Dear singers!
Thank you for a good working rehearsal. We have started and covered most of Honegger and Purcell, refreshed Berlioz adding the French, and even had the time to sing the first 4 bars of Mozart a few times!
I hope you are feeling the progress and beginning to appreciate the differences our pieces offer. It is as if we need to reinvent ourselves for each new music: light and air in Purcell, rich legato in Berlioz and Honegger, profound, mystical hope in Taneyev, brilliance and spark in Haydn, contemplation and longing in Schumann.
Even so, some things are the same for all music:
1. No single note exists on its own. Seek a phrase, a direction in each line. Think of how we speak and the expression we put in our spoken phrases. In music, as a rule, we gravitate to the downbeats.
2. Breath support is necessary for everything. Remember how, not a high note, but what comes after it usually tend to lack support. Give it your attention.
3. Ask yourself whether your body is engaged in singing or you're just using your vocal chords. Here it's not the same as in speaking! To reach a maximum potential we need to mobilize all resources and yet, feel free of any tension. Always try to come to rehearsals prepared physically and mentally.
The next week: learning Tchaikovsky!
Please remember to share your thoughts at nymetamorc@gmail.com
Eu