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DISCHORD Newsletter of the Perth

Undergraduate Choral Society

Welcome to the last issue of this season before

we start the next exciting chapter later this year!

In this issue, Monica tells what you missed out on

at camp. Read up on the great wisdom of our

Concert Managers, Anna and Michelle, on how to

prepare for the concert, and how to not make

yourself look silly on stage (and off), and vital

rehearsals to attend leading up to the big day!

Lastly, the “63rd Australian Intervarsity Choral

Festival, Melbourne” (or more affectionately

known as MIV) is coming real soon! We tell you

what you can expect.

2012: Issue 32012: Issue 32012: Issue 32012: Issue 3

Like to sing?... ......Then you`ll love us!

Ben|dischord@pucs.org.au

DISCHORD Editor

So, it's Friday, April 20 -

the first day of camp is finally here, and I'm up

bright and early to start packing my bags, and all

the food (or some of it) into my car. Playing Tetris

with boxes and bags of food is quite a skill, I must

say - one that I don't quite possess. Anyway, by

that night, those of us who were staying overnight

were all lounging around in the dining area,

talking, gossiping, enjoying the warm fire,

and feasting on a good old

barbecue, and playing games.

One of the stranger card

games involved creating your

own intervarsity festival that was

better than everyone else’s, and

while it didn't exactly make much

sense [Editor: much like real IVs], it

made for some strange and

amusing fun.

Continued on Page 2...

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CONCERT 1: “ONE NIGHT ONLY” - 3.30pm on 26 MAY

(SATURDAY) at PERTH MODERN SCHOOL, 90 Roberts

Road, SUBIACO! Concert call (be there) at 2.00pm.

Gorgeous choristers and gorgeous views! No

wonder we keep going back to Eagles Nest!

PUCS CAMP @Eagles Nest Retreat,

Gidgegannup

www.pucs.org.au 2

...Continued from Page 1

Then came the business end of camp… While the

rehearsal time on camp was long and full-on (and taking

up the better part of Saturday), the songs were coming

together nicely, and it sounded awesome with the band

accompanying at last!! Congratulations to everyone for your hard work, and a big thank you

to the Rock Scholars for coming to rehearse in the morning!

Dinner was next up on the agenda - and what a night it was!! Valerie and Jacynthe led us

through a song in French, Dave took the award for best dressed in a creepily good

representation of John Lennon, and everyone looked fantastic in their costumes, including

and a few tributes to Amy Winehouse! The dining area was decorated with balloons and

streamers thrown around the beams. The dinner was an all-English affair with roast and gravy and puddings, and almost

all the food was cleaned up in between our various toasts and singing. By the end of the night (sometime after midnight

for most of us), we were all exhausted from all the activities of the day, and retired for some sleep before we had to pack

everything up again and get set for the long drive back to our lives in the real world.

A huge, huge thanks to everyone on committee for helping me for the past few months in organising the whole

weekend! Also, to those who were able to give lifts

to fellow choristers or who pitched in to help clean

up after meals and such, and to my parents for

giving up their Saturday to spend the day in the

kitchen with me - camp would not have been

anywhere as fantastic without your help! Thank

you all so much!

Calls for Music Subcommittee Want to get involved in selecting music for our next concert? Want to get involved in selecting music for our next concert? Want to get involved in selecting music for our next concert? Want to get involved in selecting music for our next concert? Do you

know some great music? Contact Lucy and she’ll tell you how to get

involved in the all-exciting music subcommittee meetingmusic subcommittee meetingmusic subcommittee meetingmusic subcommittee meeting. Jon has

suggested putting a focus on the wonderful Henry Purcell, and other

musicians inspired by his work. ALL ARE WELCOME!ALL ARE WELCOME!ALL ARE WELCOME!ALL ARE WELCOME!

Don’t sweat if you missed out on the fun of staying overnight at camp this semester; there’s another camp next semester too!

Monica|camp@pucs.org.au

Camp Officer

Last note of the season from the Conductor Dear PUCS,

Thanks everyone for the awesome work going into putting this

season's concert together. The progress so far is fantastic, and

the sound of the choir and bands together at camp was

awesome. The concert is going to be amazing, and I hope

everyone is busily selling lots of tickets - get them early! I would

also like to pay tribute to the excellent and untiring work of

everyone on committee in getting the concert arrangements

together - most especially Lucy and our new Concert Managers,

Anna and Michelle.

It's also time to start looking ahead to our second concert for

2012, which is a fantastic orchestral collaboration with the UWA

Choral Society, directed by Chris Van Tuinen. Performing

Vivaldi's Gloria with a chamber orchestra will be a special treat, as will the

renaissance polyphony of Palestrina's Missa Brevis. Rehearsals will begin on Monday

June 4th for PUCS, and the concert is on August 19th in St. Patrick's Basilica in

Fremantle. Anyone needing to miss a couple of weeks due to exams or holidays or

IV already arranged needn't be concerned, and it will also be possible to catch up by

attending a few UWACS rehearsals on a Wednesday if you wish. Keep up the great

work, and let's rock a full house on the 26th!

The wonderful 300-seat auditorium at Perth Modern School. Sounds great and looks great (especially when it’s filled with people listening to an awesome choir!)

More Camp Shenanigans Jon|conductor@pucs.org.au

Musical Director

www.pucs.org.au 3

ConMan’s Top Tips for a Perfect Concert Feeling nervous about the upcoming concert and don’t know where to go or what to do? It’s easy once

you know how!

1.Right place at the right time—this will make your concert experience memorable for the right reasons. Perth Modern

School (cnr Thomas St & Roberts Rd in Subiaco) is opposite Princess Margaret Hospital and there’s parking on the grounds or

on the street. If you park on the street, check the signs to make sure you can stay there long enough and not get a friendly

letter from the council. Jon seems nice and smiley, but will become Conductor Crankypants if half the choir has to move their

cars midway through the concert!

2.Wear the right clothes—on the day, concert dress is a black top (no tank tops!), blue jeans (darker colours preferred) and

black shoes. Don’t wear any fragrances as it may irritate some nearby noses, but deodorant is a plus. Pick comfortable shoes

that you’ll be able to stand up on stage in. Definitely not the right time to test run those

13”stilettos, basses. Not there’s anything wrong with that; though feel free to let us

know where you got them.

3.Remember to bring music—our fantastically organised librarian Ben will organise

black folders for us to put our music in (look out for them during dress rehearsal), or you

can bring your own if you have one. Make sure it’s plain black so we look as similar as

possible.

4.Watch Jon—the truth is, those pencil marking and all those funny words, it’s a super

special secret code that Jon can read! He’ll make sure you’re in time, and that you sing

loud enough.

5.Smile!—This will be a fantastic concert with a fantastic sound, and we need to match

that with our faces. 60 people on stage wearing black could look like a funeral

procession. Not exactly concert-material! Unless you are singing a funeral anthem.

Happened last year. True story.

6.If you make a mistake, see Tip 5—the best thing to do is look confident, listen to those

around you, and come back in when you’re ready. If you look like you know what you’re

doing, that’s what the audience will think. If you give away your “uh-oh” face, everyone

in the audience will know something went wrong. Everyone.

7.Perth Mod is NOT G5—it’s an amazing place to sing and has a great

sound, but it’ll definitely be different from what you’re familiar with in

G5. We will have two rehearsals there so that you’ll come out of it feeling

confident. At those rehearsals, we’ll give directions on how to get on and

off stage; where to stand, etc… don’t worry, you’re in good hands. There

may be a few scary moments as us and the band get to know each other

and work out the kinks.

8.On concert day, there’s mics on stage—this means extra caution when

walking on and off, and minimise extra noises we don’t want appearing

on the recording. This includes tapping your foot to keep time, swearing

under your breath, screaming hello to mom & dad in the audience, or

loud page turns. The secret to a quiet page turn is to turn early and calmly

when possible, or when the music gets real loud, or hold the bottom and

gently turn. For Laudate, a simple foot stomp is fine, avoid jumping and

leave the energy for after the concert.

9.Water and food—make sure you eat beforehand and have plenty of

water. We won’t be bringing water on stage as accidental spillage might

short circuit electronics.

10.Bring lots of family & friends!—They will love it and there’s nothing

better than a packed house whilst belting out fantastic music with a big

choir. Let’s fill the venue all the way to the back!

2012 Timeline 26 May Concert 1, Perth Modern

School, Subiaco “One Night Only”

4 Jun Season 2 starts

6 Jun UWACS Rehearsals (Only for those singing in Season 2. Every

Wed until the concert (as necessary) &

go more often when Season 3 starts)

(2-15 Jun Sem 1 Exams—Curtin & Murdoch)

(9-23 Jun Sem 1 Exams—UWA)

29 Jun - 15 Jul

Melbourne IV

30 Jul Season 3 starts (Every Monday, as usual)

19 Aug Concert 2 with UWACS, St. Patrick’s Basilica, Fremantle (Vivaldi Gloria and Palestrina Missa Brevis)

Mid Aug Annual Dinner (25 Aug-2 Sep Study Break—Curtin)

Mid Sep Camp (22-30 Sep Study Break—UWA & Murdoch)

Late Oct Concert 3 Anna & Michelle|conman@pucs.org.au

Concert Manager

WANTED: FWANTED: FWANTED: FWANTED: FRONT OFRONT OFRONT OFRONT OF HHHH O U S E O U S E O U S E O U S E S T A F FS T A F FS T A F FS T A F F Must be: reliable, punctual, reliable, punctual, reliable, punctual, reliable, punctual, trustworthytrustworthytrustworthytrustworthy; Skills required: return change return change return change return change and/or hold a hold a hold a hold a torch & point towards seattorch & point towards seattorch & point towards seattorch & point towards seat; Must have: smiley face, smiley face, smiley face, smiley face, supply own pair of blue pair of blue pair of blue pair of blue jeans jeans jeans jeans & black topblack topblack topblack top; Required from 3pm unti l end of 3pm unti l end of 3pm unti l end of 3pm unti l end of concertconcertconcertconcert; Get free ticketsfree ticketsfree ticketsfree tickets, EXCLUSIVE invitationinvitationinvitationinvitation to PCPPCPPCPPCP & eternal gratitude! eternal gratitude! eternal gratitude! eternal gratitude! Contact MICHELLE MICHELLE MICHELLE MICHELLE or TXT TXT TXT TXT person’s name & contact to 0412 777 5720412 777 5720412 777 5720412 777 572.

And make sure to return your music to the librarian when the concert is done.

www.pucs.org.au 4

WAN T E D : F U N D R A I S I N G

OFFICER To organise raising money for

PUCS, draft letters to interested organisations; PUBLICITY OFFICER To start designing

posters and plans to bring in new choristers!

By the way, if you haven’t figured out by now, IVs are bloody amazing, and you should go if you can.

Melbourne IV: What to expect if you never been to an IV

PUCS Committee 2012 Section Leaders

Soprano: Flick

Alto: Monica

Tenor: Brendan

Bass: Ben

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun

14 Perth Modern School, 7pm-

10pm. Rock on with the band! Give

yourself time to find the venue and a

place to park!

15 16 17 18 19 20

Rehearsal Schedule: running up to the concert

21 UWA Music G5, 7pm-9pm. One

last time to fix everything up in the

(dis)comfort of G5.

22 23 24 25 Perth Modern School, 7pm-

10pm. Dress Rehearsal. Tinkling

with the lighting and sound so

we look and sound good.

26 “One Night Only”, Perth

Modern School. Call at 2pm.

Concert starts at 3.30pm. Post

Concert Party (TBA)

Secretary—Brendan

Treasurer—Dave

Fresher Rep—Jacynthe

IT—Mark

An Intervarsity Festival (IV) is a two-week long

festival that involves lots of rehearsals, lots of fun

events, and sometimes, some strange traditions. And

it’s in Melbourne! You’ve GOT to be there!

The first thing that might freak you out is the amount

of rehearsals. There are rehearsals every day leading

up to the concert on Saturday night. But don’t panic!

Many of the IV-goers are really

experienced, and you can pick up on

the music quite easily. Don’t go all-out

on each rehearsal (or you’ll lose your voice),

but slowly ramp it up each day.

The first week is held at a campsite out

of the city (much like PUCS camp), except

this time, this one lasts five days. There’s

a costume party on the first night at camp (again much

like PUCS camp; are you beginning to see the similarities?). Be

impressed (or horrified) by the costumes, meet new

people, have a drink, and have a good time.

A very special IV event you may have heard of is the

Presidents’ PJs. I won’t say much, but it involves all

the choir’s presidents and their seconds (or their

nominated victims… I mean, their very honoured

representatives), lots of laughs and maybe a little

mess. You have been warned.

If you can drink fast, represent PUCS in the sculling! (non-alcoholic beverages are available, of course. We’re all

responsible adults. Usually.) And then there’s the revue

night where you can watch talented people with all

forms of superb skills, amazing abilities, and

stupendous singing, or the lack thereof. There’s

bragging rights for the fastest scullers and best revue

act! Don’t forget to bring a good joke too.

Once the first concert is over, it’s time

to do it for another week, this time in

the city. If you haven’t got a place to

stay, they’ll make plans for you to billet

at someone’s place. Sure, you may not

get a nice hotel bed, but a roof is good.

Rehearsals take place at a university

venue, and then it’s off to the pub/café

after the evening rehearsals.

Tuesday night on the second week is dedicated to the

Academic Dinner (which is just a fancy way of saying a really

formal dinner). Suit up/frock up and look glamorous.

Look forward to good food, long speeches, singing,

and prizes for antics held at camp.

And once the second concert is over and the next day

people chill around the barbecue with hotdogs and

steaks, you’ll wish for it to last another week more.

MELBOURNE INTERVARSITY

C H O R A L F E S T I V A L 2 0 1 2

President—Lucy

VP/Camp Officer—Monica

Concert Managers—Michelle & Anna

Social Secretary—Flick

Librarian/Dischord—Ben

More info (and registration) on the official website: www.miv.aicsa.org.au or ask anyone who has been to an IV before.

Look out for Issue #4 coming out in August: All the excitement at Melbourne IV, details on how to watch

your f r iends s ing wi th UWACS, f rock or su i t up for the Annual Dinner , and more !