A Look at Virtual Choir 4 - Fly to Paradise

On July 11, 2013, our latest Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir project went live. Our world premiere was for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth at the Coronation Festival.

Here it is:

It's stunning. Sure, some people don't like the dubstep or the electronica and some are disappointed because they couldn't find themselves. Regardless, it's a beautiful piece of work. The beauty of hearing nearly 6,000 voices in sync - it's just magical. Peaceful. Awe-inspiring.

If you visit Eric Whitacre's website and scroll down to "Videos from the Choir", you'll find our very own Maestro with his Tenor "submission" to VC4. You can also check him out here:

Finally, one VC member suggested we come up with a blooper reel, while another painstakingly put them together. I'm towards the end:

You can check out my Virtual Choir 4 experience with my students here and my own reflection of VC4 here.

Building Community in a Virtual Environment

When I participated in Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir last year, one of the fringe benefits was that I became part of this bustling and caring online community. You can read more about my VC3 experience here. It's an amazing group. Everyone is eager to cheer you on - whether it you are preparing for a performance or job interview, surgery or pregnancy. My fellow VCers are usually the first to "Like" a Facebook status by another VCer.

Things get pretty exciting leading up to a Virtual Choir submission deadline. As Eric Whitacre has said on more than one occasion, singers are procrastinators. That final week leading up to the submission deadline was just nuts.

Last year, we crashed the server when the last minute submissions skyrocketed. Not only that, helpful singers wound up in "Facebook Jail" for posting too much in the VC groups on Facebook.

This year, a forum was added to Eric's website, which eased the strain on the Facebook group. As the deadline approached the Ohana Thread was created in the EW forums. Many of those who landed in FB Jail last year were official moderators this year, volunteering their time to help a complete stranger with their submission.

On the eve of the VC4 deadline, June 9th, a few of us got a message from one of our VC friends: "If you can help out, log into the Forums. The mods have gone to bed and there are a lot of people who need help." Although it made for a long night, going into the wee hours of the morning of D-Day, it was great troubleshooting in a Google Hangout with VC friends from British Columbia, New Orleans, California and London, UK.

As Virtual Choir members counted down to the June 10 VC4 submission deadline, several wound up either trolling the Facebook groups (the website kept going up and down), joining a global Google Hangout, or both. Right up to the last second, members were helping others with their submissions, giving moral support and virtual high-fives.

I passed the deadline in one of the global hangouts while trying to help someone with her submission (she managed to get one video submitted). Shortly after the deadline passed, our group decided to celebrate by singing VC4 - "Fly". With singers from Singapore, USA, Canada, Puerto Rico and Austria, the time lag made singing in sync difficult. However, the opportunity to sing together, in real-time, was a truly magical, communal experience.

Singing with My Students in Virtual Choir 4.0

When composer/conductor Eric Whitacre launched Virtual Choir 4.0 a few weeks ago, I'm sure I wasn't the only music teacher in the world to say, "Oh no! This couldn't have come at a worse time!" Music festivals, recitals, exams, putting together the registration package for next year, etc. etc. - there is a LOT on our plates right now (our counterparts in the school system would undoubtedly agree). In fact, I was rather grumpy about not having time to practice Bliss. Thankfully, Team Eric have prepared a lot of support materials. I have been listening to the practice tracks on a regular basis - it keeps me calm while I deal with the icky administrative tasks of running your own business. I am quite relieved that the Bliss is easier than Water Night (although, I do love Water Night to bits).

When six of my piano students stepped forward to say, "I'd like to sing in Virtual Choir" this year, the opportunist within me got excited. For my students, this is a great learning opportunity: in terms of music technology, ear training, expression, speed learning, etc. etc. For me, their lessons ARE my practice time.

As soon as they said "yes", I sent their families the Underage Consent Form (if applicable) and encouraged them to join the Virtual Choir Community. Together, with their parents, they could read up on how to practice, download the practice tracks and ask questions. One of my students has been spending quite a bit of time on the forums so I've been directing my other students to ask HIM questions.

Last week, I coached my students on the trouble spots. It really helps that they are singing parts that are in my vocal range. This week, we're working on pitch, breathing and pronunciation. After working through it at a lesson today, I feel hopeful that I can record at least one track ahead of my students.

This Friday, we are going to have a studio Virtual Choir rehearsal. Staggered breathing will make much more sense to them when we work as a group. As well, they will have an opportunity to watch the conductor videos together and ask questions.

I can also share with them this little demo that fellow Virtual Choir members put together by randomly selecting 44 members of VC4 who have already submitted their videos:

Afterwards, they will take turns recording in my special Virtual Choir recording booth:

Since our time-frame is extremely short (we must submit our tracks before June 10), we have to go with the best of three takes, a far cry from my Virtual Choir recording experience last year. Everyone is bringing non-dairy food to share as we'll be cutting into dinnertime. Their parents get to hang out with us if they'd like (or just curl up on my waiting room couch with a book).

Perhaps in July, when Virtual Choir 4.0 is unveiled at the Coronation Festival’s Gala performances for Her Royal Majesty Queen Elizabeth, we can have a VC4 party.