Performance Class Friday: sign up!

Folks that have been assigned to sing in class this Friday: please sign up on Dr. Mosteller's door. This will determine the order in which you sing. Thanks!

HELP! revised time...

Folks, I'll need help moving the AMAHL set from the Alabama Ballet tomorrow morning (Wednesday) to UAB. Meet at 8:40 in Hulsey lobby; we'll get the Ballet by 9, hopefully done unloading by 9:30. Please rally some friends, even if just to meet us at Hulsey upon our return. I can't move it alone! Thanks. Your pal, Dr. Kris

SNATS schedule

REVISED: Following are the diction workshops and other activities we discussed: all will take place in the choir room from 3-4 pm.

Wednesday, September 7: Diction with Dr. Cho

Wednesday, September 14: Diction with Dr. Cho

Wednesday, September 28: Diction with Dr. Cho

Monday, October 3: Fitness for Singers with Eric Agee

Wednesday, October 5: Diction with Dr. Cho

Wednesday, October 19: Diction with Dr. Cho

Monday, October 24: Yoga with Dr. Kris (in Hulsey 312)

Wednesday, November 2: Diction with Dr. Cho

Monday, November 7: Diction with Dr. Cho

Monday, November 14: Diction with Dr. Cho

Monday, November 28: Diction with Dr. Cho

Kashu-do (歌手道): The Way of the Singer: Kashu-do (歌手道) and Once More With Feeling: The Rossini Tenor

Kashu-do (歌手道): The Way of the Singer: Kashu-do (歌手道) and Once More With Feeling: The Rossini Tenor Great article with wonderful links.

Party Saturday!

Don't forget about the Opera/Choir picnic at Oak Mountain this Saturday from 11-4. Sign up for food on the FB event page.

Yoga for Singers class

Monday, August 28 from 3-4 is our first SNATS activity...YOGA FOR SINGERS! Everyone, regardless of experience or physical fitness, is welcome to come. Poses can be adjusted to your comfort level. Bring comfortable clothes you can move and stretch in, and a yoga mat or towel (or "sticky" yoga socks). Everyone is welcome: this is not restricted to SNATS members. Bring a friend!

For those who wonder why we are musicians...

this is why.

Dr. Kris Studio Class: Poetry Day

Friendly reminder: Friday is poetry day, so everyone needs to have a memorized poem to share with everyone. Please choose a poem that you especially love, and preferably from a piece of music you plan on singing this year. Bring a copy of the text for everyone, which you'll pass out AFTER reading it aloud. We'll meet in the conference room. See you then!

AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS

The Mother: Jessica Johnson

Kaspar: Shane Bloemetjie

Melchior: Charles Daniel

Balthazar: Ryan Reese

The Page: Micah Brooker / Jake Hemminger

THE CHORUS OF SHEPHERDS

Everyone else who auditioned will serve as our shepherds. You are crucial to the show and we need more of you! Please recruit your friends, especially men. We may discuss moving you from your usual voice part if necessary. Please see me if you are interested in dancing!

Mother and Kings: buy your score online. It’s available at Amazon.com; you might consider ordering scores as a group to get free shipping. Chorus, your music will be provided.

Everyone enrolled in the course is called to rehearsal for the next two weeks for improvisation games. Dress comfortably and come ready to play, with open minds and courage to try new things! We will meet in Hulsey 312 until musical rehearsals begin. Purchase and learn your music in the next two weeks.

Voice lesson schedule: Dr. Kris

After much juggling, I think we've found a voice lesson schedule! Following are times, with your pianist for your lessons in parentheses:

Mondays (Ksusha accompanies all)

10-11 Emkay

11-12 Shane

12-1 Brad

1-2 Callie

Wednesdays

1-2 Valencia (Ksusha)

3-4 Charles (Ksusha)

Thursdays

9:30-10:30 Jake (Ksusha)

12:30-1:30 Jess (Ksusha)

Fridays

9-10 Ariel (Ksusha)

10:20-10:50 Michala (Ksusha)

11-12 Jen (Ksusha)

Remember to have one piece learned for your first lesson, and get Ksusha your music ASAP. If Dr. Adam Bowles is your pianist, please leave me a copy of the sheet music on my door. Thanks, and have a great weekend!

Friday Voice Class Dates

Every voice student is required to attend performance class every Friday at noon. We'll meet as a large group in Hulsey Recital Hall (HRH) each week, except on days otherwise noted. The schedule is:

August 19: everyone in HRH

August 26: poetry day (Dr. Kris's students in the conference room)

September, every Friday except 9/30: HRH (singing begins on Sept. 2!)

September 30: library meeting in Seminar Room 163

October 7: all in HRH

October 14: fall break; no class

October 21: Voice Studio Recital dress rehearsal

Sunday, October 23: Voice Studio Recital, 3pm (HRH)

October 28: all in HRH

November 4: all in HRH

November 11: possible performance of AMAHL in HRH

November 18: all in HRH

November 25" Thanksgiving break

December 2: last performance class before juries (HRH)

Juries: TBA

Dr. Kris Voice Students

I need your schedules to plan lesson times. Please fill one out (on my door) or email it to me ASAP. Thanks!

Amahl synopsis and links

For those of you who would like to know more about our one-act opera for the fall, following is the synopsis of AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS. The show is about 50 minutes long and is the most frequently performed English opera in the world. The first opera commissioned for television broadcast, it was the first network television Christmas special to become an annual tradition.

Amahl, a shepherd who has difficulty walking, tries to tell his mother about what he has seen outside; an enormous star with a long tail. His mother, used to his habitual lying, grows angry; she is even angrier when Amahl tells he that three kings have come to visit them. To his mother's great surprise, Amahl is telling the truth. The kings enter and tell the two peasants that they have come to find a king, and they show the rich gifts they have brought him. While Amahl's mother is out gathering wood for the fire, Amahl asks the kings questions about their lives. The mother returns with her neighbors, and the villagers present their gifts to the visitors. That night, Amahl's mother tries to steal some of the kings' gold to use to help her child; she is caught, and when the kings offer to let her keep the gold, explaining that the king they seek will need nothing but love to rule his kingdom, she returns it. Amahl offers his crutch as an additional gift, and suddenly finds that he can walk. He leaves with the kings to pay homage to the child who has healed him.

The following links are from the 1978 TV version of the opera, with Teresa Stratas as the Mother. For Kaspar's aria, "This is my box," visit this link. The aria begins 2:10 into the clip. The Mother's aria, "All that gold," is at the very beginning of this link. Melchior's aria is 3:55 into the same clip.

Church jobs available

Southside Baptist Church offers the Martinson Scholarship program for students studying voice in college. They currently have a soprano position and alto position open. The scholarship pays $1,300.00 per semester with summers as a paid option. The director is Dr. Paul Dease, a wonderful musician who has done great things with their small but enthusiastic choir. The group is a great bunch of folks, the pastor is a dear friend of mine, and the church is warmly welcoming to people of all walks of life. Please let me know if you're interested in these positions!

Repertoire Assignments

Here are rep assignments for the fall, as of now (more to follow). I've included more than you'll need, so if you don't like something, you have options. The library should have many of these; if you can't find what you need, see me. Try the library first though, as everyone should get used to finding their way through the stacks.

Brad: from the Italian Arias book: "Sento nel core," "Sebben crudele," or "Per la gloria;" Brahms's "Sonntag;" Ireland's "Spring Sorrow;" Handel's "O ruddier than the cherry;" Hundley's "For Your Delight"

Charles: bring something that you worked on in Salzburg, as well as "Oh woman, you may keep the gold" from AMAHL; the rest of the Barber set; Haydn's CREATION arias; "O vin dissipe la tristesse" from Thomas's Hamlet; Avant de quitter; Purcell's "Music for awhile;" Beethoven's "Adelaide"

Shane: Menotti's "This is my box" from AMAHL; Bach's "Deposuit;" Argento's "Six Elizabethan Songs;" let's finish "Una furtiva lagrima;" more selections from "Die Schoene Muellerin;" Tom Rakewell's aria from Stravinsky's THE RAKE'S PROGRESS

Ariel: "Batti batti" from Mozart's DON GIOVANNI; Clara Schumann's "Er ist gekommen in Sturm und Regen;" Fauré's "Rêve d'amour;" John Duke's "Lov'liest of Trees;" Caldara's "Selve amiche"

Jen: you had several requests and we discussed those. Brava! Other ideas: Bellini's "Per pieta;" Rossini songs; Handel's "Verdi prati;" Dowland songs

Hannah: "Se tu m'ami" from 24 Italian; Hahn songs; Debussy's "Beau soir;" Schubert's "Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt;" Copland's "All the pretty little horses;" Wolf's "Das verlassene Maegdelein;" Berlioz's "Le Roi de Thule" from DAMNATION OF FAUST

Michala: Debussy's "Les Cloches;" any aria from Mozart's BASTIEN UND BASTIENNE (in English OR German); Schubert's "Heidenroeslein;" let's talk about requests too.

Callie: Bellini's "Malinconia;" Britten's "The Sally Gardens" and "The Ash Grove;" Hahn's "Mai;" Ireland's "I have twelve oxen;" Massenet's "Crepescule;" Schubert's "Lachen und Weinen"

Valencia: Handel's "Vittoria" from 24 Italian Songs; "O sleep, why dost thou leave me?" "Bel piacere" and/or "Va godendo;" Mozart's "Welche Wonne" from SERAGLIO; Debussy's "Romance;" Menotti's "The Black Swan" from THE MEDIUM

Jess: let's resurrect the SAMSON AND DELILAH aria; "Adieu, forets" from PIQUE DAME; finish the Emily Dickenson songs; "All that gold;" Chausson's "Chanson perpetuelle"

Jake: "Tu lo sai" or "Pieta signore" from 24 Italian Songs; Faure's "Lydia;" any of Bastien's arias from Mozart's BASTIEN UND BASTIENNE; Tosti's "Malia;" Quilter's "Now sleeps the crimson petal"

MK: we'll meet and discuss!

Dr. Kris's Voice Students

Hi folks! Welcome back...almost. Some housekeeping as we gear up:

Wednesday, August 17 at noon is a required meeting for all voice students. Whether you're new or not, plan to meet with me in my office after the short Convocation.

Friday, August 19 is our first studio class. We WILL MEET that day (and every Friday), place TBA.

Purchasing music: all of you should be buying at least one book of music per semester, with my guidance. ALL of you should own the 24 (or 26) Italian Songs and Arias. If you don't, buy it now.

Repertoire assignments: some of you have requested to sing specific pieces, which as you know makes me very happy. Requests are highly encouraged, but if you have no requests, that's fine too. Remember that it's always fine to say you don't like something I've assigned...just so long you don't wait until your lesson time to tell me. Be sure you have *something* you've prepared at each lesson, i.e., please don't show up with nothing to sing only to say that you didn't like the piece I gave you. Tell me in advance!

If You Want a Guarantee, Buy a Toaster! - Clint Eastwood

From Carol Kirkpatrick's monthly newsletter:

"It would be interesting to find out what goes on in that moment when someone looks at you and draws all sorts of conclusions." - Malcolm Gladwell

What is your attitude after a performance? Are you in it for the accolades, the audiences immediate response, and then the good things people say to you after a performance starting with your colleagues, conductor, stage director, stage manager, fans, to family and critics, etc? Does this help give you your identity that totally depends on the amount of approval you get from performing? If so this means that how you feel about yourself; your self esteem, your “self talk”, depends on “how” you feel you are perceived as a performer. There is no other touch stone for you to check in with to know who you are or if you are living a full and balanced life.

In my experience, this kind of crazy making can hold you prisoner on the inside. It creates an imbalance in you. If you are not performing or when you have an occasional not so good performance, the audience doesn’t love it and neither do the critics, it can quickly send you into a downward spiral that often creates a place that is hard to recover from and moving on to the next job seem impossible. You are afraid you will never be hired again, or if you are, those that hired you will be looking closely to see if there are cracks in what you are presenting and there will be a repeat of the previous “not so good” performance. So you start the crazy making by playing the part you think they are looking for, not as the performer, but as the person. You adjust, scrutinize and judge your every movement, sound and action to conform to what you think they want from you.

This is only the beginning of Carol's wonderful article about balance in one's life. Check out www.ariaready.net for more.

UAB Fall Opera Auditions

This fall, we'll be performing Gian Carlo Menotti's AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS, with several local performances. Roles in the opera may be double cast, depending on what I hear. Auditions will be held during the first week of class, and registering for class beforehand is not necessary. If you think you might be interested in being part of the show, just come to class! We meet Tuesday and Thursday from 3:30-5:15 in Hulsey Recital Hall. If you are cast, you'll have to register for the class before the drop/add deadline of August 24.

AUDITION REQUIREMENTS: sing something in English, with piano accompaniment. All pieces must be memorized, and may NOT be "a capella" or with recorded accompaniment. It does not matter if you've sung your piece before: if it's memorized and you're comfortable singing it, sing it again! If you are interested in the role of Kaspar, please sing "This is my box;" if you are interested in the role of the Mother, sing "All that gold," and if you are interested in the role of Melchoir, sing "O woman, you may keep the gold."

We will be performing AMAHL as a double bill with an Opera Gala, during which anyone who wishes may sing an aria, duet, or trio. This will give everyone in AMAHL a solo opportunity. These pieces must be chosen with your voice teacher, and will coach them during opera class. One last thought: this semester will be very low-stress and low time commitment. Relax and enjoy!

UAB Opera Picnic on Saturday, August 27

It's time for our picnic at Oak Mountain: Saturday August 27, from 11-4. Joe and I will bring kayaks for some fun in the sun. We'll also bring burgers and hot dogs: everyone else bring the buns, chips, and somebody BETTER bring Oreo double stuff again!

UAB SNATS

UAB Student Involvement has several requirements for our SNATS group to continue receiving funding. Each year every student organization is required to renew in order to keep their status with the university. The student organization renewal and registration process will open on August 1st, 2011. You MUST have your student organization renewed by September 30th.

In addition to renewing your profile, in order to maintain your registered status organization officers MUST attend the student organization orientation on Sunday, August 21, 2011 from 1pm until 4pm. PUT THIS IN YOUR CALENDARS NOW, PLEASE! Other officers and members of your organization are more than welcome to attend. All students that plan to attend must RSVP on BSync. (Note: You must be logged into BSync to access the event RSVP.) There will be a variety of sessions offered to fit every officer position. Having multiple members attend this training is a great resource to prepare your organization for the rest of the year. We'll talk about this in our first meeting. Advisors MUST attend the mandatory advisor information session on Monday, August 15th at 5:00 PM: I'm planning on attending this.

Finally, the Department of Student Life will host its annual Student Life Day Organization Expo on The Green on Thursday, August 25 from 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM. Student Life Day is a fair designed to inform students about life beyond the classroom at UAB. We invite you to showcase your organization and to be available to answer questions from students about your organization. I'm happy to help with this: be thinking about who is available. We can do it in 15 or 30 minute increments, to lighten everyone's load.

This event is meant to be festive as well as educational. Please feel free to decorate your table and surrounding area. You are also encouraged to offer promotional items, candy, etc. at your table. Please limit the number of volunteers at your table to no more than three. Student Life will be serving free refreshments. To register your organization for a table please fill out the online form. Please have your confirmation completed and returned by Friday, August 19, 2011.

See you soon! First fall meeting: TBA. Stay tuned and enjoy the rest of your summer.