Boychoir Page #2

singing rehearsals in the afternoon.

Nobody's late. No one's unprepared.

And we'll expect you

to put in at least 10 hours

of individual practice a week.

You've got a lot of catching up to do.

Here we go.

This side's yours.

Now, the morning bell rings at 6.

Breakfast is at 6:30.

Classes start at 7.

And you must be in uniform at all times,

except weekends and evenings.

And dinner is at 6.

Now, I'll let you settle in.

Hey, Stet.

You'll be fine.

Yeah, that's fine.

Just give me a call back...

Get this in the bank ASAP, Joanie.

And make out a new file: Stetson Tate.

- Will do.

- Interesting concept, selling

admission to the highest bidder.

Wonderfully American.

- Here. The big one, New York.

- New York?

Don't get excited. We didn't get in.

I wish you wouldn't open

my mail, Carvelle.

- It was in my box.

- Holiday concert,

long difficult process,

world class contenders.

- Who'd we lose it to this year?

- Vienna Boys' Choir.

It's all politics, probably.

Politics has nothing to do with it.

We're not good enough.

That's a little harsh, isn't it?

We are good enough. He just

doesn't care about winning.

Must be a special kind of torture,

waiting for someone to retire.

Yes, it is.

Ah! I heard there was a new kid.

Well, looks like we're roommates.

Rafael Abrams. But people call me Raffi.

- Stet.

- Stet...

- As in Stetson?

- Just Stet.

Okay, just Stet,

I'd love to stay and chat,

but I'm late for Polyphonics.

Needless to say,

mi casa, su casa, right?

Borrow any score you like.

...and all the people say rejoice

Rejoice

Rejoice rejoice

Rejoice rejoice

Lemme hear it louder now rejoice

Rejoice rejoice

Rejoice rejoice

Stetson, were you, by chance,

using my sound system?

Because on my way to Polyphonics,

I heard Parsifal blasting loudly

coming from this room.

Mi casa, su casa, right?

It's a gem, Stetson, it's not a toy.

- Like I care.

- Okay.

I see. Don't ever touch it again!

I go there a lot,

like every single summer,

- 'cause my family's there.

- Oh, wow.

So, when's the next time

you get to tour a city?

Atlanta.

Hi.

- I'm Fernando.

- Stet.

Stet.

Okay, so this is the Kodaly for theory

and the Martini for vocal technique.

And we're already six chapters in,

so you're gonna have

to catch up, dude, okay?

Alright, everybody up at the piano.

We're going to start with intervals.

Ready? Sing tonic.

Sing a fifth up.

Sing a minor third down.

Sing a perfect fourth up.

Sing a major second down.

Back to tonic.

Guys. Guys!

Now sing a major chord.

I got it. I got it.

Hello?

Hello?

Hello?

What was that?

It was a 609 number.

There's no one there.

Do you know where that is?

609. No, no idea. Look it up.

Probably one of your

secret admirers, huh?

Hey, Devon, how about a chip?

No. Raffi, put on the movie.

Get your own, Andre.

Anybody have any money?

Okay, let's go...

Let's start! Okay, no. Go!

No way!

- Oh, nice!

- Yes!

This kid's bad news.

Stop! Stop!

Something isn't right. Um...

Pick it up from the 11th measure.

What is it? What's wrong?

Sing the third measure. Stet, just you.

The third measure. Sing it.

It's on the page.

Between the second

and the fourth measure.

It'll be alright.

Okay, guys, let's start again.

- The boy cannot read music.

- Then teach him.

- You're a teacher, right?

- I'm not teaching

the most basic prerequisites

of musicology!

Get over yourself, Drake.

He's got talent,

let's make him a star

like we did with Devon.

I made Devon a star. Stet is no Devon.

Then stick him

in the back row and move on.

Just how many compromises

to our integrity

- do you expect me to make?

- What?

How many compromises to our integrity

- do you expect me to make?

- Many.

A lot.

I make them all day.

You think you've got problems?

I've got the board, the budget,

and all of you to contend with.

Your egos, your demands, the acoustics.

Nothing's ever perfect,

nothing's ever right.

I should've taken that job

in Garrison County.

It was just beautiful

horse country down there.

Girls cleaning out their stables.

It was just, just, just... Go.

Alright, everybody! Let's get started.

Today, we're singing Tallis'

Spem in alium,

composed circa 1570.

It's a 40-part motet,

eight-stacked soprano

antiphonal arrangements.

And by the way, thank you,

gentlemen, for your assist.

Mr. Drake.

Spem in alium

nunquam habui praeter in te.

I have no hope in any other than you.

Now, this is very important.

I have no hope in any other than you.

Opening motif. Key of A.

Starting on the major chord.

Simple as that. Leading trebles.

First phrase only.

Shh, shh... No.

No vibrato.

I want a clean sound. Pure and simple.

Do it again.

Second choir, join in!

Listen to each other.

Baritones, blend with them.

And bass.

That's it.

So simple.

Hold those notes.

Nice.

That's it.

Keep it up.

Careful. Listen to the altos.

And build.

Beautiful.

Now you and you, and you, and you!

Now.

Do you hear it? It's a circle.

Forty voices in a circle.

Now!

It's passing from one group to the next.

You see it move?

There it is!

North to south, east to west.

It's a cross.

It's a crucifix!

It's a church.

Don't you idiots see? It's a cross!

It's a crucifix! And I'm Jesus Christ!

Is that the best you got?

I made it!

- What? Are you serious?

- You made what?

The touring choir!

Wait, so you're coming with us?

Yeah! Yeah, we're going to Japan!

Okay, Suntory Hall in downtown Tokyo.

300 seats in standard configuration.

Not a bad space, you know,

it has a nice acoustics.

Now remember, boys,

sing any false notes in Japan

and what will they turn you into?

- Sushi!

- Sushi.

We're all good singers here.

Then, there's Devon.

- Teach me to read music.

- Me?

What's in it for me?

There's 12 keys, right?

The most basic scale's a major scale,

also known as an lonian mode.

You got all kinds of notes.

Whole notes, half notes,

quarter notes, eighths.

These notes tell you

the length and duration.

They also time each measure out for you

so you know how long the beats are.

Tell me more.

- Major.

- Good. Now this.

- Major again.

- This?

- Minor.

- Good. And this?

- Minor.

- This?

- Augmented.

- This?

Dominant 7?

Dominant seventh's first inversion.

Okay, guys, we're gonna work

on enunciation, alright?

We have to sing as a unit.

As a singular unit. As a team.

So we're gonna look

at the person across from us.

Yeah, look at your teammate.

Here we go. And we're gonna sing

Niska Banja. Make sure you match up

every single syllable. Ready? And...

Stand up straight.

Okay, guys, stop.

That's enough.

You need to be pushing the books

up with your breath, not your belly.

Stet, don't sing from your throat.

Sounds like you got

a frog trapped in there.

Make sure the air comes

rising up to your stomach

from the deep depths

of your diaphragm, alright?

Try again. Just you.

Hello. Do you speak English?

I need to speak to Mr. Carvelle, please.

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