Whitacre Singers. We will film ourselves singing it during our choir gathering, from 7-8pm this Wednesday, April 14. We'd like a full gallery of singers in our video, so please join us at our regular Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/203732613 (password: BUF)
You don't have to know the song well, in fact you can join in on Wednesday with NO preparation, but if you'd like to practice, please see the links below.
You just SING ALONG with the Whitacre singers, out loud, while muted, reading the music shown on the screen (in the first video listed below), during our Wednesday rehearsal, as I record us in gallery view on Zoom. Then we will show the film on Sunday. The sound the congregation hears will be the Eric Whitacre SIngers, but the faces they will see - singing full throated and with expression - will be us! This is how we did the Hallelujah Chorus, and it was fun.
I hope you join us this Wednesday, even if you haven't been with us much lately. The song is gorgeous. Singing it will make your whole week!
See ya, Kevin
YouTube links for Seal Lullaby
Sing along with the Eric Whitacre Singers, while reading the SATB score
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
(This is the video we will sing along with for our film, which includes the score. We won't use printed music.)
Sing along with Soprano part (learning track)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Sing along with Alto part (learning track)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Sing along with Tenor part (learning track)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Sing along with Bass 1 part (learning track)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Sing along with Bass 2 part (learning track)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
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