GETTING PREPARED!!

Text:

· Use the International Phonetic Alphabet to aid in correct pronunciation (you’ll find this in your dictionary).

· Translate your song (this can be done at the same time as looking up the IPA in a dictionary) and write it in your score!

· Find the original source for your poem or aria. Use materials like plot synopses, CD notes, and historical/literary sources (the Internet has it all!).

· Recite the poem/text. Find out which words are important (head for nouns and verbs) and circle these in your score. Make a tape of your recitation.

· When you are totally comfortable speaking the words and do so without hesitation, begin speaking them in the rhythm of the song. Using a metronome will help (follow the tempo markings in the score).

· Breath marks: follow the poetic idea/grammar whenever possible. Plan for emergency breaths, for stressful circumstances.

· Dramatic preparation: (yup, even during the parts you’re not singing!) Answer the follow five questions about song: Who? What? When? Where? Why? (if you can’t answer these questions from your original source…make it up!) Find an “attitude” for each phrase/verse of your song. The answers to the five W’s should give you a “mini-movie” of your song. The more vividly you see what is happening, the more engaged your audience will be. Try different attitudes if you get bored…play, play, play!

Music:

· Notes and rhythms correctly learned. Write the beats in your score if you have trouble with the rhythm. Write the note names in your score if you have trouble reading music. Play the melody on the piano several times, and then sing it on a nonsense syllable.

· Slide the melody on your favorite vowel (legato); then slide the melody on the vowels of the words (refer to your IPA). How resonant can you make each vowel? If you encounter any technical challenges, isolate the section and clear up your image of each pitch, phrase and vowel. (refer to Image Handout) Use body movement to help reinforce phrase shapes.

· Chant the text, using the inflection you decided upon above. If you notice any tricky spots, try speaking just the consonants to free up the articulators (tongue, jaw, lips).

· What is the key/tonality? How many sections does the piece have? Where are the key changes? How do the key changes relate to the form and text?

· Play the accompaniment (or listen to a pre-recorded one). Speak your text in rhythm while listening to the accompaniment. Silently sing your melody line while listening to the piano part (image how you’re going to sound and how the song will feel).

· Sing your song with the accompaniment phrase by phrase. Take your time to practice in a refreshing breath at the start of each phrase. Sing the whole song under tempo, until you feel comfortable enough to speed up.

Creative Tricks for Memorizing:

· Write your song text out on index cards, phrase by phrase (put foreign language on one side, and the English word for word translation on the other); try and put the phrases back in order (lay them out on the floor, and sing the melody as you go); now flip the cards over, and sing the English translation

· Photocopy your song and then white-out the words; cut the song up into phrases; try and put the phrases back in order (even lay them above your text cards)

· Take a piece of manuscript paper, and phrase by phrase, write out your melody line (you could even use different colored pens for each section of the piece); consult your score to check for correct rhythms/pitches; when you can do this w/o having to check the score, you’ll really know your melody line

· Record yourself reciting the text…was this a successful dramatic reading (how about writing in different emotions, and then doing an over-the-top version!)

· For each section of your song, draw and color a picture that you feel represents the scene; how detailed can you get?

Moving to the Next Level:

· Look at art/history/fashion/major events (social and political) from the time period of your song (either at Barnes & Noble, or the library). Does this change your interpretation at all?

· When you’re frustrated, ask yourself “what one element could I change that would drastically improve my whole performance”; this will keep your mind on something specific, rather than general anxiety. If you are judging, you’re probably not imaging…keep your mind on telling the story and staying emotionally connected.

· Video-tape a performance of your song. Does the screen image match your internal image? Work in front of a mirror to enhance emotional attitudes. Practice gestures until they feel organic. How specific can you get with facial expression, focus shifts, gesture, emotional attitudes?

· Use creative visualization to practice! Image every moment of an upcoming performance, from the before you walk on stage, until the time you walk off. If you can image it, it can happen.

· Fill the Well! If you’re getting close to a performance, and you’re feeling burnt out, it’s time to “fill the well!” Seek out beauty in whatever form appeals to you: go to an art museum; take a walk on the beach; visit an arboretum; spend time with friends; listen to music; do whatever it takes to reconnect with your emotions. Filling the well ensures that you have something to offer to an audience.