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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 In the musical theater world, you will often hear the need for actors to be a "triple threat". This refers to an actor who excels in the three disciplines for musicals: acting, singing, and dancing.
What is not known so widely is that the need to be a "triple threat" has expanded to the opera world and the music business in general. Every type of singer, whether they are pop, musical, or classical, MUST be a convincing actor. And if you want to be a stage singer (musicals and opera), dance training is also a must. How does one acquire training for each discipline without breaking the bank? Here are some strategies: 1) Get on-stage. It doesn't matter where: community theater, church activities, chorus etc...any sort of practical experience in front of people is the BEST training you can get. Not only will you get advice from the directors, you can watch others who are successful singers and actors, observe them, and steal what works from them. Yes, I said steal. The best singers and actors are those who copy their predecessors and THEN develop their own personal style. 2) Take private singing lessons with a reputable singer in your area. Learning how to sing requires one-on-one attention because each person's voice is unique and needs a curriculum designed specifically for their instrument. 3) Take dance and acting courses at a local community college. Dance courses are relatively inexpensive, and a great way to meet people and exercise! 4) For acting, observe people in real life. How do they act in certain situations? Also, when you do find a voice teacher, make sure you find one who is willing to talk about acting while singing. It is relatively easy to deliver lines on stage, but extremely difficult to sing and act without looking silly. I talk to all my students on how to deliver a song, acting techniques etc...because it is so important to audiences. DWS No. As your voice teacher, I can make numerous recordings for songs that you are working on, and I can also make recordings of the technical exercises we do in lessons.
As your voice teacher, however, I will strongly encourage you to learn how to read music. There are numerous free websites that teach the basics of reading music, and many texts available for those students who want to learn more about chords, harmonic progressions etc...In addition to these sources, I do teach basic music reading skills in your lessons because it is an important skill to learn to become a proficient musician. DWS How does one go about increasing one's vocal range? And do you need a voice teacher to help you?
First, to increase one's range, several factors need to be considered and worked on during practice: 1) Breath Management and Support 2) Larynx Position 3) Shaping of the Vocal Tract and Resonance 4) General "Freedom" in one's singer/Lack of physical tension 5) Picking the Right Music to Sing that builds your range. As you can see from the above, all of these topics should be the area of expertise of a great voice teacher. While you can probably gain a note or two by just practicing on your own, most singers need a voice teacher to help them expand their range by a considerable amount. I have had students literally add an octave or more to their voice and gain notes on both ends (more low and high pitches). I do this primarily by working the middle of the voice and addressing the topics above, which, after some time, results in a major increase in one's range. Singing one high note (or low note) repeatedly will not increase your range and may even reduce your range if you are singing with significant tension. Unfortunately, increasing your vocal range is not easy, simple, or fast. A voice teacher can be your guiding hand to increasing your range through the careful choice of music repertoire and technical exercises. DWS Have you ever made a recording of yourself, speaking or singing, and then you hear yourself and go "I do not sound like that!"
Believe it or not, this is a very natural and widespread reaction, and it has almost NOTHING to do with the quality of your speaking or singing voice. You see, what we hear versus what others hear is dramatically different because the process of hearing oneself is very different from hearing someone else. When you listen to yourself, you are hearing the sound as it goes through your body and your bones and body conduct the sound. When the audience hears YOU, all they hear is the finished product. This is what creates the "I can't sound like that!" reaction in so many singers. What we envision our sound to be, versus the finished product, creates a huge discrepancy to our ears. This is where a good voice teacher comes in. A great voice teacher, while instructing you on how to improve your sound, ALSO helps teach you to learn what a good singing tone sounds and feels like TO YOU. Many times, this new aural or physical sensation seems counter-intuitive. Ask any professional singer, and they will tell you their high notes often sound, to THEM, as weak, small, muted etc....but the finished product we hear is beautiful. Over time, the teacher trains you to hear and feel your singing in a new way that is aligned with a beautiful sound. DWS Dear readers,
My life has been extremely hectic with 3 upcoming concerts, makeup lessons due to weather, and my high school students preparing for contests this February. I plan on resuming these technique blogs this weekend! Thanks! DWS Just a quick update - I am one of the winners of the Houston Masterworks Young Artists Competition! I will be performing two selections with the orchestra: "Hai gia vinta la causa" from the Marriage of Figaro and "Some Enchanted Evening" from South Pacific. More information can be found at the website www.houstonmasterworks.org. Hope to see you there on February 12th!
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