Performances

Today was chock full of performances - mine and others.

It started fairly innocuously with a small meeting and a long theory class, but the prelude to these was my getting gussied up for my part in the afternoon recital. I've come to really enjoy the whole experience of putting on makeup. I use it so infrequently - really only for performances and interviews - that it has become part of my centering process. The very scents of the powders and creams evoke "readiness", "presence" and "poise" for me. Given that I'm not very fluid with applying everything, it takes me a while, and I put music on in the background, usually Bobby McFerrin who is a consummate performer. His art is such a mixture of high-quality technique with total accessibility icing-ed with a thick layer of joy and playfulness. (If you only know him for his spoof piece "Don't Worry; Be Happy", you've really missed out. Go check out his other work. And if he's giving a concert near you, do whatever it takes to get there.) Listening to Mr. McFerrin's live performances reminds me of the ecstatic delight inherent in performing.

The afternoon began with my own practicing and led into an opera rehearsal. I nipped out of the Ariadne rehearsal to scamper down the 8 flights of stairs to the green room for the Departmental Recital.

Departmentals function like a mill. People walk out, bow, sing, bow and walk off in quick succession. Because each pair (singer and pianist) usually only perform one piece, you don't really have that settling-in period that happens in performances. By the time you're used to this voice and outfits, the collaborative couple is done and a new one has taken its place. About 15 couples run through in about an hour, so it's a packed space.

It is, however, an excellent opportunity to sing on the stage of the recital hall before a large crowd. The entire voice department - faculty and students - attend, so you really get the experience of a nicely filled hall.

I hadn't sung on this stage since my audition. Since I'm giving my recital in this hall, I figured it was about time I experienced it again so I knew what to picture and plan for as I rehearse. It is extremely helpful to visualize a performance space in practice so that you know where to look or spot, how much of people you'll be able to see (i.e., can you make eye contact? or are you lucky to be able to tell which seats actually have a person in them?), and what the stage generally looks and feels like.

Aurally, each space is acoustically different. Some halls reverberate like crazy. Others are so dry that it feels like you're singing into a pillow. This particular hall is very warm. Sound resonates just enough, and the stage takes the music and throws it into the hall. But as a performer, you don't feel like you're in the center of your sound. It's not too dry, but the stage definitely has the feel of a smaller room rather than a great hall. If you're not prepared for that, you can oversing, thinking that the sound you hear must be all there is, that the hall isn't filled with your music.

Today, I sang two settings of The Willow Song from Shakespeare's Othello. One was by Joseph Baber, a contemporary American composer who set the work in English. The other was by Kilpinen, who set it in Swedish. Both settings are very simple and very beautiful, allowing Desdemona's grief to really come through without any artifice. The trick as a performer is to be that honest and simple in the singing as well. You can't "make" anything happen - i.e., no planned gestures - easier said than done for somebody who feels like it can't possibly be that simple.

I think it went fairly well. My fellow students and the teachers were very positive, which made me happy :)

Right after that, I rushed home, downed some lasagna, and ran back to school for two more recitals. One was a collaborative piano (accompanying) recital, which was incredible. Every set was gorgeous. I now know that I need to listen to more Respighi. Go check out is Notturno - truly beautiful!

The second recital was a master's recital in voice with a Bach cantata, a song cycle by Faure, and a couple Purcell pieces that were arranged by Britten. Very interesting.

And now, it's time to fall into bed and, hopefully, dream of music.

~Hope