• Choral Octavo
• By Francis Grier

Product Description
In this ideal setting for Christmas, Grier recreates the jubilant scene using an array of crisp, electrically charged rhythms. The effect is vast and spacious…. More >>

Alleluia! I Bring You News of Great Joy: For SATB Choir

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Pick your pose: Nothing ruins a portrait faster than a pose that looks as stiff as the mortarboard on top of your head. But posing for a formal portrait can be a nerve-wracking experience. A visit to the portrait studio’s website in advance of the photo shoot can help you understand what will be expected of you. It may be a good idea to make a list of poses you think might work for you and discuss them with the photographer during the portrait consultation prior to the session date.

Go casual: Formal grad portraits are only one piece of the picture these days. Make sure to take a couple changes of clothes for more casual options. You may want some natural-looking shots to counter the formal cap-and-gown portrait. A favourite outfit or sports uniform are good alternatives to the cap and gown. Dress only in solid colours as bold patterns are too busy and distracting in photographs. Wear comfortable clothes that you can move around in.

Take it outside: No more pencils, no more books! Grad time means academic achievement but also freedom. Head to the beach or out to a park with a photographer to capture your youthful energy and excitement for the future. Tossing that cap in the great outdoors will be a more poignant image than in the high school gym.

Bring the gang: School is as much about socializing as it is about education. It’s important to recognize that a solid group of friends or a faithful best buddy has formed you as much, or more, than all those hours of study.

Organize a photo shoot with your nearest and dearest friends. Have a photographer capture behind-the-scenes preparation for commencement ceremonies or prom.

Ask for candid shots of friends interacting or goofing around to bring out the most genuine smiles to commemorate this exciting time in life.
If there’s a particularly inspirational teacher or counselor in your life, consider asking them to pose for a shot or two.

Go extra-curricular: Are you a singing sensation or top-notch athlete? Organize some action shots of you participating in extra-curricular activities. Lively student council debates, basketball games or choir practice all create exciting scenarios for great grad photos. Consider creating a package for grandparents and other relatives that exemplifies all the aspects of your well-rounded life.

Don’t forget the hobbies: Not everything significant in life happens at school. If you are passionate about activities like dancing, horseback riding or orienteering, include those activities in a grad photo spread.

Graduating, particularly from high school or college means big changes in life and often relocating. This can mean the end of important relationships at a favourite dance studio or stable. Capturing those environments is a great way to create lasting memories.

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Origins and background

His father and grandfather were musicians of the court in Bonn and little Ludwig, whose talent came to light since he was 4, was destined to the same career. He studied with different teachers the piano, organ, violin and viola, excelling at playing the first two.

At the age of 11 he became the pupil of the composer Christian Gotthof Neefe, organist and band master of the court, who not only broadened his musical background, but also encouraged him to compose. Though he was still a child, he soon became Neefe?s assistant at the organ, as well as in the Elector?s personal theatre orchestra and of some other families, being later hired as a band master.

With the help of the Elector and some other noble families from Bonn he was sent to study in Vienna where he had as teachers Haydn, Albrechtsberger, Schenk and Salieri. Here, he was firstly remarked as a skilled pianist, gifted with an unusual expressive power, which allowed him to present his own creations.

Character and personality

His artistic personality was doubled by a passionate and unflinching temper which didn?t allow him to be intimidated or humiliated. Though he was supported by a series of aristocrats, he didn?t service anyone, defending ceaselessly his position as an independent professional musician. He is the first great example of this in the history of music, but the conditions of the feudal settlements were to impede him in finding the material stability and peace of mind to freely compose, until the end of his life.

Contemporaneous with the French Revolution from 1789 and the national independence current, which tormented the European peoples in this period, he understood the time?s call and expressed the new ideas of freedom, equality and fraternity, becoming a fighter through art, to accomplish humanity?s most noble aspirations.

Having appeared in the Viennese Classicism?s magnificent period, represented by Haydn and Mozart, he determinedly took over the achievements since, creatively developing them, widening the frame of the classic forms, using new templates, more suitable to the contemporary way of thinking and feeling, bringing in music the force of an impetuous dynamism which passionately revealed the dramas of the human existence. Also, through his language and through considerably increasing the number of the orchestra?s instruments he contributed to the extraction of the music out of the saloons? privacy.

Musical Creation

According to Harold Schonberg, Beethoven?s creation can be divided in three periods of time:

A first period including approximately twenty works is marked by the appeal to old forms, but prefigures the explosive force to come, here, eloquent examples being the minuet from the 1st Symphony, which prepares the future scherzos or slow motion from the Sonata for piano opera 10 no. 3, with a writing characterized by a direct affective involvement, suggesting an almost romantic tune.

The second period begins with the 3rd Symphony when Beethoven appears as an expert of form, who establishes his own rules, the form of sonata being the one that was to determine the creative evolution of the composer.

The third period includes the last five chords quartets, the piano sonatas ?Diabelli Variations?, ?Missa Solemnis? and the 9th Symphony when music is written not to be to someone?s liking, but to justify his artistic and intellectual existence, appealing to concepts and symbols.

Beethoven?s Legacy

Through his entire attitude towards music it is natural that he gave a direct programmatic significance to some of his works, among which the most important are: The 3rd Symphony in C major op. ?Eroica?, The 5th Symphony in A minor op. 67, The 6th Symphony in D major op.68 ?Pastorala?, The 9th Symphony with choir and vocalists in B minor op. 125, the overtures ?Coriolan?, ?Egmont? and ?Leonora?.

His creation also covers: the opera ?Fidelio?, the ballet ?Prometheus? Beings?, the scene music for the drama ?Egmont? by Goethe, ?King Stephen? and ?Athena?s Ruins? by Kotzebue, vocal-symphonic works like the oratorio ?Jesus on the Olive Mountain?, ?Fantasia for Piano, Choir and Orchestra?, ?Missa solemnis?, concert works (a concert for violin, two romances for violin, five concerts for piano, treble concert for piano viola and cello), various vocal parts accompanied by orchestra, fanfare music, works for various instrumental room formations (from trio to octet, where the chords quartets are an important stage in this type?s literature), a great number of instrumental compositions among which there are 10 sonatas for violin and piano, 4 sonatas for cello and piano, a sonata for horn and piano, 32 sonatas for piano (The Sonata in A major op. 53 ?Waldstein?, The Sonata in D minor op.57 ?Appassionata?)etc.

His creation seems even more impressive considering that this genius was struck by deafness since he was 29, affection which became total after approximately a decade, stopping him from singing in public. The pains caused by this illness and the multiple sentimental and family disappointments determined him to gradually isolate from the world but didn?t stop him from becoming one of the most loved figures in the history of music.

The difference between Beethoven and other great composers who preceded him is that he considered himself an artist and stood up to defend his rights. He was an artist, a creator and that is why he considered himself superior to kings and aristocrats.

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The Encore label contains titles selected from the rich EMI archive, which of course means that internationally renowned artists of the finest caliber are featured. The artists represent the finest in their fields, whether they are conductors, violinists, pianists, or singers, and whether they are from the past or present, their tribute and prestige is sure to continue into the future. Some of the legendary artists are:

* Sir John Barbirolli
* Montserrat Caballe
* Georges Cziffra
* Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
* Herbert von Karajan
* Otto Klemperer
* Yehudi Menuhin
* Anne-Sophie Mutter
* Itzhak Perlman
* Georges Pretre
* Sir Simon Rattle
* Klaus Tennstedt
* Franz Most
* Frank Peter Zimmermann
* And Many Others!

In addition to featuring renowned artists, the emi encore series also features many world-class orchestras, such as the Berliner Philharmoniker, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre de Paris, Wiener Philharmoniker, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra and others.

Recent releases include the following:

* Anna Netrebko Sings Opera Arias
* Berlioz: Benvenuto Cellini
* Handel: 12 Concerti Grossi Op.6
* MARX, J.: Orchestral Songs / Choral Music
* Rachmaninov: Symphony No. 3/ Bax: Tintagel
* Rachmaninov & Prokofiev: Rhapsody – Cello Sonatas

EMI Classics has long been known for quality, and now the Encore Series provides an easy saver that is perfect for gift giving ? making it ideal for Christmas. The fresh designs of Encore features either the much loved Dog and Trumpet or the little cherub seated on a disc, which is the oldest recording trademark in Europe. The low-budget prices offer unbeatable value for the money, which of course, makes this an easy saver program that should not be missed. The recordings are of the highest quality and have earned great critical acclaim.

If you want to please a music lover on your shopping list then you need look no further than the Emi Encore series. You will save money while giving a gift of value ? one that will be cherished for years to come.

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First, a lot of work goes into making a record, from the producer, who tries to shape the band’s vision into a commercially viable product, to the sound mixers, who record each layered track and mix everything on potentiometers and a sound board, to production assistants who do the graphic design on the album cover and the liner notes. In a lot of cases, being “the sound guy” doing the mixing pays better than being the artist in front of the microphone.

Second, working at the record label requires not just a love of music, but all the skills you’d need for an office job. Each record label handles things differently, but a lot of the work comes down to tour bookings, making sure that promotional copy and cover art goes out at the right times, and in general, being on top of organizing things and making sure that everything comes into place. Beyond getting a paycheck, you also get to know that you’re helping bring a lot of talented artists to the listening public.

A third way to make money in the music industry, If you’re organized, but don’t like the idea of being confined to an office gig, look into becoming a roadie. The hours are long, the work is mostly anonymous, and you travel a lot, but you legitimately get to say “I’m with the band!” A lot of theater experience will help here, as will some experience with production work; you’ll need to be able to run sound checks and make the myriad last minute adjustments that every new venue needs before the show can go on. Likewise, for larger acts, there are on-the-road assistants who handle makeup, wardrobe and all the little details so the band members can keep their focus on the act, including rehearsal time and warm-ups.

A fourth way to make a living in the music industry, if you find the idea of working directly with musicians or the recording industry directly, consider getting a job as a disk jockey on a radio station. Most radio stations are constantly looking for on-air talent, and if you’re a college student, you can probably get some experience cut in on the campus radio station. Similarly, being a programming director at a radio station gives you a lot of influence over the kind of music the station plays.

Fifth, consider teaching. If you have musical talent, but aren’t up to booking or running a band, there are other avenues you can work with. The most commonly explored one is as a music teacher. Lots of communities are looking for part time music teachers, and some states will let college students do music programs. Being a music teacher generally requires competence with the piano, and usually some training in running band practice, orchestra practice or choir, though some districts will let you focus on teaching world music classes, or esoteric instruments, particularly as part of a campus outreach program.

If you’re going to teach choir, you’ll need to understand the methodologies of teaching vocal instruction. Proper breathing, proper articulation, and how to direct multi-part harmonies in the standard four sections (bass, tenor, alto, soprano). Again, competence in piano is important, because most high school and junior high music ensembles will be taking their notes from the piano.

Orchestra and band require broader instrument knowledge. Unlike a choir director, you have to understand the principles of the various sections of instruments being run, from woodwinds, to brass, to strings and percussion; this requires enough knowledge to teach a student, but generally lacks the time to become deeply focused or specialized in any single instrument.

Related, but profoundly different from music instruction is pedagogy and musical therapy. Pedagogy is the modern outgrowth of teaching child prodigies about music and nurturing them to the best of their ability. Music therapy is a technique for using music, both listening and participatory, to help subjects heal from psychological and other traumas; both require a lot of expertise not just in musicianship, but in another rigorous academic field as well.

Sixth, if you just enjoy playing your instrument and have some friends who are similarly inclined, don’t forgo the opportunity to form a band and play the music you enjoy. If you’re doing a band, don’t think of it as the road to fame and fortune, look at it as a way to make money doing something you love.

Seventh, another job in the music industry is a music store clerk. Although more music is sold online every passing year, a lot of music consumers are looking for informed opinion and retail help when they browse the stacks and look at music they’d like to try. If you have a love of music and the people skills to inform and recommend and close the sale, being a music store clerk may be the best slot for you!

All of these are options to find a job, a career, even an avocation in the field of music. Many become rewarding, life time long jobs. Even for the people who work in the music field and then move on to something else, their experience working in “the business” gives them a certain cachet at parties and the ability (from time to time) to say “Yeah, I remember them from back when they were unknown.”

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Learning and teaching singing can be done. For this reason, there are singing lessons as well as singing coaches available. Singing is not simply a performance that is based upon talent, it also includes physical mechanics.

If you are a person that would like to learn to sing, then you should register for some good singing lessons or employ a great singing coach for the purposes of guiding you and teaching you all of the rudiments of singing.

However, it is important to remember that not all singing coaches are equally created. Each singing coach has their own specialties and talents that you will need to learn and identify. Therefore, it is imperative that you select the best singing coach in order to learn to sing in the correct manner.

Listed below is how this can be done.

1. Be aware of your forte

It is important to be aware of your forte before employing any kind of singing coach. Being aware of what kind of music you wish to build your career upon is of great importance. It is a well known fact that certain singing coaches only teach particular types of music. Therefore, it is important that you are aware of your specialty before you can employ the best singing coach.

2. Keep track of your development

It is vital that you take notice of your own development. Certain singing coaches can only go so far and get stuck at that level. Therefore, if you feel that you require the next level of singing lessons, or even advanced lessons, then this is certainly the time for you to seek another singing coach that is able to take you to the next level.

3. Ask for referrals

Something which has always been considered as one of the best forms of advertising is word of mouth. Whenever someone is happy with a particular service or product, they inform as many people as possible. This is simply human nature. Exactly the same thing applies for those people that have experienced great singing lessons with a good coach. They will always give a good testimonial.

Therefore, you should undertake as much research as possible. Ask friends or work colleagues for their advice. If you know someone who has had singing lessons or employed a singing coach in the past then ask then for their opinions. By doing this, you will not only receive the best referral, but you will also be sure that the singing coach has been tried and tested.

You can even log on to the Internet and do a simple search for reviews of particular singing coaches in your area. You may be surprised at just how much information there is and even more surprised at what you discover.

These are just some of the pointers that you can follow in order to know what to look for when searching for the best singing coach.

It is important to always keep in mind that singing is not simply based on talent. There are many things that can be learned from a singing coach.

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First, a lot of work goes into making a record, from the producer, who tries to shape the band’s vision into a commercially viable product, to the sound mixers, who record each layered track and mix everything on potentiometers and a sound board, to production assistants who do the graphic design on the album cover and the liner notes. In a lot of cases, being “the sound guy” doing the mixing pays better than being the artist in front of the microphone.

Second, working at the record label requires not just a love of music, but all the skills you’d need for an office job. Each record label handles things differently, but a lot of the work comes down to tour bookings, making sure that promotional copy and cover art goes out at the right times, and in general, being on top of organizing things and making sure that everything comes into place. Beyond getting a paycheck, you also get to know that you’re helping bring a lot of talented artists to the listening public.

A third way to make money in the music industry, If you’re organized, but don’t like the idea of being confined to an office gig, look into becoming a roadie. The hours are long, the work is mostly anonymous, and you travel a lot, but you legitimately get to say “I’m with the band!” A lot of theater experience will help here, as will some experience with production work; you’ll need to be able to run sound checks and make the myriad last minute adjustments that every new venue needs before the show can go on. Likewise, for larger acts, there are on-the-road assistants who handle makeup, wardrobe and all the little details so the band members can keep their focus on the act, including rehearsal time and warm-ups.

A fourth way to make a living in the music industry, if you find the idea of working directly with musicians or the recording industry directly, consider getting a job as a disk jockey on a radio station. Most radio stations are constantly looking for on-air talent, and if you’re a college student, you can probably get some experience cut in on the campus radio station. Similarly, being a programming director at a radio station gives you a lot of influence over the kind of music the station plays.

Fifth, consider teaching. If you have musical talent, but aren’t up to booking or running a band, there are other avenues you can work with. The most commonly explored one is as a music teacher. Lots of communities are looking for part time music teachers, and some states will let college students do music programs. Being a music teacher generally requires competence with the piano, and usually some training in running band practice, orchestra practice or choir, though some districts will let you focus on teaching world music classes, or esoteric instruments, particularly as part of a campus outreach program.

If you’re going to teach choir, you’ll need to understand the methodologies of teaching vocal instruction. Proper breathing, proper articulation, and how to direct multi-part harmonies in the standard four sections (bass, tenor, alto, soprano). Again, competence in piano is important, because most high school and junior high music ensembles will be taking their notes from the piano.

Orchestra and band require broader instrument knowledge. Unlike a choir director, you have to understand the principles of the various sections of instruments being run, from woodwinds, to brass, to strings and percussion; this requires enough knowledge to teach a student, but generally lacks the time to become deeply focused or specialized in any single instrument.

Related, but profoundly different from music instruction is pedagogy and musical therapy. Pedagogy is the modern outgrowth of teaching child prodigies about music and nurturing them to the best of their ability. Music therapy is a technique for using music, both listening and participatory, to help subjects heal from psychological and other traumas; both require a lot of expertise not just in musicianship, but in another rigorous academic field as well.

Sixth, if you just enjoy playing your instrument and have some friends who are similarly inclined, don’t forgo the opportunity to form a band and play the music you enjoy. If you’re doing a band, don’t think of it as the road to fame and fortune, look at it as a way to make money doing something you love.

Seventh, another job in the music industry is a music store clerk. Although more music is sold online every passing year, a lot of music consumers are looking for informed opinion and retail help when they browse the stacks and look at music they’d like to try. If you have a love of music and the people skills to inform and recommend and close the sale, being a music store clerk may be the best slot for you!

All of these are options to find a job, a career, even an avocation in the field of music. Many become rewarding, life time long jobs. Even for the people who work in the music field and then move on to something else, their experience working in “the business” gives them a certain cachet at parties and the ability (from time to time) to say “Yeah, I remember them from back when they were unknown.”

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O Great Joy!

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First, a lot of work goes into making a record, from the producer, who tries to shape the band’s vision into a commercially viable product, to the sound mixers, who record each layered track and mix everything on potentiometers and a sound board, to production assistants who do the graphic design on the album cover and the liner notes. In a lot of cases, being “the sound guy” doing the mixing pays better than being the artist in front of the microphone.

Second, working at the record label requires not just a love of music, but all the skills you’d need for an office job. Each record label handles things differently, but a lot of the work comes down to tour bookings, making sure that promotional copy and cover art goes out at the right times, and in general, being on top of organizing things and making sure that everything comes into place. Beyond getting a paycheck, you also get to know that you’re helping bring a lot of talented artists to the listening public.

A third way to make money in the music industry, If you’re organized, but don’t like the idea of being confined to an office gig, look into becoming a roadie. The hours are long, the work is mostly anonymous, and you travel a lot, but you legitimately get to say “I’m with the band!” A lot of theater experience will help here, as will some experience with production work; you’ll need to be able to run sound checks and make the myriad last minute adjustments that every new venue needs before the show can go on. Likewise, for larger acts, there are on-the-road assistants who handle makeup, wardrobe and all the little details so the band members can keep their focus on the act, including rehearsal time and warm-ups.

A fourth way to make a living in the music industry, if you find the idea of working directly with musicians or the recording industry directly, consider getting a job as a disk jockey on a radio station. Most radio stations are constantly looking for on-air talent, and if you’re a college student, you can probably get some experience cut in on the campus radio station. Similarly, being a programming director at a radio station gives you a lot of influence over the kind of music the station plays.

Fifth, consider teaching. If you have musical talent, but aren’t up to booking or running a band, there are other avenues you can work with. The most commonly explored one is as a music teacher. Lots of communities are looking for part time music teachers, and some states will let college students do music programs. Being a music teacher generally requires competence with the piano, and usually some training in running band practice, orchestra practice or choir, though some districts will let you focus on teaching world music classes, or esoteric instruments, particularly as part of a campus outreach program.

If you’re going to teach choir, you’ll need to understand the methodologies of teaching vocal instruction. Proper breathing, proper articulation, and how to direct multi-part harmonies in the standard four sections (bass, tenor, alto, soprano). Again, competence in piano is important, because most high school and junior high music ensembles will be taking their notes from the piano.

Orchestra and band require broader instrument knowledge. Unlike a choir director, you have to understand the principles of the various sections of instruments being run, from woodwinds, to brass, to strings and percussion; this requires enough knowledge to teach a student, but generally lacks the time to become deeply focused or specialized in any single instrument.

Related, but profoundly different from music instruction is pedagogy and musical therapy. Pedagogy is the modern outgrowth of teaching child prodigies about music and nurturing them to the best of their ability. Music therapy is a technique for using music, both listening and participatory, to help subjects heal from psychological and other traumas; both require a lot of expertise not just in musicianship, but in another rigorous academic field as well.

Sixth, if you just enjoy playing your instrument and have some friends who are similarly inclined, don’t forgo the opportunity to form a band and play the music you enjoy. If you’re doing a band, don’t think of it as the road to fame and fortune, look at it as a way to make money doing something you love.

Seventh, another job in the music industry is a music store clerk. Although more music is sold online every passing year, a lot of music consumers are looking for informed opinion and retail help when they browse the stacks and look at music they’d like to try. If you have a love of music and the people skills to inform and recommend and close the sale, being a music store clerk may be the best slot for you!

All of these are options to find a job, a career, even an avocation in the field of music. Many become rewarding, life time long jobs. Even for the people who work in the music field and then move on to something else, their experience working in “the business” gives them a certain cachet at parties and the ability (from time to time) to say “Yeah, I remember them from back when they were unknown.”

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