Busy-ness Starting

The busy-ness of Circlewoods is starting. I volunteered to accompany singing/dancing groups on the piano for our annual Showtime event that will be in March.


Things seem to happen for a reason: Their chief accompanyist moved away. I accompanied for a while. Cousin Alice lives alone and now is piano sitting a piano in her dining room that belongs to a friend/acquaintance. As I said, Alice lives alone - No people to bother. So we had our first "meeting" of four people - two of which will be doing a duet. We worked on both songs.


Being a retired teacher (not music, but knowledgeable), without realizing it, I automatically reviewed in my mind "how the lesson went" and how could I improve it next time? (even if it isn't "my lesson," how could I improve my suggestions?) Plenty.

First - I should have realized a good percentage of the people there (50%) (two?) had difficulty, or couldn't, read music. We needed to simplify.


Second - do small sections at a time. Don't try to go through it all at once. Yes. Our Showtime will be in approximately 6 weeks, and the ladies are worried they won't be ready. They will. This was their first practice.


Third: I suggested we practice spinging: talk the words through using the rhythm of the song. That was Alice's name for it. I didn't have one, but I'd done it with groups before. One of the ladies that couldn't read music said that didn't help her at all. Okay.


Fourth: Perhaps we should have a set scheduled date and time for practicing. That's only a suggestion. A beginning and ending time would be advantageous to planning. Two hours? Of course as the time gets nearer more practices should be scheduled. This is only a suggestion for the time being. I don't know how many I will be accompanying. I believe there are at least eleven numbers. Some of which will be accompanying themselves, and some of which will be using "canned" music - ex. karaoke.

Cousin Carol, who does not live in Circlewoods, has sung with us in the past. I'd love to have her with us again. If she wants to, and the powers-that-be say okay. . . great!

How about that. . . I kept to one subject. And I'm done.

Soooo- what's happenin' in your neck o' the woods???