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.
Monday, February 10, 2014
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!
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!
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Classes JUST canceled
Darlings, at 3:22 they announced that all classes after 3:30 are canceled. No opera today--be PERFECT on Tuesday now that you've had an extra three class periods without rehearsal to prepare! Most importantly, be SAFE out there. Go slowly, leave plenty of extra room between you and the car ahead of you, and don't brake suddenly. Love y'all madly...
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
NATS deadlines
Friendly reminder: those of you who would like to compete in NATS in Mobile February 21-22, I need your forms THIS FRIDAY. All information is here. Complete the forms and get me your cash or check ($10 per entry: if you are doing both classical and musical theatre, that's $20) no later than 2:30 Friday afternoon. If you have any questions about repertoire, look at the requirements online FIRST, then see or email me. Thanks!
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Performance Class
YES, we are having class tomorrow, and most of you should sing, as well as sign up for Student Recital on February 12. Check your email!
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Class canceled
Since class is canceled, I've simply moved today's rehearsal schedule to Thursday. Check the Google calendar, and be safe out there!
Monday, January 20, 2014
Opera Workshop
Folks, remember that your character sketches are due Tuesday at 3:30 SHARP. No late work accepted, no partial points awarded. We'll meet in my office rather than in HRH on that day. See the Google calendar for the schedule.
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