You may have heard that Dame Julie Andrews is scheduled to direct the 60th anniversary production of My Fair Lady this summer at the Sydney Opera House in Australia. You can watch an interview about it here:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-10/julie-andrews-offers-advice-to-aspiring-actors/6929054
In the interview she gave some good advice to artists:
"The underpinning of discipline is the foundation that leaves me free to then fly. If I know that I've done my homework, which is what I suggest to all young talent these days, then I've got something there that I can spring from. But if you haven't learned it well, paid your dues or put in the hours, you don't have as much to pull from.”
The end of the semester is really when we find out if we’ve been doing our “homework.” In other words, has the process you’ve been following this semester prepared you and helped you grow?
As indicated in your class syllabus, I firmly believe that your final grade in Studio Voice should be a reflection of the work you have been doing all year. If you have been disciplined and on task, the jury performance is almost always solid. If, however, you have an outstanding jury performance but you were not disciplined in meeting your other responsibilities throughout the semester then you will not receive a high grade just because you "aced your final.”
I adhere to this policy to emphasize exactly what Dame Andrews indicates: if you have done your homework, you have more to pull from as an artist. There may be shortcuts to throwing together a performance, but creating something artistic and powerful takes time, discipline, and practice.
When the semester is finally over and you have moved on to your happy holidays, I hope you all take some time to go back and honestly reflect on the last five months. Though this is not an exercise that will be graded, it may be the most important assignment of the year.
Work hard in your last week of class. I’m looking forward to your juries!
Now go practice.
Sunday, November 29, 2015
Sunday, November 15, 2015
Systematic practice
The November issue of Classical Singer magazine (I have extra copies in my office if you would like one) has an article by Laura Portune called “Practicing Efficiently.” In the article she suggests an order for how to practice a song, once all of the notes and rhythms are learned:
- Warm up your body.
- Warm up your voice.
- Speak through the text in rhythm.
- Sing through the piece on lip trills, humming, alternating vowels. Focus on easy production through phrasing and breathing.
- Sing through the piece with words, focusing on technique.
- Sing through the piece with words, focusing on expression/acting.
- Sing through the piece putting together technique and expression/acting.
- End with “performance.”
- Warm down.
A lot has been written about “The Myth of Multitasking” and how trying to do too many things at once actually wastes more time than it saves. This can be true in our singing as well, which is what I like about the process above. By intentionally focusing on a single element of performance we can fine tune that aspect before moving on.
Of course, we tend to want to jump right to the expressive elements of singing. After all, that’s why we sing in the first place. But if we haven’t solidified technical elements, or haven’t learned the song properly, then we may be distracted when performing because we haven’t ironed out those deficiencies yet.
Following a systematic approach can ensure that we aren’t skipping steps in the process and getting ahead of ourselves. It takes time and can be tedious. But the learning that occurs is ingrained more thoroughly, which always saves time down the road.
Think about your own process for practicing and learning a song. How is it the same as the process above? How is it different? Which element(s) on the list above would improve your practicing?
Now go practice.
Sunday, November 1, 2015
Silent Practicing
At the beginning of the semester we talked through the syllabus and discussed dividing your practice time into three sessions. I highlighted the fact that much of your session 3 practice can be done silently.
Many of you have been finding that out over the last couple of weeks since it seems about half of you have been fighting colds or some other illness. Having no voice because you are sick, of course, does not excuse you from practicing. It just means you have to practice differently.
This article includes a list of things you can do for practice that don’t require vocal use. Since it’s written for choral singers, not everything on the list applies to you, but most of it does:
http://doreenfryling.org/2015/09/15/practicing-choral-music-ten-ideas-for-the-singer-who-doesnt-think-they-can-practice-on-their-own/
#2 on the list suggests listening to a recording. Hopefully when I assign you songs you don’t just run to a professional recording or youtube in order to learn the piece. If you have you probably found out just how different some renditions can be from the notes and rhythms printed on the page. But at this point in the semester, now that (most of) you know (most of) your music well, this is a good time to listen to some recordings to compare interpretive ideas. You may hear some things you like that could work in your voice or you may decide you like your own choices best. Either way, it’s good to see what other singers have done with the same song.
I find #8 particularly helpful. I get some of my best text work and memorization done when I’m on my morning run or sitting on the train heading to campus. I just let my mind go through the songs and the repetition helps solidify the parts I know and clues me in on the sections that still need more work.
Experiment with the list this week. Which exercises do you find helpful? Which are difficult for you to do?
Now go practice.
Many of you have been finding that out over the last couple of weeks since it seems about half of you have been fighting colds or some other illness. Having no voice because you are sick, of course, does not excuse you from practicing. It just means you have to practice differently.
This article includes a list of things you can do for practice that don’t require vocal use. Since it’s written for choral singers, not everything on the list applies to you, but most of it does:
http://doreenfryling.org/2015/09/15/practicing-choral-music-ten-ideas-for-the-singer-who-doesnt-think-they-can-practice-on-their-own/
#2 on the list suggests listening to a recording. Hopefully when I assign you songs you don’t just run to a professional recording or youtube in order to learn the piece. If you have you probably found out just how different some renditions can be from the notes and rhythms printed on the page. But at this point in the semester, now that (most of) you know (most of) your music well, this is a good time to listen to some recordings to compare interpretive ideas. You may hear some things you like that could work in your voice or you may decide you like your own choices best. Either way, it’s good to see what other singers have done with the same song.
I find #8 particularly helpful. I get some of my best text work and memorization done when I’m on my morning run or sitting on the train heading to campus. I just let my mind go through the songs and the repetition helps solidify the parts I know and clues me in on the sections that still need more work.
Experiment with the list this week. Which exercises do you find helpful? Which are difficult for you to do?
Now go practice.
Monday, October 19, 2015
Agility
The ability to move the voice quickly is a technical skill that has important applications. While fast moving passages of music (called coloratura or fioratura) are more common in classical music than in music theatre repertoire, agility exercises encourage flexibility in the voice and balance throughout the range. It would be a good idea to work agility exercises into your regular vocal regimen.
Probably the simplest agility exercise is a five note scale 123454321 (Do re mi fa sol fa mi re do). After you have done some session 1 exercises (most agility exercises are better used in session 2) try singing this pattern in the middle voice on an “ah” vowel. Move quickly but not so fast that the notes get sloppy. Move up and down the middle voice using the exercise on different vowels. As you approach the passaggio allow the vowel to modify to whatever works best. If a certain vowel is not working well, try a different one.
Try setting the exercise to a metronome. Gradually work faster and faster, working for the same evenness and clarity from note to note.
You can easily extend this exercise a couple of different ways. Try starting on scale degree 5 (sol) and descending first: 5432123454321 (Sol fa mi re do re mi fa sol fa mi re do). Again experiment with different vowels as you move throughout the range.
You can also try the exercise two or three times in a row using different vowels each time: start with [i] (“ee”) and sing 123454321 then move immediately to [e] (“ay”) for 123454321 and then to [a] “ah” for 123454321. Work for the same evenness from note to note and gradually increase the tempo.
Another one I like to incorporate is even shorter, though not necessarily easier. Choose a vowel and sing the pattern 121232321 (Do re do re mi re mi re do). Again, try it on different vowels and at increasing speeds. You can string this pattern together with the first pattern: 12123232-123454321.
Why are agility exercises important? We all want a bigger sound (in coming to lessons, many singers have two main goals: to sing higher and to sing louder). The result is the tendency to sing too heavily or with too much weight in the voice. Physically this means that we use more mass of the vocal folds when we sing.
To sing fast agility patterns (and to sing higher) we need to use a lighter balance that encourages the edges or outer layer of the vocal folds to handle most of the vibration. Then the voice doesn’t get bogged down with too much pressure and the result is better flexibility and range. Often, if the voice can’t move quickly it’s because we’re just singing with too much weight. Finding how the voice can move faster through agility exercises builds the balance of pressure that will allow us to access more of our full range and will gradually develop into greater dynamic control as well.
Move the voice!
Now go practice.
Probably the simplest agility exercise is a five note scale 123454321 (Do re mi fa sol fa mi re do). After you have done some session 1 exercises (most agility exercises are better used in session 2) try singing this pattern in the middle voice on an “ah” vowel. Move quickly but not so fast that the notes get sloppy. Move up and down the middle voice using the exercise on different vowels. As you approach the passaggio allow the vowel to modify to whatever works best. If a certain vowel is not working well, try a different one.
Try setting the exercise to a metronome. Gradually work faster and faster, working for the same evenness and clarity from note to note.
You can easily extend this exercise a couple of different ways. Try starting on scale degree 5 (sol) and descending first: 5432123454321 (Sol fa mi re do re mi fa sol fa mi re do). Again experiment with different vowels as you move throughout the range.
You can also try the exercise two or three times in a row using different vowels each time: start with [i] (“ee”) and sing 123454321 then move immediately to [e] (“ay”) for 123454321 and then to [a] “ah” for 123454321. Work for the same evenness from note to note and gradually increase the tempo.
Another one I like to incorporate is even shorter, though not necessarily easier. Choose a vowel and sing the pattern 121232321 (Do re do re mi re mi re do). Again, try it on different vowels and at increasing speeds. You can string this pattern together with the first pattern: 12123232-123454321.
Why are agility exercises important? We all want a bigger sound (in coming to lessons, many singers have two main goals: to sing higher and to sing louder). The result is the tendency to sing too heavily or with too much weight in the voice. Physically this means that we use more mass of the vocal folds when we sing.
To sing fast agility patterns (and to sing higher) we need to use a lighter balance that encourages the edges or outer layer of the vocal folds to handle most of the vibration. Then the voice doesn’t get bogged down with too much pressure and the result is better flexibility and range. Often, if the voice can’t move quickly it’s because we’re just singing with too much weight. Finding how the voice can move faster through agility exercises builds the balance of pressure that will allow us to access more of our full range and will gradually develop into greater dynamic control as well.
Move the voice!
Now go practice.
Sunday, September 27, 2015
Freedom to fail
I recently read this article written by a college professor:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/freedom-learn/201509/declining-student-resilience-serious-problem-colleges
While at first I wanted to dismiss it as another grown-up complaining about “these kids today,” I think he brings up real concerns about our ability to confront failure.
Part of what the article describes is that, in the current generation, failure in any capacity has become cause for panic. There are lots of theories as to how this came to be. Maybe we put too much emphasis on testing. Maybe parents (and teachers) have swooped in and prevented you from failure in an attempt to protect you (even though most real learning comes from failure). Maybe the increased pressure to succeed (get into a good school, land a lucrative job, etc.) has given the impression that failure should never occur, even though most successful people can relate story after story of how they bounced back from failures.
There is an obvious connection to the vocal studio. While none of us TRY to fail, it’s bound to happen. Whether it’s an audition where we don’t get the part, a performance that lands flat, or the occasional complete train wreck, anyone doing what we do will experience failure.
The question is, how do we react?
If we fail because we’re unprepared (not as memorized as we should have been, didn’t know the song as well as we could have) then that should obviously motivate us to prepare better the next time.
If we fail because our technique or interpretation was flawed, we should self analyze and decide what we need to do differently to improve.
If we fail because there were others who were just better than us on that day, we should strive to be better the next time and take steps to make that happen.
Failure is normal. Struggle is expected. It does not mean you are worthless.
True, we (the faculty and the institution) are responsible for encouraging a safe environment here at school. But that is not to keep you from failing. It’s so that when (not if) you do fail it doesn’t feel like the end of the world. You are not a failure just because you don’t always succeed.
This week I am working to enjoy my past failures and focusing on how they have helped me improve. In so many cases, it was by failing that I was forced to consider a different way of doing things that ultimately led to greater success.
How have you been failing this week?
Now go practice.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/freedom-learn/201509/declining-student-resilience-serious-problem-colleges
While at first I wanted to dismiss it as another grown-up complaining about “these kids today,” I think he brings up real concerns about our ability to confront failure.
Part of what the article describes is that, in the current generation, failure in any capacity has become cause for panic. There are lots of theories as to how this came to be. Maybe we put too much emphasis on testing. Maybe parents (and teachers) have swooped in and prevented you from failure in an attempt to protect you (even though most real learning comes from failure). Maybe the increased pressure to succeed (get into a good school, land a lucrative job, etc.) has given the impression that failure should never occur, even though most successful people can relate story after story of how they bounced back from failures.
There is an obvious connection to the vocal studio. While none of us TRY to fail, it’s bound to happen. Whether it’s an audition where we don’t get the part, a performance that lands flat, or the occasional complete train wreck, anyone doing what we do will experience failure.
The question is, how do we react?
If we fail because we’re unprepared (not as memorized as we should have been, didn’t know the song as well as we could have) then that should obviously motivate us to prepare better the next time.
If we fail because our technique or interpretation was flawed, we should self analyze and decide what we need to do differently to improve.
If we fail because there were others who were just better than us on that day, we should strive to be better the next time and take steps to make that happen.
Failure is normal. Struggle is expected. It does not mean you are worthless.
True, we (the faculty and the institution) are responsible for encouraging a safe environment here at school. But that is not to keep you from failing. It’s so that when (not if) you do fail it doesn’t feel like the end of the world. You are not a failure just because you don’t always succeed.
This week I am working to enjoy my past failures and focusing on how they have helped me improve. In so many cases, it was by failing that I was forced to consider a different way of doing things that ultimately led to greater success.
How have you been failing this week?
Now go practice.
Sunday, September 13, 2015
Pacing Practice
Back in my school of music days I had friends (pianists and violinists mostly) who would practice anywhere from four to eight hours a day. In order to be competitive, and in order to learn the complex music that is an expected part of their repertoire, that schedule is not uncommon among certain instrumentalists.
As vocalists, we just can’t do that. The vocal folds are muscles and can’t take the wear and tear of that much extended use. I often liken it to marathon runners. Most people wouldn’t run a marathon and then get up the next day and run another marathon and then get up the next day and run another marathon. Muscles need recovery time or they are susceptible to injury.
I’ve been reminded of this personally as I have been preparing for my recital (Sunday, October 4th, 2pm, Dumke Recital Hall, David Gardner Music Building, Free for U of U students!). Most of my vocalizing thus far has been in short sets, working on difficult passages, running entire songs, and then running groups of songs back to back. This has been paired with time on the train spent memorizing and dissecting the music and text. But now that the recital is only three weeks away I need to adjust my practicing to start building up the stamina of an entire program (18 songs with only short breaks in between). So I need to start considering longevity and adjust my daily vocal use accordingly.
If I were strictly a performer and only had to worry about my evening shows, it would be less complicated to manage my vocal energies every day. But in teaching a full load of lessons and classes I need to make sure I am getting sufficient rest as I pace all of my vocal activities. Spending a Saturday screaming (at a football game, at an amusement park, or at a rock concert) is just not an option.
I have had this conversation with many of my students who are in the American Idiot cast. For the next few weeks, they need to pace ALL their vocal activities around their performance requirements. That’s what professionals do and they don’t have to wake up for 8am dance or take a full-time course load. That may mean that each day these students only get in Session 1 vocalization to stretch and warm up the voice and then some silent Session 3 work on learning notes, memorization, and analysis. They can’t afford to go to their shows vocally tired or their performances will suffer. They also can’t afford to skip their daily vocal regimen—that would be like running at a full sprint without any stretching or warming up.
These are just some of the considerations we must keep in mind as vocal athletes. The mental work never needs to take a break but the physical work needs to be carefully paced with all our other daily vocal demands.
How has your singing been going this week?
Now go practice.
As vocalists, we just can’t do that. The vocal folds are muscles and can’t take the wear and tear of that much extended use. I often liken it to marathon runners. Most people wouldn’t run a marathon and then get up the next day and run another marathon and then get up the next day and run another marathon. Muscles need recovery time or they are susceptible to injury.
I’ve been reminded of this personally as I have been preparing for my recital (Sunday, October 4th, 2pm, Dumke Recital Hall, David Gardner Music Building, Free for U of U students!). Most of my vocalizing thus far has been in short sets, working on difficult passages, running entire songs, and then running groups of songs back to back. This has been paired with time on the train spent memorizing and dissecting the music and text. But now that the recital is only three weeks away I need to adjust my practicing to start building up the stamina of an entire program (18 songs with only short breaks in between). So I need to start considering longevity and adjust my daily vocal use accordingly.
If I were strictly a performer and only had to worry about my evening shows, it would be less complicated to manage my vocal energies every day. But in teaching a full load of lessons and classes I need to make sure I am getting sufficient rest as I pace all of my vocal activities. Spending a Saturday screaming (at a football game, at an amusement park, or at a rock concert) is just not an option.
I have had this conversation with many of my students who are in the American Idiot cast. For the next few weeks, they need to pace ALL their vocal activities around their performance requirements. That’s what professionals do and they don’t have to wake up for 8am dance or take a full-time course load. That may mean that each day these students only get in Session 1 vocalization to stretch and warm up the voice and then some silent Session 3 work on learning notes, memorization, and analysis. They can’t afford to go to their shows vocally tired or their performances will suffer. They also can’t afford to skip their daily vocal regimen—that would be like running at a full sprint without any stretching or warming up.
These are just some of the considerations we must keep in mind as vocal athletes. The mental work never needs to take a break but the physical work needs to be carefully paced with all our other daily vocal demands.
How has your singing been going this week?
Now go practice.
Sunday, August 23, 2015
Discipline
Welcome (or welcome back)!
I started this blog last year as a way to encourage us all to be regular and disciplined in practicing our voices. We all sing, all the time. But practicing is more than just singing. It is coordinating specific muscle groups, it is heightening our awareness of physical sensations as they relate to singing, it is sometimes tedious repetition in order to get our music completely accurate, and it is drilling the technical elements of singing often enough for them to become so ingrained that we can focus more of our attention on expression and the emotional intent behind our singing.
This summer I read a book called The Yoga of Discipline by Swami Chidvilasananda. It provided some great perspectives on how the everyday choices we make impact the direction of our lives. One paragraph related specifically to singing:
“You have heard great singers. Do you think they could sing the way they do without discipline? Because they have led disciplined lives, now they can go beyond what we think of as the limitations of the human body. They can reach people’s hearts.”
Of course, we all know singers who do not lead disciplined lives and still manage to be effective performers, more or less. When I encounter those people I always wonder how much better they would be if they were serious enough about their craft to work harder at it. That’s our challenge. Anyone can get really fired up about something once in a while. The successful ones, however, make their art a daily discipline.
So, this first blog is about sharing ideas that help you stay disciplined about practicing your voice. What works for you?
Here are some things that help me:
-Scheduling regular time for it. If practice time is not in my calendar at a specific time, it’s too easy not to do it.
-Allowing myself to stop practicing after a certain amount of time. Some days it feels great and I just keep going. Some days are more difficult so after I work for my designated period of time, I stop and do something else.
-Alternating between brain work and voice work so I don’t get too tired or overwhelmed. A lot of your practicing can be done silently.
-Starting simple. Jumping right to the hard parts tends to frustrate me, partly because I try to take on too much before I'm physically warmed up and prepared.
-Having a goal or something specific I'm trying to accomplish. Maybe that’s just getting a certain rhythm down, maybe that’s memorizing a section of music, maybe that’s an ongoing goal like smoothing out the passaggio or getting better dynamic control.
What works for you?
Now go practice.
I started this blog last year as a way to encourage us all to be regular and disciplined in practicing our voices. We all sing, all the time. But practicing is more than just singing. It is coordinating specific muscle groups, it is heightening our awareness of physical sensations as they relate to singing, it is sometimes tedious repetition in order to get our music completely accurate, and it is drilling the technical elements of singing often enough for them to become so ingrained that we can focus more of our attention on expression and the emotional intent behind our singing.
This summer I read a book called The Yoga of Discipline by Swami Chidvilasananda. It provided some great perspectives on how the everyday choices we make impact the direction of our lives. One paragraph related specifically to singing:
“You have heard great singers. Do you think they could sing the way they do without discipline? Because they have led disciplined lives, now they can go beyond what we think of as the limitations of the human body. They can reach people’s hearts.”
Of course, we all know singers who do not lead disciplined lives and still manage to be effective performers, more or less. When I encounter those people I always wonder how much better they would be if they were serious enough about their craft to work harder at it. That’s our challenge. Anyone can get really fired up about something once in a while. The successful ones, however, make their art a daily discipline.
So, this first blog is about sharing ideas that help you stay disciplined about practicing your voice. What works for you?
Here are some things that help me:
-Scheduling regular time for it. If practice time is not in my calendar at a specific time, it’s too easy not to do it.
-Allowing myself to stop practicing after a certain amount of time. Some days it feels great and I just keep going. Some days are more difficult so after I work for my designated period of time, I stop and do something else.
-Alternating between brain work and voice work so I don’t get too tired or overwhelmed. A lot of your practicing can be done silently.
-Starting simple. Jumping right to the hard parts tends to frustrate me, partly because I try to take on too much before I'm physically warmed up and prepared.
-Having a goal or something specific I'm trying to accomplish. Maybe that’s just getting a certain rhythm down, maybe that’s memorizing a section of music, maybe that’s an ongoing goal like smoothing out the passaggio or getting better dynamic control.
What works for you?
Now go practice.
Monday, April 20, 2015
Hate watching
I read an article in a recent NATS publication about hate watching. We all know the game: watching a performance we expect (or hope) will be bad just so we can make fun of it. American Idol has made a lot of money off the concept. The article made reference to last year's NBC production of Sound of Music with Carrie Underwood as an example and pointed to the social media commentary as proof of all the hate watching.
I think a lot of times we imagine auditions, masterclasses, Dem Lab performances, JURIES, like everyone is hate watching our performance, just waiting for us to make a mistake.
When we find those thoughts creeping into our heads, it may be worth stepping back to consider what kind of audience members we are ourselves. Do we hope the performers we are watching do well or are we secretly rooting for some noticeable failure (as if their failure somehow makes us better)?
It’s one thing to notice imperfections and to have opinions about what we are seeing and hearing and deciding what we might do differently. That’s an important part of developing artistry. And it’s perfectly alright to say that you don’t like a performance.
But what are we looking for? Are we looking for flaws or looking for what works? Are we quick to criticize or quick to compliment?
Now, consider how you evaluate your own performances. Do you look for the flaws first or can you just as easily highlight your areas of excellence?
Did you see this French ad for Dove?
http://www.bustle.com/articles/74573-french-dove-campaign-asks-women-to-write-down-every-negative-thought-about-themselves
We would never let other people get away with saying the negative things to us that we say to ourselves. We all know haters gonna hate and we can't do anything about that. Do we really need to do it to ourselves, as well?
Some of the most gracious performers I know are also the most gracious audience members. They love to perform and they love to watch others do what they love—perform.
I love watching my students perform. Honestly, it’s one of my favorite things to do. I enjoy it even more when I can tell you feel good about your own performance.
That’s what I'd like to see at your juries. Thanks for a great semester!
Now go practice.
I think a lot of times we imagine auditions, masterclasses, Dem Lab performances, JURIES, like everyone is hate watching our performance, just waiting for us to make a mistake.
When we find those thoughts creeping into our heads, it may be worth stepping back to consider what kind of audience members we are ourselves. Do we hope the performers we are watching do well or are we secretly rooting for some noticeable failure (as if their failure somehow makes us better)?
It’s one thing to notice imperfections and to have opinions about what we are seeing and hearing and deciding what we might do differently. That’s an important part of developing artistry. And it’s perfectly alright to say that you don’t like a performance.
But what are we looking for? Are we looking for flaws or looking for what works? Are we quick to criticize or quick to compliment?
Now, consider how you evaluate your own performances. Do you look for the flaws first or can you just as easily highlight your areas of excellence?
Did you see this French ad for Dove?
http://www.bustle.com/articles/74573-french-dove-campaign-asks-women-to-write-down-every-negative-thought-about-themselves
We would never let other people get away with saying the negative things to us that we say to ourselves. We all know haters gonna hate and we can't do anything about that. Do we really need to do it to ourselves, as well?
Some of the most gracious performers I know are also the most gracious audience members. They love to perform and they love to watch others do what they love—perform.
I love watching my students perform. Honestly, it’s one of my favorite things to do. I enjoy it even more when I can tell you feel good about your own performance.
That’s what I'd like to see at your juries. Thanks for a great semester!
Now go practice.
Saturday, April 4, 2015
Practice like Wynton
One thing I’ve been trying to emphasize differently this year (and the impetus for this blog, really) is just how intentional and methodical practicing needs to be if we are to make the most significant improvements.
Generally, we don't really need much time to warm up our voices. But we DO need specific exercises—used regularly over time—to build the voice in ways that will lead to the most significant improvements in our technical capabilities.
Singing in your car may serve to warm up the voice, but it can't really be considered honest “practice” because the seat tends to compromise posture and singing over the outside noise of the engine and traffic encourages pushing the voice. Plus, if you are really giving your singing the focus it deserves then you aren't paying enough attention to your driving.
Singing through a bunch of songs is one form of practice but it should never be a replacement for daily technical work.
Here is a site I saw recently (thanks, Cecily!) about how professional trumpet player Wynton Marsalis practices:
http://arbanmethod.com/wyntons-twelve-ways-to-practice/
His list of twelve ways to practice emphasizes a lot of elements we have worked on and discussed in lessons but also introduces some concepts that were new to me. I especially like #9 and #12, which I hadn't ever seen spelled out in quite that way before.
Which number(s) on the list work the best for you? Which numbers do you need to emphasize differently?
“I like to say that the time spent practicing is the true sign of virtue in a musician. When you practice, it means you are willing to sacrifice to sound good.” —Wynton Marsalis
Now go practice.
Generally, we don't really need much time to warm up our voices. But we DO need specific exercises—used regularly over time—to build the voice in ways that will lead to the most significant improvements in our technical capabilities.
Singing in your car may serve to warm up the voice, but it can't really be considered honest “practice” because the seat tends to compromise posture and singing over the outside noise of the engine and traffic encourages pushing the voice. Plus, if you are really giving your singing the focus it deserves then you aren't paying enough attention to your driving.
Singing through a bunch of songs is one form of practice but it should never be a replacement for daily technical work.
Here is a site I saw recently (thanks, Cecily!) about how professional trumpet player Wynton Marsalis practices:
http://arbanmethod.com/wyntons-twelve-ways-to-practice/
His list of twelve ways to practice emphasizes a lot of elements we have worked on and discussed in lessons but also introduces some concepts that were new to me. I especially like #9 and #12, which I hadn't ever seen spelled out in quite that way before.
Which number(s) on the list work the best for you? Which numbers do you need to emphasize differently?
“I like to say that the time spent practicing is the true sign of virtue in a musician. When you practice, it means you are willing to sacrifice to sound good.” —Wynton Marsalis
Now go practice.
Sunday, March 22, 2015
Cognition
For a long time pedagogues have discussed the three major elements of singing as respiration, phonation, and resonance. Recent authors have added registration and articulation to the list. But the most recent addition I have read is “cognition.”
Of course, every action begins with a thought—a message sent from the brain instructing the body to behave in a certain way. Sometimes the body acts accordingly and sometimes it doesn't seem to do what we ask.
Those of you who have studied the Alexander Technique may know that it encourages a similar process called “inhibition” or “the pause.” This means that instead of doing something immediately that we instead take a few seconds to consider what it is that we're trying to do and how we should do it before we move forward with the action.
I think human beings are naturally impulsive. At least, our current cultural climate seems to encourage spontaneity or action without a lot of forethought. YOLO, dude.
In singing, however, or at least in our practicing, we may benefit from a more mindful approach. Do we just act, react, and act again, or do we stop and consider before we act? Perhaps our practice could benefit from a more conscientious approach.
Something to consider. (See what I did there?)
Take time to think.
Now go practice.
Of course, every action begins with a thought—a message sent from the brain instructing the body to behave in a certain way. Sometimes the body acts accordingly and sometimes it doesn't seem to do what we ask.
Those of you who have studied the Alexander Technique may know that it encourages a similar process called “inhibition” or “the pause.” This means that instead of doing something immediately that we instead take a few seconds to consider what it is that we're trying to do and how we should do it before we move forward with the action.
I think human beings are naturally impulsive. At least, our current cultural climate seems to encourage spontaneity or action without a lot of forethought. YOLO, dude.
In singing, however, or at least in our practicing, we may benefit from a more mindful approach. Do we just act, react, and act again, or do we stop and consider before we act? Perhaps our practice could benefit from a more conscientious approach.
Something to consider. (See what I did there?)
Take time to think.
Now go practice.
Sunday, March 8, 2015
Competition
Here is an article I read a while ago that I was reminded of this weekend as I was at the NATS auditions.
http://www.bulletproofmusician.com/how-to-compare-yourself-to-others-without-getting-totally-depressed/
The whole idea of competition is strange when it comes to the arts. The best artists I know are generous, giving, kind, and genuinely interested in the well being of others. Not aggressive, cutthroat, and win-at-all-costs, like the way competitive people are often portrayed.
Unlike sports, the arts aren't ultimately about winning anything. People run races to see who can get to the finish line first, but the point of singing a song is not just to get to the end of the song.
Even if you go through an arduous audition and end up getting the role, that’s when the work BEGINS. All the audition has afforded you is the opportunity to create and explore and express and share. In my experience, people who spend energy developing aggressive, cutthroat, and backstabbing skills are not the best when it comes to creating, exploring, expressing, and sharing.
That’s one thing I like about the NATS auditions. Though they do award place winners, everyone walks away with work to do. The comment sheets, in my mind, are the point of the competition (in addition to performing in this slightly odd and unfamiliar format). We all get comments on how effective we are in practicing our art and how it is perceived by a panel of folks who work in the field.
As we were tabulating scores on Saturday, it was brought up how vastly different the scores sometimes were in each center going from judge to judge. Someone on the committee suggested that we may want to encourage conversation and collaboration among the judges in order to decide who should win each category (something we currently prohibit).
It was ultimately decided to leave the rules the way they are: independent judges with varied perspectives stating their individual opinions. After all, that’s what we get when we perform before an audience—lots of different people with their own impressions.
As the article above indicates, there are healthy ways to compare ourselves to others as we work toward our goals. And a bit of a competitive spirit isn't necessarily a bad thing. But the cliche is true, the only person you are in competition with is the person you were yesterday.
Now go practice.
http://www.bulletproofmusician.com/how-to-compare-yourself-to-others-without-getting-totally-depressed/
The whole idea of competition is strange when it comes to the arts. The best artists I know are generous, giving, kind, and genuinely interested in the well being of others. Not aggressive, cutthroat, and win-at-all-costs, like the way competitive people are often portrayed.
Unlike sports, the arts aren't ultimately about winning anything. People run races to see who can get to the finish line first, but the point of singing a song is not just to get to the end of the song.
Even if you go through an arduous audition and end up getting the role, that’s when the work BEGINS. All the audition has afforded you is the opportunity to create and explore and express and share. In my experience, people who spend energy developing aggressive, cutthroat, and backstabbing skills are not the best when it comes to creating, exploring, expressing, and sharing.
That’s one thing I like about the NATS auditions. Though they do award place winners, everyone walks away with work to do. The comment sheets, in my mind, are the point of the competition (in addition to performing in this slightly odd and unfamiliar format). We all get comments on how effective we are in practicing our art and how it is perceived by a panel of folks who work in the field.
As we were tabulating scores on Saturday, it was brought up how vastly different the scores sometimes were in each center going from judge to judge. Someone on the committee suggested that we may want to encourage conversation and collaboration among the judges in order to decide who should win each category (something we currently prohibit).
It was ultimately decided to leave the rules the way they are: independent judges with varied perspectives stating their individual opinions. After all, that’s what we get when we perform before an audience—lots of different people with their own impressions.
As the article above indicates, there are healthy ways to compare ourselves to others as we work toward our goals. And a bit of a competitive spirit isn't necessarily a bad thing. But the cliche is true, the only person you are in competition with is the person you were yesterday.
Now go practice.
Sunday, February 22, 2015
Imagine
On Saturday, I helped lead the ATP auditions for next year’s freshman class.
We heard almost 30 students, all of whom are DESPERATE to be part of this department. DESPERATE to do what we do every day. DESPERATE to be given the chance to work toward their dreams and goals.
The heartbreaking part of this is that we cannot take all of those students into our programs. We have a limited number of resources and if we are to continue to serve all of our students in the way that they deserve, we cannot accept more than would allow us to do that.
So, my reaction to these auditions was not to pat myself on the back for being part of a sought-after program. Rather, it inspired a huge dose of humility and re-evaluation to make sure I am serving all of you in the way that you deserve.
Of course, we are not a perfect program. Just as you are all flawed and developing performers, we are all flawed and developing teachers. We do our best but we fail sometimes. Or often.
But we are committed to the journey. And I hope you are too.
I tend not to get taken in by slogans and advertisements but the ad I keep seeing for the University of Utah is "Imagine U.” This is actually quite a profound, university-wide statement on who we want to be. Artists must imagine. We have to imagine possibility. We have to imagine ourselves in places we never thought we’d be. We have to imagine direction and momentum. We have to imagine achievements that we had absolutely no business imagining for ourselves.
After I post this, I get to call a high school senior to tell her that she has been accepted into the MTP and, as such, will be the first member of her family ever to attend college.
Our work is important. It is an honor to do it every day. If you don’t believe that, please do something else. If you do believe that, please insist that I push you as hard as you deserve.
Imagine U. I have.
Now go practice.
We heard almost 30 students, all of whom are DESPERATE to be part of this department. DESPERATE to do what we do every day. DESPERATE to be given the chance to work toward their dreams and goals.
The heartbreaking part of this is that we cannot take all of those students into our programs. We have a limited number of resources and if we are to continue to serve all of our students in the way that they deserve, we cannot accept more than would allow us to do that.
So, my reaction to these auditions was not to pat myself on the back for being part of a sought-after program. Rather, it inspired a huge dose of humility and re-evaluation to make sure I am serving all of you in the way that you deserve.
Of course, we are not a perfect program. Just as you are all flawed and developing performers, we are all flawed and developing teachers. We do our best but we fail sometimes. Or often.
But we are committed to the journey. And I hope you are too.
I tend not to get taken in by slogans and advertisements but the ad I keep seeing for the University of Utah is "Imagine U.” This is actually quite a profound, university-wide statement on who we want to be. Artists must imagine. We have to imagine possibility. We have to imagine ourselves in places we never thought we’d be. We have to imagine direction and momentum. We have to imagine achievements that we had absolutely no business imagining for ourselves.
After I post this, I get to call a high school senior to tell her that she has been accepted into the MTP and, as such, will be the first member of her family ever to attend college.
Our work is important. It is an honor to do it every day. If you don’t believe that, please do something else. If you do believe that, please insist that I push you as hard as you deserve.
Imagine U. I have.
Now go practice.
Monday, February 9, 2015
Structured Practice
Here's a website about practicing that I recently came across:
https://privatelessons.com/article/how-practice
There are lots of good insights shared but one that particularly caught my attention was the idea of having goals for each practice session.
The author says, for instance, "Practicing should be highly goal oriented. For example, “Today I intend to clean up the runs in my Handel aria, and bring measure 8 up to full tempo.”"
Then he gets even more specific:
Practice Plan for Tuesday
4:00 - Warm up with open vowel exercises and some light runs. Warm up to a “g” and down to a “c”
4:10 - Practice bar 12 of French aria until it is clean at 72 bpm
4:15 - Run Italian piece multiple times until memorized
4:35 - Practice speaking in rhythm French piece
4:45 - Work baritone entrance in choir piece on pgs. 5 and 6
I think we all have goals when we practice, but some of them might be too broad: learn this song, improve high notes, etc. Maybe we could benefit from getting even more specific: learn notes of the A section cleanly, speak the B section of my Italian text in rhythm until it's solid, work an [i] vowel into the passaggio without raising the larynx, etc.
Maybe it would help to have an overall goal in mind as you are also working on a smaller goal. A couple of my goals lately have been to explore two frequent areas of tension that I keep running into: my neck muscles (specifically the sternocleidomastoids, if you must know!) and the muscle under my chin (the mylohyoid). As I'm vocalizing and working toward my other mini goals, I also try to be intentional about keeping those muscles as uninvolved as possible as an overall goal.
Do you use small practice goals? Consider taking a few days to plan out a practice session that is as detailed as the one above and see if you can stick to it. Identify some big goals and then see how specific and task oriented you can be about breaking them down into smaller, manageable steps. You can even use the first couple of minutes of your practice session to create an outline of goals.
Give it a try and let us know how that works.
Now go practice.
Sunday, January 25, 2015
The daily rite of discovery
Here’s an article that’s worth your time:
It’s written by a music professor (pianist) about many of the teachers he had throughout his life.
Much of the essay centers around one teacher in particular that he studied with at Indiana University (one of my alma maters as well). Among the many lessons he learned from this teacher, one is particularly pertinent to this blog:
“[He] said many times that you don’t teach piano playing at lessons; you teach how to practice—the daily rite of discovery that is how learning really happens.”
I’ve mentioned this to some of you since we’ve been back in session. In lessons we analyze, tweak, and suggest certain directions or procedures in which to place your focus. But the real learning happens on your own as you practice and engage in "the daily rite of discovery.”
So, what have you discovered lately?
Now go practice.
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