One of our goals is to seek out online audiences and make entertainments specific to their communities. The TV show Dr. Who just had an episode with a beautiful song in it that will work really well for teh Choir. Opportunities like this have to be grabbed and shared as quickly as possible. Our target audience will find this extreemly entertaining. I am trying to transcribe the music for tomorrow’s rehearsal.
For anyone who saw the episode, we will have the sopranos on the girls part, altos on the man’s part and a short solo part for a girl with a pure straight tone.
This week we will audition anyone who was not at the rehearsal April 4 and is interested in one of the Pokemon roles. We will then be measuring kids and making costumes. No auditions will be held after this week.
T-shirt sizes for kids that missed rehearsal and have not yet turned in a form need to be turned in this week. I will try and guess a size for those who do not have it done by Thursday April 11 and it will probably be too big. I have to get the order in.
There is a Cloud Cult Concert on April 20 in Madison. My car is full but check out the band website if interested: http://www.cloudcult.com/home.cfm Craig Minowa gave me an interview for ChoralNet, a professional resource website I help lead. If interested the article can be found here: http://www.choralnet.org/view/414184
High Scores for Robot Unicorn Attack will be kept and updated on this post:
Abby S 136,074
Ethan 100,934
Cloud Cult has released their new album LOVE on their website and on iTunes. Our Children’s Choir of teh Internet sings on “The Show Starts Now”, the last track. Parent’s, how sick are you of listening to One Direction, Selena Gomez and Disney Songs?! Do yourself a favor and get your children listening to something with more substance. You owe it to yourself!
If you are going to buy it, help the band out by buying from their website. T-shirts and other merchandise are also available there.
For those who haven’t listened to Cloud Cult, just read the comments on the interview link above to see how much their music means to people. I have to say, I think the media has missed the point by focusing on Craig’s heart breaking past instead of the quality of his music. This album doesn’t seem to me to be as much about the losses in his life as it is an opportunity to make the world a better place through music. The album is full of advice to be a stronger person. Some of the song titles tell the story: You’re the only Thing in Your Way, It’s Your Decision, Complicated Creation and Catharsis.
At a concert in Madison I watched back stage as fans came up to talk to Craig, one by one expressing their thanks for how his music spoke to their hearts or helped them through tough times. I have caught myself recommending specific songs to friends who were going through life’s challenges.
When I first started listening to Cloud Cult it was all business. I was looking for a band that AppleChor, the Red Apple Elementary choir, could cover with music that fit our school theme. I have become a hopeless fan. Strike that, a hopeful fan. There is no such thing as a hopeless Cloud Cult fan. This is music unlike anything you have ever heard. It doesn’t fit any category. It’s life messages are like Christian rock, without being about God. It has the homey feeling of folk music but with so much more energy and showmanship. The use of cello, violin and piano give songs like It’s Your Decision a slight classical feel. Many pieces are clearly Rock but all have some experimental quality. Then you get “Meet Me Where You’re Going” which Craig wrote for the band’s sound engineer’s wedding. It is sort of country and could well and hopefully replace Paul Stuckey’s Wedding Song in popularity.
I would love to get the kids and families up to Madison to hear them on April 20 but it doesn’t start until 10:15 PM. Comment of you are interested in going.
We had our final auditions tonight for teh Choir. In addition to many returning members we gained some excellent new talent. We now have members from Starbuck Middle School, Fine Arts Elementary, Jefferson Lighthouse Elementary, Our Lady of Grace Academy, Prairie, Walden, Red Apple, Nash Elementary, and Gifford Elementary. What a bunch of talented kids. If you missed tonight your options are getting more limitted. Email me ASAP for a private audition in the next few days. OurMusicalLife@ymail.com
Mr. Griffin enjoyed working with the kids so much he has now made himself available to help weekly. We have done some amazing things. With Mr. Griffin’s help we will go even farther. Having another choral musician to assist us is like buying a new car with all the bells and whistles. I could have got the kids where we needed to go but with Mr. Griffin’s help they will go there in style!
10 years from now Racine will look back and see what a turning point this was for our music community. Getting all of these kids involved now will hopefully pay off for the adult singing community with swelled ranks in other church and community choirs.
It has been a lot of hard work for the kids and me but it is finally done. I hope you all enjoy it and don’t forget to share it with your friends, tweet about it and in general sing the praises of these wonderful singers! I am very, very pleased with the results!
There are two possibilities for make-up auditions. Tomorrow, Monday February 11, at 6 PM at Lutheran Church of the Resurrection,322 Ohio Street, Racine. I will be available for people who RSVP to this post. We need to take some video of the kids for our video audition on Thursday, February 14. If our numbers are not up, our chances are a lot less. If you can make it Monday (tomorrow) please contact me.
The second option is Thursday, February 28. I will meet with parents and those who would like to audition and Mr. Griffin will rehearse with those who have already been accepted or are returning. Auditions, rehearsal and meeting will start at 6 PM and end at 7:15 PM Please RSVP so we know how many to expect. If you have questions you can ask them here on the blog. Someone else may have the same question. You can also email me at OurMusicalLife@ymail.com.
Thanks and Spread the Word,
Jack Senzig
Artistic Director
Children’s Choir of teh Internet
Play Minecraft? Want to have your character be in our video? Children’s Choir of teh Internet needs 19 brave players to stand on the virtual stage and sing (lip sync-sort of).
You will need a teh Choir skin. There are 2 boy and 2 girl skins to pick from. These skins match the t-shirts the real world kids wear in the video. Watch this tutorial for how to change your skin:
Here are the Skin files. On a Mac hold down the control key when you click on them to find saving options:
Pick Axes will be provided.
You will receive a credit in the video as a member of the virtual choir.
We will meet on Saturday Feb 9 at 10 AM and Sunday Feb 10 at 2 PM. You can attend one or both filming sessions. Please download and put on your skin well before show time by logging into your legitimate Minecraft account.
You will need to email me to play. Include your screen name Kids under 13 need a parent’s permission to play. Put “Server Party” in the message field and email me the name of who is interested and which or both times you are available. If your child is in teh Choir please tell me. You will need the IP address to join. Once in the world, pick up a wooden, stone and iron pick axe from the nearby chests. Put them in consecutive inventory spots 1 2 and 3. Download or open the refrain of the song found here: http://www.choralnet.org/paint/408506/Six+Days+of+Minecraft+Refrain+Only.mp3 and be ready to hit play. I will message everyone to hit play have the wood one out, on the word “Stone” click #2 on the word “iron” click #3. Not sure this will work but let’s try.
Don’t chat until I say “all clear” Members must vow to do no damage. Kids should stay out of the back stage or light rigging in the virtual stage. DON’T MESS WITH THE REDSTONE! You can throw the switch behind the risers and watch what happens.
I am considering leaving the world available to members. The kids and families could build their own village near the stage and interact with the world. I think it would be fun for the kids to play together from home. Family time at my house is often three of us playing Minecraft on a LAN. Do not build anything until the video shoots are done. We’ll talk more later. This is my actual 1.3GB world so show respect but feel free to explore after the shoot. Rules are 1. Don’t take things that don’t belong to you (you can buy stuff in South Town) don’t wreck what others make and act with respect for each other and my world.
Working with children is always rewarding. My students and choir members are important parts of who I am and I am always proud of them. I could not be more proud of them than I am right now.
I just received a pre-release shipment of LOVE for the kids from Mr. Monowa. My own two choir members opened them with pride and we are listening right now. I guess there IS an advantage to being the director’s kids.
Last spring I went on a search for songs for our school theme of “water.” I asked my Facebook friends for help in finding songs by alternative bands. I wanted to find a band that was not mainstream, one that stayed in contact with their fans, one that might actually listen to my request to cover their song, and one that played concerts in our area. It was my hope that the kids might get an opportunity to perform with such a band. I know that choir is cool, but kids, especially boys don’t always feel that way. One of the tasks I take seriously as a music teacher that has taught K-12 is to get girls AND boys hooked on singing so that they continue on in middle school, high school and beyond.
So my FB friends, including many of my former students from Park High School, gave me their suggestions. My nephew Michael Senzig had gotten me to listen to Cloud Cult once before on a trip we took together. He suggested we do “When Water Comes to Life.” I really liked it but didn’t feel comfortable with some of the text for Public School. But that got me looking at other songs by the band and we chose to cover “Chemicals Collide.”
I have had my general music students recreate the sounds of a rainstorm since I was a student teacher at Woodrow Wilson in Milwaukee (Thanks Rita Crannell). When I heard Chemicals Collide, I envisioned an audience generating those sounds as a lead in to Chemicals Collide which I saw as Hydrogen and Oxygen coming together to make H2O. I didn’t even know that Cloud Cult was an environmentally conscious band at the time.
Craig Minowa founded a non-profit called Earthology Institute and has worked to make the band carbon neutral even to the point of touring in an alternative energy vehicle. He and the band have also been huge supporters of local music programs. We were all blessed that Mr. Minowa gave us permission to cover his beautiful song. Like Earthology Institute on Facebook and you will receive very interesting posts about organic farming and living life in harmony. http://www.facebook.com/EarthologyInstitute?ref=ts&fref=ts
Here is AppleChor’s Cover of Chemical’s Collide with the Rainstorm intro.
AppleChor released the single of their cover on CD Baby. You can still support Red Apple Elemenatry’s music program by purchasing a copy here:
The Band Cloud Cult is unique in a lot of ways. My favorite idiosyncrasy is that they have two artists as part of the band. Connie Minowa and Scott West paint while the band sings. After their concert in Chicago I asked Connie if I could steal her idea and she gave her blessing. I have been trying to contact local artists that might want to try live painting during our concert tentatively for May 26.
Craig Minowa’s music and lyrics can be very profound to completely silly. I would love to have the choir cover more of his stuff. Transistor Radio, When Water Comes to Life, Running with the Wolves and especially There’s So Much Energy In Us. I have become a huge fan of his work and especially respect him as a composer. The instrumental writing on their last album Light Chasers is phenomenal.
Cloud Cult is performing live in Madison on April 20 at 9 PM. I’d like to get a bus and go together with any parents and kids that can stay up that late. Their shows are family friendly and very entertaining. Depending on numbers it could be open to the general public. Comment below or email me at OurMusicalLife@ymail.com
Sorry to go on so long but this has been an incredible 9 months and I feel like I’ve just given birth.
Children’s Choir of teh Internet (teh Choir) is auditioning for America’s Got Talent. Children from all over SE WI and Nortehrn Illinois are welcome. Grades 3-6*
The Auditions begin with a meeting on Thursday February 7 at 6 PM. The rehearsal site is Lutheran Church of the Resurrection, 332 Ohio Street, Racine, WI.
Known costs for the choir are tuition: $75
Uniforms: (Do not buy yet) a Teh Choir T-shirt ($10), Black dress pants and longsleeved White Mandarin Collar tuxedo shirt (about $16)
Travel Costs: Unknown
Rehearsals are Thursdays from 6-7:15 PM
Read Earlier recent posts!!
Please RSVP below or by email OurMusicalLife@ymail.com
Photos and video may be taken at the event Feb 7, 2013 for publicity and auditioning purposes. Entering Lutheran Church of teh Resurrection gives OML permission to use your image and sound. See posted notices on site.
*former members of Children’s Choir of teh Internet in 7th grade may still join. AppleChor and former Children’s Choir of teh Internet members need to come to the meeting but do not need to audition.
The kids singing will be found on CD Baby, iTunes and other digital download sites and streaming services. I don’t think it is up on iTunes yet. Parents of members and friends of the choir can help get our kids voices into the ears of people across the world by sharing the link with your friends and family. This is vital to our success. We are releasing the single before the video in hopes of generating some buzz for the video release. The more the kids are known the more opportunities for collaborations and epic performances will come their way. Share it Please!
