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Virtual Choir 1.0
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Lux Aurumque - all 9 parts recorded by Robin Segebarth
Robin Segebarth from Oldenburg, Germany has recorded multiple tracks to the same Eric Whitacre song and stitched them together. Robin has recorded several multi - track songs in this way. This is an example of an establishes youtube genre where musicians record muliple vocal or instrumental track to create a 'one man band, See this blog post for example -
Virtual Choir idea is born
Britlin Losee singsThe Virtual Choir began in May 2009 as a simple experiment in social media, when Britlin Losee – a fan of Eric Whitacre’s music – recorded a fan video of herself singing “Sleep” and shared it on YouTube. This sparked the idea of the Virtual Choir however the practice of recording yourself performing your favourite song was an established YouTube genre. -
VC Facebook Page Created
This Facebook -
Lux - Instructions and Conducting Track Released
These video Instructions are very similar to the sort of instruction a conductor might deliver to his choir face to face. It ioffers advice about interpretation and has an element of coaching. -
Example Bass 2
The comments on participant video performances are generally supportive e.g.
"7 comments
your c# is complete WIN.
You have the best C# so far!"
Some offer feedback for making improvements. -
Lux - example sop1
More example of constructive feedback on youtube performance
"That was gorgeous...you should REALLY try out for the soprano solo! I really think you have a chance! Whenever you slightly modified your vowels it only made the sound more pure! You must sound heavens better live! " -
Lux Aurumque - Virtual Choir Premiere
The Virtual Choir performsLux Aurumque 185 voices from12 countries make up the choir. -
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Virtual Choir 2.0 'Sleep'
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Singer Instructional video released
Eric talks through how to sing 'Sleep' Advice on interpreatation is offered. It feels very personal - rather like a master class but without the dialogue! -
VC 2.0 Recording Instructions and Conductor Track Released
This Conductor Video provides advice about making a good quality recording. -
Cambridge University Virtual Choir weekend
Laptops are set up around Sidney Sussex College and choral scholars from most of the University choirs come to record and upload their Virtual Choir parts. The VC links to a face to face event. -
Sleep - small scale VC -like event
Sleep - youth choir in HannoverThis video was made with some members of the german choir "Junges Vokalensemble Hannover" after working on their submissions for Eric Whitacres Virtual Choir. -
DEADLINE for VC recordings
Videos flood into YouTube over the last few days before the deadline. -
Beau Autin - records all 8 parts
<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/nOaxJ5slAs8?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>' -
Video response to VC Sleep
The VC concept sparks more 'one man band' recordings posted on youtube
From the comments:
wow this is amazing! your range is incredible! im so jealous haha and yeah like someone before me said, im not sure who you worked with, youd make a magnificent soloist, and i know it can be very difficult to keep your vowels in those higher notes especially, but try to work on them. but overall, i was very much impressed! <333 -
Participants share their 'stories' on facebook
Around 99 Virtual Choir stories have been posted on FaceBook. They include an appreciation of being able to sing having previously been excluded from a choir due to a disability, Another example demonstrates a typical reference the emotional impact of participating in the choir. "I'm so moved by the fact that my contribution was WANTED, and welcome. My voice? Really? Anybody's voice? It's so democratic" -
Virtual Choir 2 Premiere on YouTube
VC Premiere
2052 singers from 58 countries, 263 entries from registered choirs. 54 people recorded 4 or more parts.
The youngest singer is 9 years old, some have sung for the first time in decades. Members of the Virtual Choir 2011 live as far north as Fairbanks (Alaska), and as far south as Dunedin (New Zealand). Some singers have taken 60 takes, and others just 1. -
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Post VC 2.0/Pre VC 3.0
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Look-alike VC project starts up
The Millenium choral society invites you to:
"Come and sing with Lex de Azevedo LIVE—or send your video and sing with us VIRTUALLY!! -
Celebrity Sleep!
Suchiththa Wickremesooriya records Sleep in the style of a number of celebrities - which judgeing by the comments is greatly appreciated by the VC community. -
Vocal Technique website proposed by face book group member
New support offered by facebook group member to the 'community'. "I'm working on a website about vocal techniques for the Virtual Choir Members who want to improve their singing. Although it is hard to learn a better technique by only reading about it and watching videos, my experience as a voiceteacher might help the less experienced singers to tackle the next VC song by giving specific information about the technical challenges of this song.
I will launch the website in about two or three week -
Virtual Choir 3.0 scheduled for mid decmber 2011 announced on Facebook
The announcement sparks discussion among VC choristers about how to improve the support for making individual recordings eg. providing a samlpe 8 part recording to help synchromise consonant 'cutoffs' -
My first pass at analysing the Virtual Choir as a community
In this blog post I attempt to place the VC as a community. It seems not to be a typical YouTube community as described by Michael Wesch. Participants report on how and what they have learned through participation in the VC. Is this a Community of Practice? Their expereinces are notably emotionally charged, generating a lasting sense of involvement not unlike a GME -
Concluding Remarks
In this blog post I observe that the VC community has adopted the norms of participating in a YouTube community for their own purposes. Participants broadcast themselves, respond to other community members and remix and rework the concept of the VC. The community of pratice of 'choristers and singers' has been enriched and extended by the VC and participation via YouTube.
