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Have you ever sung a piece in which you technically could sing all the notes (high and low) and yet it always seems to be a struggle to get through the song? While this may be a sign that you should visit your voice teacher, there is another possibility: that the piece has the wrong tessitura for your voice type.
What is a tessitura? Basically, it is the range of pitches a song stays around for a majority of the time. In math terms, the tessitura is the 'average' of pitches; while the song may have a few huge high or low notes, pitches tend to hang around a certain area. Depending on your voice type, it may be the song's average pitch level sits uncomfortably high or low. In these cases, strain on your voice may not be a technical issue with your singing, but rather picking a song that isn't right for your voice. As an example, I will use my own voice. I am a high baritone, and the average professional baritone should be able to sing well and with resonance for a concert hall from A2-G4. However, because I have had some excellent training, my range can go from F2-B4 (sometimes even C5, which is the tenor money note!). Just because I have those pitches, however, does not mean I should sing tenor pieces or low bass songs. If I did, while I might technically be able to sing the pitches, I would probably feel very winded at the end. Tessituras for each voice type are smaller than your actual pitch range; so while the average pro baritone might be able to sing from G2-A4, they will pick roles that have a tessitura from D3-F4. This is why picking appropriate music is SO important to be successful in audition or concert. It isn't enough to just know you can sing the pitches and act the piece out; you need to check on the average pitch level to ensure the song lies where your voice feels most comfortable. DWS Another lesson learned from judging District auditions - when you have a choice, always choose the earlier audition time!
The ideal for any judge is one who maintains a steady judging standard throughout a competition. In reality, judges are humans who get tired after hearing so many singers. Couple this with the fact that people's moods naturally decrease after lunchtime, and it results that singers have a much harder time later in the day. The result: even if you sing well, a singer in the evening will be judged more harshly than a singer in the morning. DWS Every judge has their own way of ranking singers for the region contests. I have been judging Region for three years now, and have developed my own method to sorting out 60+ singers in an audition. Here are the factors, ranked from most to least importance.
1) Tone quality: My first judgment is simple: do I LIKE the voice? Does it have any vocal issues that seriously distract from their natural tone or prevent the student from blending well in a choir? 2) Accuracy: Does the student match all the pitches and rhythms for the audition? I actually rank this slightly below tone quality, as I go through auditions all the time, and can forgive a wrong pitch due to nerves once in a while. So long as you only make one or two mistakes, you are probably fine. However, if you are not consistent on pitch and rhythm, you will not make region. If you are accurate, it allows me to look at more stylistic concerns. 3) Style, Artistry, Musicianship: Parts of this category are very objective; did you perform all the dynamics, accents, and crescendos written in the piece? However, what separates the top 3 students from the top 10 is a very subjective "X factor" that only a judge can decide on for themselves. My hint - make sure you learn to love to sing your audition pieces, create stories for yourself on what the piece means, and sing to express emotions. A machine can match all the pitches. I want to hear a voice that moves me in the way only a human voice can do. 4) Foreign Language: I am very lenient in regards to accuracy on foreign languages. Make sure you don't make egregious mistakes. This is another pass/fail category. 5) Attitude: This is a pass/fail category. If you make a mistake, PLEASE do not sigh, say negative words etc...If you draw attention to the mistake, you lose FAR more points that the mistake itself was worth. Wait to criticize yourself until you LEAVE the auditioning room. DWS After every district, region, and area competition, I always try to evaluate how my students did, how they did relative to the competition, and what I can do to make my students even more effective in the audition process.
First analysis: My high school students did VERY well. The vast majority of my singers made it past district. Those who did not make it past region, for the most part, were either auditioning for the first time and were very nervous, or got unlucky by getting sick the week of auditions. Interestingly enough, the students that had the most success - were my Altos. I had 2 #1 chairs! Last year, it was my men who blew away the competition. This year, my women had the most success. As a teacher, this is very reassuring to me, as it shows that I teach different voice types equally well. Second analysis: The more prepared the student, the higher the ranking. This was true for the vast majority of my students, and all the singers I heard in my judging panel (I judged the Soprano IIs). The two students from my studio who ranked #1 knew their music practically a month before auditions. They probably could have sung the audition memorized. While these students also have considerable talent, I believe their preparation and work ethic is what separated them from the pack. DWS |
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