Jubilaté!

Videos

O Holy Night

Christmas Midnight: This was an impromptu arrangement of this beautiful carol, done but a day before Christmas Eve. Kudos to Aloy and Josh for being super brave to take this on, last minute. =)

Ding Dong Merrily On High

Christmas Midnight: Medley of the Year, 'Ding Dong Merrily on High' and 'Good King Wenceslas', graciously brought to you by Irene! =)

What Child Is This

Christmas Midnight: Joshua on the solo part, a haunting counter melody called...

O Come All Ye Faithful

Christmas Midnight: Very grand rendition of O Come All Ye Faithful.

All Man's Labour Can Produce

Christmas Midnight: Old skool offertory hymn, Clifford's favorite. This was supposed to be combined with another song, but there wasn't a need - wasn't as packed as it usually is during Christmas Midnight. =(

When A Child Is Born

Christmas Midnight: Yet another impromptu solo, this time, from Steffi. Irene on the emotional soliloquy, and Steffi again on the ending.

Hark The Herald Angels Sing

Christmas Midnight: Another grand rendition of this timeless classic. So nice to hear the whole congregation behind us!

Joy To The World

Christmas Midnight: Bringing Christmas Midnight 2009 to a joyous end!

Carolling 2009

Carolling 2009: Caroling with Jubilate on 12, 13, 19 & 20 Dec 2009. Madness, but in a nice way.

Things take note before this Sunday, 5 April 2009
Posted by Clifford @ 12:32 AM | Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Dear Jubilate-ians

There are a few things that I would like to say/inform/comment/mention/state:

Schedule for this Sunday: We'll be having a full practice rehearsal of every mass, Good Friday to Easter Sunday, so be prepared to stay back till 2pm . Please have a full meal before practice, bring extra food of your own if you have to. Practice MUST start at 1030 regardless how late Mass ends. Please refrain from making any lunch appointments / work etc this coming Sunday, it's our last chance for practice; I really can’t afford to have anyone being clueless on the Holy Week weekend. Please. Work with me.

This is what we'll be doing for practice:
10.30-11.15: Sectionals
Hymns to be prepared:
- O God you Search Me (practice harmony)
- Holy Darkness (practice harmony for altos and basses)
- You are mine (practice harmony)
- Blest are they (practice harmony)
- Table of Plenty (practice harmony)
11.15-11.30: Briefing of Good Friday Mass
11.30-11.45: Go through Good Friday mass:
The Reproaches 237, O God You Search Me
11.45-12.00: Break
12.00- 12.15: Briefing of Easter Vigil Mass
12.15- 13.00: Go Through Easter Vigil Mass
Gloria De Lourdes 498, Triple Alleluia, Litany p127 of holy week book , I Saw Water 35B, The Hand of the Lord 96, Holy Holy, Proclamation of Faith, Great Amen, Our Father, Lamb of God, Holy Darkness, You Are Mine, Easter Song 254
13.00- 13.30: Go Through Easter Sunday Mass
Kyrie, Gloria De Lourdes 498, Triple Alleluia, I Saw Water 35B, Blest Are They, Holy Holy, Proclamation of Faith, Great Amen, Our Father, Lamb Of God, Table of Plenty, Seek Ye First 624, Allelu 247
13.30- 14.00: Dry run of psalms with the cantors, especially with those who don’t have music.

- The briefing for each mass is to ensure that all of you are fully aware of what is going to happen for that mass, so that you can be prepared and know when you need to come in.
-To make your sectionals more effective, please practice your harmonies before coming for your sectionals, follow your scores closely.
-Please BRING A PEN with you on Sunday.
-Take note of the hymn numbers and take it down somewhere in your file

(2) Good Friday
- Be in Church by 1.30pm
- Dress code: Choir T-shirt

(3) Easter Vigil
- Be in Church by 6.30pm
-Dress code: Theme-black and white, guys: tie.

(4) Easter Sunday
- Be in Church by 8.00am, please get someone to wake you up if you have trouble
getting up.
- Dress code: normal Sunday outfit

(5) Files
-Arrange your files according to the Order above in the schedule from Good Friday mass onwards. First song is, 'The reproaches'.
-Any stapled sets, pls detach it and file accordingly.

I have been nice and lenient enough to close one eye on those who haven’t been bringing their files or filing anything for the past weeks, please don’t take advantage of this and assume that I don’t care. Do realize that I’ve been getting you to do this for almost a month; is this really too much of me to ask? As of this week, bring your files, ALL filed accordingly to the instructions given. No more sharing, no more slips of paper untidily put together.

If you are reading this and you have a sibling/loved one , perhaps you want to ask them to read this entry ASAP.

Midis and such
Posted by Clifford @ 7:48 AM | Monday, March 30, 2009

Hi!

Here's a link to the midi and NWC files for the cantors: http://www.box.net/shared/zne8yuq1vh

I recommend using the NWC file rather than the midi cos I put in the lyrics and all. May be easier to follow. You can download the NWC software here: http://www.noteworthysoftware.com/

And, in case anyone wants to take a listen, here's a link for a recording of Holy Darkness: http://www.box.net/shared/kq6tgjupms

If singing was easy then everyone would be doing it
Posted by Clifford @ 2:27 AM | Saturday, March 28, 2009

As we all know, we are a church choir. This means that we have a dual responsibility about our actions – as a CATHOLIC during mass, and as a CHORISTER during choir practice. This is a reminder of how we should be behaving. I should not have to tell you this since almost all of you are ADULTS but it appears that reminders are needed now and then. Keywords for this reminder are: RESPONSIBILITY and RESPECT.

During Mass

The purpose of a church choir is to lead the people in song, which is a form of prayer. We should always be mindful of our actions during mass. People are watching us. Like how we always start our prayers – let us remember that we are in the HOLY PRESENCE OF GOD. What kind of behaviour do we exhibit in God’s presence? From a more earthly angle, remember that the choir’s pews are positioned such that the ENTIRE congregation can see us. In case you haven’t noticed, the choir pews are ELEVATED, which means that even sitting down, every one of you is noticeable. During the homily especially, DO NOT do anything that makes it look like you’re not paying attention. Of course, I know that homily is occasionally torture, not unlike pulling your fingernails off with pliers. But at least PRETEND to be paying attention. This means, no sleeping, no talking, no whispering, no sms-ing, no studying under the pew. Even if you’re not afraid of lightning striking you, I am. Remember that you set an example for the rest of the congregation. As much as I hate to quote Fr Khoo – take the time as penance to gain merits.

During Practice

Practice is there for a purpose. Behaviour during practice is definitely not where it should be. This is a matter of RESPECT. Respect for Andrea, or Dawn, or anyone else who happens to be up there. It’s not easy to conduct a practice. Basic DISCIPLINE – when Andrea’s talking, no one else should be. When the organ starts playing, time to keep quiet and get ready to sing. Last week Daryl played the intro at least THREE TIMES before we actually started to sing. Again, NO talking, sms-ing, Facebook-ing, sleeping, studying, fooling around during practice. If you’re one of those who will literally DIE if you don’t do any of these for 1.5 hours a week, do it as long as you don’t disturb others and you’re ready when you need to be. Please don’t make us have to treat you like kids and confiscate handphones for the duration of practice.

Be a RESPONSIBLE choir member. That is, prepare what you have to. Practice your parts at home so we don’t waste time going through them again and again. We only have 1.5 hours a week. That’s not much time. Say, if we waste 15 minutes every practice waiting for you to settle down, or to revise parts, in a year, that’s 13 hours wasted in total. Think about it.

I think the basic rule is: BE READY. Whatever you may be doing, when it’s time to sing, be ready to do it. Don’t make Andrea have to repeat herself and wait for you. You should be waiting for her because she’s the conductor. You don’t make your boss or principal wait for you, don’t do it here.

Concluding remarks

I haven’t talked about other things like punctuality or singing technique or etiquette, though God knows, we need to be reminded of that too. I also know that I don’t have the authority to tell you all to do anything. You belong to this church ministry. It’s not Happy Hour. Being in choir is a sacrifice. It means taking time out of whatever else we’d like to be doing. It’s about doing your job and fulfilling your responsibility. It’s about respecting each other and singing the best we can to create a conducive environment for prayer.

There are THREE WEEKS left to Easter and to one of our biggest masses in the year. Three more practices. Less than 4.5 hours of time together. We are not ready. If that isn’t scary to you, it’s scary to me and to the choir committee who are all working their asses off. Even if you don’t care about God, care about your own image. We have a lot of work ahead of us and we cannot afford to waste any time. I sincerely hope you all read this and think about your behaviour. It only takes one person to disrupt an entire practice and that means wasted time trying to restore discipline.

Remember: RESPONSIBILITY and RESPECT. Do it for yourselves, do it for the choir, do it for God.

An Evening Walk with Jesus
Posted by Clifford @ 8:26 AM | Friday, March 27, 2009

As Lent draws to a close, let us remember that by dying on the cross, Jesus Christ took away all our sins, so that we might be saved.

On our part, as children of God, what have we done this Lent season? Are we repenting and seeking forgiveness? Or are we still as arrogant and ignorant, refusing to humble ourselves? If you have not had a chance to sit down and reflect, perhaps you would like to join us for an evening of reflection and sharing on Jesus's last moments before he died.

Date: 4 April 2009 (Saturday)

Time: 7.30pm-9.30pm

Venue: RCIA Room/Choir Room, 2nd level

"Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me'" (John 14:6).

Unless A Grain of Wheat
Posted by Clifford @ 2:44 AM | Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Midi for "Unless A Grain of Wheat": http://www.box.net/shared/qou0q85ov5

I See Love
Posted by Clifford @ 7:59 AM | Friday, March 13, 2009

I'd like to share with you a video I found on youtube a few years back. It's the song "I See Love" by Third Day set to clips from the film "The Passion of the Christ". I like to take it out and watch it during Lent because it's so meaningful and poignant and really helps me to think about what kind of sacrifice Jesus made for us all and why?

Because GOD LOVES US.

Isn't that amazing?