Big Sing 2003
MP3 Recordings
(for aid in learning massed selections)

Download a SAMPLE FILE
Web Manager's Note
These recording represent much work, ingenuity, and sincerity. They can be a great assistance for singers desiring to be better prepared for singing the Massed Chorus Selections at Big Sing 2003. Joseph Francis McSweeney has made these recording available to any/all AMCAers at a minimal price. You may duplicate any purchased CD as you desire and use in any way that you want (intention is for Big Sing preparation).

Hurry!! Order a copy for your Chorus or Individual Copies for each person ... your choice......

There is a Sampler of this project that can show you the type of thing being offered to you. Try out a sample and make your decision on ordering your individual or chorus CD's.

I received the following email with contact and purchase information.
From: j.mcsweeney
Subject: Help me get this on the AMCofA site
Date: Thu, 23 Jan 2003 01:19:45 -0500


Dear Dave, I really would like your help as I have faith in using an editor. I'll provide the information and a note about myself and the Orpheus and how this material came to be. Feel free to edit to be most presentable and I'm certainly available if you have additional questions or need more information. Basically, I intended this material to be used for the Big Sing and I want it to be shared as freely and as broadly as we can manage.
Contact: JFM/ARS proprietor / Joseph Francis Mc Sweeney
5978 Martinus Ave
Haslett, Michigan 48840-8212
Email: j.mcsweeney@attbi.com
Phone: 517.339.2789
Fax: 517.339.2789
note: (fax may not go through if I answer. So try again!)
Price: $20.00 for the five disc set (postage included USA add $2.00 Canada)
$10.00 for a 2-disc set (includes individual voice and Director Copy /+$2 Canada)
Material: Big Sing 2003
01 Amazing Grace / arranged Coates
02 Away from the Roll of the Sea / Loomer
03 Bring Him Home / arranged Leavitt
04 Friend / English
05 God Bless America / arranged Ringwald
06 Green Grow the Lilacs / arranged Martin
07 Make A Joyful Sound / Ramsfield
08 Soon and very Soon / arranged Schrader
09 To Love and to be Loved / arranged Surley
10 Who are the Brave / Martin

Bonus tracks
11 Awakening, The / Martin
12 Come to the Music / Martin
13 Shenandoah / arranged Erb
Performance: Piano / Stephanie Gerwirtz
Bass / Nick Colovas
Baritone / Mitchell Cohn/John Giuliani(CTTMusic)/Leon Woodward(Awkng)
2nd Tenor / Rick Shumaker / J Mc Sweeney (CTTMusic/soloAmzngGrc)
1st Tenor / David Langenburg
I'm tired Dave. This should be most of the relevant information. Sorry about the price increase but I failed to see how I could justify the time and cost for less. I'll send a follow through on the creation of it all soon.

Follow Up

From: JF McSweeney
Date: Sat, 25 Jan 2003 19:26:05 -0500

Here is the follow up!

The Greater Lansing Orpheus Male Chorus sponsored these Recordings. We are also known as the Men of Orpheus or MOO J and we are the host chorus for the Big Sing 2003.

I have been a member of MOO and the AMCofA since 1998. I am the proprietor and sole employee of JFM/ARS, which produced these rehearsal materials. So I know how much time, effort, sacrifice, courage, volunteerism and love of music has been involved.

I want to assure the members of the AMCofA that these recordings will be useful even if you don t begin using them until the day before the concert. I feel they will help increase our membership and make our rehearsal time more productive. Use of the recordings enhances the ability to memorize, pay attention to the conductor and enjoy the music! I am essentially a singer who happens to have the skill and resources for audio engineering and production. I am not a marketer or distributor by inclination so in retrospect I see there are several points that need clarification.

Format:
CD Audio:
If I send you material by post you will receive audio CD discs. They should play in all CD players unless they are very old. There is no copy protection initiated and any one with a CD burner should be able to make copies. Copyright law allows this for non-profit organizations under the fair use provisions.

MP3:
This will most likely only be practical if you have a Broadband Internet connection. I only have the resources to deliver these via email. This means one song at a time and most mail servers have a limit on the size of file they will allow. Your mail server must allow 8mb or more. With a phone line modem it could take several hours before your transmission is complete. In addition you will only be able to use the material on your computer unless you have the programs and skills to convert formats.

Audio Cassettes:<
Sorry L, this medium has become too costly and time prohibitive for me to seriously consider doing. It would however be easy to make your own from a CD. Many consumer products available in retail stores will do this. I know many of you are driving around in vehicles with tape players.

Price:
I set the price to cover my materials and hardware, postage and five to ten dollars an hour for my time. I don't understand conversion rates but thanks to Bill Bates I have an understanding of the Canadian exchange (At the current rate our dollar is worth about $.65 U.S. Soooo ... $22.00 U.S. would be $36.30 Can). So if you are not in the USA please do the best you can on the mathematics. I also had my pants down on mailing and have decided to use priority mail, which will cost more, but the deliveries will be timely (my apologies to Bill & Doug).

The current prices as of 1/25/03 are:
$22.00 US currency for the entire five discs set.
$12.00 US currency single voice two discs set.
I recently read Organization in Crisis by Norm Goodling our international president. It seems proper to give him pause and applause for taking on a difficult subject. To be a member of any human subgroup does challenge our sense of commitment and loyalty to not only our kind but also to each of us as an individual. I feel that being a member of a community service organization, which the AMCofA is already, marks you as being of exceptional value. There is no shame in having real reasons for not being able to participate in the Big Sing 2003. Perhaps these recordings will offer a way for those of you who cannot attend to participate in a more spiritual sense.

With sincere affection,
Joseph McSweeney


Installed 23 Jan 2003
Monday, May 21, 2012   |   01230 since Dec 8, 2005
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