Practice Challenge Week 3

Session #1

Last week I was sick and didn't get to do a full focused practice session for the last day, so that's where we're starting today.

The goal was 45 minutes working in sections, singing notes and words together.

I'm continuing my work on Im Abendrot and trying to fit in practice between lessons.  10 minutes done.
15 more minutes between lessons got me to the end of this song, working in chunks and working memorize (study then sing).
7 more minutes working the same way on Frühling.  Then I took a short singing break to play through the accompaniment.  I like to do this, even though I have to play it way under tempo because it helps me get familiar with the harmonic structure and how my notes fit into that.  Plus, this one is just fun to play.  13 minutes.

5 more minutes working words and notes together on Beim Schlafengehn

Total--50 minutes, and it was good practice, but I still didn't get the 45 minutes I wanted on just singing words and notes together.  I'll try again tomorrow.


Session #2

Decided to try again for the 45 minute session tomorrow and use today to start the practicing based on this week's winner.

As the year progresses, I'm getting fewer practice journals turned in.  Ellen Hahn was surprised to learn that she was the winner for this week because she had had a busy week and only got one day of practicing in.  The good news is that it was quality practice.

Ellen's Goal:  Fake confidence on both songs.   (I love this.  It's directly related to what we talked about in her lesson.)

Ellen's Strategies:  Her practice included warm-ups and sight-reading practice in addition to working on her two songs. (One in English and one in a foreign language).

• Foreign language song--Focused on keeping one section of the song lighter and more open.  
• English Song--sang through twice focusing on space and vowels.  

Ellen's Time:  25 minutes

I started with working on "What Would I Give?"  This is a great song and not super difficult, but it does have several places where the melody jumps down a 5th, 6th, or 7th.  Keeping the vowels lined up and smoothing out those lines is a real challenge.  I sang through it once with accompaniment thinking about the space and vowels.  Then I isolated some of the trouble spots for more focused attention.  When I sang through it the second time, I did it without accompaniment.  This helps me to really listen and feel what is happening with the space and vowels.  It also quickly exposes tuning issues or notes that aren't as solid as you thought they were.  7 minute.  

Then I switched focus to Beim Schlafengehn working from letter E to letter G, since this is the high section where finding that exact resonance and breath connection makes a big difference.  I also found that at F, I have to make sure that I'm very loose, even though it is  closed vowel.  Speaking of big jumps, this one has a 9th going down to an ah vowel.  I'll be doing a little drill on that too.  I have to keep Zauber lifted at the beginning of the phrase to help the last note of the phrase (the low one) stay lined up.  10 minutes

Went back to the top of 19 where I'm still not solid on notes and words and worked that a little.  I'm focusing mostly on notes, but that idea of lifted vowels is also something I am working on here.  Lining up the vowels is going to be essential here to use the breath in the most efficient way so I can get through this longer phrase.  I'm almost there.  8 minutes.  

Going back now to play through the song (see notes for yesterday's practice for why I like this.) 5 minutes.  

Today's Total:  30 minutes.

Session #3

Sang though Frühling twice with a few stops to work.  Played through once.

Today's Total: 10 minutes

Session #4
Singing words and notes together.  45 minutes is the goal to meet Bella's day 3 from last week.  

Started with a few exercises with straws for warm-ups, followed by straws on the high sections and long phrases of Frühling.  With the straw and water bottle, I can get through the last phrase.  That means it's possible for me to actually sing that.  I just need to build up my stamina.  10 minutes.  

Yay!  My low notes are coming back.  The C in the first line feels and sounds much better today.  
Did 5 minutes singing and then 5 more just playing to give my voice a little rest.  The tessitura of this song makes it very tiring for my voice when I'm just singing straight through.  It is getting easier though, so working in chunks and resting when needed is definitely the right strategy for now.  

I admit defeat.  I'm not going to get 45 minutes of singing the words and notes together on these Strauss songs.  It's just physically too difficult.  

Switch to my English songs by Vicki Tucker Courtney for a little more sing through time.  Using my CDs for accompaniment support.  The CD for "What Would I Give?" is just a little fast for me.  
Today I am loving "I Am the Wind"  although I still don't have a definite choice for the meaning and story of the song.  So much potential in this one.  35 minutes.  

Total practice time today:  55 minutes.