Between singing lessons and vocal coaching at choir, I think I'm on the path to bettering that part of my musicianship.
There's plenty of other room for improvement. I'm a woeful time-keeper, especially with offbeat rhythms, and through long rests.
Just as I decide I need to do something about this, along comes the opportunity to participate in a 3-day workshop of the TaKeTiNa rhythm learning process. More about the method in this youtube video
Having had a taste of the method a while ago, I had little hesitation in signing up. Even managed to convince the guitarist in the household to come along too.
I'm very glad I did. It was the first time I've got comfortable with off-beat, 5-beat, 9-beat, 3-in-4 rhythms to the point of real pleasure and confidence. Much more importantly, I also experienced falling out of those rhythms with humour and recovering them with grace.
That's a little bit less fear to carry around, a bit more joy to offer back.
Good news for Kiwis - there will be another TaKeTiNa workshop in Auckland early next year. Contact http://www.newworldrhythm.com for more information and tell them I sent you
learning to sing at last
so... singing lessons.
After all that angst, lessons didn't start for another month, because the teacher was too busy to fit me in! By the time we got our schedules aligned, I was used to the idea and walked in to my first lesson only slightly nervous.
It was all much more enjoyable and satisfying than I had imagined.
Several weeks later, I am happy to report that I have a good sense of where I'm going and how to get there. Some aspects of my voice are slowly improving. In other areas it's all challenge. But that's OK.
Of course I am doing more practice than I used to...which is delivering a real improvement in my performance in Auckland Choral. Singing our current Bach, Haydn, Tavener and McMillan fearlessly and fairly accurately. Even with some interpretation and feeling! Who would have guessed that practice would help?
After all that angst, lessons didn't start for another month, because the teacher was too busy to fit me in! By the time we got our schedules aligned, I was used to the idea and walked in to my first lesson only slightly nervous.
It was all much more enjoyable and satisfying than I had imagined.
Several weeks later, I am happy to report that I have a good sense of where I'm going and how to get there. Some aspects of my voice are slowly improving. In other areas it's all challenge. But that's OK.
Of course I am doing more practice than I used to...which is delivering a real improvement in my performance in Auckland Choral. Singing our current Bach, Haydn, Tavener and McMillan fearlessly and fairly accurately. Even with some interpretation and feeling! Who would have guessed that practice would help?
learning to sing
I sing in choir. Practically my whole life.
It's brought me the most amazingly beautiful, exhilarating, challenging, fun experiences. Met a Best Friend and a Husband. Fortunately I still have the Best Friend.
I love it, and with all this practice and education along the way, I've become a reasonably good singer. It means so much to me that I know I need to improve to keep up up with the rising standard of my current group, Auckland Choral
And therein lies the flaw. I've never had a formal lesson from a singing teacher and I'm terrified to start. All these years I've been hiding in the crowd, gotta have 2 more people or I can't let a sound out.
Why?
so! tonight I'm going to commit to lessons with Ken Cornish, a singer I greatly admire, and see if I can Get Over It
It's brought me the most amazingly beautiful, exhilarating, challenging, fun experiences. Met a Best Friend and a Husband. Fortunately I still have the Best Friend.
I love it, and with all this practice and education along the way, I've become a reasonably good singer. It means so much to me that I know I need to improve to keep up up with the rising standard of my current group, Auckland Choral
And therein lies the flaw. I've never had a formal lesson from a singing teacher and I'm terrified to start. All these years I've been hiding in the crowd, gotta have 2 more people or I can't let a sound out.
Why?
- fear that I've never been any good - this is nonsense! all those successful auditions over the years...
- fear of constructive criticism - might have to work a bit, too bad
- fear that it can't get any better - surely must be able to squeeze a few more degrees of beauty
- fear of change... my old dragon, many times slain and reincarnated
so! tonight I'm going to commit to lessons with Ken Cornish, a singer I greatly admire, and see if I can Get Over It
wearing my art on my sleeve
This begins with a heavy Pellon foundation covered with velvet, then interesting scraps, ribbons & braids machined down with programmed and free stitches. Cut to shape, decorate the edges, button/beads, loops to close and it's ready to wear.
It's the only piece of my work I wear - and it comes to work sometimes as a Wonderwoman deflector bracelet. Definitely worked today!
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