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Today, I was working on a musical theater piece with a student, and they were taking 'liberties' with the tempo...missing entrances, rhythms were not exact etc...
However, the student brought up an excellent point - "Why does it matter, since the pianist can easily adjust?" While most pianists would not like that statement, the student has a good point...an excellent pianist can cover up mistakes and adapt to a new tempo. A great pianist is like a sports car...quick to turn, accelerate, and stop. An ORCHESTRA, on the other hand, is a big freight train rolling at a hundred miles per hour. It takes a WHOLE lot of time and energy to change an orchestra's tempo! And this is where knowing the exact rhythm of a piece is SO critical...when you are singing with an orchestra or multiple instruments, it is almost IMPOSSIBLE to change tempos with ease. You must know your music by heart rhythmically, or the orchestra freight train will pass you by. As a voice teacher, it is my responsibility to keep a student on the exact rhythm, so when they sing the piece as a professional on Broadway, they stay with the orchestra! DWS As we approach the end of the school year, I put on recitals for my students so they have a chance to perform a solo in public and show off the hard work they have put in. Before the recital, however, each student meets with a pianist for a rehearsal. It is so important to learn the professional rules of etiquette in dealing with a collaborator - in this case, a pianist. Not only is this a life-long skill useful in ANY field of industry, the music business is very tight-knit, and people talk. A kind, courteous singer will get far more jobs than a rude one! So here are my rules for a good, professional rehearsal with your pianist.
1) First, introduce yourself and say 'thank you' for playing. While you are paying the pianist, they still appreciate the 'thank you'. 2) Ask the pianist if they would like their music hole-punched, stapled, front and back etc... While they will likely do the work themselves, this is another way to show the pianist that you care about making their life easier. Brownie points! 3) Run through your piece, no stopping. Then go back over areas that need work. Be sure to number your measures so you can quickly communicate what section of the music to work on. 4) Ask the pianist if there are any areas THEY would like to run again. 5) Say "thank you" when you are done. Very simple rules, but they go a long way to establishing a professional relationship and a good reputation. DWS While I took off voice lessons for Spring Break, I have been very busy preparing for an opera production at Rice University. As mentioned in my last post, it is a 2o minute opera by a Rice doctoral student, Daniel Zajicek. It premiers tomorrow (SUNDAY) at 5:30 PM at Rice University, Hirsch Recital Hall.
I love this piece, but it did mean that this Spring Break, I had to resist the temptation to kick back and relax. As a singer, this is true for most of your life. You get to travel to exotic and amazing cities (New York, Chicago, Rome, London, you name it...), and then you have to resist the urge to visit all the amazing tourist activities because you have to rehearse. Now, that doesn't mean you get downtime. But it can be a bummer to be in New York City and know that you have to go to bed early instead of enjoying the NYC nightlife because you have a 9 AM audition the next morning! DWS I am very fortunate to be involved in a new work by Daniel Zajicek (premiers March 20th at Rice University, 5 PM...Go See it!). The very unusual aspect of this opera is its use of pre-recorded material...namely, I am singing three roles, two of which are recorded prior to the live performance.
On one hand, creating a recording versus live performance is such a freedom because you have the ability to redo sections that weren't QUITE right. On the other hand, audiences EXPECT perfection on recordings. In live performances, singers can get away with a multitude of sins, and no one is the wiser. Not so for recordings...so while I love the opportunity to sing the same section over and over until it is perfect, it is also a REQUIREMENT to be perfect. DWS Singing is essentially a self-employed field. While you may work for other people (contracts with theater companies, voice lessons with schools or private academies), you are essentially a self-employed contractor who is responsible for finding work.
This may seem like a wonderful freedom - no BOSS - but it is actually the most difficult aspect of becoming a professional singer. It is one thing to develop your talent. But to have the self-discipline to set deadlines for yourself, do your own taxes, make new contacts etc...is a different skill set. In fact, when students ask me if they have "What it takes" to become a singer, my first thoughts are not a student's talent level, which to a large extent, CAN be trained by a strong voice, but whether the student has the self-discipline I mentioned above. If you have the passion to be a singer, here are the big questions to ask? 1) Can I set self-imposed deadlines to work on music? 2) Can I work several jobs at the same time - learning music for a future production while singing in a show right, while you manage other jobs (voice lessons, day job, small concerts etc...) 3) Can I live out of a suitcase and in a hotel room for eight-ten months of the year (lots of traveling for singers)? 4) Can I be emotionally and spiritually 'ok' with living a life of solitude (you can't take your family on the road!) 5) Can I set my own schedule, and stick to it? 6) Can I keep track of my business expenses, taxes etc...? 7) Can you advertise your abilities effectively (networking)? These questions don't have to be in the affirmative right now, but they are skills you must master to become a professional singer. DWS Yesterday, I was fortunate enough to judge high school studentsin the Baytown/Beaumont region for Solo and Ensemble. I heard some wonderful singers, and gained some insight into how my students are doing relative to other singers. However, what I wanted to share today our my top tips for any UIL Soloist in order to get a one.
1) Please state your name and song title slowly. 2) Act confident, even if you are terrified. Speak slowly, say thank you and please to your accompanist. Basically, convince me you are in complete control. Believe it or not, an 'act' of confidence is as convincing as REAL confidence! 3) Sing with a much more open mouth! I cannot tell you how many singers had pretty voices, but the sound was so tiny because they just weren't opening their mouth. 4)Face the judge....this seems obvious, but I cannot tell you how many singers faced their pianist. You don't need to look at me, but do send your sound my way! 5) Do not worry about a minor memory slip-up. I will often give a singer a second-try if they did the rest of the song well. It happens to the best of us. 6) And most importantly - NEVER, EVER, GRIMACE when you make a mistake. More times than not, I heard the mistake and did not care, but when the singer showed a negative reaction to a minor slip-up, it magnified the mistake and made it MUCH more important to me. Pretend (ACT!) that you did exactly what you wanted to do! 7) Finally, I realize how nerve-racking these situations are. I truly want to give you a '1'. So know that you have not a judge, but an ally listening to you. Thank you to everyone for singing so beautifully! DWS |
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