Out of My Range: The Final Word

This footage was lost and recently located.  It is a little late, but still important.  Thank you for reading our blog and for supporting the Heart of America Men's Chorus.

Installment Six: Building A Show...Out of My Range. Rehearsal Date: Feb. 5,2013

When I put these clips on here, I take into account the feedback I get from people.  Some like the music and others like the music plus the conversation and witty stuff that is said between rehearsing the music.  There is quite a bit of both.  Yes, I know there are a lot of clips, but I hope you will check them out...fast forward if you want...and find something worthwhile to you.

This rehearsal saw the first rehearsal of "30 Years Ago."  For me, this song was profound.  My thoughts immediately went to my friend Doug Jackson, who died last Mother's Day from advanced prostate cancer.  I had known him over half my life.

I remember the first time I went through his photo albums with him.  When pointing to the various people in the photos, he would say "Dead, dead, dead, dying, alive, alive, barely alive, dead, etc."  It was a depressing experience, but when I heard the line in the part of the song sung by the 60 year olds..."Do you know what it's like to lose most of your friends (to AIDS)?"...I thought of that experience.  Much in this song brings thoughts of various eras in my life to mind.  I hope you will discover the meaning it has for you.

Clip 1:  Voices from the Heart rehearsing "Ode to My Twenties."

Clip 2:  Commentary by members Randy and Roger.

Clip 3:  "Warmups."  Rehearsing the middle part.

Clip 4:  "Warmups"  From the beginning.

Clip 5:  Reconfiguring "Warmups" age groups after losing a couple of singers.

Clip 6:  First reading of "30 Years Ago."

Clip 7:  "Like-Minded People."

Clip 8:  Choreography for "Like-Minded People."

Clip 9:  Choreography for "Like-Minded People."

Clip 10:  Choreography for "Like-Minded People."

Installment Five "Building a Show: Out of My Range." Rehearsal Day 5 January 29, 2013

Clip 1
"First Day of School"

Clip 2
"Like Minded People"

Clip 3
"Like Minded People"

Clip 4
"Like Minded People"

Clip 5
"Like Minded People"

Clip 6
"Like Minded People" with choreography.

Clip 7
"Simple Solution"

Installment Four "Building a Show: Out of My Range." Rehearsal Day 4 January 22, 2013

Clip 1
"First Day of School"

Clip 2
"Finale-Better Together"

Clip 3
"Finale-Better Together"

Clip 4
"Like Minded People"

Clip 5
"Like Minded People"

Clip 6
Michael Greene commentary.

Intallment Three of "Building a Show: Out of My Range."

Here is episode three of the clips from our practice sessions leading up to the performance of "Out of My Range."  These are clips from January 15, 2013.  The clips are getting longer and include some of the banter and kidding that goes on during rehearsal as well as commentary from our Artistic Director on how to learn and polish the material.

Clip One:
" A Simple Solution."  Learning and drilling the material.

Clip Two:
"A Simple Solution."

Clip Three:
"A Simple Solution."

Clip Four:
"The First Day of School."

Clip 5:
"First Day of School."

Clip 6:
"Warm-ups."

I am not the most experienced cinematographer.  Hopefully, you enjoy getting a peek into our rehearsals.  I am including all the raw footage so you will get a real view of how we start out and how we prepare from a show.  You get to witness how rough it is in the beginning to the point where it is polished and ready for performance.

Day 2 of "Building a Show: Out of My Range." Rehearsal Date: January 12, 2013

We had an all day rehearsal on Saturday, January 12, 2013.  This is some of what came out of it.

Clip 1:
"The First Day of School."

Clip 2:
"Finale-Better Together."

Clip 3:
"Warmups" practice.

Clip 4:
More "Warmups" practice.

Clip 5:
Learning the "Warmups" segments dealing with the 20-40 age group.

Clip 6:
Learning the "Warmups" segments with the 50 and up age group.

Clip 7:
Learning "Warmups" with combined age groups.

Clip 8:
"Warmups" run-through after practicing.

Clip 9:
Another "Warmups" run-through.

Clip 10:
Gordon's commentary.

First Installment of Building a Show: Out of My Range, Rehearsal Date: 01/08/2013

Our first year with a new director has been full of change...for the better.  There has been encouragement to think outside of the box.  "Out of My Range" is going to be a powerful experience.  Though it is humorous, the messages that I get from the show are powerful just as those in "Exile" and "Sing for the Cure."

I thought chronicling the building of our version of the show would be interesting.  The show itself centers around incorporating new members into a chorus and how those members interact.  So that's what this is...you get to see our chorus behind the scenes.  I am not a great cinematographer and I am continuing to learn.  The beginning clips are very different from what comes later on as I try to find balance between filming and rehearsing my part.  I sincerely hope you enjoy these efforts.

Clip One
This is a short clip of the initial reading of "Better Together."

Clip Two
This is "Better Together" after a few minutes rehearsing.  I think that the show itself provides motivation to learn the music. 

Clip Three
Artistic Director Deanne Zogleman shares her thoughts on the first day of practice for the show.

Clip Four
This is a short clip of learning "First Day of School" on our first day of school.

Clip Five
Listen to a longer clip of "First Day of School" after a little time rehearsing.