Next week is going to be a big week in my project!
First of all, I'm holding my recital this Friday (5/28), so I've spent the past week scrambling to organize everything for that. I'm getting to a point at which I'm so excited to show everyone what I'm working on, and musically, I have gotten to a point in which I have made the songs my own. But in terms of putting the event together, I've been busy making that all work. For example, I have made my own programs, helped design the lighting, and organized a finale with other performers. This finale has proved to be the hardest task I've faced, because I have to coordinate a keyboard, bass, drums, and three vocal parts together. However, this idea for the finale was all my own, and therefore, I am most attached to it.
Also, my work at the middle school is becoming really exciting as we prepare for their spring concert on Wednesday. This week especially, I've gotten the chance to really give my input to help the 7th and 8th grade choirs touch up their songs. I had been working the past few weeks to make sure that the kids had the music down thoroughly, but this week I got the chance to really make it into a performance with dynamics and other sorts of performance details. Ms. Bolton in that respect has been great and has let me take the lead in finishing up their songs. I'm really excited to see them perform and know that I'm going to feel so proud of them on Wednesday!
I can't wait to show everyone the product of my labor this month and am anxiously waiting for Friday!
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Friday, May 14, 2010
Week 2 of Singing
As week two of my intensive singing comes to a close, I'm finally getting comfortable in my routine.
My mornings with the 7th and 8th grade choirs run the gamut from being frustrating to hilarious, but regardless of the classes on each day, I have developed a profound respect for Mrs. Bolton, the middle school choir director, for her incredibly patience and control. Middle school students, I've learned, are quite a rowdy bunch and trying to lead them has been somewhat of a challenge. But I seem to have gotten to the point at which I can have fun and laugh with them, but then be able to teach them a song- a feat of which I'm quite proud. My mornings with them have taught me a lot about how to convey ideas to students, and in terms of singing, instructing them has actually taught me a lot about the process of singing as I attempt to articulate it to them. Right now, the choirs are busy putting the finishing touches on their songs for their spring concert, but starting next week, I will start helping Mrs. Bolton to reconfigure the middle school choir structure (which is both a really daunting and cool task).
In terms of my own preparation for my recital, I have learned and almost memorized all of the songs in my repertoire. Now that I have the basics down (the music and the lyrics), I'm starting to do the really fun part: I get to put a little bit of myself into these songs. As dorky as it sounds, I'm starting to love each song in each way, but more than the individual pieces, I love that I get to explore so many different genres and topics with my rep. Also, this week I came up with an idea for my big finale that I'm really excited about: I'm going to sing "Let the Sunshine In" from Hair with Adrienne, Myles, and a jazz trio to finish out my recital. This is a pretty big task I've undertaken, and I'm busily arranging harmonies and instrument accompaniments so that this finale will rock, but i'm in love with this idea. I'm so excited to see how it will all turn out!
Also, this week I spent time rehearsing and performing with the jazz band. On Wednesday, I sang Amy Winehouse's "Rehab" with the jazz band before the spring concert, and it was a lot of fun. I haven't been singing in that style (or in that low of a register), so it was really fun to play around with something different. To get to work with a bunch of different instruments was a change of pace for me, and I really enjoyed myself.
Overall, I'm having a great time so far on project, and I'm so happy that I have the chance to sing in this capacity. Stay tuned!
My mornings with the 7th and 8th grade choirs run the gamut from being frustrating to hilarious, but regardless of the classes on each day, I have developed a profound respect for Mrs. Bolton, the middle school choir director, for her incredibly patience and control. Middle school students, I've learned, are quite a rowdy bunch and trying to lead them has been somewhat of a challenge. But I seem to have gotten to the point at which I can have fun and laugh with them, but then be able to teach them a song- a feat of which I'm quite proud. My mornings with them have taught me a lot about how to convey ideas to students, and in terms of singing, instructing them has actually taught me a lot about the process of singing as I attempt to articulate it to them. Right now, the choirs are busy putting the finishing touches on their songs for their spring concert, but starting next week, I will start helping Mrs. Bolton to reconfigure the middle school choir structure (which is both a really daunting and cool task).
In terms of my own preparation for my recital, I have learned and almost memorized all of the songs in my repertoire. Now that I have the basics down (the music and the lyrics), I'm starting to do the really fun part: I get to put a little bit of myself into these songs. As dorky as it sounds, I'm starting to love each song in each way, but more than the individual pieces, I love that I get to explore so many different genres and topics with my rep. Also, this week I came up with an idea for my big finale that I'm really excited about: I'm going to sing "Let the Sunshine In" from Hair with Adrienne, Myles, and a jazz trio to finish out my recital. This is a pretty big task I've undertaken, and I'm busily arranging harmonies and instrument accompaniments so that this finale will rock, but i'm in love with this idea. I'm so excited to see how it will all turn out!
Also, this week I spent time rehearsing and performing with the jazz band. On Wednesday, I sang Amy Winehouse's "Rehab" with the jazz band before the spring concert, and it was a lot of fun. I haven't been singing in that style (or in that low of a register), so it was really fun to play around with something different. To get to work with a bunch of different instruments was a change of pace for me, and I really enjoyed myself.
Overall, I'm having a great time so far on project, and I'm so happy that I have the chance to sing in this capacity. Stay tuned!
Thursday, May 6, 2010
My First Week on Project!
I'm writing here on my first week of my senior project! My main goal when I came up with my idea of singing for my senior project was to devote a month to singing--because I knew I wouldn't get the chance to pursue music in this manner once I get to college. I was extremely excited to have this time in which I could feel and act like a professionally-trained vocalist, because, as of right now, I think my project is the closest I'll ever get to singing professionally. And I have to say, my notions about my project were exceeded by what I've done this week.
I spend Monday through Thursday working with the Middle School choirs under the direction of Mrs. Bolton as they prepare for their spring concert on May 26th. My typical schedule is that I spend the first part of my morning with either the entire 7th grade or entire 8th grade choir and then spend the rest of my morning in sectionals. In class, I sing with the sopranos--essentially just acting as a part of their choir and helping the girls out with their part. However, in sectionals I've had the opportunity to take individual sections and teach them their parts of the songs they're preparing for their spring concert and for graduation. It was a really daunting task at first, and I definitely did not feel qualified to lead the sectional myself, but it has definitely become my favorite part of the day. I love the interaction I have with the students and really feel like I'm doing something productive with my time! As the weeks go on, I'll be a portion of my afternoons with the 6th grade choir and help them with their two songs for the concert.
As far as my individual singing goes, I've started to prepare my repertoire for the recital I will hold on May 28th to showcase my month of work. So far, I've been practicing on my own for about two hours a day--not only working on honing my vocal technique but also in preparing the songs in my rep. As of right now, I have learned five out of the 8 songs and am now working to put on finishing touches and stylistic choices. Twice a week, I take these songs into lesson, and Amanda (my voice teacher) helps me make these songs not only more polished, but my own. I've gotten the chance to delve into genres that I would have never sang otherwise, like opera and art songs, and sure enough, I'm loving them! I love being able to explore different genres and techniques with each song. However, I have noticed that my voice is adjusting from singing so much each day.
Stay tuned for my next post...
I spend Monday through Thursday working with the Middle School choirs under the direction of Mrs. Bolton as they prepare for their spring concert on May 26th. My typical schedule is that I spend the first part of my morning with either the entire 7th grade or entire 8th grade choir and then spend the rest of my morning in sectionals. In class, I sing with the sopranos--essentially just acting as a part of their choir and helping the girls out with their part. However, in sectionals I've had the opportunity to take individual sections and teach them their parts of the songs they're preparing for their spring concert and for graduation. It was a really daunting task at first, and I definitely did not feel qualified to lead the sectional myself, but it has definitely become my favorite part of the day. I love the interaction I have with the students and really feel like I'm doing something productive with my time! As the weeks go on, I'll be a portion of my afternoons with the 6th grade choir and help them with their two songs for the concert.
As far as my individual singing goes, I've started to prepare my repertoire for the recital I will hold on May 28th to showcase my month of work. So far, I've been practicing on my own for about two hours a day--not only working on honing my vocal technique but also in preparing the songs in my rep. As of right now, I have learned five out of the 8 songs and am now working to put on finishing touches and stylistic choices. Twice a week, I take these songs into lesson, and Amanda (my voice teacher) helps me make these songs not only more polished, but my own. I've gotten the chance to delve into genres that I would have never sang otherwise, like opera and art songs, and sure enough, I'm loving them! I love being able to explore different genres and techniques with each song. However, I have noticed that my voice is adjusting from singing so much each day.
Stay tuned for my next post...
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