Reflection on Ensemble Rehearsal

Overall, I feel that the rehearsal was very successful. I think that as an ensemble we had a good use of diction throughout both of the songs as there was not a moment where I heard the words become slurred or hard to understand what was being said. I also feel that as a majority we managed to sustain our harmonies throughout both of the songs (1:15 - And So It Goes/1:10 - Somewhere Only We Know) particularly the high and middle harmony sections to do this almost throughout both songs to a very high standard. 

I also think that we had a very good use of dynamics throughout both of the songs as towards the beginning, we all started with much softer vocals due to the gentle and quite slow tempo of both songs (0:20 - And So It Goes/ 0:15 - Somewhere Only We Know) compared to later on within the songs where we build upon these volume and projection of the vocals more (1:45 - And So It Goes/ 1:25 - Somewhere Only We Know) 

However I do think there are some things we need to improve on, in particular there are multiple moments within the pieces where our volume dips when it shouldn't; I think that this is due to a lack of confidence in those areas of the songs (be it lyrics or singing vowel sounds), for example in 'And So It Goes' there is a moment where the lower harmony is singing in the background making a soft "ooo" sound while the high harmony sing the lyrics of the song, the vocals from the lower harmony are lost during moments in this portion of the song due to not knowing exactly what notes to hit for their lower harmony. (0:50) 

I also feel that I personally need to improve on my singing of the lower harmony section of these songs, due to the type of notes that we are singing (which I don't think I've sung in very often in the past) I am finding it rather difficult to sing this harmony, however I do find it easier to sing in a higher octave which has made it slightly easier for me to find the notes to sing, but I do also sometimes go into singing the higher harmony as a result.

 

Main things I feel need improvement: 

• Confidence in lyrics and vowel sounds (whole choir) 
• Confidence in harmony (myself) 
• Projection of sections where there are different harmonies (whole choir)