The recording phase of Each Moment is now officially COMPLETE!

The success of our HUGE recording day at the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre (ManPAC) Fishtrap theatre, marks the end of all recording efforts and the beginning of the movie production phase of the Each Moment project.  It was a substantial undertaking over two full days, requiring a team twenty three helpers to organise, set-up and run the event, which involved a total of thirty four singers drawn from six Regional choirs and the Mandurah Concert band.

We captured an enormous amount of Hi Fidelity audio and High Definition video recordings. Video was taken in front of the green screens lent by one of our key sponsors, Rick Grigsby (the 3D computer imaging expert who will play a pivotal role in our movie production by generating 3D animated scenes). Video of the performers was captured from a total of six HD video cameras positioned internally. Backdrop video of  the virtual stage - the surface of Mandurah water - was captured from five positions along the boardwalk outside the ManPAC building (video from a sixth position located on the tip of the shallow sand bar, looking back at the ManPAC building, will require wading and will be shot at a later date). Audio was captured from a total of eight microphones, each recorded onto a separate digital channel.

So many people to thank!

• Guy Boyce, General Manager, ManPAC and his technical team of Alex (Supervisor), Daniel (lighting) and Peter (sound). This recording session would not have been possible without access to a venue and the provision of technical support services such as these.
• John Hughes (Manager) and Rebecca Nelson (Arts & Cultural Development Officer) of the City of Mandurah, Libraries, Learning, Arts & Culture, who supported ManPAC with the provision of the facilities and technical support provided for this community development event.
  
• Tony Scraven, President, MCB and Jody Collett, acting President who squeezed this recording event into their busy program.
  
• Krispin Maesalu, Musical Director, Mandurah Concert Band (MCB), who generously contributed a concert band arrangement of Each Moment, directed the artistic proceedings of the recording day and conducted both the MCB and massed choirs in many recording 'takes'.
• Josh Haines, who accompanied, on piano, the massed choirs' recording takes. Josh was also the timpanist in the MCB.
• Members of the MCB, who practiced Each Moment so earnestly and then performed it so magnificently.
• Karen Reeves, who assisted Krispin with organising the massed voices. 
• Members of five participating Regional choirs who gave up their time to come together, with Krispin's coaching, to form a unified choir of thirty four that matched the performance of the band. A special thanks to singers who traveled to Mandurah as representatives of ELM for the day.
• Rick Grigsby, our expert 3D computer imaging sponsor, who directed the work of the camera operators during the day.
• Barry Upjohn, our friend and audio enthusiast, who assisted with camera work and, more critically, worked with the sound technician (Peter) in taking charge of audio recording responsibilities.
• Our wonderful team of other family members and friends who donated their time and ENERGY when helping with the setting up of the venue on Saturday and running the video and audio recording activities on Sunday. They were (in alphabetical order):
  Colin Brown
  Diane Palmer
  Gary Morris
  Helen Grigsby
  Jody Collett
  John Alford
  Kevin Thorne
  Leigh van der Merwe
  Linda Upjohn
  Neville Grigsby
  Roberta Thorne
  Roger Palmer
  Sue Bennett
  Trudi Bennett
  Wally Bennett

Live and love
Team ELM

We're all set and ready to go with the Live Recording Session on Sun 16th Feb 2014 in the Fishtrap Theatre of the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre.

Thanks to the generous support of the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre and the City of Mandurah, we've been able give you this opportunity to be involved in a unique recording studio event.

We've assembled a large team of 23 helpers and over 30 concert band musicians to run this event for you.  The team will perform 17 different roles to set-up the venue on Saturday and to run the show on Sunday, in order to make what is a complex undertaking a straight forward, enjoyable and rewarding experience for you... all at no cost.

Of the 57 singers who expressed an interest in participating in this event, a big "thank you" to the 27 of you who have accepted the invitation to date! 

Unfortunately, six of the original 57 advised that they had to pull out for various reasons with 1 being unsure. That leave 23 of you (8 without access to email) who have not yet confirmed one way or the other. Please make the effort to get to the Fishtrap Theatre on Sunday at 1:00pm for the Choir recording session.  It will be well worth your while and make all the hard work of the helpers and the concert band worth their while!... and please help out those who don't have email access by encouraging them to come along (we will have spare copies of the music for them).

Love and live
Team ELM

Only one short week left to go. All preparations are in place for a memorable recording event. This event would not have been possible without the generous support of ManPAC and the City of Mandurah, who are funding the facility hire and provision of technical support services. 
Many thanks to ManPAC and the City of Mandurah!  

The Mandurah Concert Band have been hard at work practicing the wonderful new arrangement of Each Moment written especially for ELM by Krispin Maesalu. Many thanks to Krispin and the MCB!


As ELM has no budget for the recording session, all video and audio equipment and recording work will be provided by ELM's loyal helpers. A heart round of thanks to them all!

To our registered singers, we hope you've had time to download the music and put some practice in at home and hopefully at your regular Choir rehearsals (The MCCS are running through the song tomorrow night).

At present, we have a list of 54 singers who have expressed an interest in participating in this recording session. It's not too late for others to sign up. Just let us know by via Contact Us.

Love and live
Team ELM

Dear choristers, all 56 of you so far, spread the word.

How time flies! February 16th is but two weeks away. Preparations for the recording session are proceeding well. The Mandurah Concert Band have been practicing the new arrangement of 'Each Moment' written by Krispin Maesalu. Here's a snippet of the closing moments of their second rehearsal (recorded on Walter's tablet). What wonderful accompaniment to your singing. What a treat! I hope you are finding a little time to practice your singing at home so that the rehearsal time on the day will be more about polishing than 'note bashing'. If you haven't done so already, you can find your practice music here.

What to wear on the day? I suggest you wear your choir's formal costume when performing in a concert (but DO NOT wear any GREEN clothing or accessory as it will seem to disappear in the video).

TOP SECRET: You may have the opportunity to be part of a stunning 'flash mob' happening when the final Each Moment movie, in which you will appear, at the 2014 Mandurah Proms. Picture the scene. 

The house lights dim and the screening of the Each Moment movie begins. As the song reaches the A cappella section, a new audio dynamic starts to flood the auditorium, as singers who were also present at the recording session stand, be they in the audience or on stage, and join in by singing the song live and with great gusto. During this time, the house and stage lights are brought up enough to illuminate flash mob singers in the audience and those clustered on stage. At the end of the A cappella section, the concert band, waiting patiently on stage, suddenly bursts into action at full song to take the place of the recorded sound track to overwhelm the senses of all present!

It could be HUGE! Although the 'flash mob' will only perform the final 50 seconds of the song (chorus and finale) together and live, it will certainly be a moment to remember... and, as all ELM items presented at the Proms are to be professionally recorded in HD video and uploaded to the Internet, you could be part of something that goes viral. 

Psssst! Keep the news among yourselves though, as the impact of a flash mob relies on it being a surprise to those in the audience.

Don't forget, your rehearsal and recording session details are: