Next Rehearsal - 03/05/24

Our next meeting is next Tuesday!

March 5, 2024 7pm-9pm
Raleigh UU, Peace Hall, Rm. 101
3313 Wade Avenue
Raleigh, NC 27607

*Unfortunately, our Musical Director, Bizzy, has had to resign due to some big changes in her life. My deep gratitude to Bizzy for getting us off the ground, for all her time and care and hard work.

Obviously, this is a challenge for TPC. I'll be running tonight as a planning meeting so we can discuss how to move forward..*

We welcome all safe and respectful Pagan and Pagan-adjacent adults of any skill and experience level! We're community-focused rather than performance-focused, so we don't hold auditions and we welcome drop-ins. Because of the music that is best-known and most-available, our starter songs trend a little Wiccan, but we will be seeking to incorporate all kinds of Pagan and Pagan-friendly music. You can help! We welcome recommendations and leads on pertinent music that is in the public domain or is low-royalty. 

There are no fees or dues for participating, but we do gratefully welcome any cash donations* to cover the cost of renting our rehearsal space. We will have a receipt book on hand to log all donations and post aggregate info (without personally identifying information) to the blog so everyone can see where their donations are going. *We are not currently a registered 501c, so we don't have financial accounts and I can't speak to whether or not your donation is tax-deductible.

If you are experiencing any symptoms of a contagious illness, especially Covid-19, please defer your attendance until you're feeling well. We'll all be breathing the same air in that meeting room and, while you are absolutely welcome to wear a mask, it isn't exactly conducive to singing.

We will have name/pronoun stickers available at our meetings. Whenever possible, we will have sheet music printed. The sheet music is also available on our Drive. The only things you need to bring are your voice and the vocal-chord-friendly drink of your choice!

We're so excited to see everyone on Tuesday!

- El Pethybridge, Administrative Director
TrianglePaganChoir@gmail.com

P.S. In addition to this blog, there are a number of ways to stay updated on our events. We have a mailing list for weekly email reminders and can even send you an Invite directly through Google Calendar. Email us at the address above to be added to both or either of these lists. You can also find us on Facebook at our Page and in our Group, where we share Events and other info. If you'd like to be added to the Invite list for our Facebook Events, please follow our Page or join our Group (otherwise FB won't let me send it to you) and drop us a PM. Here's the FB Event for our Feb 27 rehearsal.

P.P.S. Sorry I'm a day late again, my husband wound up in the ER yesterday! He'll be alright, it just ate our entire day.

Rehearsal Summary - 02/27/24

Our Musical Director was still on bereavement leave this week so I (El, your Admin Director) hosted a  meetup for our group again. There were four of us who came to chat. We dug into a bin of items one of our members was letting go of (which she plans to bring again next week) and had a thorough commiseration session again. It can be really hard to make genuine connections as an adult, to know where the line is between sharing and oversharing, or at least where the people you're speaking to will draw that line. But we can't really know one another if we never give or receive the opportunity to see each other, and humans have a deep need for genuine connection. I was very grateful and honored that the folks who came out this week were so ready to see and be seen. My deep appreciation to y'all for your vulnerability and for creating a safe space for each other's vulnerability.

If you'd like to keep the pieces we've been working on fresh in your mind, the sheet music and recordings are available on our Drive. For the naming conventions of the recordings, see the document in our Drive or the blog entry "Rehearsal Summary 01/30/24". If you're trying to practice at home and can't quite discern your note, you can use a keyboard app to plunk out whichever ones you're having trouble with.  (This is by no means an official endorsement, but the app I use is "Voice Training - Learn to Sing" by the developer Learn to Master. It labels the notes on the keyboard and gives you real-time feedback on what note you're singing.) If you need a tutorial on how to read music, this one seems sufficient for helping you figure out which note you want to find on the keyboard.

Unsurprisingly, we had no donations this week. That's ok, the tax refund money persists, so I was able to cover our rental payment. We remain so grateful to all those who have donated in the past; thank you so much! If you would like to track our accounting, you can view our donations and expenses spreadsheet and receipts on our Drive.

We've also received a valued donation of creative labor! One of our members, Christi Pickren of Glimmerfae Creations, has created a gorgeous logo for us to use on social media and as our blog background. We're putting the finishing touches on it and you'll be seeing it across platforms very soon!

We'll have to "play it by ear" next week, as grief and the attendant arrangements can be unpredictable and I don't know if Bizzy will be available and up to it, but I'll update in the usual places to let y'all know what to expect. If we aren't singing next week, I'll be hosting a meetup like I did this week. Whether it's next Tuesday or the one after, we can't wait to sing with y'all!

- El Pethybridge, Administrative Director
TrianglePaganChoir@gmail.com

P.S. Sorry I'm a day late again, my husband wound up in the ER yesterday! He'll be alright, it just ate our entire day.

Next Rehearsal - 02/27/24

Our next meeting is next Tuesday!

February 27, 2024 7pm-9pm
Raleigh UU, Peace Hall, Rm. 101
3313 Wade Avenue
Raleigh, NC 27607

*Due to the recent loss in her family, our musical director has had a very difficult week and will not be able to make it tomorrow. I'll be running a meetup again like last week. I invite anyone who would like to to bring an instrument, a game, items to swap, or simply yourself, and we'll enjoy each other's company and see what we all feel like doing that evening.*

We welcome all safe and respectful Pagan and Pagan-adjacent adults of any skill and experience level! We're community-focused rather than performance-focused, so we don't hold auditions and we welcome drop-ins. Because of the music that is best-known and most-available, our starter songs trend a little Wiccan, but we will be seeking to incorporate all kinds of Pagan and Pagan-friendly music. You can help! We welcome recommendations and leads on pertinent music that is in the public domain or is low-royalty. 

There are no fees or dues for participating, but we do gratefully welcome any cash donations* to cover the cost of renting our rehearsal space. We will have a receipt book on hand to log all donations and post aggregate info (without personally identifying information) to the blog so everyone can see where their donations are going. *We are not currently a registered 501c, so we don't have financial accounts and I can't speak to whether or not your donation is tax-deductible.

If you are experiencing any symptoms of a contagious illness, especially Covid-19, please defer your attendance until you're feeling well. We'll all be breathing the same air in that meeting room and, while you are absolutely welcome to wear a mask, it isn't exactly conducive to singing.

We will have name/pronoun stickers available at our meetings. Whenever possible, we will have sheet music printed. The sheet music is also available on our Drive. The only things you need to bring are your voice and the vocal-chord-friendly drink of your choice!

We're so excited to see everyone on Tuesday!

- El Pethybridge, Administrative Director
TrianglePaganChoir@gmail.com

P.S. In addition to this blog, there are a number of ways to stay updated on our events. We have a mailing list for weekly email reminders and can even send you an Invite directly through Google Calendar. Email us at the address above to be added to both or either of these lists. You can also find us on Facebook at our Page and in our Group, where we share Events and other info. If you'd like to be added to the Invite list for our Facebook Events, please follow our Page or join our Group (otherwise FB won't let me send it to you) and drop us a PM. Here's the FB Event for our Feb 27 rehearsal.

Rehearsal Summary - 02/20/24

Unfortunately, our Musical Director, Bizzy, suffered an unexpected loss in the family and wasn't able to lead us in song this week. Instead, I (El, your Admin Director) hosted a casual meetup for our group. There were six of us who came to chat. We dug into a bin of clothes one of our members was letting go of and, mostly, we commiserated about being neurospicy and/or chronically ill and how hard those things have been hitting lately. I was fully prepared for a sing-along to our recordings or a game night, but I think we all just needed to talk this week, to get our feelings out of our heads and validated by our community. 

If you'd like to review the pieces we've been working on, the sheet music and recordings are available on our Drive. For the naming conventions of the recordings, see the document in our Drive or the blog entry "Rehearsal Summary 01/30/24". If you're trying to practice at home and can't quite discern your note, you can use a keyboard app to plunk out whichever ones you're having trouble with.  (This is by no means an official endorsement, but the app I use is "Voice Training - Learn to Sing" by the developer Learn to Master. It labels the notes on the keyboard and gives you real-time feedback on what note you're singing.) If you need a tutorial on how to read music, this one seems sufficient for helping you figure out which note you want to find on the keyboard.

Unsurprisingly, we had no donations this week. That's ok, my family has gotten our tax refund, so I was able to cover our rental payment. We remain so grateful to all those who have donated in the past; thank you so much! If you would like to track our accounting, you can view our donations and expenses spreadsheet and receipts on our Drive.

We've also received a valued donation of creative labor! One of our members, Christi Pickren of Glimmerfae Creations, has created a gorgeous logo for us to use on social media and as our blog background. We're putting the finishing touches on it and you'll be seeing it across platforms very soon!

We'll have to "play it by ear" next week, as grief and the attendant arrangements can be unpredictable and I don't know if Bizzy will be available and up to it, but I'll update in the usual places to let y'all know what to expect. If we aren't singing next week, I'll be hosting a meetup like I did this week. Whether it's next Tuesday or the one after, we can't wait to sing with y'all!

- El Pethybridge, Administrative Director
TrianglePaganChoir@gmail.com

P.S. Sorry this is a day late; my Wednesday was eaten up by other obligations.
P.P.S. Two of our members' bands have upcoming shows this weekend! Check out Undead Hour on Friday 23 and Starcrown on Saturday 24 at The Pour House! Undead Hour is back at it on Sun 25 at The Night Rider.

Next Rehearsal - 02/20/24

Our next meeting is next Tuesday!

February 20, 2024 7pm-9pm
Raleigh UU, Peace Hall, Rm. 101
3313 Wade Avenue
Raleigh, NC 27607

*UPDATE*

*Unfortunately, our musical director has experienced a loss in the family and will not be able to attend tomorrow's rehearsal. It is also too late for our space rental to be refunded. Consequently, I will plan to be there to run the evening as more of a meet up than rehearsal.*

We welcome all safe and respectful Pagan and Pagan-adjacent adults of any skill and experience level! We're community-focused rather than performance-focused, so we don't hold auditions and we welcome drop-ins. Because of the music that is best-known and most-available, our starter songs trend a little Wiccan, but we will be seeking to incorporate all kinds of Pagan and Pagan-friendly music. You can help! We welcome recommendations and leads on pertinent music that is in the public domain or is low-royalty. 

There are no fees or dues for participating, but we do gratefully welcome any cash donations* to cover the cost of renting our rehearsal space. We will have a receipt book on hand to log all donations and post aggregate info (without personally identifying information) to the blog so everyone can see where their donations are going. *We are not currently a registered 501c, so we don't have financial accounts and I can't speak to whether or not your donation is tax-deductible.

If you are experiencing any symptoms of a contagious illness, especially Covid-19, please defer your attendance until you're feeling well. We'll all be breathing the same air in that meeting room and, while you are absolutely welcome to wear a mask, it isn't exactly conducive to singing.

We will have name/pronoun stickers available at our meetings. Whenever possible, we will have sheet music printed. The sheet music is also available on our Drive. The only things you need to bring are your voice and the vocal-chord-friendly drink of your choice!

We're so excited to see everyone on Tuesday!

- El Pethybridge, Administrative Director
TrianglePaganChoir@gmail.com

P.S. In addition to this blog, there are a number of ways to stay updated on our events. We have a mailing list for weekly email reminders and can even send you an Invite directly through Google Calendar. Email us at the address above to be added to both or either of these lists. You can also find us on Facebook at our Page and in our Group, where we share Events and other info. If you'd like to be added to the Invite list for our Facebook Events, please follow our Page or join our Group (otherwise FB won't let me send it to you) and drop us a PM. Here's the FB Event for our Feb 20 rehearsal.

Rehearsal Summary - 02/13/24

Not everyone could make it this week but we had a great group of ten singers, including your TPC Directors. 

Bizzy lead us through some diaphragm work and "mosquito" and "yawn" warmups. We made excellent progress on "Crescent Moon" and "Dark Moon"! I think we'll have those down very soon! (The sheet music and recordings for those are available on our Drive. For the naming conventions of the recordings, see the document in our Drive or the blog entry "Rehearsal Summary 01/30/24".) 

If you're trying to practice at home and can't quite discern your note, you can use a keyboard app to plunk out whichever ones you're having trouble with.  (This is by no means an official endorsement, but the app I use is "Voice Training - Learn to Sing" by the developer Learn to Master. It labels the notes on the keyboard and gives you real-time feedback on what note you're singing.) I've been doing mine wrong! Bizzy corrected me and the issues I've been having all make way more sense now! If you need a tutorial on how to read music, like I clearly did, this one seems sufficient for helping you figure out which note you want to find on the keyboard.

We had one $5 donation this week. We are so grateful to our member who donated and all those who have donated in the past; thank you so much! If you would like to track our accounting, you can view our donations and expenses spreadsheet and receipts on our Drive.

We've also received a valued donation of creative labor! One of our members, Christi Pickren of Glimmerfae Creations, has created a gorgeous logo for us to use on social media and as our blog background. We're putting the finishing touches on it and you'll be seeing it across platforms very soon!

We're hoping to see even more of our regulars back next week and we would be delighted to see some new faces, too! We can't wait to sing with y'all!

- El Pethybridge, Administrative Director
TrianglePaganChoir@gmail.com

Next Rehearsal - 02/13/24

Our next meeting is next Tuesday!

February 13, 2024 7pm-9pm
Raleigh UU, Peace Hall, Rm. 101
3313 Wade Avenue
Raleigh, NC 27607

We welcome all safe and respectful Pagan and Pagan-adjacent adults of any skill and experience level! We're community-focused rather than performance-focused, so we don't hold auditions and we welcome drop-ins. Because of the music that is best-known and most-available, our starter songs trend a little Wiccan, but we will be seeking to incorporate all kinds of Pagan and Pagan-friendly music. You can help! We welcome recommendations and leads on pertinent music that is in the public domain or is low-royalty. 

There are no fees or dues for participating, but we do gratefully welcome any cash donations* to cover the cost of renting our rehearsal space. We will have a receipt book on hand to log all donations and post aggregate info (without personally identifying information) to the blog so everyone can see where their donations are going. *We are not currently a registered 501c, so we don't have financial accounts and I can't speak to whether or not your donation is tax-deductible.

If you are experiencing any symptoms of a contagious illness, especially Covid-19, please defer your attendance until you're feeling well. We'll all be breathing the same air in that meeting room and, while you are absolutely welcome to wear a mask, it isn't exactly conducive to singing.

We will have name/pronoun stickers available at our meetings. Whenever possible, we will have sheet music printed. The sheet music is also available on our Drive. The only things you need to bring are your voice and the vocal-chord-friendly, non-staining (to respect our hosts) drink of your choice!

We're so excited to see everyone on Tuesday!

- El Pethybridge, Administrative Director
TrianglePaganChoir@gmail.com

P.S. In addition to this blog, there are a number of ways to stay updated on our events. We have a mailing list for weekly email reminders and can even send you an Invite directly through Google Calendar. Email us at the address above to be added to both or either of these lists. You can also find us on Facebook at our Page and in our Group, where we share Events and other info. If you'd like to be added to the Invite list for our Facebook Events, please follow our Page or join our Group (otherwise FB won't let me send it to you) and drop us a PM. Here's the FB Event for our Feb 13 rehearsal.

Rehearsal Summary - 02/06/24

Most of our regulars who were unable to come last week were back this week, for a total of eight singers, including your TPC Directors. It was a bit of a frenetic rehearsal, to be honest. All but one of us were a little late, several of us had brain bees, and we spent a fair amount of time chatting about Imbolg and astrology and going through the books and teas one of our members brought to give away. As you know, we're community-focused, rather than performance-focused, so I consider this a perfectly acceptable use of our time; this is how we build community! We did actually sing, though!

Bizzy lead us through some grounding exercises as well as "mosquito" warmups. We began working on "Dark of the Moon", since we'll be having one on Friday, including reviewing the recording by Libana. We went over rhythms for part of the "Imbolc" portion of "The Wheel of the Year" and reviewed the Tenor line for "Crescent Moon".  (The sheet music and recordings for those are available on our Drive. For the naming conventions of the recordings, see the document in our Drive or the blog entry "Rehearsal Summary 01/30/24".) 

If you're trying to practice at home and can't quite discern your note, you can use a keyboard app to plunk out whichever ones you're having trouble with.  (This is by no means an official endorsement, but the app I use is "Voice Training - Learn to Sing" by the developer Learn to Master. It labels the notes on the keyboard and gives you real-time feedback on what note you're singing.) If you need a tutorial on how to read music, this one seems sufficient for helping you figure out which note you want to find on the keyboard. It might be helpful to write the notes in over the music, like this:

Last week's donations and this week's donations very nearly covered our space rental for next week! We are so grateful to all those who donated; thank you so much! If you would like to track our accounting, you can view our donations and expenses spreadsheet and receipts on our Drive.

We've also received a valued donation of creative labor! One of our members, Christi Pickren of Glimmerfae Creations, has created a gorgeous logo for us to use on social media and as our blog background. We're putting the finishing touches on it and you'll be seeing it across platforms very soon!

We're hoping to see even more of our regulars back next week and we would be delighted to see some new faces, too! We can't wait to sing with y'all!

- El Pethybridge, Administrative Director
TrianglePaganChoir@gmail.com