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# So Noted Singers & Forte Plus

St. Albert's community choirs

## Sitemaps

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## Posts

- [me, my dad and dementia #92 - a little list...](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-92-a-little-list/) - My new plan for Dad is to have him check off which songs from a list that will work for him as we listen to said songs on Monday night. I’m pretty sure he will do Forte Plus but not so sure about So Noted. Then, I’ll make him sign and date it! HAH!! ….we’ll
- [Criselda's Noteworthy Thoughts - September 2026](https://sonoted.ca/criseldas-noteworthy-thoughts-september-2026/) - To quote Dolly Parton as we start our new term together….”here you come again”What a wild summer! From heavy rains and floods to smoke filled skies, vast horrible amounts of mosquitos and the over rated orange child to the south throwing many temper tantrums. Well, what can you do? Sing! The answer is….go join a
- [me, my dad and dementia #91 - oh my goodness!](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-91-oh-my-goodness/) - We came home after the final Perils Fringe show to discover a woman sitting on our front porch waiting for her son. She insisted he and his wife were here. Our front door camera had already picked her up so we kinda knew what we were coming home to. And yet…..what we didn’t know is
- [me, my dad and dementia #90 - Perils of Penzance](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-90-perils-of-penzance/) - What a hit with my father! I think he would have loved to have somehow been up there with the cast singing at least one of the G & S songs. We brought him to 3 of the 8 shows (we’ll bring him to one more yet) and just made sure his helper was home
- [me, my dad and dementia #89: um...how does he do this?](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-89-um-how-does-he-do-this/) - He’s improved….markedly so…..in many areas to boot….He is showering regularlyHe now cooks his steel cut oats and makes his instant coffee without helpHe is regularly taking his morning vitamins without remindersHis balance is betterHe is more aware generally speakingBut he is also bored and looking for things to occupy his time. This happens every summer
- [Criselda's Noteworthy Thoughts - August 2026](https://sonoted.ca/criseldas-noteworthy-thoughts-august-2026/) - Rain, wildfire smoke, holidays, family and friends….OH and music and scripts! That pretty much sums up August, don’t you think?August is the most “in-between” month and yet we don’t ever see it that way or remember it. For those of us who prepare for a new year/term of singing and performing, this is THE month
- [me, my dad and dementia #88 - summer holidays.....yikes and wow! (big read)](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-88-summer-holidays-yikes-and-wow-big-read/) - Settle in with a coffee. This is one big blog entry. I apologize in advance.Hokay….. the first week of our holiday was just incredible! My husband and I (courtesy of my brother and his fiancee coming from Wpg to look after my Dad) toodled down to Canmore/Banff/Kananaskis/Kootenay/Yoho etc to hike like crazy (which we SO
- [me, my dad and dementia #87: breakfasts are a bust but...](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-87-breakfasts-are-a-bust-but/) - I don’t think he can make coffee or his steel cut oats anymore in the mornings. His mornings are when he is most confused. We’ve switched to instant coffee but he really wanted to put the grounds straight into the kettle so there’s that…. But on the flip side, we were reminiscing about a trip we
- [me, my dad and dementia #86: our trip taught us...](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-86-our-trip-taught-us/) - ….that Dad does better in his own space and with his daily routine. OR at the very least, in a space he knows. For example, he knows the place we stay at in Victoria very well but didn’t know the other two places (one in Parksville – although, we have stayed there before) and one
- [Criselda's Noteworthy Thoughts - June 2026](https://sonoted.ca/criseldas-noteworthy-thoughts-june-2026/)
- [me, my dad and dementia #85: headed to Vancouver Island again...this time...](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-85-headed-to-vancouver-island-again-this-time/) - ….this time with my Dad and our daughter and daughter-in-law. And, for a whole week!Should be interesting. We start in Victoria and then head to Parksville and then back to Sidney. I wonder if I can convince my Dad to not pack up every night but only on the nights we need him to. We’ll
- [me, my dad and dementia #84: a wheelchair...](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-84-a-wheelchair/) - We bought one! We tried it out at our daughter and daughter-in-law’s place this past weekend while there for dinner. Tucked it into the trunk of our SUV and pulled it out after dinner to go for a walk. Dad got into it but then kept getting out of it since….”well I’m still fine to
- [me, my dad and dementia #83: quick update...](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-83-quick-update/) - Just back from Vancouver Island. My husband and I really enjoyed our quick trip and time to ourselves. Very very nice!My father was not pleased that he didn’t recognize my brother when he arrived but otherwise, was in decent spirits. Of course, he didn’t say “hello” since he was busy eating when we arrived home.
- [me, my dad and dementia #82: unsure...](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-82-unsure/) - Do I put my Dad on the wait list (up to a year) in order to move him to a care facility? It will take up to a year….yes, you read that correctly.He keeps wanting to walk without his walker OR his cane. That’s troubling. He keeps skipping his breakfast. That’s troubling. He wants to
- [me, my dad and dementia #81: interesting weekend and interesting chat...](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-81-interesting-weekend-and-interesting-chat/) - Dad was convinced just this past Wed, that he should stop singing in the choirs next year. And so while we drove to Forte Plus, we chatted. We talked about the benefits of singing, of working on the music and of being with others. But do those benefits outweigh the frustration for him of forgetting
- [me, my dad and dementia #80: improving...?](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-80-improving/) - Oddly enough, my Dad seems to be improving of late. He is not quite as forgetful, he doesn’t repeat himself quite as much, he cooks his porridge more thoroughly (ish) and remembers to turn off the stove (mostly), he opens his blinds in the morning (at least the ones in the dining room), he’s wearing
- [Criselda's Noteworthy Thoughts - May 2026](https://sonoted.ca/criseldas-noteworthy-thoughts-may-2026/) - I’m now at the end of my third year with So Noted Singers and Forte Plus Choir. It’s the end of my second year with Cleopatra since I started them a year after So Noted and Forte Plus. Time is flying past and I’m loving every moment of it. It turns out my 32 years
- [me, my dad and dementia #79: the Forte Plus shows and the week...](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-79-the-forte-plus-shows-and-the-week/) - WOW! Audiences (sold out both times) loved it all! Very nice. My Dad wondered both times, what we were doing prior to us heading out. He really wanted to bring both his binders (from both choirs) since he felt so unsure but I persuaded him both times to just take the “wed aft” binder.He read
- [me, my dad and dementia #78: an ode to Sandra...](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-78-an-ode-to-sandra/) - She is my Dad’s helper. She puts in 14 hours a week,She makes lunch sometimes, she does dishes, she cleans his place from top to bottom, she does his laundry,she soaks his feet and cuts his toenails, she takes his blood pressure, she puts on his compression stockings, she does balance exercises with him, she
- [me, my dad and dementia #77: oh that toe...](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-77-oh-that-toe/) - Yes, just because we happened to look at a red rough patch on my Dad’s ankle, we noticed that again, his big toe is showing signs of ingrown toenail. I just don’t get it. We now soak it 3 times a week.We also noticed that his feet are puffy again. I guess I have to
- [Criselda's Noteworthy Thoughts - April 2026](https://sonoted.ca/criseldas-noteworthy-thoughts-april-2026/) - It struck me quite deeply the other day that all 3 of our choirs are working on shows that are really about helping to see the world as smaller, at a time when it feels like the world is getting bigger and people are further apart than say even 10ish years ago.Cleopatra gave us a
- [me, my dad and dementia #76: spinach in the porridge...](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-76-spinach-in-the-porridge/) - This is not a battle to fight nor one that I can even win so yup, we are embracing spinach in my Dad’s morning porridge. I’m pretty sure that one of these mornings, he’ll remember he has that ice cream in his deep freeze and will add that to his oatmeal!He finished the Japan lecture
- [me, my dad and dementia #75: he loved it!](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-75-he-loved-it/) - He sang along to Somewhere and it made him misty eyed and my lovely daughter-in-law gave him a hug and a squeeze. And he LOVED Wannabe! I am not kidding!! Sublime to ridiculous? (check out Post Modern Jukebox – that’s the swing arrangement we did!)And since he blew up most of the balloons for the
- [me, my dad and dementia #74: bits and pieces...](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-74-bits-and-pieces/) - -on the day we were set to perform for the SASHA fundraiser, my Dad came over in the morning to show me his “all black outfit”….a black and white short sleeved golf shirt and a black jacket. (I’ve never seen that golf shirt before in my life by the way.) He wondered where to get
- [me, my dad and dementia #73: a long day...](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-73-a-long-day/) - We did a wonderful long and very full workshop day on Saturday and my Dad loved it and even though he thought he might need a “little lie down” when he got home, he didn’t do that….he went straight to his jigsaw puzzle instead. cute.I’ve realized now that on Mondays if I give him a
- [me, my dad and dementia #72 - but, we thought...](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-72-but-we-thought/) - The two weeks leading into our Victoria trip, the trip itself and the week coming out of the trip all made us believe that the roller coaster was over and that Dad was now on a steady decline.But no! He is again on an upswing. I have to wonder why he was on a downswing
- [Criselda's Noteworthy Thoughts - March 2026](https://sonoted.ca/criseldas-noteworthy-thoughts-march-2026/) - “in like a lion, out like a lamb”Sometimes, I think all of March feels like all of life. Unpredictable, changing, windy (!), mercurial, yet hopeful. A month of extremes that is tinged with the coming of spring – renewal and thaw is in the air. The sun feels warm but the wind feels cold. Weird.The
- [me, my dad and dementia #71: planning and patience...](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-71-planning-and-patience/) - Yes, planning and patience and then throwing out the plan but continuing with patience. That’s what the trip to Victoria taught me.Dementia is sneaky but also somewhat predictable. We knew that while Dad remembered the hotel we always stay in while in Victoria, we weren’t sure if his memory had changed some details for him.
- [me, my dad and dementia #70: my father, the immigrant...](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-70-my-father-the-immigrant/) - Well, aren’t most of us? But before we get to that, I will indeed write and release a second blog today so I can tell you all about our adventures in Victoria last week. But right now, this needs addressing. While I was galavanting around in Victoria, I was so disappointed to hear that our
- [me, my dad and dementia #69: Japan and Victoria](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-69-japan-and-victoria/) - Do you remember just a few weeks ago when my father wanted to quit going to the Friday lecture series at our nearby senior centre? Well now he is looking forward with much enthusiasm to learning about Japan! yup…and yes, he loves it!Sometimes engaging him is exhausting. I need to really work at it. I
- [me, my dad and dementia #68 - a letter to AHS](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-68-a-letter-to-ahs/) - I wrote this when my mother was living in a care facility (she also had dementia but more acute than my father) just a few years ago in response to a silly survey they sent out. I’m scared nothing has changed in our system and that most of our politicians actually don’t really care which
- [Criselda's Noteworthy Thoughts - February 2026](https://sonoted.ca/criseldas-noteworthy-thoughts-february-2026/) - Love is in the air. Yes, yes, the commerically driven kind of course this month, but what if we are able to see more love? Love for our earth. Love for our air. Love for people in other parts of the world. Love for our queer community. Love for immigrants. Love for the marginalized. Love
- [me, my dad and dementia #67: sleep....](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-67-sleep/) - My husband and I had a hard but wonderful and long talk and now, I’m sleeping better! Typically, I’m wide awake from 3:00am to 5:00am. Chinese medicine believes these “awake” hours indicate a need for emotional release (grief/sadness). They’re not wrong.Turns out, just talking to someone really helped. Go figure. Dang. You’d think I could
- [me, my dad and dementia #66: second-degree burns, etc etc etc...](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-66-second-degree-burns-etc-etc-etc/) - Well I feel just horrible. Somehow I didn’t notice that first of all, my Dad’s kettle was quite literally coming apart and second of all, that he had burned himself with boiling water as a result. Plus no, he didn’t tell me either….So, now we’re using bandaids and vit E and keeping an eye on
- [me, my dad and dementia #65: those extreme tendencies...and toes...](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-65-those-extreme-tendencies-and-toes/) - On Friday morning, Dad announced that he would never go to another lecture again. Ever. On any topic. Yeah.I know why – because he can’t remember anything about them even on the drive home right after them. BUT, he really enjoys being at them in the moment and he (normally) looks forward to going.I think
- [me, my dad and dementia #64: he's so tired this week...](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-64-hes-so-tired-this-week/) - My Dad said again that the choirs are his life line. He has been waiting eagerly to get going to rehearsals. He’s had the music for a while but what he really loves is the actual rehearsal. Cool!He enjoyed Monday….but came away from it troubled by the fact that he didn’t remember much of the
- [Criselda's Noteworthy thoughts - January 2026](https://sonoted.ca/criseldas-noteworthy-thoughts-january-2026/) - What time is it? Resolution time!! groan…. What if this year, we simply resolve to be more aware, to give as generously as we are able and to live as joyously as possible? Not bad!Life is a mystery to quote one of So Noted’s songs for this upcoming term. take a listen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CW2m32ejoo0The composer
- [me, my dad and dementia #63: ideas for the foody in you](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-63-ideas-for-the-foody-in-you/) - Apparently, you can eat a sandwich for breakfast and porridge for lunch. And really, why not?Also, you can put dried cranberry raisins on piece of bread with some butter and call it lunch.And, peanut butter with jalapeno jelly is now a sandwich that you may never have heard of but my Dad seems to like
- [me, my dad and dementia #62 - much merry to all](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-62-much-merry-to-all/) - Perhaps for me, the most important thing I continue to learn, is that I am not alone and neither is my Dad. None of us are. You are not alone. We are on this earth with other people for a reason. (my daughter grew up hearing me say this a lot) To help, to listen,
- [me, my dad and dementia #61: he can still hit those high notes!](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-61-he-can-still-hit-those-high-notes/) - indeed….he can. Once he warmed up with the group of singers on Friday and we sang each song once, his voice was fine. And more remarkably, his voice was fine for the second song. Why is this remarkable? When you sit at a service of any kind but especially one that causes you some pretty
- [me, my dad and dementia #60: a cold weather hack...](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-60-a-cold-weather-hack/) - If you’re cold and you’re not sure where your extra blankets are or exactly what they look like…..you can grab a tablecloth to add to the foot of your bed and keep your feet toasty warm!Yes, that’s what my Dad did and yet we only noticed it about a week after he had put it
- [Criselda's Noteworthy Thoughts - December 2025](https://sonoted.ca/criseldas-noteworthy-thoughts-december-2025/) - 'Tis the season! And now the concerts, the gift buying, the carol singing, the cookie baking and the snow are flying thick and fast. I love the strange dichotomy of the Christmas season. We move forward at a fast and furious pace while allowing ourselves to pause and reflect on joy and hope. For
- [me, my dad and dementia #59 - mayonnaise in the porridge](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-59-mayonnaise-in-the-porridge/) - Yes, you read that title correctly. This morning, my Dad ran out of milk for his porridge (which we supply in small quantities so it doesn’t go bad….which it had….so we took it away but forgot to replace) and so he decided in typical Eric-like fashion to add whatever he had in his fridge that
- [me, my dad and dementia #58: another show, another speed bump](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-58-another-show-another-speed-bump/) - Forte Plus and Seniors Acting Out Together did two of their shows just last week. We started with an afternoon rehearsal followed by an evening performance and another evening performance the very next night. Dad was slightly surprised each time. Tiny speed bump…. “Oh, are we doing another show?” Plus, he really wanted to bring
- [me, my dad and dementia #57: are patience and love interchangeable words?](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-57-are-patience-and-love-interchangeable-words/) - We’ve discovered a lovely rhythm and flow lately in regards to how my husband and I look after my father.I’ve gotten really good at side stepping some questions from my Dad that I don’t think he needs to hear the answers to….just sayin’. I also have found it easier and easier to not point out
- [me, my dad and dementia #56 - the devil and the details...](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-56-the-devil-and-the-details/) - For Dad and hence for us, the details really matter.He’s been forgetting, more regularly recently, to turn off his stove top after he makes his porridge. But he still makes his own porridge so….we just have to remember to check every morning and it’s all good!Dad received a lovely chocolate bar as one of his
- [me, my dad and dementia #55 - rings, lings, and dings...](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-55-rings-lings-and-dings/) - We’re singing a song on Monday nights that involves a lot of “nonsense” words at break neck speed. Dad is not really getting them and yet is still enjoying his Monday night experience very much, unlike last term when he went home feeling miserable after almost every rehearsal.Now, that particular song is not the most
- [Criselda’s Noteworthy Thoughts – November 2025](https://sonoted.ca/criseldas-noteworthy-thoughts-november-2025/) - Now we “fall back” as the time changes and so does the weather.But do we slow down? Oh no, we do not. If anything, we speed up now as we rush head long towards Christmas and all that entails. November is not really a “shoulder” month for real lives….only for hotels.Rehearsals are picking up steam
- [me, my dad and dementia #54: short and sweet...](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-54-short-and-sweet/) - I caught myself wondering what it would have been like for me and for my family if we weren’t looking after my Dad through this stage of his life.At first, I felt that it would have been a relief. A kind of out of sight, out of mind type approach appeals here. I could blithely
- [me, my dad and dementia #53: a new helper begins...and ends...](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-53-a-new-helper-begins-and-ends/) - Who knew that it would be so challenging to find the right “fit” for us and for my Dad?We started with a lovely young woman who – as Dad described her – was “enigmatic” and as I described her was “hard to connect with”. But man, could she clean!Actually, thanks to this young woman’s work
- [me, my dad and dementia #52 - a whirlwind weekend](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-52-a-whirlwind-weekend/) - This past Thanksgiving weekend, as is our tradition, we headed to Jasper with the whole family and one special relative who made it out here at the last minute from Winnipeg. Very nice!Dad knew where Jasper was and the context of Alberta/BC/Canada was all very obvious to him. What was not obvious, was that we
- [me, my dad and dementia #51: physical therapy, meet and greets, a bear (!) and wallet found](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-51-physical-therapy-meet-and-greets-a-bear-and-wallet-found/) - Last Friday we met a physical therapist who came to our home to assess my Dad’s balance and stability. My father decided that despite still getting over the cold/flu thang, he should rise in a typical Eric-like way.First, the PT asked if he could get up from his couch without using his arms. My father
- [Acting Out Loud: Podcast Episode 1 - Audition tips!](https://sonoted.ca/acting-out-loud-the-musical-theatre-podcast-episode-1/) - Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify Listen with your browser
- [Criselda’s Noteworthy Thoughts – September 2025](https://sonoted.ca/criseldas-noteworthy-thoughts-september-2025/) - Live your Music!Here we go again! SO excited to start another year of singing and acting with all of you.There’s an energy in the air that’s undeniable. While children go back to school excited to meet their teachers and friends, we get to go back to rehearsals together and find out what music we will
- [me, my dad and dementia #50 - don't get sick!](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-50-dont-get-sick/) - Here’s a little something I learned this past week…..don’t let your 87 year old father get sick! Not even a little bit. AACK!All 3 of us suffered from some kind of cold/flu bug this past week and while it seemed to hit me the hardest, I also seemed to recover more completely than my husband
- [Criselda's Noteworthy Thoughts - October 2025](https://sonoted.ca/criseldas-noteworthy-thoughts-october-2025/) - Fall in Alberta is so easy to love. Yes, despite the shorter days and longer nights and even that nip in the air. Change is good. Change is inevitable. Change can be beautiful and colourful with just a touch of reality thrown in for good measure. We must let go in order to experience fall
- [me, my dad and dementia #49: we're in for Oct 1!](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-49-were-in-for-oct-1/) - Blue Cross has approved us and we can start doing self directed home care and respite as of Oct 1! I’ve already called the incredibly wonderful company that was suggested to me by one of our choir members and we are “in talks”.This company will do what we need them to do as opposed to
- [me, my dad and dementia #46: a new helper!](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-46-a-new-helper/) - Well, since I’ve completely given up on AHS at this point (haven’t heard from them for 3 weeks now), I decided to just go ahead and hire someone myself with my own money. ’tis life and ’tis a good use of money.A lovely gal will now come 3 days a week for 2 hours each
- [me, my dad and dementia #45: WOW, a walker!....](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-45-wow-a-walker/) - My Dad LOVES his new walker!!! I decided not to wait for AHS….haven’t heard from them for 2 weeks now so I’m moving on. We ordered a walker online and just WOW. He loves it. He uses it. But here’s the huge thing….he now walks waaay faster, his posture is more upright and he’s looking
- [me, my dad and dementia #48 - Winnipeg!](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-48-winnipeg/) - We did it! We managed to get Dad to Winnipeg for the weekend. whew!My aunt seems to have no short term memory left anymore but she knew who we all were so YAY. That calls for a celebration in my book. Actually, we actively celebrate anything positive as much as we can. Totally works.Dad was
- [me, my dad and dementia #47: um, wow...](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-47-um-wow/) - Choirs have restarted and since my Dad totally forgot that he had retired and that he had dropped out just prior to our spring show in So Noted last year, he’s singing again. I’m not gonna stop him.And here comes the wow….not only did he sing pretty much everything during So Noted’s first rehearsal, but
- [me, my dad and dementia #44: the highs and lows of the roller coaster...](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-44-the-highs-and-lows-of-the-roller-coaster/) - Drumheller this past weekend was amazing! We zipped out for one night with our daughter, daughter-in-law and my father. It was a lovely albeit whirlwind weekend. I even managed (quite easily) to convince Dad to let us rent a wheel chair at the Royal Tyrell Museum so I could push him around. He loved it and
- [me, my dad and dementia #43 - standing in the storm](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-43-standing-in-the-storm/) - I feel like I’m standing in the storm and I still haven’t seen the light breaking. (but wait, ’cause light is indeed showing) I’m willing to withstand the storm but it’s hard when there is no light. So, I’m making my own light! (well truthfully, others showed me the light – keep reading) Turns out
- [me, my dad and dementia #42 - but where is AHS?](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-42-but-where-is-ahs/) - absolutely no word from them…crickets. Our case worker thought we would hear something by the end of last week so I am unsure how to proceed. We took Dad to his doc to get all the forms signed and the prescriptions done. We did the ultrasound on his legs. (everything looks good – YAY) We’ve
- [Criselda's Noteworthy Thoughts - August 2025](https://sonoted.ca/criseldas-noteworthy-thoughts-august-2025/) - Don’t worry, summer isn’t over yet! But planning for the new choir/performance terms has long begun. Actually, planning began in May.My neighbors always hear Christmas music coming from my home in June and have never complained. Yet….hahaha!My father weighs on my mind this summer. Should he stay or should he go? Yes, you can sing
- [me, my dad and dementia #41: AHS case worker came!](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-41-ahs-case-worker-came/) - Tuesday morning our AHS case worker came for an assessment visit after a lengthy phone call in which we described yet again everything we had already told AHS workers over and over. That’s 4 people in a row now. AHS needs to be seriously overhauled.The actual visit was interesting. Dad rose to the occasion in
- [me, my dad and dementia #40: slip-in skechers](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-40-slip-in-skechers/) - These are brilliant and I can’t believe I didn’t think of it earlier for my Dad. I bought myself a pair about 3 months ago and wear them almost every day. And then just a few days before we left on our “stay-cation” while my brother and his partner came from Winnipeg to look after
- [me, my dad and dementia #39: ingrown toenails solved!....well....ish....](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-39-ingrown-toenails-solved-well-ish/) - The podiatrist says we just need to either come to him every 2 weeks to have Dad’s nails trimmed (at $70 a visit) or we take him to get a pedicure every 2 weeks (at $40 a visit) or we do it ourselves (free). And, we need to keep convincing him to soak his feet
- [me, my dad and dementia #38: a mystery...or two...](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-38-a-mystery-or-two/) - We can’t quite figure out what Dad is eating for his lunches…. His loaf of bread hasn’t been depleted at all and neither has his container of lettuces nor fresh veggies. So….what exactly is he eating?My fear? He’s not actually eating lunch. This would explain the lethargy I suppose. I think I need to monitor
- [me, my dad and dementia #37: edema, balance and ingrown toenails....](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-37-edema-balance-and-ingrown-toenails/) - I'm moving on people - no more thinking about AHS. They will call or they won't. They will help or they won't.Now to conquer edema! We'll see how I do....Dad has been sitting around a lot more lately and it shows. It shows as swelling in his legs, ankles and feet. Plus the whole lack
- [me, my dad and dementia #36 - hoops...](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-36-hoops/) - soooooo…..it’s not going to be easy to get help for my Dad since things are now even worse at AHS.On the bright side, it took only 6 minutes on hold to get through! But that’s just for tiny hoop #1.HOOP #1 – call 811 to get the number for AHS self referral which they refer
- [me, my dad and dementia #35: is it time?.....](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-35-is-it-time/) - I don’t know….maybe….maybe it’s time we started looking seriously for a place for my Dad….I don’t know.After my husband’s detached retina and subsequent surgery which changed our day to day lives plus our summer plans, we realized that we live “on a razor’s edge”. If something happens to one of us, the burden of care
- [me, my dad and dementia #34: just one day...](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-34-just-one-day/) - I’ve started wishing lately that I could selfishly have just one nothing-goes-wrong-day. Just one day when I don’t have to help my Dad fix things or smooth things over or point in the right direction or make things happier/better or explain or remind or stay on top of everything or add yet another appointment to
- [me, my dad and dementia #33 - a shopping cart works like a walker....](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-33-a-shopping-cart-works-like-a-walker/) - We had to pop into Home Depot the other day after picking up my Dad from his lecture series at the senior centre. And that’s when it dawned on me! Instead of leaving Dad in the car as we often now do, we simply put a shopping cart in his hands and he easily and
- [me, my dad and dementia #32 - mowing our lawn.....](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-32-mowing-our-lawn/) - So yes, it’s very nice that he wants to and it’s very cool that he still can but….one must be prepared for unexpected mowing in places that don’t require it or should not be mowed at all. We’re in the process of replacing our front lawn with other plants/grasses. ‘nuf said.And yes, I’m still sneaking
- [me, my dad and dementia #31 - I stood on one leg for a full minute!](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-31-i-stood-on-one-leg-for-a-full-minute/) - When Dad is happy, the whole world feels happier.Today he came out of his place calling me excitedly….to announce…that he had managed to stand on one leg for a full minute. This is one of his balance exercises. He can’t do it on the other leg….yet….but here’s hoping!Yesterday and the day before, my husband got
- [Criselda's Noteworthy Thoughts - May 2025](https://sonoted.ca/criseldas-noteworthy-thoughts-may-2025/) - And now, we’re fully into it all!Final show rehearsals in warm rooms, practising moving the show forward, remembering all the details, celebrating one performance done and done well (Forte Plus and SAOT), creating little candy baggys (yum), putting together pinwheels (mysterious), meeting our band members, figuring out which color represents each song (uplights!), “retiring” my
- [me, my dad and dementia #28 - my dad's retirement from singing on Monday nights](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-28-my-dads-retirement-from-singing-on-monday-nights/) - (but he hopes to continue on Wednesday afternoons so YAY and you never know…maybe the Christmas music will inspire him to stay…still….I don’t know)This is my speech that I wrote for me to try to say on Saturday evening when we “retire” my father from over 30 years of service to the community, singing in
- [me, my dad and dementia #30 - my Auntie Lil](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-30-my-auntie-lil/) - I sometimes think that all I really need to do for my Dad is get him to simply talk to my Auntie Lil (his older sister). She affects him deeply. What she says is law. And her positive, upbeat mood always makes him more energized and more engaged with the world. She represents and radiates
- [me, my dad and dementia #29 - how my Dad rises….or not….](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-29-how-my-dad-rises-or-not/) - We “retired” Dad on Saturday night. He was much moved by the speeches, the applause, the standing ovation, the card that everyone in the choir signed and the many people who came over to chat with him.In fact, he was energized by it all. To the point that he got up early the next morning,
- [me, my dad and dementia #27 - a whirlwind week](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-27-a-whirlwind-week/) - On Monday night we had a fab rehearsal which gave us all a chance to see the video clips that “go with” the songs we’re singing. I believe people not only understood them but enjoyed them….not so for my Dad. He had a very hard time understanding what they were about.He is also still struggling
- [me, my dad and dementia #26 - phrases my father says...over and over again](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-26-phrases-my-father-says-over-and-over-again/) - –didn’t I take them? I usually take them every morning! (in reference to us almost every morning reminding Dad to take his morning vitamins/pills)–well, she must be dead. (in reference to my Dad’s sister who lives in a care home in Winnipeg and likes to visit others in the care facility…a lot. So she doesn’t
- [me, my dad and dementia #25 - did you know....?](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-25-did-you-know/) - Did you know……(in no particular order)1-that dementia can give you new friends…every single time you meet them again!2-that dementia can help you discover a newfound appreciation for food you can’t remember you used to quite despise?3-that you can wash dishes with 36 different dish cloths and yet not find a single one when you need
- [me, my dad and dementia - introduction](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-intro/) - You might be wondering why there is a blog entitled “me, my dad and dementia” on a choir website. Simply put, my Dad and I have been working together in the choral field for over 30 years. Our work, our passion, our joy – integral to our very interwoven lives. And, research now tells us that
- [me, my dad and dementia #1 - Bohemian Rhapsody](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-dementia-post-1/) - I’m living with dementia. No no, not my own! …although there are certainly times I do indeed wonder about my brain….well, don’t we all?!I am (along with my husband) live-in caregiver to my 87 year old father who has been diagnosed with early stages of dementia. I know – “early” ain’t half bad! But of
- [me, my dad and dementia #2 - the white board](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-dementia-the-white-board/) - Ah, white boards! I promised and I am delivering. White boards can be an incredibly useful tool for a caregiver. But do not put all your trust in a whiteboard my friends.Yesterday, my Dad erased the line that said “take your morning pills” and hence took another day’s worth of morning pills. Well it’s just
- [me, my dad and dementia #3 - let it go](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-let-it-go/) - Sometimes my eyes prick with tears when I hear my Dad’s voice singing in the choirs or when I hear him on our rehearsal recordings. Yeah, go figure huh? But more often than not, his singing makes me proud and makes me grin broadly!How does he manage to sight sing so effortlessly when other memories
- [me, my dad and dementia #4 - an orphan](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-an-orphan/) - The other afternoon at our seniors readers theatre rehearsal, our leader asked us who we would most like to have dinner with (dead or alive). She’s a lovely leader and does these “check in” moments with us each week. There were a variety of responses….mine was “my husband” ’cause wouldn’t it be nice to actually
- [me, my dad and dementia #5 - pumpkin pie, ice cream, and my mother](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-pumpkin-pie-ice-cream-and-my-mother/) - My father loves pumpkin pie. He asks for it almost weekly. No, we do not dish it out weekly. But maybe we should…..he’s 87, he’s earned it. What’s the harm? Of course, my father also no longer seems to have “I’m full” receptors left so perhaps us dishing it out in smaller increments is not
- [me, my dad and dementia #6 - formality vs. informality](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-formality-vs-informality/) - #6 – formality vs informality My father is actually a very formal man. And I am a very informal gal. It’s amazing to me that we don’t cross swords. But, for the most part we don’t. We’ve figured out mutual respect I think. Or at least that’s what I would like to believe. I hope I
- [me, my dad and dementia #7 - Under Pressure](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-under-pressure/) - #7 – Under PressureThe other day I was driving my Dad to the lecture series he attends at a nearby senior centre and a rap “take” on Under Pressure came on the radio. Normally, I always change the station to CBC when we get into the car together, but this time I hadn’t done so.
- [me, my dad and dementia #8 - a seatbelt for my mouth](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-dementia-a-seatbelt-for-my-mouth/) - AN FYI – I wrote this about 3.5 weeks ago but didn’t post it….until now…Well dear reader…this one will not be easy to digest. I suggest you think long and hard before you read it and if you do choose to read it, grab someone you love and hug them before and after. here goes….The
- [Criselda's Noteworthy Thoughts - April 2025](https://sonoted.ca/criseldas-noteworthy-thoughts-april-2025/) - Here come those final rehearsals! If you are a performer of any variety, this is not the time to get complacent. Final rehearsals may feel like you know everything already and you’re just going through the motions but I urge you to find more. In fact, that is our job as performers – to find
- [me, my dad and dementia #22 - a new friend](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-21-a-new-friend/) - My Dad has a new friend. He’s actually a wonderful volunteer for a wonderful organization that has stepped up to simply give my Dad some social interaction once a week.Dad’s friend comes to visit with him every Tuesday morning. Amazing. And my father really likes him!My father now gets up slightly earlier than he normally
- [me, my dad and dementia #23 - in real time](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-21-in-real-time/) - Monday 1:10 Let the experiment begin. I went over to work with Dad on the 2 pieces I think cause him the most discomfort. And indeed, I guessed correctly but not for the reasons I thought initially. “Time”, our very wordy, rhythmically challenging, unaccompanied piece that starts our show is one of these songs for
- [me, my dad and dementia #24 - vikings, in the mood](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-24-vikings-in-the-mood/) - AHA – got your attention with that little title right?I take my Dad to a lecture series at the West End Seniors Centre every Friday. I’ve been taking him for 4 years now. He loves it. They all seem to know his name and he cannot name a single person. Thank you NOT dementia….then again,
- [me, my dad and dementia #21 - he's not a worrier...](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-21-hes-not-a-worrier/) - …But I am!Now that the weather has turned, my Dad went out for a walk the other day and I realized that it’s really time to get an air tag for him. Maybe that way I won’t worry about how long he’s gone or if he’s tripped somewhere. Of course, figuring out where to put
- [me, my dad and dementia #20 - a swollen and bruised ankle](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-20-a-swollen-and-bruised-ankle/) - #20 – a swollen and bruised ankleAAGH! We have no idea how it happened but I’m gonna guess sometime on Wednesday since he only showed it to us on Thursday. It had many wild colors to start and those have dissipated a fair bit. The swelling has gone down but it is not totally gone.
- [Criselda's Noteworthy Thoughts - March 2025](https://sonoted.ca/criseldas-noteworthy-thoughts-march-2025/) - March heralds the turning of another season. We even get to turn our clocks ahead on Mar 9 and celebrate spring on Mar 20.International Women’s Day, Pi Day, St Patrick’s Day and even Eiffel Tower Day all fall in March.I encourage us all to find new ways of being, make some new friends, find your
- [me, my dad and dementia #12: hey mikey, he likes it!](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-12-hey-mikey-he-likes-it/) - A small miracle happened the other day.My father came over to “talk to me about the music for this term”. I was worried but ready to quickly acquiesce and allow him to quit everything. I gave him all the So Noted music about 2 weeks ago and he’s been going over it on a daily
- [me, my dad and dementia #19 - raising an 87-year old](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-19-raising-an-87-year-old/) - Well the trip was lovely. Not exactly totally relaxing but still really really lovely. We’ve discovered that if we simply spend every waking moment with my Dad while on our holidays, it goes much better. Last summer we tried to take some time to ourselves while in Canmore and that didn’t work so well….Dad felt
- [me, my dad and dementian #18 - odds and ends](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementian-18-odds-and-ends/) - We’re about to head out to the magical island so I’ll just give you a quick update.Yes, he LOVED the show on Saturday night. Me too! HAHHe is maintaining happy thoughts for the most part. Interesting side note….about a week ago, he was full out angry that we had “taken his pencil sharpener without his
- [me, my dad and dementia #17 - my fair lady](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-17-my-fair-lady/) - One of my Dad’s top 10 songs lives within the musical My Fair Lady. You will never guess….well, maybe you will…. On The Street Where You Live. The movie version was on TV this past weekend. I sent my husband down to quickly tell my Dad and help him find the right channel.When my husband
- [me, my dad and dementia #16 - anti-depressants, trump, and an island](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-16-anti-depressants-trump-and-an-island/) - Now that’s a mouthful!Dad confessed to having “blue” moments throughout his life and even wondered where that might have come from….so…yeah I shall refer you back to witnessing war atrocities and losing his mother at a young age.I remembered my daughter suggesting anti-depressants when my Dad was at his worst a few weeks ago and
- [Criselda's Noteworthy Thoughts for February 2025](https://sonoted.ca/criseldas-noteworthy-thoughts-for-february-2025/) - Love is in the air! OR at least, that’s what our consumer driven world would like us to believe since the whole Valentine’s Day was invented so that retailers could make a lot of money.Perhaps, it is not wrong to contemplate love this month though. Perhaps, we need to simply look around us through a
- [me, my dad and dementia #15 - raise your voice](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-15-raise-your-voice/) - #15 – raise your voiceIn the lingo of let’s say oh….choir(!)….this post is about making your voice heard and making sure we look after each other properly as we age. When we moved my mother from our home to her first long-term care facility many years ago, it was not an easy task and there were
- [me, my dad and dementia #14 - finding your joy, letting go of your expectations](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-14-finding-your-joy-letting-go-of-your-expectations/) - My new approach with my Dad is to keep reminding him that if he had his druthers in life, he would have been a musician. He is coming to grips with the whole idea of not being as good as he once was. And he was holy cow good. I don’t think I’ve ever met
- [me, my dad and dementia #13 - emotions and the brain](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-13-emotions-and-the-brain/) - My Dad has always had the “January blues” a little and that has led him to again believe he “should” quit the choirs. Yup, he used the word “should”. So we talked. And talked. And talked some more. It was very interesting. He is of course completely aware that he is forgetting and that he
- [me, my dad and dementia - #11: like a jigsaw puzzle](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-11-like-a-jigsaw-puzzle/) - As we begin a new year and make our resolutions and look for our fresh starts, I look back a little and contemplate my life with my Dad.I have lived in the same house with him over the years (off and on) for almost 50 years of my life. That ain’t nuthin’. It just worked
- [Criselda's Noteworthy Thoughts for January 2025](https://sonoted.ca/criseldas-noteworthy-thoughts-for-january-2025/) - A fresh start. A time to reinvent ourselves. New beginnings. These are all words we use at this time of year….never mind the big “R” word! “Reso-what-now?”January itself is named after Janus the God of beginnings and transitions. He is a two-headed God looking back to the past and ahead to the future.Things will change
- [me, my dad and dementia - #10 'tuned'](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-10-tuned/) - We’ve been listening to a lot of our past rehearsal recordings of Christmas songs over the years these last 2 weeks. And guess what? My father truly never sings out of tune. He is never flat and he is never sharp. He is bang on the centre of the pitch with each and very note
- [me, my dad and dementia #9 - Dylan Thomas says it for us](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia-9/) - Poetry (like music) allows all of us, from all walks of life to think, to see, to live, to be and to interpret our own lives in a larger (or smaller) space. Poetry gives us space. So here’s a famous poem for those of us who are care givers, for those who live with this
- [Criselda's Noteworthy Thoughts for December 2024](https://sonoted.ca/criseldas-noteworthy-thoughts-for-december-2024/) - As we rush headlong towards Christmas, towards more joy, towards presents, towards more human interaction and towards more concerts/shows, we should probably stop and consider Christmas a little.Shall we, like Dickens suggested, honor it in our hearts and keep it all year round? Yes!Should we see it as a time to do something extra for
- [Criselda's Noteworthy Thoughts for November](https://sonoted.ca/criseldas-noteworthy-thoughts-for-november/) - Wow what a fun whirlwind we are living in! Sometimes life goes past so quickly that we forget to simply stop, admire and enjoy.The colors outside are changing and there is a nip in the air. We embrace rehearsing our Christmas pieces with more enthusiasm as December nears. And we reluctantly start to say the
- [Criselda's Noteworthy Thoughts for September 2024](https://sonoted.ca/criseldas-noteworthy-thoughts-for-september-2024/)
- [Criselda's Noteworthy thoughts for January 2024](https://sonoted.ca/newsletter-for-january-2024/)
- [Criselda's February newsletter](https://sonoted.ca/criseldas-february-newsletter/) - Happy February everyone! Ah the month of heart shaped pizzas, a bit more sunshine and slushy roads. What's not to love? If you've just done dry Jan or about to do dry Feb, then YAY you! Singers need all the moisture they can get and sadly, alcohol dries out your vocal folds. Of course, you
- [Criselda's Noteworthy Thoughts for July 2024](https://sonoted.ca/criseldas-noteworthy-thoughts-for-july-2024/) - Happy summer! For those of us busy planning the fall season, we hear Christmas music wafting on the breezes and see twinkly lights in every sunset. And what keeps choral directors up at night over the summer? The big question is – will the singers remember how to breathe, tune and shape a phrase when
- [Criselda's Noteworthy Thoughts for October 2024](https://sonoted.ca/criseldas-noteworthy-thoughts-for-october-2024/) - Too busy? Just busy enough? Not nearly busy? I would boldly suggest that being busy is a very good thing. But how do we find balance and fulfillment within the rich tapestry of our lives? But while I say that, we have to be careful to not overload those adrenals and add stress to our
- [Criselda's Noteworthy Thoughts for August 2024](https://sonoted.ca/criseldas-noteworthy-thoughts-for-august-2024/) - As summer draws to a close, we can all look forward to an exciting fall of singing and performing! So Noted Singers, Forte Plus Choir, Cleopatra (NEW!), our touring company (NEW!), Seniors Acting Out Together and finally Acting Out are all planning exciting seasons. But some in our province will have to look hard to
- [Criselda's Noteworthy Thoughts for June 2024](https://sonoted.ca/criseldas-noteworthy-thoughts-for-june-2024/) - As concert season winds down, we reflect on what it feels like to attend all these wonderful shows….why do we do it?(but keep checking our facebook page for a ton of upcoming concerts by many groups yet in early June)Attending a concert can be a powerful, shared experience that transcends the boundaries of individuality, regardless
- [Criselda's Noteworthy Thoughts for May 2024](https://sonoted.ca/criseldas-noteworthy-thoughts-for-may-2024/)
- [Criselda's Noteworthy Thoughts for February 2024](https://sonoted.ca/criseldas-noteworthy-thoughts-for-february-2024/)
- [Choral singing - what about the text?](https://sonoted.ca/st-albert-choir-choral-singing-what-about-the-text/) - Have you ever gone to a choir concert that seemed uninspired and lifeless? Chances are you have, even if the sound was well blended and perfectly on pitch. Today we're going to take a look at another part of the whole puzzle - the text. As a singer the music you perform is more than
- [Choral singing - surviving the Long Concert](https://sonoted.ca/st-albert-choir-choral-singing-surviving-the-long-concert/) - Most choir directors know better, but every once in a while they go a little crazy and put together a program that has the choir members singing at the extremes of their vocal capacity, both in terms of range and dynamics. As a singer, how do you cope with the fatigue? What can you do
- [Choral singing - Keep your voice healthy](https://sonoted.ca/st-albert-choir-choral-singing-keep-your-voice-healthy/) - All too often singers develop problems with their voices which could have been prevented by a little knowledge applied at the right time. Today I'm going to try to provide a few simple guidelines that I hope will help spare some of you the frustration of having your voice go out on you at a
- [Choral singing - Breath Management in Singing](https://sonoted.ca/st-albert-choir-breath-management/) - Breath Management in Singing by David L. Jones Alan Lindquest once told me to take a thimble full of breath and put it in the lower back. It is important for us to understand what this statement really means. Most singers take “too much breath under the upper rib cage and blow most of it
- [Choral singing - Posture and Breathing](https://sonoted.ca/st-albert-choir-posture-and-breathing/) - Posture and Breathing 1. Posture There is a good reason to start with posture. It is the foundation on which all other techniques stand. You have heard of "good" posture, but what does that mean to a singer? Certainly it is not the ram-rod straight posture one associates with a military inspection. Nor is it
- [Choral singing - Tone Production](https://sonoted.ca/st-albert-choir-tone-production/) - Tone Production What makes a good tone? Generally, in Western culture a good vocal tone is considered to be one which is full, clear, and audible. A good vocal tone should not be stident, shrill, scratchy, or breathy. It should also not sound "forced" or "strained," but instead should sound as if it flows effortlessly
- [Choral singing - Extending your vocal range (lower)](https://sonoted.ca/st-albert-choir-extending-your-vocal-range-lower/) - I am often asked how I sing so low. (I am a bass.) The short answer is that I just open my mouth and sing the notes. Of course, there is a bit more to it than that. A naturally low voice helps, but my normal range is not that much lower than most good
- [Choral singing - Extending your vocal range (higher)](https://sonoted.ca/st-albert-choir-extending-your-vocal-range-higher/) - One of the biggest challenges facing most singers is the high end of the voice: those notes which are at or slightly above the range where singing is comfortable. Often that part of the voice sounds strained, or if abused too often becomes permanently strident. This is not good. As a young bass, my voice
- [Choral singing - Miscellaneous tips for the amateur singer](https://sonoted.ca/st-albert-choir-miscellaneous-tips-for-the-amateur-singer/) - Some miscellaneous tips for the amateur singer: Listen carefully at all times. Learn to hear the other parts as you sing, and work on tuning with them. Listen to the vowel sounds. Try to match the vowel sounds of the rest of the choir. When everyone is singing exactly the same vowel the perceived volume
- [Blending the choir - part 1](https://sonoted.ca/st-albert-choir-blending-the-choir-part-1/) - Many people who listen to our choir comment on how each section sounds like one voice. This is not by accident, or good luck, but is a tribute to the work our director puts in on fine-tuning the choir. It takes a well-trained ear to match voices so they reinforce the sound he is after,
- [Blending the choir - part 2](https://sonoted.ca/st-albert-choir-blending-the-choir-part-2/) - Achieving a good choral sound can be a challenge, particularly in an amateur choir. Many of the voices are underdeveloped, or the singers have had little formal training since leaving school, and it can be somewhat like herding cats to get the choir to sound like an ensemble. Many choir directors try to accomplish this
- [Choral singing - How to have a productive rehearsal](https://sonoted.ca/st-albert-choir-how-to-have-a-productive-rehearsal/) - If you have been singing very long at all you have experienced at least one rehearsal which frustrated you because of its lack of accomplishment. Today we're going to take a look at what it takes to have a productive rehearsal - a necessity for producing an excellent concert. Be on time. One of the

## Pages

- [Home](https://sonoted.ca/) - Voted top 2 for Best Musician/Performer 3 years in a row!Thanks for your votes. Our charities of choice, supported with every performance: St. Albert Food Bank Jessica Martel Foundation If you love all things Halloween and all things Broadway, have we got a show for you!In “Villainy Tonight!”, for one night only, musical theatre’s vilest
- [Quick-Fire Choir Registration](https://sonoted.ca/quick-fire-choir-registration/)
- [So Noted - Registration](https://sonoted.ca/so-noted-choir-in-st-albert/so-noted-registration/) - So Noted - Registration Home So Noted - Registration This could be your chance to be a part of the incredible SO NOTED SINGERS… We currently have a space for: - One tenor - One low bass To keep the right balance, we're closed to women's voices at this time, but get on our waiting
- [Cleopatra Women's Choir](https://sonoted.ca/cleopatra-womens-choir/) - Cleopatra is a choir for experienced women singers to raise their voices together in a variety of choral genres.We offer a dynamic experience that showcases women’s voices in unique choral arrangements.Rehearsals are on Monday evenings (with some Tuesdays) at St. Albert Catholic High School, access via 20 Malmo Place and continue west.Our women’s choir has
- [So Noted (choir in St. Albert)](https://sonoted.ca/so-noted-choir-in-st-albert/) - So Noted Singers is a vibrant mixed choir rehearsing in St Albert under the direction of longtime local conductor Criselda Mierau. Once you’ve been to one of their shows, you’ll be hooked. Is it a choir concert? Is it a play with choral music helping to tell the tale? Is it a unique immersive experience
- [Shows](https://sonoted.ca/shows/) - Christmas concerts Friday, Dec. 11, 2026andSaturday, Dec. 12 Times and tickets TBD - watch here for detailsor follow us on Facebook/Instagram! . . . .
- [Acting Out Loud - podcast episodes](https://sonoted.ca/acting-out-loud-podcast-episodes/) - Latest Episode: Composer Spotlight: Stephen Sondheim (Mar. 10, 2026)Sondheim had three ‘truisms’ that he tried to abide by in all of his works: “Content Dictates Form, Less is More, and God is in the Details.” Let’s explore what each of those phrases mean for his music, one at a time.https://listen.hubhopper.com/episode/episode-6-composer-spotlight-stephen-sondheim/32988773 All Episodes: Setting The Stage
- [Team](https://sonoted.ca/team/) - Team Home Team Criselda Mierau Founding Artistic Director Artistic Director Criselda Mierau is an accomplished pianist, singer, actress, and choral conductor. She has performed with Tommy Banks, Da Camera Singers, and Edmonton Opera Chorus and conducted award winning performers like Johnny Collins JR, Nora Bumanis, Charlie Austin and PJ Perry. She was also a choral
- [Pop-up choir Registration](https://sonoted.ca/pop-up-choir-registration/)
- [QR-SoNoted](https://sonoted.ca/qr-sonoted/)
- [Forte Plus - drop-in choir](https://sonoted.ca/forte-plus-drop-in-choir/) - Join us on Wednesday afternoons for casual choral singing offering a variety of genres and styles as a no-commitment drop-in opportunity. These one hour afternoon sessions will also explore local performance options. Come and join Forte Plus for an hour of singing some new, some old and some completely unexpected songs and workshop experiences. Discover
- [me, my dad, and dementia](https://sonoted.ca/me-my-dad-and-dementia/) - me, my dad and dementia – introduction October 18, 2024 No Comments You might be wondering why there is a blog entitled “me, my dad and dementia” on a choir website. Simply put, my Dad and I Read More » me, my dad and dementia #1 – Bohemian Rhapsody October 18, 2024 No Comments I’m
- [Les Mis VIP Experience](https://sonoted.ca/les-miserables-vip-experience/) - Experience the magic of Paris in our upstairs ‘bistro’ during the intermission. French wines and cheeses await to delight your palate while our guest soloist Taylor Fawcett transports you to France in only the way a superb tenor can! And as you depart Paris, you will be given a gift to remember the show and
- [Warrior Pop-up Choir Registration](https://sonoted.ca/warrior-pop-up-choir-registration/)
- [Contests](https://sonoted.ca/contest/)
- [FAQ](https://sonoted.ca/faq/) - FAQ Home FAQ Frequently-Asked Questions (FAQ) Here are some frequently-asked questions (and answers). If your question isn’t here, please contact us at manager@SoNoted.ca or call Verla at 780.238.5617 How do I join So Noted or Forte Plus St. Albert choirs? So Noted: You can register here - https://sonoted.ca/so-noted-choir-in-st-albert/so-noted-registration/Or contact Verla at manager@aomt.ca or 780.238.5617Forte Plus:
- [Map: Christ Community Church](https://sonoted.ca/christ-community-church-map/) - MAP - Christ Community Church
- [Member Information](https://sonoted.ca/aomt-member-information/) - This is the place to connect to our Dropbox.com folder with rehearsal songs and other information.You’ll need the password to access this, so check your emails from Verla or contact her to get a reminder!Click below:Rehearsal songs and more
- [St. Albert Catholic High School (SACHS)](https://sonoted.ca/st-albert-catholic-high-school-sachs/) - Best to head to V.J. Maloney School at 20 Mont Clare Place but continue west past V.J. Maloney to the SACHS parking lot. Head to the Community entrance and follow our signs to the cafeteria!
- [Red Willow Church](https://sonoted.ca/red-willow-church/) - Rehearsal space – free parking, enter through main doors, first hallway on your right.
- [St. Albert United Church](https://sonoted.ca/st-albert-united-church/) - For performances – make sure you do NOT park along Green Grove Drive or you’ll get a ticket!
- [Newsletter signup](https://sonoted.ca/newsletter/)
- [About](https://sonoted.ca/about/) - About Home About Theater Teaches That We Are Just A Part Of Other People's Lives Jacob Derulo Acting Out Musical Theatre So Notedmixed choir Forte Plusdrop-in choir Acting Out Musical Theatre (AOMT) has been active in Edmonton since our inception in 2008. Our performances have included revue-style shows, Fiddler on the Roof, and Into the
- [Contact](https://sonoted.ca/contact/) - Contact Home Contact Get In Touch Send us a note via this form, or phone/email (see below). We’ll try to get right back to you! Phone780.238.5617 Emailinfo@aomt.ca
- [Artistic Director (Criselda)](https://sonoted.ca/about-us/artistic-director-criselda/) - Criselda Mierau is an accomplished pianist, singer, actress, and choral conductor. She has performed with Tommy Banks, Da Camera Singers, and Edmonton Opera Chorus and conducted award winning performers like Johnny Collins JR, Nora Bumanis, Charlie Austin and PJ Perry. She was also a choral administrator for the 2001 World Track & Field Championships Opening
- [Ticket](https://sonoted.ca/ticket/) - Ticket Home Ticket Ticket Package Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus luctus nec ullamcorper mattis pulvinar dapibus leo. Fusce vulputate sodales hendrerit amet consectetur. Regular Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consecte. $15/Seat 1 box of popcorn Standard seat Talk to the actor 1x photo with actor Free Souvenirs get ticket
- [About Us](https://sonoted.ca/about-us/) - Acting Out Musical Theatre (AOMT) has been active in Edmonton since our inception in 2008. Our performances have included revue-style shows, Fiddler on the Roof, and Into the Woods. Watch for our upcoming production! Manager: Verla Carter so.noted.manager@gmail.com 780.238.5617 Artistic Director: Criselda Mierau criselda@email.com 780.240.8871

## Elementor Header & Footer Builder

- [Footer](https://sonoted.ca/elementor-hf/footer/) - 40 Lennox DriveSt. Albert, ABT8N 4L3 P : 780.238.5617 E: info@SoNoted.ca Quick Links Frequently-Asked Questions About Us Contact Us Copyright © 2026 So Noted Singers & Forte Plus Jki-facebook-light Instagram
- [Header](https://sonoted.ca/elementor-hf/header/) - Home About Us So Noted Singers mixed choir Forte Plus Drop-in Choir Cleopatra Women’s Choir FAQ Team Members So Noted Music etc Forte Plus Music etc. Cleopatra Music Warmups (no password) MAP: Red Willow Community Church MAP: St. Albert Catholic High School (SACHS) MAP: St. Albert United Church Blog: me, my dad, and dementia Newsletters

## Forms

- [Quick-Fire Choir registration](https://sonoted.ca/metform-form/warrior-pop-up-choir-registration/)
- [Forte Plus registration](https://sonoted.ca/metform-form/new-form-1720144665/)
- [Pop-up choir registration!](https://sonoted.ca/metform-form/pop-up-registration/)
- [Cleopatra Registration](https://sonoted.ca/metform-form/so-noted-pregistration/)
- [VIP tickets reserved!](https://sonoted.ca/metform-form/new-form-1713457608/)
- [Newsletter Signup](https://sonoted.ca/metform-form/newsletter-signup/)
- [Contact](https://sonoted.ca/metform-form/contact/)

## Categories

- [Singing tips](https://sonoted.ca/category/singing-tips/)
- [Newsletters](https://sonoted.ca/category/newsletters/)
- [Noteworthy Thoughts](https://sonoted.ca/category/noteworthy-thoughts/)
- [me, my dad, and dementia](https://sonoted.ca/category/me-my-dad-and-dementia/)
- [Podcast](https://sonoted.ca/category/podcast/)

## Tags

- [Criselda](https://sonoted.ca/tag/criselda/)
- [newsletter](https://sonoted.ca/tag/newsletter/)
- [vocal](https://sonoted.ca/tag/vocal/)
- [warmups](https://sonoted.ca/tag/warmups/)