Continued from January…
5. Sing in the shower- Raise your hand if you sound good in the shower. (Everybody!) A couple of things are happening here. First, you are distracted by shampoo. Second, you are singing more powerfully than usual because of the background noise created by the water. Third, your vocal folds, sinuses, and throat are benefitting from the warm, moist air. Fourth, you may be half asleep, so you are less inhibited. Notice that none of these read, “You are totally focused on technique and soft palate position.” Sometimes the big picture (singing because it’s fun!) is more effective than the minutiae of rightness. Sometimes doing something for the joy of it renders better results than trying to do it perfectly.
6. Communicate the text- Singers get to use words, often in the language they themselves speak. It seems obvious, but it’s one element most easily forgotten: singers are communicators! To put things into perspective, I ask myself, “What is the cosmic, eternal purpose in my singing this song?” Let’s be honest here—never in the history of the world has a singer sung a song perfectly. But there have been millions of hearts touched by the beauty, tenderness or angst of a song communicated by a singer. In any type of ‘performance’—a presentation, a speech, a dance, an interview, an audition—we are tempted to try our hardest to gain approval, and we evaluate our success based on that. I say that each of us is an artist with something unique and beautiful to offer. Whatever we do, we have the freedom to offer it with authenticity, beauty and order. (Yes, accountants and demographers, you are included in this, too. I think your spreadsheet is an exquisite manifestation of data artistry.)
7. Give yourself the gift of giving— Everyone except for psychopaths and babies has experienced the lovely sensation of nervousness. Tip #6 covers some of what I’m about to preach, but it bears repeating. When beset by nerves, it’s time to re-evaluate your ultimate purpose. Are we here for others’ approval? Or can we accept that the elusive alchemy of favor is beyond our control and all we can do is our best? I had a cool conversation with one of our singers as she prepared for an audition. She worried that her pitch would suffer due to nerves, a well-founded concern as most singers struggle with this issue. This young lady is one of the most dedicated singers I have had the pleasure of working with, but her true gift lies in her ability to personally engage with folks and put them at ease. I reminded her of our recent event at Hospital Hospitality House here in Richmond where our singers sang carols, then assisted the residents in completing various holiday crafts. Her genuine kindness shown so brightly that evening and she left having made friends with a number of the folks she’d sat with. I asked her to tap into those emotions for her audition, to view the audition as a gift of song offered humbly to her audience. “It is what it is,” I said. “Your voice is either the kind of voice they are looking for, or it isn’t.” Once you have prepared to the best of your ability, then you must offer your gift and let go. Nothing to be nervous about!
Posted: March 15, 2012 by admin
Part II: Top tips for Singers (and everyone else!)
Continued from January…
5. Sing in the shower- Raise your hand if you sound good in the shower. (Everybody!) A couple of things are happening here. First, you are distracted by shampoo. Second, you are singing more powerfully than usual because of the background noise created by the water. Third, your vocal folds, sinuses, and throat are benefitting from the warm, moist air. Fourth, you may be half asleep, so you are less inhibited. Notice that none of these read, “You are totally focused on technique and soft palate position.” Sometimes the big picture (singing because it’s fun!) is more effective than the minutiae of rightness. Sometimes doing something for the joy of it renders better results than trying to do it perfectly.
6. Communicate the text- Singers get to use words, often in the language they themselves speak. It seems obvious, but it’s one element most easily forgotten: singers are communicators! To put things into perspective, I ask myself, “What is the cosmic, eternal purpose in my singing this song?” Let’s be honest here—never in the history of the world has a singer sung a song perfectly. But there have been millions of hearts touched by the beauty, tenderness or angst of a song communicated by a singer. In any type of ‘performance’—a presentation, a speech, a dance, an interview, an audition—we are tempted to try our hardest to gain approval, and we evaluate our success based on that. I say that each of us is an artist with something unique and beautiful to offer. Whatever we do, we have the freedom to offer it with authenticity, beauty and order. (Yes, accountants and demographers, you are included in this, too. I think your spreadsheet is an exquisite manifestation of data artistry.)
7. Give yourself the gift of giving— Everyone except for psychopaths and babies has experienced the lovely sensation of nervousness. Tip #6 covers some of what I’m about to preach, but it bears repeating. When beset by nerves, it’s time to re-evaluate your ultimate purpose. Are we here for others’ approval? Or can we accept that the elusive alchemy of favor is beyond our control and all we can do is our best? I had a cool conversation with one of our singers as she prepared for an audition. She worried that her pitch would suffer due to nerves, a well-founded concern as most singers struggle with this issue. This young lady is one of the most dedicated singers I have had the pleasure of working with, but her true gift lies in her ability to personally engage with folks and put them at ease. I reminded her of our recent event at Hospital Hospitality House here in Richmond where our singers sang carols, then assisted the residents in completing various holiday crafts. Her genuine kindness shown so brightly that evening and she left having made friends with a number of the folks she’d sat with. I asked her to tap into those emotions for her audition, to view the audition as a gift of song offered humbly to her audience. “It is what it is,” I said. “Your voice is either the kind of voice they are looking for, or it isn’t.” Once you have prepared to the best of your ability, then you must offer your gift and let go. Nothing to be nervous about!
Category: blog