HUMBER VOCALISTS GET EPIC WITH VIDEO GAMES
LIVE SHOW AT MASSEY HALL
On October 12, 2012, the Humber College Vocal Jazz Ensemble was asked to participate in the Video Games Live show at Massey Hall. This sold out event was the Toronto stop of the biggest and most popular gaming concert in the world. The Humber Choir was 17 vocalists strong, including 5 alumni and was joined on stage by a symphony orchestra, video footage, live action figures and a synchronized light show. The students rose to the challenge of singing in many different musical styles and languages from soundtracks of classic games like Tetris and Earthworm Jim, as well as modern titles such as World of Warcraft, Mass Effect and Skyrim.
The Video Games Live extravaganza was a wonderful opportunity for the Humber College students to develop and stretch their vocal abilities beyond what they do in school. This opportunity to sing with a full live orchestra in one of Toronto’s finest and most historical venues was truly a special night to remember!
View youtube clip above of rehearsals, snippets of students comments, and Show day at Massey Hall.
Logistics:
Rehearsal Agendas at a glance:
Rehearsal #1 and # 2 - I would like to rehearse the following...
1. Tetris (Russian) SATB
2. Invincible (including ladies in Boys Choir)
3. Fatali - SATB
4. Civilization - SATB
Rehearsals #3
1. Dragonborn Theme (tenors/basses mostly) Ladies come in @ bar 97 - 118)
2. Mass Effect (AH's bars 3-16 and 51-53)
3. Supersmashbrosbrawl - SATB
4.Earthworm Jim - SATB(OH's and AH's Bar 137 to 172)
Rehearsal #4 - Review all 8 pieces (fortunately a few of them only involve the choir minimally)
Dates and Personnel of Rehearsals:
Rehearsal #1: Friday Oct 12th
@ Humber room A203 4:30 to 6:30PM
(Total 13: 4 sops, 3 altos, 2-3 tenors, 1 bari and 1 bass)
Sopranos: Meg Contini, Mjaa Danielson, Eunjin Lee, Christine Glen
Altos: Daniella Garica, Mara Nesrallah, Emily Rockarts, Jill Harris
Tenors: Uram Kim, Kyle Kim, Cameron
Bari: Jordan and Ian
Bass: Graham
Rehearsal #2 Sunday Oct 14th @ 1:30 to 4:00
@ Humber Auditorium
(Total: 15: 4 sops, 4 altos, 2 tenors, 2 bari, 1 bass)
Rehearsal Accompanist: Kevin Stolz
Sopranos: Eunjin Lee, Emily Smit ,Mjaa Danielson, Christine Glen
Altos: Daniella Garcia, Emily Rockarts, Jill Harris, Mara Nesrallah
Tenors: Danny Fong , Uram Kim , Kyle Kim, Cameron
Bari: Jordan, Ian
Bass: Graham
Rehearsal #3 Saturday Oct 20 @ Humber room Studio from 10:00 to 1:00
(Total 15: 4 sops, 3 altos, 3-4 tenors, 2 baris and 1 bass)
Rehearsal Accompanist: Kevin Stolz
Sops: Meg, Mjaa, Eunjin and Emily Smit
Altos: Mara, Daniella and Emily Rockarts
Tenors: Danny, Uram, Kyle, Cameron
Bari: Ian, Jordan, Alex
Bass: Graham
Rehearsal #4 Sunday Oct 21@ Humber Auditorium from 1:30 to 4:00
(Total: 15: 4 sops, 3 altos, 3-4 tenors, 2 bari, 1 bass)
Rehearsal Accompanist: Kevin Stolz
Sops: Eunjin, Emily Smit ,Mjaa, Christine
Altos: Daniella, Mara, Emily Rockarts
Tenors: Danny, Uram, Kyle, Cam
Bari: Ian, Jordan, Alex
Bass: Graham
Order of Events on Show Day:
1. Call – @ Massey Hall at 1:00
2. 2:00 – Group Vocal Warm-Up
3. Choir rehearsal with Piano from 2:00 to 3:00PM
4. Run through of show with full Orchestra from 3:00 to 6:00
5. Showtime 7:30 to 10:00
Set list Order Just For Choir
1. Civilization
2. Super Mash Bros. Brawl
3. Warcraft WOTLK: Invincible
4. Mass Effect
5. Earthworm Jim
6. Tetris Opera
7. Liberi
8. Skyrim
Reflection:
At first I wasn’t sure if this type of project would be appropriate for my group but on second thought I figured it would be an ideal way of engaging and expanding the sometimes insular world of the jazz artist. Various choir members, vocal teachers and alumni came together in a communal way to make this project succeed. People donated their time well beyond the allotted rehearsals to memorize music and sound out foreign words as necessary. By making sure the right people were given tasks suitable to their strengths from sectionals to video to costume to research, this massive undertaking actually became a labor of love. All of the vocalists were working outside of their comfort zone but when it was time to perform with the orchestra on stage our preparation paid off big time. The evening was a musical triumph!
At first I wasn’t sure if this type of project would be appropriate for my group but on second thought I figured it would be an ideal way of engaging and expanding the sometimes insular world of the jazz artist. Various choir members, vocal teachers and alumni came together in a communal way to make this project succeed. People donated their time well beyond the allotted rehearsals to memorize music and sound out foreign words as necessary. By making sure the right people were given tasks suitable to their strengths from sectionals to video to costume to research, this massive undertaking actually became a labor of love. All of the vocalists were working outside of their comfort zone but when it was time to perform with the orchestra on stage our preparation paid off big time. The evening was a musical triumph!