Nationals Choir

Is anyone going to participate in the choir at Nationals this year? I want to, but I haven't made up my mind whether I want to be a singer or a narrator.

Discuss!

Is there anyone here who was a narrator last year at Nationals? Would you do it again? I was a singer, but I think it might be fun to be a narrator too.

Can you participate in the Nationals choir if you aren't a qualifying contestant? Just wondering….

I'm TOTALLY doing it this year! No, you don't have to be a qulifier. ;D

How do you participate?

@Rachel - yes you can.

@witness4christ12 - All families with qualifying contestants should have received an email about the choir about 2 weeks ago. All you have to do is send them an email back with your name and the part that you sing.

My mom signed Courtney, Brianna, and I to be in the choir. I am singing bass, Courtney and Brianna are both soprano.

I want to but my family Isn't going:(

What if you aren't a qualifying contestant?

As Matthew just answered for JPIA, you can be in the choir even if you did not qualify for Nationals. :)

How do you register?

What day is the choir, and how do you sign up? Is there a deadline?

They are going to do the opening ceremony on Thursday? Doesn't it start on Wednesday?? I had no idea that there was a Choir! What else do they do in the opening ceremony? :)

We just sign up Wednesday. Thursday is when the testing starts.
Well, last year they had all the kids who tested come stand on stage for a loooooong time, and they gave everyone a medal. They had the choir, then a few people came up to talk, and finally they announced the Semi-Finalists!!!

When I did National's two years ago, they announced the semi-finalists right before the semi-final competition. Do you know if they are going to do that this year, or will there be some time between the announcement and the competition?

Semi-finalists will be announced at the end of the Opening Ceremony Thursday night.

@To all who have sung in the National BB choir – What parts did you sing in 2011 and 2012? Soprano, Alto, Tenor, or Bass?

Soprano this year, and I didn't do the choir last year (but I can't sing alto because it's too low). I wasn't even going to do it this year, but someone talked me into it. :)

I know it sounds strange, but I was a tenor in 2011 and a bass in 2012. :P Though, Mr. Kenniv said that wasn't strange at all.

@Matthew - That doesn't sound strange to me! What is strange though is myself going from an alto in 2011, to a tenor in 2012 (not in the Bible Bee choir, just in general). I really can't sing that high, lower is way better for me.

So, which is stranger?!

I can sing soprano, alto, and sometimes tenor and high tenor. I've tried bass, but I just can't go that low :)

Actually, I have never tried singing any tune except the one the piano is playing. I personally see no point to do it otherwise. :P But hey, everybody else seems to like to sing in different ways, so go right ahead… :) You could technically say I sing soprano, but I sing a super-low soprano–even Christian says I sing way too low. :P

I think you call the melody "lead" when a male (with a deep voice) is singing.

You two are SO funny!! I totally laughed out loud when I read your comments :)

Have you ever heard of the song "Sing Hallelujah to the Lord" ? It's a round song and really pretty

Well, actually, I wasn't meaning to be funny… I think Nicolas was though.

I really enjoyed listening to the choir at nationals. You all did a great job :D

I hope I didn't offend you! I don't know…I just read both your comments and laughed out loud :)

Though, am I correct Matthew, that if you sing the melody of the song (even if it's low)…it can be called that you are singing bass? Alto, tenor, etc. just means at what octave (notes) you are singing.

Correct, Matthew?

Yes, I can see what you are saying. Whether one is a bass, tenor, alto, etc. does not alter whether one can sing a melody. One may not be able to sing it in a certain key, though! But usually when one "sings bass" (tenor, alto, etc.) one is singing predefined harmony notes off of a hymn sheet.
So, my definition of lead might have been a little confusing. Lead is strictly defined as an octave below soprano. Also, I don't think lead is classified as a type of singer - you don't call someone a "lead" like you call someone a "tenor" or "soprano". Instead, lead is simply an adult male singing the melody. (I think.)

Does that make any sense? :)

EDIT: Phew, I'm pretty long-winded when it comes to answering questions. :P

I think so…I might need to read that paragraph again though.

So…2 questions -

1. So…adult males can never sing melody?! (Or am I missing something that you said?)

2. What are the groups for soprano, alto, tenor and bass (from what note to what note)? Does that make sense? And if so, is there even a group of keys that lump together to make a tenor, alto, etc?

EDIT - No worries. I can be even more long-winded sometimes. That's why I prefer talking in person, than writing things out…

I was being half-serious (what I said was true) and half-funny (what I said was funny whether or not it was true). Anyways, I probably won't say much more here–I'm almost totally music-illiterate, so I can hardly understand a word that is being said. :P

@Nicolas - What made me laugh the most was when you said "You could technically say I sing soprano, but I sing a super-low soprano" :) I guess that just means that you sing bass…not a super low soprano :D

Gotta go to family Bible time right now…but I'll probably be back tonight to see what you all reply to my comments =D

1. Well, if you're equating "melody" with "soprano", then yes. But as I said, the part usually classified as "lead" is just the melody for the men.

2. I have a book that talks about that… Let me see. Soprano is C4 to A6, alto is F3 to D5, tenor is B3 to E4, and bass is E2 to C4.

Well, as I said, I am totally music-illiterate, so I have no idea about any of this–I just know that I sing the melody, but low. Anything beyond that is also beyond me. :P

"Let me see. Soprano is C4 to A6, alto is F3 to D5, tenor is B3 to E4, and bass is E2 to C4." The only idea that I have about the numbers, is something having to do with middle C and where they are based on the keys. Correct? If not, I'm totally stumped.

If that's right, I'll go figure out what I sing.

EDIT - Okay, I can comfortably sing down to the D below middle C. What does that mean I am? A tenor? If you're a bass, how low can you sing?

I was in the choir this year as well, singing the tenor with Thomas (and like 4 other people ;) )
@His Servant - To intrude on your conversation your vocal range would probably make you make you a low alto since most tenors would usually have to sing lower than that, depending on if you how high you can reach. Have you tested to see how high you can go?
To answer your second question grabs a hymnal probably it's common for basses to hit the E below bass C.

@Luke - Really? Interesting. I looked it up on-line (because I didn't understand your numbering notes, Matthew. Sorry!) and it said that Tenors sing from the C below middle C to the A above middle C (I think I have that right…I might be a bit off, I can't remember exactly).

But, if you say that I'm a low alto, then I guess I am. I'm not sure how high I can sing…I'll have to check when I'm at the piano again.

What's the bass C? The C below middle C? If so…Matthew you can sing REALLY low! I know that I could never get that low!

EDIT - Really off topic from the conversation - but did you realize that today we hit the 12/12/12 at 12:12?! Pretty neat, eh?

As Luke said, I was in the choir. I sang tenor. I loved it!

@His Servant: I usually sing alto or soprano…for the BB choir I sang soprano. =) It was such a blessing to sing with so many other brothers and sisters-in-Christ! (Pretty difficult to hear my own voice during the songs… smile)

[Oh, and Bethany, I just went out to the mailbox to send your letter, so you should get a letter soon, Lord willing! Blessings! =)]

Luke, Are you a senior? Did I meet you at Nationals? I'm Nathan B.

I don't think I can quite sing the E below bass C. My comfortable range is G and up. I have a voice just a teensy bit higher than the normal bass range, because I can also (usually) sing the E above middle C without hitting falsetto.

Bethany: C4 is Middle C. The numbers are for what octave the notes are in, starting at A1 at the bottom of the keyboard. :)

What is bass C??? The C below middle C?

Urgh…I don't really like using my falsetto voice, probably the reason that I like singing low. I don't know, whenever I do use that, my voice sounds really bad when singing.

@elizabeth - OH! I just saw your comment…welcome to the forums! I see that it was your first comment on here :) I'm SO excited to get your letter - I've been anxiously awaiting it last few days…can't wait for Saturday (my prediction of when it will come!!)

Yeah, that's right - bass C is the C below middle C.

Dos your family like to sing together? ;)

@His Servant - Yeah, overall with determining which part you sing it not as much about your range as about which notes you are the strongest on. For instance, I can sing from the F below bass C to the F above middle C (without falsetto) and then another octave (give or take few notes depending on the day.) So technically I could sing any part except maybe high soprano parts, but I sing tenor because that's the area where I'm the strongest.

@doulos - I was a Senior at Nationals this year. I don't remember meeting you but maybe I did. It kinda also depends on how you define meet.

@ Matthew Your range is almost exactly the same as mine, which i think technically makes us both baritones.

Just curious….everyone who was in the choir, what was/were your favorite song(s)?

That's a good question… I liked all of them! :) I think if I had to choose a favorite, though, it would be To The King Eternal.

I liked that one too :D

:) I liked them all too. Did you buy your choir book? My favorites where To the King Eternal and In Every Trying Hour.

My favorites were In Every Trying Hour and To the King Eternal. =)

Also, did any of you order the Bible Bee 2012 dvd? If so, has yours arrived yet? =)

we didn't order the 2012 dvd yet, but some friends of ours did, and I don't think they've gotten it yet.

Btw, are you friends with Bethany P and does your last name start with A, and do you sing soprano?