You have your perfect outfit, your sheet music is two-sided and legible for the collaborative pianist, and you have practiced your warm-ups with technical concepts applied to your audition music. Now, it’s the big day, but you need a little inspiration. Have a good time with these short videos. I’m sure you can find even more with just a little searching:
One more . . . Enjoy!
Though no one is ever perfect, here is an excellent performance in English featuring Bass-Baritone Philippe Sly singing many ending [d] sounds that do not sound like a [t].
Enjoy!
Now, a little more soprano inspiration via a beloved aria for audiences and performers. Start the recording at 45 seconds to watch Alzeny Nelo sing Heitor Villa-Lobos’ Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5 for Soprano and Cello Ensemble, Mvt. I – Ária: Cantilena.
This aria’s difficulty centers on the fact that though the contrasting section has lyrics, the first section showcases the soprano tone though long phrases sung on one vowel only: [a] and it’s various shades. Enjoy!
I was looking for a little bass/baritone inspiration for everyone. Here is Alfredo José Martínez Torres to bring us all some joy with his solo from Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125, Mvt. IV – Presto; Allegro assai. It’s also known simply as the “Ode to Joy.” I provided a translation via Wikipedia, so you don’t have to go find it:
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O Freunde, nicht diese Töne! |
Oh friends, not these sounds! |
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Freude! |
Joy! |
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Freude, schöner Götterfunken |
Joy, beautiful spark of divinity, |
Pexels/Tookapic
Classes are about to begin, so I wanted to remind everyone of some supplies that any singer should have to stay healthy and sound healthy! I will post a more detailed missive very soon, but for now, consider this:
Do you have your water bottle? Besides a good night’s rest, hydration is what every singer needs first. Always have a bottle of water with you, if possible. If you worry about guzzling too much water during the day, try taking frequent, short sips to soothe the throat and help keep it clear in general without as many trips to the restroom.
Do you have healthy snacks for your lunch? You can eat your water as well as drink your water! Fruits and vegetables with high water content like watermelon, apples and cucumber make excellent snacks and keep lunches interesting.
Do you have clean hands? Other than before and after eating, vigorously washing your hands with soap and water for about 30 seconds a few times a day instead of just using hand sanitizer is best. You may need to bring fragrance free wipes in addition to hand sanitizer if you cannot get to the faucet easily.
Do you have tissues? Use fragrance free tissues because you don’t want to make a runny, sneezy nose worse.
More to come very soon – Practice Singing!
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You’re rested, you’re hydrated, and you’re ready to practice, but is your space ready for you? When choosing a space to practice singing, consider the audition or performance experience. Will you be in a classroom, a choir room, or a theatre room with a small stage? During my undergraduate years, my favorite practice space was a small recital hall because it was spacious and uncluttered—just a piano, my music, a music stand, my supplies, my portable tape recorder and my “boom box!”
Assuming you can’t afford to build a personal recital hall in your home, you only need a few adjustments to turn any space into a good “practice room.” For example, here are seven tips for how to set the stage to practice for all-state auditions:
Yes, more inspiration for us all from Die Königin der Nacht! Enjoy “Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen” from Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte performed by Diana Damrau:
And if you thought that was dramatic, here is her terrifying performance within the scene. Watching her move from dialogue to song is a masterclass in operatic acting:
I promise real tips and strategies about singing are forthcoming! Until then, I decided to post another video. Joyce DiDonato came to mind because I truly enjoyed her performance as Arden Scott in “Great Scott” at the Dallas Opera in November 2015. Though she is not singing a selection from that opera in this clip, please enjoy her performance of “Over the Rainbow” – a perfect encore for a singer from Kansas:
I’ll start posting tips and info in the coming days and weeks. Until then, here is a little “Caro, mio ben” inspiration from Luciano Pavarotti and John Wustman:
Practice Singing 