Classes at Springfield Central High School

Class at Springfield Central High

On Tuesday I had a delightful morning speaking to music students at Springfield Central High School. Some students were not able to attend, others suggested that the information I gave out be used as extra credit questions on the next exam. For that reason I will post notes from the presentation:

I am, as Mr. Dandurand introduced me an opera singer. And that means, as some of you cleverly deducted that I sing opera. I do not sing only opera, however. I sing several genres of music that fall under the category of "classical." (I don't like to categorize styles of music and I don't like to refer to what I do as classical music, but that is the term you are most familiar with.) These three genres are

opera: fully staged music dramas

concert pieces: presented with soloists standing on stage in front of the orchestra (and often a chorus behind the orchestra)

song: presented in recital - just myself and my pianist performing a program of songs of our chosing

My field is very competitive. There are a lot of singers my age and voice type going after the same few jobs. What is the best way to give myself the best chance of getting jobs over them? Practice? How much? About 3 hours every day. That's not including research, marketing, networking and other non-singing related activities.

I told you the story of how I got started in singing. There are no potential extra credit questions in this story so I'll tell you the 10 cent version:

I was a band geek in high school; I played several instruments in all of the instrumental ensembles, but I did not sing. Sophomore year the chorus director (Peter Glass) conned me into singing in chorus: he said I could just accompany the chorus on piano and would never have to sing. I showed up the first day and he said we wouldn't be using the piano today, so I should just sit in the back with the other guys. I never did play the piano for the chorus, and I loved singing. Going into college (UMass Amherst) I planned on majoring in Spanish or Physics or MusicEd and would join the choir as an extracurricular activity. The director there (E. Wayne Abercrombie) strongly encouraged me to take voice lessons. I said 'no. The next morning he called my dorm room at 8AM and again strongly encouraged me to sign up for voice lessons. I did. I took one 30 minute voice lesson, made more progress there than I did in 11 years of piano lessons and changed my major to voice performance and music Ed.

Here's a test question: "True or False: all musicians, including instrumentalists need to learn to sing." Answer: True. For extra points explain why. Some acceptable ansers

- sight-singing is a major component of musicianship

- all players need to learn to breath with the music, even string players

- the voice was the first instrument

- good playing is based on a cantabile or "singable" line. Even piano playing

- singing is a means to demonstrate to another musician how a phrase should be played (I'll bet you anything that Mr. Dandurand demonstrates phrases by singing every day in rehearsal)

- if you can't sing in tune, you can't really play in tune

Speaking of singing in tune, I worked with three gentlemen from the Madrigal Singers. A recap of what we worked"

"I'm Beginning to See the Light" this was sung with an intent to swing and inflect. Unfortunately, you can not swing or inflect notes that are not sung fully on the voice and are not in tune. The phrase "close enough for jazz," is an endearing joke. Jazzers say that to poke fun at those who think jazz is an imprecise art. I thank you, singer of of this tune, for taking my suggestions to sing legato and in tune before you try to "jazz it up." And if you saw The Music Man you will remember that singing is just speaking drawn out over long notes. In other words: don't change the way you enunciate your words and produce your sound in order to sing. AND speak clearly with breath support. All the time.

"Seven Soldiers" I heard a bass and a tenor sing their parts from this. Even when you are singing with a section, or especially when you are singing with a section, you have a soloist's responsibility to carry your part. The only major difference between singing solo and singing in a section is your choices of where to breathe and how to phrase. (In a section the conductor decides, in a solo you can decide some of that for yourself.)

For those of you who have not taken music theory: you do need it to be a professional musician. Even if you are not sure about pursuing music or music Ed professionally, it can't hurt to take music theory.

And while I'm at it, practice the piano.

Some of the music I sang for you:

Charles Gounod "Avant de Quitter ces Lieux" from Faust an opera aria

Gustav Mahler "Ich bin der Welt Abhanden Gekommen" from Fünf Rückert-Lieder - a song performed in recital with piano or with orchestra. Fünf Rückert-Lieder is a song cycle, a group of songs composed and performed together unified by a theme.

Giacomo Puccini "Nessun Dorma" from Turandot an opera aria

*This is a tenor aria (one of Pavarotti's most famous arias) I do not sing this in performance. I do sing the baritone role in the same opera.

Franz Schubert "An die Musik" ("Ode to Music) - a song performed in recital

"Poor Wayfaring Stranger" folk song arranged by Steven Mark Kohn – a song performed in recital *available on iTunes!

Gioachino Rossini "Largo al factotum" from The Barber of Seville ("Figaro, Figaro, Figaro") an opera aria

Charles Brown “A Song Without Words” – a song performed in recital

The third period class, madrigals and jazz band had a great discussion about what makes a great song, what makes a great performance and what is more important: the words or the music. The answer is both. When you get ready to go to school in the morning you don’t ask yourself “which shoe is more important to wear: the left or the right?”

Many of you said when you heard "Poor Wayfaring Stranger" you imagined a story taking place. A great song whispers it's secrets loudly into the listener's ear. (Paraphrasing my song idol, Steven Blier) And for each listener that secret is different.

Which brings me back to my original point: you had the experience of imagining a story during that performance because I chose a song that I love and I prepared it to the best of my ability. Do you remember how I demonstrated singing the song without dynamics and without the subtle and sophisticated arrangement? That did not create a profound listening experience. I have been practicing that song for 3 years. Because I practiced, notes were in tune, the dynamics and colors (in the voice and piano) were the way I wanted them. Had I not prepared those things, I wouldn't have been able to give you an enjoyable performance. You owe it to your audience to prepare your music to the best of your ability. How do you do that?

Practice.

Happy Holidays.