Hope you enjoyed spring break. I did. Now back to work!
Throughout the school year, this blog has served as a reminder to check in with the goals you have set to see how you’ve been meeting them. Now that we’re essentially six weeks away from the end of the semester, you may consider either adjusting your original goals or adding some additional short-term goals to keep you moving in the right direction over the homestretch.
One obvious goal is to be well prepared for your jury or your class singing final. “Well prepared” means you are comfortably memorized, you have a thorough backstory for your characters, and you understand the emotional arc of each story you are telling.
For memorization and character work, try giving yourself deadlines. Divide your songs into short sections you can thoroughly prepare instead of just working an entire song from start to finish. Write out the text and really make sense of the story as it appears on paper. Then go back to the music and apply your thoughts to the story the composer is telling through music.
Practice performing. Singing a song all the way through without forgetting anything is the first stage of memorization. But it’s not really internalized until you can do the same thing with distractions—and what is more distracting than performing a song in front of people?
Ask a friend or two to listen to you sing some of your repertoire (even without piano accompaniment). See if you can do the song all the way through and stay committed to the story. If it feels really awkward to sing for your friends, that probably means it’s doing the job of providing you a sufficient distraction. Sing it a second time for your friends right away before you get comfortable. Then sing it a third time and pick one or two things to do differently. If you’re not ready to sing for your friends yet, try singing to your mother over Skype, or someone else who will be a safe audience.
Once you have performed in safe situations, you can slowly add “higher stakes” performances (like masterclasses) to see how your body reacts under those circumstances. Jumping right from the practice room to a jury or class final might be too far to go in one step. Put these songs in front of a friendly audience first.
Being authentic and sticking to your plan in scary situations is one of the most important skills we are learning here. And it takes practice. So go find a friendly audience to sing for and then be part of someone else’s friendly audience.
Now go practice.
I find this part of the semester really interesting. As we get further along and i become more and more familiar with my music, i find my goals shifting toward story telling, making cuts, and finding additional rep to bring in for fun. I feel like i want to be more conscious of my goals and my achievement of them. I feel like my goals can be subconscious at times, which makes it hard for me to understand whether or not i have achieved them fully.
ReplyDeleteFunny you mention singing in front of friends, a friend and i just had a little singing session the other day. He sang and i listened and then we talked about how it could be strengthened, what vowels could be adjusted, etc. A few of my friends and I do this every so often without thinking about it. I do this kind of thing with my brother as well, and i REALLY enjoy feedback from other vocal students. We kind of get to masterclass work with each other which is really beneficial for both of us participating. In the future i would like to do this kind of thing more, and making it a more conscious event, rather than just messing around with fun songs that arent for something like studio or juries.
It's so hard getting back into the groove of things after spring break. On a positive note, I got to master class one of my songs and found so much that I can use to amp up my performance. This singing class has definitely made me more comfortable when performing in front of my peers. Speaking of peers, I love being able to live with some of my classmates because we can always practice in front of each other and grow. My goal right now is to finish this year off with a bang and to keep finding ways to better myself with my craft. AMIRIGHT!?
ReplyDeleteI don't find singing in front of friends uncomfortable. Maybe that's because we do it so often in the MTP, but I find it constructive and pretty normal actually. I still haven't settled on a jury set list yet. My semester has been such a whirlwind with Dogfight and then illness and now Tara is here, it's just a nightmare trying to get everything in and nailed down. It seems like so many important things are happening and I have no time to even have a proper voice lesson let alone start working on my goals. Hopefully now that shows are done (besides Cats...shit...I forgot about that...this hamster wheel is endless) and Tara will be gone I'll be able to focus on vocal improvement instead of worrying about preparation for a production. I'm SO looking forward to this summer when I can dive back into exploration and working hard on improving technique.
ReplyDeleteDoing this blog on a regular basis has served as a very helpful reminder to me of the progress I have made throughout the semester, and the work I still have left to do. Jumping back into my schoolwork after spring break has been a little difficult, but progressing after the break has forced me to retain my regular practice schedule. I honestly find singing infant of an intimate audience of a couple of people much more difficult then singing in front of a lot of people. I'm not really sure why this is. But at the same time I am certainly aware that I have made a lot of progress when it comes to my performance capabilities form a mental aspect. I have so much less anxiety when it comes to singing then I did at the beginning of the semester. I have a noticed a lot of improvement in my vocal range and breath control as well. I am excited to see where my voice goes in the coming months.
ReplyDeleteAt this point in the school year I find it really helpful to take a step back and look at all of the progress that I've made so far in all of my classes. This year in particular, I have found it very helpful to have these blog posts to serve as a reminder as to how I can apply the things I learn in all of my classes to whatever I am doing. I know that I have been becoming more and more confident with my singing because I doing get the same jitters that I once used to going into singing auditions and I feel comfortable practicing in front of my friends and letting people give me notes. I think something that I need to take forward, though, is being more proactive in preparing for auditions; for example, during spring break I spent a lot of time staying up late and hanging out with my friends and when I went to my Fun Home audition, I could definitely tell that my voice was not up to par to where it usually is. This reminded me that I can only take so many calculated risks as far as my art goes but I can also take control of as much as I can and hope for the best.
ReplyDeleteComing back to school from spring break is one of the hardest things students have to go through each year. It's so close to the end of the school year, but still we have to come back for just a few more weeks, work hard, and finish up the rest of the semester. I completely agree that it is in our best interest to sing in a variety of social situations to really be comfortable in our material, so that when we present our final pieces, no amount of distractions or nerves can hinder the performance. Whenever I present my Vocal Jury, I always choose to make a new choice or do something I've never done before; all because my nerves get the better of me. So I'm going to really challenge myself to sing my rep in front of multiple people and distractions, and see if I can find a solid choice and bring that in with me during my jury.
ReplyDeletePerforming in front of small groups has always been difficult for me. It scares me a whole lot more than performing on a stage in front of a big crowd, so it makes situations like auditions and masterclasses pretty uncomfortable for me. I feel like the nerves have backed down quite a bit over the past few years because I've been auditioning more and put in more situations where I have to perform in front of a small group of people, and I'm definitely getting better at hiding my shakiness, but I still get pretty nervous. I think the practicing with a group of friends is something I'm going to try to do more often from here on out. I worked with some people in my class on sides and monologues for the department auditions, and I was really nervous about it at first, but it actually ended up being really helpful and even enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteA new goal that I have come up with as this semester has gone on is to not be afraid of making strong choices, both in acting and in singing. I've always known that that is an important thing to do in this field, but I think I'm finally starting to find the courage to actually do it. I also think that it's going to be more difficult for me to make bold choices in my singing than in my acting because I'm still trying to break some pretty deeply ingrained choir habits... But I'll try my best!
Coming back from Spring Break is hard but rewarding. I love being able to learn and achieve new things with such an amazing vocal coach. I agree full heartedly that I need to start singing in front of people more because it is something I rarely do! My confidence level has gone up immensely from last year but I still have a lot of soul searching to do, especially if I want this as a career(Which I really do). I think I will sing more in front of my friends and even at my local church in California for the summer, small things like that. I will always be open to any of my friends who want to sing in front of me because it will help them too!
ReplyDeleteLooking back on the goals I set first semester vs. this semester, I realized that they were too ambitious at first, and then I surpassed my new goals this semester. I have learned a lot about where I actually am in my training.
ReplyDeleteI relate a lot to the idea that having a song memorized without distractions is not enough. I have the songs I am working on memorized, but I knew that when I started working in my lesson that I would forget things quickly. I like the idea of performing for friends in theory, but that is something I may have to ease into slowly.
This week I have really been working on Maintaining sufficient breath support as I sing for sustained periods of time. I find that once I get to 25-30 minutes I forget that I have my breath to help me rather than fighting against it, which makes it harder to sing. I'm having a hard time staying relaxed, which has made it really difficult to focus on the story telling of the songs which has been frustrating. I also need to start making sure I am singing with full support because when I lay back and get breathy, that also makes it harder on the vocal folds. I still have found it incredibly helpful to focus on "thinkful" practicing. It has really made me more aware this semester of how to practice successfully and how to successfully integrate the "approach" into performance.
ReplyDeleteThis year has been really difficult to come back from spring break due to sickness. I was perfectly fine over the break and then suddenly I caught a cold right before school started again. Not being able to practice and work on the songs everyday has been a big frustration since the end of the semester is right around the corner. However, I have found that just looking at the music is helping me memorize and get the timing for the songs down as well. I listen to the recordings to help memorize the notes so that when I could start singing again. It also really helps that I live with someone in the program who can give me feedback and feel uncomfortable singing in front of her or practicing my songs for her.
ReplyDeleteI feel like coming back from spring break is always so hard for me. However, this year, my spring break was very relaxing, but wasn't really a break. I still had to memorize lines, film auditions, and not stray to far away from a healthy diet. Sunday, was my 21st birthday... So the week started off with me being really exhausted. I think I did a good job of staying focused while I was off from school.
ReplyDeleteI find that I love performing, for other performers. The second my friends who know nothing about acting ask me to do something, I get so uncomfortable. I think it is extremely important to be performing for other people as practice. It can help with nerves, and it is just always good to practice. I work with people I trust and who can give me good feedback.
Singing in front of my friends in particular is something that took me quite some time to get comfortable doing. I always knew exactly what they were thinking, given that we all knew each other pretty well, and that just made the experience all the more nerve-wracking than singing in front of complete strangers who I have never spoken to a day in my life. However, I have mostly gotten over my insecurities about singing in front of my friends and I must admit, it is a breath of fresh air to have gotten over that. Spring Break was much needed and I am glad that I had the time off, but it did set me back a little with my music because I barely made time to practice or work on memorization. In agreement with the above comments, it is very difficult to find motivation and work ethic when summer is only right around the corner and spring break had just occurred. Now that I have survived the first week, I know that I am getting back into a more efficient routine and practice schedule.
ReplyDeleteThis is Burke!
DeleteI am just trying to make sure that I am fully prepared and memorized for my senior recital. Now that I have all of my music printed out correctly, I can spend this last month of school focusing on that. I really want my recital to go well and I don't want to mess anything up. That is what I am the most worried about, since I am doing a recital on my own. I want to be confident in everything and not get scared when something might go wrong.
ReplyDeleteI have always been more comfortable performing in front of strangers than my peers ever since I was little I have been this way. I love sharing my work with my family and friends but it is hard for me to share my process. When it comes to singing I am way shy in general but having a safe practice space has really opened me up I think. I believe that by forcing myself to sing in this safe space is allowing me to see I actually can do it in any space.
ReplyDeleteI love this idea. I remember once someone told me to sing my song while reading a newspaper... that way my mind was completely focused on something else and see if I could get all the way through the song. If I did, then I know I'm comfortable with lyrics and pitch. But being distracted also makes it so your voice just releases and you don't have to worry about what's tense and what's not tense.
ReplyDeleteI will see if the friendly distraction works just as well... it's good because the friend can then critique me at the same time, or at least provide feedback.
I've always felt that it's easier to sing in front of strangers, rather than friends or family... at least if I'm seriously singing, instead of rocking out in the car. So that's definitely something I need to be more comfortable with. Until I do perform in front of friends though, I've been working on memorization and backstory so I can understand my characters. I've made some progress but know I still have a ways to go before I feel completely prepared!
ReplyDeleteok ok i'm late but here i am. i love these memorization deadlines that you're helping us with because it helps me to be accountable for making sure i know everything. going into a jury unprepared is probably the worst thing you could do. i've also been listening to my recordings more often and taking more time with my rep. sometimes i really like singing the songs without any music or anything by myself. that really helps me practice story, timing, and lyrics.
ReplyDeletesarah walker
Many of my songs are fairly short, and I feel confident on two of them already. However, Glamorous Life is a marathon, and I've never done a song like this before. Just when I think it's over, we have another section. I have broken the song up into sections, and am trying to think logically through the story as I move throughout the song to minimize room for mistakes in wording. Luckily, there are repeating patterns in melody (and some wording), but it's a song that I have to actively focus on, because if I let myself go into auto pilot while singing I always get lost. I guess it's also a friendly reminder that it's never good to go into auto pilot while singing... no matter how well I know the song.
ReplyDeleteThis semester I have had quite a hard time keeping on top of my goals when it comes to voice. I haven't been practicing with as much focus as I should be and I think that that is setting me a little bit behind. Pushing toward the end of the semester I am going to try to make myself adhere to my goals and make sure that I set aside the time that I need to do a proper working session. I also think that it would be useful for me to find some friendly audiences to sing in front of so that I can avoid my audition fright!
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate the steps listed here in ensuring character and text work are incorporated into fully learning my singing repertoire, because though I am very familiar with doing this type of work very fully in my acting work, I often get too distracted by trying to accomplish my music technique-wise that I forget to create a foundation of character/intention/obstacle/etc. I also have never sought out the company of a friendly audience and go ahead and jump straight to the high stakes of performing for the masterclass or jury or audience of strangers. I absolutely understand how this will feel very weird and awkward, but I would like to give it at least one try before this semester's juries.
ReplyDeleteI am now so much more comfortable singing in front of my friends... and family! My parents used to request me to sing in front of them, and I would absolutely hate it. Now, I feel so excited to have the chance to share what I can with my friends and family, and to try out new things in front of them. I think that this is due to an increase in my confidence which is awesome! I think I need to do more in my head dominant voice so I can get more confidence in that area!
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