Opera assignment

Folks, since we have missed 8 hours of opera rehearsal (yes, 8!) due to snow days, I have devised another assignment to make up the points you have missed by missing those days. I have added an hour here or there to the rehearsal schedule, but do not want to try to add 8 more hours to your lives. Nor do I think you need it! The rehearsals are going well enough that I don't feel compelled to call you in on Fridays.

As we have discussed in class, I will not be present during next week's opera rehearsals. Dr. Steele will be running those rehearsals. Though he cannot stage direct from the keyboard, he may be correcting any wrong notes or rhythms that may have creeped in during the staging rehearsals.

Next week, each of you must observe a rehearsal of another scene. You will then write a 500-word essay which is due by MIDNIGHT on Friday, March 21. It must be submitted to my email address (khw@uab.edu) so that I have your time stamp. 11:59 pm Friday = on time; 12:01am Saturday = late, and you lose the points. I would highly suggest not procrastinating until Friday night to write it: if you have computer issues, that does NOT grant you an extension. Plan ahead.

The paper can be on anything you observe and/or what you learned by observing that you plan to apply to your own scene. Staging considerations, acting choices, body use, connection of facial expressions to text, how the action heightens the music...or not. These are private and will only be seen by me, so don't think that everything you say has to be in praise of your classmates. It does, however, have to be observant and honest.

I won't grade according to your writing ability, but please use complete sentences and spell check. These are basics of writing that every high school graduate must grasp. I'm sorry that I have to mention it, but do remember that academic writing, however "unofficial," is not the same as texting or even emailing. Thanks!

UAB NATS winners

Congratulations to Johnathan Lyons, first place winner in the adult men division (and the only one forwarded onto finals), and Jake Hemminger, second place in fourth year college men (classical) and first place in fourth year college men (musical theatre). You not only did us proud by winning, you sang your best...which is far more important. On top of it, you were gracious and kind. I feel fortunate to work with you both!

Arlene Shrut coachings and master classes

The schedule as of now:

MONDAY (today, in my studio)
5-5:30 John
5:30-6 Jake
6-6:30 Courtney
6:30-7 OPEN
7-7:30 OPEN
7:30-8 OPEN

TUESDAY (my studio)
10-11 EmKay (lesson first half, coaching second half)
11-11:30
11:30-12 OPEN

2-2:30 OPEN (place TBA)
2:30-3 OPEN (place TBA)

Brown Bag on Entrepreneurship in Music (my office OR conference room)
Bring your lunch, and come and go as you need. Dr. Shrut will talk about how to make opportunities as a musician. She is a wizard at this: come and learn from a master!

Master Class on Auditioning
3:30-5:30 in Hulsey Recital Hall
Dr. Shrut will present a talk on successful auditioning, then work with three students.

Singers for the master class:
Nole Jones ("Warm as the autumn light")
Valencia Callens ("Chi il bel sogno di Doretta")
Reginald Melton (Bob's aria)

Excellent article on the internet and other temptations

Those who do not move do not notice their chains.

—Rosa Luxemburg

Read this article for more!

Practice and graciousness

Tonight's Olympic thought is two-fold: practice and graciousness. Shaun White, snowboarder extraordinaire, placed fourth in the halfpipe. Known as the best in the world, he was widely expected to win, and it was a major upset for him to be off the podium entirely. Conditions on the pipe were problematic at best, and he was unable to practice for three days. He cited that as a major issue when he graciously said, "it just wasn't my night." Which brings me to graciousness: he was fabulous to the gold medalist, who was clinging to his hero in a prolonged hug. Grace under the cloud of disappointment is part of the game too...even when you're a superstar.

Skiing on ice

Olympics...and what we as performers can learn by watching them

Tonight's thought: skiing on ice. The female skiers today are skiing on very icy conditions. The scratching sound as these athletes raced 80 mph down the hill made my heart pound (I hate ice). The conditions are making the ride a little bumpy for some, and they're thrown a little wide on the turns. But even when the conditions throw us as performers a little off balance, we have to do the same as these superstar skiers: DON'T PANIC. Lean into it, trust your technique, and keep your skis pointed downhill.

If you have time...

...watch the Olympics! I say that not just because I grew up in the land of winter sports, but also because we learn from watching great athletes of all stripes. And yes, singers are vocal athletes! I've been posting on Facebook some of the ways I see sports and music parallel each other. Even if you have time to watch an hour, you might learn a great deal about preparation, focus, perseverance, and recovery...all good things for artists to master. Here's what I wrote last night:

Tonight's thought on Olympics as they relate to music performance: focus. Bode Miller, who probably should have won the gold based on his trials this week, placed 8th. Bearing in mind that we're only talking about .52 of a second, and that he's still one of the best in the world, it seems to have come down to his focus. His gaze was set high and distant right before leaving the gate, something he apparently never does when he skis his best. (Oddly enough, I noticed this: the commentators noted it later, which kind of blew my mind.) Keeping his gaze low and steady beforehand, just as we do in performance anxiety management, might have made the difference. Food for thought as we prepare for competition, singers!