“The only thing better than singing, is more singing” – Ella Fitzgerald
I’m a busy little beaver at the moment…
Rehearsing for “Legally Blonde” and preparing for competition for the Queensland Eistedfod. I have a thousand songs swimming around in my head.
I’ve recently received the schedule for the Eistedfod and found all the sections I’m involved in, be it choral, small group or solo. I’ve come to the conclusion that for the 3 days that this competition occurs, I will not be sleeping too much, if at all. But then who sleeps anymore?
So what am I doing?;
For choral and small group;
- Open Small Group – Contemporary
- 4-8 voices Hymn Singing
- Madrigals
- Open Sacred
- Trio
- Quartet
- Open Musical Theatre
- Open Ladies Section
- Open Modern Chorus
- Open Chief
This year, I’m going to be making my debut as a Queensland Eistedfod soloist competitor, so true to my overachieving nature, I entered in a load of additional soloist sections.
- Sacred
- Light Soprano solo.
- Australian Composer
- Musical Theatre
- Art Song
- Folk Song
After reading through the schedule and writing out the ‘when’, ‘where’ and ‘what’ I’m doing, I may have had a mild panic attack. All up, I will be competing in 16 sections. How crazy am I?
As I said before, each section is in different states of memorization. All of them, I know the part, it’s the learning of lyrics that tends to get me. In one ear, out the other. In saying that, I have a lot of work, particular the musical theatre sections, as they need to be off book, so actions and cheoreogrpahy can be incorporated (ARGH!!!).
So in preparation for this onslaught. I have one session a week to work on my solos, additional session for the trio. Then there are three rehearsals per week for the large and small group sections. In addition to this, I have been ‘note-bashing’ at home, in order to at least get the parts in my head. Overkill? Maybe. It’s probably me being very picky with the quality of performance. I’d like to have most of these ‘off the book’, so I can work on the performance elements, like engaging the audience. God knows I get enough practice at that during my day job, engaging and occupying teenagers (school music, drama and science teacher, for those who don’t know).
I’m also my own worst critic (why let others criticize me, when I can do it to myself quite well). It usually works in my favour as it pushes me to get it right. This little meme tends to get posted around too…just to emphasize the point that in the lead up to performance, one cannot keep ‘note bashing’ parts.
With all this practice and rehearsal, I’m on constant vocal management. Drinking lots of warmed honey, ginger and lemon juice drinks (known as “Gollum Juice”), resting when I can, and not pushing too hard on the high notes (considering that I’m still recovering from a nasty virus from a few weeks back). But in saying that, I need to exercise my voice too. Warming up properly before I sing tends to help the process along too…thought I’d better say that in case this is read by fellow singers.
With a few weeks left till we showcase our reportoire to the public, it’s is going to be pretty much ‘practice practice practice’ at home, and be “all hands on deck” at rehearsal whether it be rain or shine (only a death certificate will suffice in exclusion from rehearsal).
(Laugh)
Till next time…
Sarah Talbot 
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