Making Real Connections Through Virtual Choir

They sang as individuals but became part of something bigger in Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir. Seven members share their journey and their connections.

In December 2011, composer Eric Whitacre made an announcement on his website about his third Virtual Choir project: "Water Night". Singers from around the world were invited to prepare and submit a video for one or more of the 14 voice parts in this choral work from Whitacre's Grammy-winning album, Light & Gold. A record number of 3,746 videos were submitted by singers representing 73 countries.

Singers uploaded their video(s) either to Eric Whitacre's website or Youtube. The video and audio were scrubbed for every submission. The videos were then synchronized to become one massive multi-track. VC3's "Water Night" was launched on April 2, 2012, via live stream at the Lincoln Arts Center in New York, NY. VC3 has recently received over 200,000 views on Youtube.

Yours truly had the opportunity to speak with seven members of Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir 3.0: Melissa Ann Cody (Goshen, NY, USA), Bren Wrona Norris (Sonoma, CA, USA), Maria Petrova (New York, NY, USA), Jack Rowland (Tampa Bay, FL, USA), Scott Simmons (San Antonio, TX, USA), Kristen Soo (Burnaby, BC, CAN) and Chrissie Vincent (Petersfield, Hampshire, UK). Their individual stories intersect and connect to create the Virtual Choir story.

Discovering the Music of Eric Whitacre

“I happened to be at the concert where they premiered “Water Night”," says Maria Petrova. "I was not ready for this at all. I wasn't even that much of a fan of choral music. I just went because I'm a graphic designer and I was designing the concert programme for the arts centre at BYU.

“I was absolutely – just – entranced by “Water Night”. I remember very clearly the moment when it came on,” she says. “I felt like it literally washed every cell of my body.”

Kristen Soo was on campus at Simon Fraser University when she watched Virtual Choir 2 - “Sleep”: “I was crying in my lab. It was so beautiful.”

In her studio, Bren Wrona Norris, a voting member of the Recording Academy, was listening to the nominees in choral music for the 54th Annual Grammys. When she came to Eric Whitacre's Light and Gold album, Bren said, “Oh my gosh, this is phenomenal!”

“I immediately voted for him and then I went online to find out what he does, where he's from and how he came to be,” Bren gushes. “It was the week or two before we had to have our videos in for VC3. It was that fast. I said, 'All right! I'll do it!' ”

Virtual Choir Members Make Connections

“I was trying to record a couple of weeks before the deadline,” recalls Kristen. “I was having a clipping problem with my mic. When I sang too loudly, it would just make these really weird noises. I made a post on the Facebook page. It turned out that Jack [Rowland] as well as David Johnson responded and they were able to help me out.”

As the initial deadline and later, the extended deadline approached, more people were experiencing challenges. They flocked to the Virtual Choir Facebook page for help.“I put in two videos and I asked a question to the Facebook page,” says Scott Simmons. “One of them's better than the other one. Which one should I put in?” With a smile, he adds, “Of course, Jack [Rowland] pipes up and says, “Take the best one and put it in.”

As Scott scrolled down the FB page, he read more comments by Jack. “Wow! He's helping a lot of people.” A thought popped into Scott's mind, “I love technology. I love music. This is a sweet spot for me, so I went in and started helping everyone else out.”

The helpers were commenting so often, that some people were banned from commenting. Jack Rowland was one who landed in “Facebook Jail”, not once, but twice. “What really caused it was we were answering so many questions,” recounts Jack. “I had a cheat sheet so that I could copy/paste. I could rapid-fire responses to common questions.”

One person Jack helped was Christy-Lyn Marais. “We take for granted that we have wi-fi everywhere,” says Jack. “So she's talking to me about how she's trying to send using a 3G cell phone. At one point, I say, “ 'Can you find a McDonald's?' because they all have free wi-fi now.”

Her reply: “The nearest McDonald's is like, 400 miles away from here.” That's when Jack discovered that Christy-Lyn lives in a remote part of South Africa.

“On the last day when there were a lot of problems,” says Kristen. “Everyone was trying to submit at the same time.” She thought, “Maybe I'll just join one of these [Google] Hangouts, say 'Hi' and just see how it goes.” She's glad she did. “It happened to be that I met over 10 people that night. I actually got to meet Jack face-to-face, which was really great as I got to thank him for helping me with my microphone. Chrissie [Vincent] was in that Hangout as well.”

Virtual Choir – A Global Choir

“I was very struck and amazed by how much of a connection I had,” recalls Jack. “Even though when I watched Virtual Choir 1, I was thinking, 'This isn't choral singing.' But when I sang my part and Eric conducted, the connection that I had with him – looking into his eyes and watching him conduct was every bit as real to me as if I were standing on a stage, and that surprised me.”

“To think there is someone in Syria who sang with us, despite this incredible turmoil that they're in,” comments Maria. “And this girl in Japan named Hitomi, who leads a totally different life than I do and is 22 hours ahead of me. She was able to sing at the same time as me, although she actually sang at a totally different time than me. That we all somehow ended up singing at the same synchronized performance – and that to me is an absolute miracle,” she adds.

Maria attended the launch of "Water Night" and Water Night CD Release along with fellow VC members Julie Souin, Kevin Callahan, Lynna Schaefer and Jack Rowland. “In many ways, I saw that it was technically not as superior as a professional performance of a hand-picked 24 singers. The beauty, on the other hand, was just how many voices [there were] and the different times of the consonants. They're kind of the things that one would consider imperfections from a technical point of view were in a beautiful way of reinforcing the multiplicity of people's backgrounds, of people's places, of people's times, of people's identities.”

Virtual Choir – An Online Community Without Borders

The Virtual Choir connection didn't end after any of these singers submitted their videos. Melissa Ann Cody has kept in touch with Jack Rowland since Virtual Choir 2. “Jack was working on another virtual choir project,” she explained. “There's a group on Facebook called Let's Sing for Japan. I did post a video for that.”

Chrissie Vincent watched the premiere of “Water Night” online with several of her Virtual Choir friends. “That was very exciting,” she recalls. “The fact that we were online and we actually watched the premiere. That's pretty special.”

Maria noticed Scott's support of others in the group and dropped him a line: “I'm lucky enough to live in New York and I'm going to be at the CD signing. Would you like a CD?” Scott replied, “Yeah, of course I would love one.”

“So I got him one and sent it to him,” says Maria. “He just wrote me this morning that he put the cheque in the mail and I said, 'Oh my gosh! It will be so weird to get a physical object from you.' ”

The online groups continue to thrive. “What I find fascinating is that people are so friendly, so great on VC Friends. Everyday I check it just to see what's going on,” says Bren.

“It's really different,” says Scott. “It's really nice to have a group of friends like that, who have the same passion for music that you do and that I do. That helps keep those connections alive.”

“I met so many people,” says Kristen. “We all just got talking and then having fun – as though we were sitting in the same room together, making jokes, supporting each other; just learning about each other's lives.”

“It's very enriching. It has enlarged my circle, which is tremendous,” says Chrissie. “It just goes to show what these online communities can actually do.”Sources:

Skype/Facebook video interviews with Melissa Ann Cody (April 15, 2012), Bren Wrona Norris (April 13, 2012), Maria Petrova (April 16, 2012), Jack Rowland (April 26, 2012), Scott Simmons (April 15, 2012), Kristen Soo (April 21, 2012) and Chrissie Vincent (April 13, 2012).

Originally published May 26, 2012 on Suite101.com. All rights reserved by Rhona-Mae Arca.

Pets Can Recycle Too!

Environmentally-conscious pet owners are now finding that the three Rs, "Reduce, Recycle, Reuse," can apply to pet equipment and supplies.

The pet supply market is becoming increasingly "green" with pet waste composters, eco-friendly toys, pet beds, clothing and other supplies. Recently, there are a growing number of opportunities for pet owners to recycle pet equipment and supplies such as pet beds, carriers and toys. Here are three recycling options for environmentally-conscious pet owners and their pets.

Donate Pet Supplies and Equipment

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) has local branches and humane societies throughout the world. The pet shelters established by the SPCA do accept some used pet supplies and products. Some of the items they do take include blankets, towels, stainless steel food dishes, pet beds, pet carriers (crates), washable toys and unopened pet food. Shelters may accept one specific brand of pet food.

Donors should properly cleanse and sanitize used pet supplies before bringing them to a shelter. These organizations will also accept donations of new pet supplies and equipment, gift cards, unopened cleaning and office supplies.

To find out more about which items are acceptable and which are not, donors can contact their local SPCA, humane society or animal shelter.

Sell Pet Equipment and Supplies to a Pet Consignment Store

Second-hand stores for pets? Yes, they do exist. Some pet thrift stores are run by humane societies. These second-hand pet supply stores accept leashes, beds, dog and cat carriers, toys, cages and training equipment.

Consignment stores and used pet supply boutiques are a fairly new concept. “No one has ever marketed a consignment store to pets, but we feel there is a definite need for it,” said Kimberly Hall, owner of the Haute Hound in the December 2009 article "Haute Hound Pet Boutique Enters Consignment Business". This type of second-hand pet boutique will accept gently-used designer pet accessories, such as clothing, leashes, costumes and jewelry on consignment. They also accept the usual items of food dishes, pet beds and blankets. Items that are not sold after a certain period of time are donated to a local animal shelter.

Sell Used Pet Supplies & Equipment in the Classifieds

Used pet equipment and supplies that are in good condition can be sold through online classified ads such as Ebay, Kijiji and 4pawsexchange.com or print ads in the newspaper or community newsletter. Online classified websites require advertisers to set up an account. Some examples of items that can be sold as second-hand items include bird cages, pet carriers, training equipment, invisible fencing, pet beds, crates and fish tanks.

Pets and their owners can "go green" by recycling pet products and supplies that are in good condition. By donating pet supplies and equipment to a local animal shelter, selling them to a second-hand pet supply store or selling them through a classified ad, items that are still in good condition are kept out of the landfill.

Originally published on Suite101.com on March 12, 2010. Winner of a Suite101 Editor's Choice Award. All rights are reserved by Rhona-Mae Arca.

Helping the Community and Promoting Your Business

Once in a while, I am asked to make a silent auction donation for a community event. Now, I know that some companies give gift certificates or packages. However, one thing I learned at my self-employment classes is to never discount or give away your services. If you're a one person show, you can't give away all your time and talents! However, it's important to serve the community. A few years ago, I found another way to show my support while not discounting myself: gift baskets. This year, I teamed up with my brother at To the Wind Studio and we're offering this Italian themed music appreciation basket to benefit the Father Lacombe Care Centre Foundation's 14th Annual Legacy Dinner and Silent Auction on March 1, 2013:

The lucky recipient doesn't have to play a musical instrument. He or she just needs to have an appreciation for (or curiosity for) music. There's Vivaldi's Four Seasons as well as Andrea Bocelli's Passione. The centerpiece of the basket is the Pisa hazelnut liqueur. Completing the set are two lovely Mediterranean coffee/tea mugs.

Save Our Fine Arts Meeting September 12, 2011

The Save Our Fine Arts (SOFA) executive committee has a meeting with Alison Redford (PC Party leadership candidate) this coming Monday, September 12th in Calgary:

• Time: 7:30 p.m. to approximately 8:45 p.m.

• Location: St. John’s Music Store (105 - 58th Avenue SE, Calgary), 3 blocks east of Chinook Mall. There is plenty of free parking

This meeting is open to the public. SOFA is an organization set up in response to Alberta Education’s proposed changes to our Fine Arts Curriculum.  For more information, visit SOFA's website or contact saveourfinearts@gmail.com.

(c) 2011 by Musespeak(TM), Calgary, AB, Canada. All rights reserved.

Latest Benefit Performance Made the News

Yesterday, my sibling and I performed at the Hana Matsuri, organized by the Southern Alberta JET Program Alumni Association (SAJETAA for short). Hana Matsuri is a Japanese celebration to welcome spring and to commemorate Buddha's birthday.

Since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, we have wanted to help with the relief efforts in any way that we can. When we signed up to perform, we thought, "Oh boy! We don't have a lot of time to put this together. Time to get cracking!"

We had one week. Three ensemble rehearsals. Sheet music for only two songs, chord charts for the rest, for those who want to know. Melodies had to be picked out entirely by ear.

I'm the first to admit that when the news camera guy walked in, there was a moment of panic: "OMG! We haven't had these pieces for very long. What if we bomb?". Incidentally, every classical artist's nightmare. We are trying to break the habit but every now and again, we succumb to old thought processes.

Thankfully, all went well. We triumphed over our trouble spots and smoothly adjusted whenever we went "off the page". For that, we have to thank God. We also have to thank our music teachers, especially Derek Stoll and Linda Pimentel, for stressing the essential stage survival skills: technique, sight-reading, improvisation, a strong ear and a strong foundation in music theory.

We were touched by our audience. It is really true that we feed off our audiences. It's a circle: musician gives to audience - audience reacts - musician feeds off reaction to give more. We see happy faces, we want to give more to the happy faces. We see people tearing up with emotion, we want to give them more because we know we've triggered something in their heart. Our audience becomes an integral part of our performance.

As a pianist, I don't really see the reactions of the audience, but I hear them. The sighs of pleasure,the laughter, the gasps of delight, the whispers, etc. We even hear the not-so positive comments with our "on-stage super hearing", such as "Is it over yet?", "I wanna go home now!", "This piece is sooooo long!"

As a singer, I see it all written on people's faces. There is a magical, mystical connection forged when you sing directly to someone. We don't get that connection when our eyes are focused on our instrument.

The festival itself was a success. There was an ikebana demonstration (too bad I didn't win a flower arrangement for Mom), taiko drumming demonstration by Midnight Taiko Kai, several things to buy, free food and tea and a "Let's Play Dress Up" corner with yukata. Sale and raffle proceeds went towards the Japan earthquake/tsunami relief efforts.

And yes - we made Global TV Calgary's 6:00 News approximately 11 minutes into the newscast. You can hear us playing HoukiBoshi in one segment and a bit of Tsubassawokudasai in other.

Selected songs from yesterday's performance will be added to Musespeak'sYoutube Channel.

(c) 2011 byMusespeak(tm), Calgary, AB, Canada. All rights reserved.