Welcome to the Idyllwild Choral Retreat!

Coffee-drinking soprano, trainer of voices and tonebase voice content lead
Heidi_Vass
updated 4 mths ago
37replies

👋 Welcome to the Idyllwild Choral Retreat Meet & Greet! 🎶

You’ve found the official Meet and Greet Page for the very first Idyllwild Choral Retreat—how exciting that we get to launch this new tradition together!

This space is all about connection. It’s your chance to introduce yourself and start getting to know the amazing group of singers who will be gathering in the mountains for a week of harmony, growth, and inspiration.

🎤 Let us know:

Where you’re coming from 🌎
What part you sing in the choir 🎶
What you’re most looking forward to at the retreat 🌲💫

📸 And don’t be shy—share a photo or a short video if you’d like! Whether it’s your favorite singing moment, your choir in action, your music setup at home, or just your lovely face—we’d love to see it! It’s a fun way to start putting faces (and voices!) to names as we build our retreat community.

This is the beginning of something special. Thanks for being part of it—we can’t wait to meet you, both here and in Idyllwild!

- Coffee-drinking soprano, trainer of voices and tonebase voice content lead
- Heidi_Vass
- 1 mth ago
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Welcome to the Idyllwild forum!!
- Previously a choir accompanist. Now an alto (a very short one).
- Nimfa_Schmitz
- 1 mth ago
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Greetings everyone! My name is Nimfa and I'm an alto in my church choir at Padre Serra Parish in Camarillo, CA. I will be attending the Idyllwild retreat with my friends, Lisa and Laurie, who are also members of the Padre Serra choir.

The thought of going on this retreat kind of makes me feel like I'm going away to summer camp (something I never actually did as a kid). I think it'll be really fun to share new musical experiences and to make new friends!

Here's a pic from one of our Christmas concerts (I'm the shortest one in the front row!):
- Previously a choir accompanist. Now an alto (a very short one).
  
  Nimfa_Schmitz
  
  1 mth ago
  
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  And here's our choir in action:
  https://drive.google.com/file/d/15i04ZR-7J-4wFHYnTVC30o6LGk25IrOp
  
  A one-minute excerpt from John Gardner's "Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day"
- Coffee-drinking soprano, trainer of voices and tonebase voice content lead
  
  Heidi_Vass
  
  1 mth ago
  
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  This is great! So fun to see you all in action .. truly looking forward to working with you, Lisa and Laurie! How long have you all been singing in the Padre Serra Choir?
- Previously a choir accompanist. Now an alto (a very short one).
  
  Nimfa_Schmitz
  
  1 mth ago
  
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  Let's see.... I first joined the Padre Serra Choir in Fall of 2018, then moved out of the area in 2020 and didn't return to the choir until 2022. So, that makes 4 and a half years for me! :-) How about you, and ?
- Lisa_Barra
  
  1 mth ago
  
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  I was a founding member of Padre Serra (1988) but didn’t join the choir till I finished graduate school around 1995. It’s been really cool watching the choir grow to the 75ish person choir we have now. I love that Dominic also provides us with the opportunity to participate in a smaller schola with more challenging repertoire.
  
  Unfortunately I had laryngitis at the time of the Christmas concert that Nimfa posted. I was super-sad to not be able to sing., but was glad I had some synth parts to play, or I would have been even more depressed. I made up for it this Christmas though, because I was able to include my Cherubs (3yrs old to 2nd grade) in the concert and helped out with the Children’s & Middle school choirs besides singing in the schola and with the Adult choir. It was so much fun (I think the kids stole the show.) When I get the chance I’ll send a link to the concert with suggestions of “highlights” moments.
- Coffee-drinking soprano, trainer of voices and tonebase voice content lead
  
  Heidi_Vass
  
  1 mth ago
  
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  Love this.. you are all so blessed to have such a wonderful community and fearless leader in Dominic! For the record, it's impossible to compete with kids - cute wins every time!
- Coffee-drinking soprano, trainer of voices and tonebase voice content lead
  
  Heidi_Vass
  
  1 mth ago
  
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  Amazing! So excited to have you all coming this Summer!
- Dana_Rouse
- 2 wk ago
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The choir sounds beautiful! Thanks for sharing.
- Dana_Rouse
- 2 wk ago
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Hello everyone! I am excited to be a part of this choral retreat as the second alto in Seraphour. All of my fondest musical memories are centered around choir--from singing in church as a young elementary student, to high school and college and then community choir and professional ensembles.

I am looking forward to meeting all of you and making some beautiful music together.
- Emma_Roche
- 13 days ago
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Hi Singers! We're only about a week away from our choral retreat! I'm so looking forward to unplugging in the beautiful mountains and making music with you all; it is going to be amazing 😄🎶
- tonebase_user.32
- 12 days ago
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Good morning all! Looking forward to our time together. Have you studied your music. Knowing your music in advance will allow us to get into the deeper meaning of each piece. Bring your questions, comments, suggestions, and epiphanies. Learning together is the best!! See you all in one week! Don
- Coffee-drinking soprano, trainer of voices and tonebase voice content lead
  
  Heidi_Vass
  
  11 days ago
  
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  LOVE this!! Hope everyone is starting a list 😄
- Mayreni
- 9 days ago
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Hi all! I'm Mayreni (pronounced my-reh-knee), and I'm based in LA (Glendale area). I sing Alto 2 and so look forward to meeting and singing with everyone! I hope to make some new music friends and learn new vocal techniques at the retreat. I love to sing both choral and solo music, and I have a Youtube channel where I post myself singing if you would like to check it out! https://www.youtube.com/@mayrenimusic

By the way, if anyone else lives near the Glendale area and is interested in carpooling, I'm happy to give a ride to the retreat. Shoot me a message if interested.
- Coffee-drinking soprano, trainer of voices and tonebase voice content lead
  
  Heidi_Vass
  
  7 days ago
  
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  Thank you so much for sharing your youtube channel :) That Armenian folk song is stunning!
- Matthew_Robert_Crow
- 6 days ago
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Good morning singers. I seem somewhat overwhelmed by the talent here, as I am a Civil Engineer who sings in a couple of choirs as a hobby and am wanting to get away from some misery and improve my voice. I live in Pasadena and am originally from Liverpool and as a boy sang with Stephen Richardson. I hope I manage to learn stuff and don't annoy too many of you with my amateur status.
- Coffee-drinking soprano, trainer of voices and tonebase voice content lead
  
  Heidi_Vass
  
  6 days ago
  
  Reported - view
  There are no amateurs or pros here.. just singers trying to do the best we can on our individual paths. The more I learn about the voice, the more I realize we are never done learning - all just at different stages of discovery. It's a lifelong project. Can't wait to work with you in a couple of days!
- Alto - and loving it.
  
  laurie
  
  6 days ago
  
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  Good morning! You’re absolutely not alone in wondering, “Am I good enough to be here?” I’ve had that very same thought—and so have my friends who are also attending. The good news is: we all agree that this is an incredible opportunity to grow, learn, and connect. We’re about to spend a few days doing what we love, surrounded by inspiring and talented people in a beautiful mountain setting. What could be better? Looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow!
- Matthew_Robert_Crow
  
  6 days ago
  
  Reported - view
- Matthew_Robert_Crow
  
  6 days ago
  
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  This is me in England earlier this year. Some of you may recognize the chapel and the conductor.
- Coffee-drinking soprano, trainer of voices and tonebase voice content lead
  
  Heidi_Vass
  
  5 days ago
  
  Reported - view
  oooh.. is that Jimmy Mac?
- Coffee-drinking soprano, trainer of voices and tonebase voice content lead
  
  Heidi_Vass
  
  5 days ago
  
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  This is such an interesting topic.. Can't wait to dispel some of these myths tomorrow!
- Coffee-drinking soprano, trainer of voices and tonebase voice content lead
- Heidi_Vass
- 6 days ago
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Our amazing conductor, Don Brinegar has outlined our first rehearsal!

This is what our Thursday full ensemble rehearsal Looks like:

July 24, 2025

Lowman Concert Hall

5:00 PM Warm-up

5:13 PM Voice Placement in Sections

5:34 PM Sicut Cercus

5:47 PM Regina Coeli

6:08 PM The Sallow Harp

6:30 PM Dinner in Nelson Hall
- Jenny_Tisi
  
  6 days ago
  
  Reported - view
  I’m excited to watch everyone’s mind get blown as they watch Don do placement.
- Coffee-drinking soprano, trainer of voices and tonebase voice content lead
  
  Heidi_Vass
  
  6 days ago
  
  Reported - view
  me too!