Mmmmmusic!

[illusiongrl]

Choir class met for the first time last night. Aside from feeling very old compared to most of the kiddies in my class, it was nice to be back in a choir. My sight reading skills are extremely rusty & I'll be spending a bit of time at the piano getting back into shape. Also there were NO tenors at all (1 out of the 3 guys registered showed up to

Comments

I had no idea!

[ladyravenfyr]

Did you sing at Rockbridge?

Sounds really incredible to say you feel old to the rest of the kiddies.. OMG.. what does that make me? Eeeeek.

I am really thrilled for you! I can hear the excitement in your voice. Sometime I would love to hear you sing.

Did you know that Zach sang with Sweet Adelines for a number of years just before we met? Actually he sang with them until finally he could see the discomfort on their faces because he just didn't fit in anymore. I guess the shaved head was too much. And of course, there was no longer any way he was going to 'cross dress'. Unfortunately, men's barbershop was not an option. Out here now, he has many opportunities with the queer choirs.

BTW... check out http://www.half.ebay.com/ for textbooks.

Re: I had no idea!

[illusiongrl]

yep, sure did - all the way through & all the way back to Jeff Jr. & Parkade Elementary. Mr. Bohon had something against me, tho - either because I wasn't popular enough or Baptist enough, I don't know. Still, he grudgingly sent me to all-state choir, let me compete at state level (got 4's, despite his total antihelpfulness), and allowed me into honors choir. I remember the one time I practiced my aria for state in class & everyone looked up to see who that was singing. It was kind of gratifying, but I remember he took even less interest in me after that - allowing all sorts of mispronunciations & other small technical issues, which of course were all perfect when his pet did the song a year later. I hope to be the teacher who is willing to encourage everyone, not just the ones I like. Oops, guess you can see I still have a bit of forgiveness to do there! It's been fifteen years - I could probably start letting go

[onyxtwilight]

Do me a favor? Keep all your notes. And handouts, and whatever. I want to look at them when I get there.

I'm going to need to be developing "singing education for non-singers" sorts of materials after I get out there, and I'll take all the help I can get. I'm especially looking for good, FUN warmup exercises and interval-discernment exercises.

I'll try

[illusiongrl]

this teacher isn't much on warmups or intervals. He's kind of a daffy old guy with a lot of random stories in his head & not a whole lot of interest in The Way Things Are Done (unless, of course, Shaw said so). But anything I pick up, I'll pass along.

I did get this delightful morsel: music is always movement. If you are holding a long note, you must do SOMETHING with it to create movement, like make it louder or softer.

Also, Shaw says to ignore the little dots behind the notes. Just hold it for the regular amount & use the "dot" to breathe.

Re: I'll try

[onyxtwilight]

*snort* That sort of thing, I don't need. >:-) (My director would kill me if I repeated that at rehearsal. >:-)

But if you're ever doing something, even singing an actual song, and you happen to think "this would be good for a workshop at a pagan festival, targeted at untrained singers," make a note of it or a recording or copy or whatever.

Thanks!