Rehearsal Notes for November 18th
Good work today. Everything is coming together nicely. I'm excited for our busy schedule of performances, and you should be too. It's a great way to get out there and use our God-given gifts to raise people's spirits this time of year, and to get them thinking about the true meaning of Christmas.
Listen to and get ready for the forthcoming arrangement of "25th December". It's available for listen AND download on the left-hand side of the website along with all of our other music.
Those with pianos/keyboards at home. PLEASE note-bang your music for "Hide and Seek". I really want that ready for Christmas Concert.
Keep listening to and reviewing all of our Pops and Alternatives Gig music. It's coming back for Barnes and Noble AND for Chirstmas Concert.
The week before Barnes and Noble (and the Mansion gig on the following Monday) we NEED two rehearsals. It's just reality. I want you to sound top-notch and that extra rehearsal will make all the difference in the world. Maybe we could have Christmawesome desserts or something for break?
Book yourselves for the Sunday after Thanksgiving on the 29th for the worship song we're doing at the WCS Celebration Service for Mr. Engbers' 25 years with the school. For those of you who missed this weeks rehearsal: it's "Forever" by Chris Tomlin. Specifics are on the sidebar on the right. Notes for last week's rehearsal (still valuable!) are available below.
Rehearsal Notes for November 11th and New Gig Info...
First of all, I think its safe to say that the 1st Annual Encore Potluck was a rousing success. Thanks to all who baked, cooked, bought and brought food to the rehearsal. It made coming in on a holiday (especially in you already had 4 hours of drama before) that much more worth it. We'll have to do it again in the midst of the February "blahs". So shall it be written...so shall it be done.
Rehearsal went great on Wednesday. "Better Days" was essentially learned in 20 minutes. I wanted a big, red, Staples button to hit and say "that was easy".
"Joyful, Joyful" sounded great even without music and "All that I Want" is basically ready-to-go, as is "Love Train".
Please review your different harmony at each of the three different choruses for "Grown Up Christmas List" that can still be stronger.
"Hide and Seek" continues to be the one thing that we need to work on. Sopranos especially: please look over the music and know the song backwards and forwards. It's a challenging piece (as I'm sure you've realized by now) but we're so close. One more rehearsal and I think we'll have it.
Download and listen to "25th December"; that's our final Christmas piece to go!
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Here are the times for the gig at Barnes and Noble on Thursday, December 3rd.
CALL TIME is 4:15
5:15 - 6:00 = set of songs #1
6:30 - 7:15 = set of songs #2
We'll break for dinner after we're done everything. That is what the majority of you preferred and I think it's the wisest choice, that way, you shouldn't lose too much focus in between sets and you still have time in between to meander around and grab a delicious red-cupped Christmas Starbucks beverage. Please email me to R.S.V.P. for the post-game Encore dinner at Millbury so I know how many to reserve at T.G.I.F.'s
5:15 - 6:00 = set of songs #1
6:30 - 7:15 = set of songs #2
We'll break for dinner after we're done everything. That is what the majority of you preferred and I think it's the wisest choice, that way, you shouldn't lose too much focus in between sets and you still have time in between to meander around and grab a delicious red-cupped Christmas Starbucks beverage. Please email me to R.S.V.P. for the post-game Encore dinner at Millbury so I know how many to reserve at T.G.I.F.'s
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We're also got a worship service that we'll be singing at lined up and ready to report.
We'll be worshiping with Uxbridge Church of the Nazarene on Sunday, December 13th. This is the day before the Christmas Concert, so it'll be both a great opportunity to worship and to get in the right mind-set needed for the 14th. We'll be singing at both services but Pastor Howard has informed me that you can leave quietly, and politely after the 2nd time before the message. We'll be singing "Joyful", "List" and "Days". The times for that are as follows:
CALL TIME: 8:30; 1st service 9:30 - 10:45; 2nd service 11:00 - 12:15
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So far, I've only received one email about a conflict with next weeks rehearsal. So I guess I'll see everyone there? Remember, please, give me a heads up as to days/times that 100% cannot, no-way, no-how, absolutely don't work. I'll try to work around them ABAP.
But is it ever really too early to get talking about Christmas? I mean...really? Christmas and Mr. Lawson have an 
almost fanatical relationship...(they also lead him to speak and write in the third person). The crisp air, the smell of fireplaces, waking up late on a Saturday to gently falling snow, the carols, the brand-new LED traditional incandescent Christmas lights...it's just magic all over the place. The Christmas songs Encore sing always strike an extra-special chord with people that hear them and the members of the group, and this year is no exception. AND...I have an idea. But I need your help.
almost fanatical relationship...(they also lead him to speak and write in the third person). The crisp air, the smell of fireplaces, waking up late on a Saturday to gently falling snow, the carols, the Two years ago, JC Penney had a fantastic ad campaign using simply-tied red boxes, and a couple tag lines:
"Today's the day for the perfect gift"
and...
"Every Day Matters"
They also...conveniently enough, used a song in one of the ad's that we'll be performing this Christmas: "All That I Want" by The Weepies.
So here's my idea: I'd love to find a way to use the idea in the video and in the tag lines to produce an original Encore undertaking: keeping in mind that as believers, both of those "slogans" have a much more substantial and higher meaning to us during Christmastime. There is an opportunity coming up in a couple weeks to have some of our material recorded. If this could be done, and we could have our version of "All That I Want" playing in the background...I see great potential for us filming a message-themed music video featuring Encore built around those two lines in mind...
I have some ideas but I want to hear from YOU. So please...send 'em my way. This could be really fun, but very meaningful as well.
