3 posts tagged “vocal repertoire”

Today=Monday.  Mondays are usually good days to begin with, despite their 9 AM piano class (I love the sound of a well-played piano, but that isn't what one hears if I sit at a keyboard, and 9 AM ISN'T MORNING YET, why does no one understand this?  But I digress).  There is a voice lesson in the afternoon, and a vocal repertoire class that evening.  Plus, lots of unstructured free time through the day, as I never work on Mondays.  Much of this free time is spent in homework etc, but I occasionally fit a nap into the early afternoon.  Naps are lovely things.

Today we had a guest master class in vocal rep, which is precisely what it sounds like.  A guest "lecturer" comes in and works with a few students while the rest of us watch and learn.  New perspectives, different approaches, all that good shtuff.  With me so far?  Excellent.

This was the first time that I sang for a guest lecturer.  I expected to be terrified, or at least nervous and unable to take a deep breath.  The latter frequently happens when I get onstage, even with people with whom I am very comfortable.

I wasn't nervous.  Just...not at all.  I felt fine.  I felt at home on the stage.  I didn't feel at all self-conscious, yet I wasn't just "zoned out," which I will do to avoid stressful situations.  I was there, I was comfortable, I didn't think once about how I looked.  I just became an anxious and upset servant girl, and sang about how dreadful it was that I had lost a pin, Heaven help me!

I enjoyed every second, and genuinely LOVED being onstage and making people laugh.  It was awesome, in the original sense of the word.  I'm just in awe.

Miracles abound, and are beautiful.

Just checked my email and discovered a note from la maestra diva, informing us that the course notebook due date has been moved to two weeks from tomorrow.

I know she reads this blog occasionally, so if you are---thankyouthankyouthankyou!!!!  And I swear I WILL start it sooner than two weeks from today.

When I started this blog, I thought that most of my posts would be about music and how to make it and learning how to make it and gorgeous (or not so much) music I've heard/am hearing/am making/will make etc.  It seems I need to write more about music if that is to be the case, as so far I've written as much about books and running as I have about music.  Hmm.

Anyhow, I have become one those really irritating people who love Mondays.  I used to dread 'em like the plague.  However, now that I am doing something that I love and have my favorite classes on Mondays, I find that I really do enjoy Mondays.  I mean, I have French (well, better that than any science, and the teacher makes it fun, plus I enjoy languages as a whole), piano (teacher is very patient with those of us who are totally uncoordinated), meet with my accompanist/comedian/good friend to practice (we practice almost as much as we talk and laugh), have my voice lesson (an hour of music and fun and learning, woohoo!) and then have this vocal repertoire class.  What is there not to like?

Today was an example of that.  On Monday evenings, vocal music people gather at my college for an evening of vocal repertoire workshop.  In short, we laugh, learn from one another, laugh, make beautiful music, laugh, develop new insights about music and life, and laugh some more.  More pragmatically (for those non-music people), a group of about 20-25 people ranging in age from seventeen to seventy, in experience from "sang once in high school choir" to "performed extensively in Europe," and in background from nursing to retail get together under the eye of an INCREDIBLE teacher to sing and comment on one another's music.  Perhaps 4-6 students sing on each of these evenings.  The teacher invites comments from other students (all supportive, some in praise, some having gentle suggestions for improvement) before working individually with the singer (in front of the class) to improve some technique.

A few insights from tonight's class:

1) Any non-music person watching this would think we were all crazy.  He'd probably be right.

2) Good quotes from La Maestra (aside: is that correct Italian?  I know a male teacher is "maestro," so am guessing feminine would be "maestra."  Any Italian speakers out there, feel free to correct):

"You can choose what to focus on while singing: the audience, your discomfort, or the beauty of the song."

"We're so busy focussing on the things that don't work...how about focussing on those that do work?"

and finally (best quote of the evening, and I will attempt to put it on my banner on this blog because it made me smile so much and because it describes exactly how well I feel that I fit in here):

"We're all divas!" (pauses and realizes there are odd looks being directed at her by the men in the audience)  "Well, except for a couple of divos..."

3) This group is so sweet and supportive; I feel so very blessed to be among them.

Love you all!