Senior Recital-Week 11

Yay for being healed from being sick!! I had a great lesson today and it felt so nice.  We got to really get picky about some things and I am so excited.  I honestly think that Il Pescatore Canta and My Life's Delight sounded the best today that they ever have and I am thrilled! 

I am also thankful that Jesse came into my lesson and that we finally got to work together with Dr.  Hepworth. We really got to nail down some of the inconsistencies in the language that we were having, and that makes me feel better.

I think we are going to have a ROCKIN' recital!

Senior Recital-Week 10

This week my lesson was frustrating because I was just getting over being ill.  For me to have my voice sound so badly a month before the recital is  irritating.  I did have some really good rehearsal time with Mr. Phil today, and Dr. Hepworth I hope you feel better.

Senior Recital-Frustrations of a Senior

I am so frustrated right now.  I can't really sing all that well and I am so congested that I can't feel if I am singing as resonantly as I should be singing.  I am trying to get the sound behind my teeth and make my teeth "rattle", but I am still not sure if I am doing it correctly.  I just want this recital to be perfect.  It's just one of those concepts that I'm not sure if I am fully grasping, and being sick on top of things isn't helping all that much.  That's why tomorrow I am going to the doctor to help that part of the problem.  Here endeth the rant of a frustrated senior.

Senior Recital-Week 9

This week we came back off of a four day break.  I am so frustrated because I wanted to be fully rested and have my voice feeling better.  Instead, I am really dry, still vocally tired, and have a cold on top of everything.  It's starting to upset me.

In lessons today we worked on trying to get the resonance of the voice right behind the teeth.  It is a concept that I think I have a grasp on, but I am going to have to work on it in practice time to really get it solidified.  I really think that it will make a world of difference in the Italian piece.  Now it's time to get busy. :)

Senior Recital-Week 8-Jury Week!

I have to say that I am pretty happy with myself.  I got my Italian memorized and it is making life so much simpler.  I got to sing on the Showcase Recital and I feel like it was the best I had ever sung my aria.  I am still really really nervous for the jury, but I keep telling myself that we'll be fine...and low and behold Jesse and I both were fine!  I feel like there were things that I could have done better, but that's what practice is for.

In my lesson it was very laid back and it was really nice, and much needed.  I enjoyed that we went through and picked through things.  it is really nice to be to the point where we can really delve into all of the details. It's been a successful week.

Senior Recital-Week 7

This week we had a good lesson.  I feel a little discouraged with myself because I didn't feel like it was the lesson I wanted to have before my jury.  I think that I may just be a little hard on myself sometimes, but I think that's how I will make myself a better performer.  I am also discouraged because I feel like I am vocally tired all of the time.  I am even not singing a lot and doing a ton of score study.  Oh the anxiety!

Senior Recital-Week 6

Coming into my lesson this week I didn't necessarily know how it would go.  Monday evening I experienced a moment of panic because our jury is two weeks from now.  That being said, I think that our lesson today went fantastic.  I think it is the best one that we have had yet this semester and it makes me so happy.  I was worried about it also because I am vocally tired today.  I have been practicing a lot as of late.

  I am also really happy that I almost have Nimmersatte Liebe memorized. Once that is done it's one thing off the list.  Program notes and translations are the next big projest.

Senior Recital-Week 5

I think that my lesson today went well. Especially since I was not feeling well.  My voice felt really tired today, so that is always irritating.  I did do almost two hours of vocal practice outside of ensembles yesterday though.

This week during practice the name of the game is going to be my vowel shapes and modifications.  I really am going to need to go through all of my music with a fine tooth comb and make sure that everything is unified. I also really enjoyed the chromatic warmup.  I think this will be very helpful for my vocal flexibility.

I'm am starting to really get some of my characters for my pieces figured out.  The problem is that now that I have them figured out I need to go bigger.  With this music I just want to go big or go home.  For me there really is no other options this semester.  I am also really starting to memorize, which is a giant relief.  Sometimes that concept doesn't always come easily to me. 

PS-Dr. Hepworth, thank you for all of your help and guidance. I appreciate you so much.

Senior Recital-Week 4

This week we worked really hard on Nimmersatte.  Let's just say that I absolutely adore this song.  I think that it is really going to work well with my other Wolf piece.  I think I love this song because it is so romantic, but it is still really going to allow me to stretch my wings vocally and also with my technique.  I also think that the springboard and apple in front of the mouth concepts are REALLY helping me a lot.  Something that frustrated me was that when I sang it in studio that my old habits snuck back in because I was focusing more on words.  That really bothers me because I thought that I was more sound in my techniques. Darn my tongue and jaw. Oh well, back to the practice room. 
Speaking of practice rooms...I was working on looking at my self in the mirror.  For one, it's kind of entertaining, but exactly what Dr. Hepworth says it is.  It is so helpful.  I have been working on trying to convey all of the emotion that needs to be a part of my aria.  I am trying to take all of the sorrow and anguish that I have felt in times of trail and tribulations and put it all in my song.  It is still a work in progress, but they are coming along.

Senior Recital-Week 3

This week we worked on Va! again. I didn't realize how much I still was keeping my lips very neutral and that they weren't puckered enough.  I am getting really excited about this aria.  It has also been quite the adventure learning how to use my chest voice.  We started working on this concept last week as well.  I have had some opportunities in choir to implement the concept as well.  It's really new that I have the opportunity to actually work on some more complex concepts.  It's also really terrifying at the same time.  I am also trying to implement the darker vowels as well.  That's also crazy because I worked so long on finding the bright resonant sound.  It's all a mystery that I am working really hard on.

Senior Recital-Week 2

This week we started actually working on material.  I am sincerely enjoying having a whole hour for my lessons this semester.  I was really excited when we started to work on our warmups because the Eh-Ah-Oh and moving the mouth and noticing the tongue placement and actually having it click right away was AMAZING!  I also really loved digging back into Va! laisse couler me larme.  It is amazing how many little things that we really didn't get time to cover last semester.  I am praying that it goes over well at NATS.

Senior Recital-Week 1

During our first lesson we got to pick out new rep!! I am so excited about the new pieces.  I am especially excited about Nimmersatte Liebe.  Il Pescatore Canta is also going to be really awesome as well.  I am totally excited about everything starting.

Jury Day

I woke up this morning and all of the nerves were kind of sitting in the pit of my stomach.  I am so thankful for the amazing semester that I have had.  I hope that my jury goes well today because I would really really love to go out with a bang and finish up on a strong note. Pun intended. ha ha. :)

Senior Recital!!!!

Today we also got to pick a piece for my senior recital. That's right, my SENIOR RECITAL!  I can't believe that that is what is going to happen next semester.  Jesse and I have so many ideas of what we want to do and things that we want to sing.  I even got to pick out a new Italian today.  It's called La Volubile.  I am so happy because this will give me something to do over the summer, as well as brush up old music. :)  Thank you Dr. Hepworth for humoring me in that aspect.  I know that I can be rather bull headed sometimes.  You're the best. 

Lesson May 3rd

Today was the last lesson of the year.  Wow how time flies.  I am so very happy with how the semester has gone.  I think that today day went well too...even if I do need to brush up a few words in some songs.  That won't be a problem though at all.  I am really excited for juries, and to just keep on growing as a musician and a person in general. :)

Lesson-April 28th

This week I didn't get to have a lesson because the good doctor was not feeling well.  That is alright.  I had some really good practice time. It allowed me to work on some diction and memorization.  I also really got to work with Phil this week on I can't be talkin' of love and my last German.  I feel way more comfortable about those pieces now,  especially since because of different circumstances he and I have not been able to have a rehearsal in the last three weeks.  I still feel that things are going to go well in my jury.  I hope that we will get to make up my lesson in the week to come.

Last Week-April 21st

This week we  and a good lesson.  We ran rep.  It's really nice to feel really prepared for juries.  We have been working hard.  Everything is now to the point that it is just about working on all of the little nit picky things.  It is great to feel good about what I am doing. Finally.

Voice Lesson-French Recital Day

So, today our lesson was short and sweet.  That is my fault completely.  Dr. Hepworth, I am so sorry that I was late.  I know I've told you that a few times already.  For being a short lesson though, I am happy with how it went.  I think that me french for tonight is going to go very well and I am excited to sing.  I am also excited that "I Can't be Talkin' of Love" went as well as it did since it is the first time Mr. Phil and I have rehearsed it together.  I was nervous because it was a Duke piece.  I still have a counting error that I need to work out, but it is a simple counting issue that I can work out myself. The space in the back of the mouth that we have been talking about works extremely well in this song too.

I have really been trying to work on the space in the back of the mouth while I am in choir and Mads. It is amazing how it all applies to each other.  It surprises me how often the soft pallet falls, even when we don't think that it is. Progress is happening.  All of the really tough semesters are paying off!  Yay team!

The Lesson of the Egg in the Mouth

So today, my favorite phrase was, "think like you have an egg in the mouth".  It makes perfect sense because it symbolizes the space that we need to have in the back of the mouth as singers.  I am so so so happy that we are getting to learn new concepts now.  Just like spring we are getting to move on to new things.  I think the scariest thing for me right now is putting elements of my chest voice back in.  It's exciting none the less.  He's to progressing towards my senior recital!

Thank you Dr. Hepworth, you're amazing.  I apprecitate everything you do so much. I know I don't say that enough.

Voice Lesson-Wednesday March 31, 2011

I just got done with an hour long lesson and it was really good!  I am really excited because we a finally to a point where we can work on some of the details and it is SO nice.  It was nice to be able to add elements of my chest voice, and to talk about working more on consonant sounds.  That is the trend with all of my repetoire right now-not enough consonants.  That is something that I am really striving to work on.  I have also been working on not rushing in my pieces and conducting in the practice room mirror.  The one downfall about today's lesson was that my voie was a little tired. It has been all week though due to recovering from the show.

Finally, I had a revelation on stage during the musical, and that was the big mouth. We talked about it in studio last Friday, and sometime during the show when I was singing with a huge mouth I thought. :Hey, this makes sense now!"  Yay for revelations. :)

Oh the Week of the Musical.

So it is weeks like these that I am realyl thankful for the good technique that I have learned.  It is tech week for Little Shop and we open today!!  I am very excited for this, but it has been a very grueling and daunting week.  I am to an extreme point of exhaustion, and so is the rest of the cast.  My good technique has saved my voice though.  I just had my lesson and it was still a very good lesson despite how tired I am.  I am so very thankful for that.  Yay for making good progress!! 

YAY LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS!!!!

Leson Week 7

This week I got to have an hour lesson!  It was so nice to have so much time.  This weekend we were really working on the forward resinance.  Dr. Hepworth thinks that if I can fully grasp that concept then we will be getting some even better sounds.  I think she's right. I was excited because we got to work on the other pieces that we haven't had a chance to work on.  I am so excited to really get cracking on some of the newer pieces, and to really start polishing the rest of my repetoire.

Right now, I am on break and I am sick.  I think that it's a sinus infection. Only I can get sick over break.  It has caused problems with my throat and singing, so tomorrow it is off to the doctor.  All that I know is that I am really tired, I sneeze a lot, and I can't breathe out of my nose.  Oh the life of a singer. :)

Lesson Week 6

Last week there was no lesson unfortunately.  I did have a really productive week actually.  I am really working on the forward buzz.  I am actually starting to figure it out.  It is so nice!  I am really noticing how helpful it is during musical rehearsal.  In Ramsey it is very dead and that is the only way that the voice will carry.  I also feel like it saves the voice.  When I participated in Seussical I was vocally tired all the time. Now, I feel like things are just getting better and it's really fantastic.

I also had a great week on recital.  I am so proud of myself for starting the semster with my french piece. Je pleaure en reve went well.  I  still need to make sure that the tongue and jaw stay completely out of the way, and that my lips stay relaxed, but overall I couldn't have been happier.

Voice Lesson Week Five

Technically I haven't had my lesson yet.  I was supposed to have it today but I am battling the darn flu, or food poisoning.  I am off to the doctor to find out which one.  Tomorrow I am having my make up lesson.  I have really be trying to focus on relaxing my tongue and getting  that ah vowel down.  In the beginning of my aria  I have to start on this vowel and it needs to be powerful and solid.  I REALLY want this to happen.  I'm going to get it, and do it well.  I am bound and determined to make it happen.

Voice Lesson Week Four-Last Week

Our lesson this week went well.  I was really pleased in warm ups because we actually did an exercise using an ah vowel and it worked.  This vowel is always super hard for me and it was nice to have some success with it.  In my French however, I am still fighting my tongue trying to produce this vowel.  If I can not think about it and just do it it happens correctly.  I am so proud of myself for tackling my french pieces right from the beginning of the semester. 

Voice Lesson-week 3

Today I had a really great lesson.  I have finally figured out how to work through my voice break.  It is so nice to actually work through my vocal break and not hear two different sounds.  Consistant sound.  That is what Dr.  Hepworth and I have been working on for 3 years.  FINALLY!  I also love the repertoire I am doing.  I am so excited to dig in a really get going on my French aria!