Singing

Singing is going decently well. I have certainly learned a lot. I have read about 5 books on vocal technique here. They have all been good but the last two of particular interest.



The first was Richard Miller's book on National Schools of singing comparing traditional schools from Germany, Italy, France and England. It has been very interesting to gain an idea of what different sounds are desired and what techniques are used in an attempt to attain such timbres.



Second, was The Free Voice by Cornelius L. Reid. This was particularly interesting because Mr. Reid was one of Piernay#s teachers and basically describes the entire process Piernay has taken me through this year. It is a dense book (very authoritative in its tone...perhaps a bit to a fault) but has been an excellent companion and tool to reason what Piernay has been attempting to do with my voice. Some of the principals in it are exceptional...though I am uncertainty about the complete validity of few. Nonetheless, having basically received the exact instruction he describes, I can say it certainly has great merit.



My access to these books was due to a report which I wrote for my Stimmkunde class (basically vocal pedagogy) This report was basically to read as many of the books my teacher had in English (since it is easier for me than for the German students) and summarise some of the different Techniques. I gave a presentation yesterday (I only had to write up a handout...ended up 4 pages of charts comparing techniques in German...) and it went really well! My German has gotten quite decent. Some days it seems a lot better than others but I certainly can live here and communicate without too much consideration to language.



Summary of performances



Two weekends I sang a few songs in the professor from my Pedagogy classes class evening since she needed a low voice. If she hadn't have had two singers come down sick, I would have sung more at the concert than any of her actual voice students..stressful and frustrating with a few misunderstandings. Nonetheless, it was a good time.



The next day I sang two arias from El Canguro (an opera in production by Cynthia Ferrel and Michael von der Nahmer) Ironically he got a stipendium to study in die Pfalz at almost exactly the same time I did. It was really interesting and entertaining to find out what the opera was about (I sang at a presentation about its development). I had already recorded a few scenes with Joey and Allison but never really knew the plot. It is really quite a good story! haha. Anyway, it was a bit rough as my voice sits a little higher these days and one of the arias was very declamatory and ungodly low. I think I made my voice a little raw for the next couple days.



Now I am in the midst of rehearsing Die Lustige Weiber. We have rehearsal every day except Sundays and the rehearsals are in Neustadt (a half hour rain ride fromt he Hauptbahnhoff) All in all it is at least 50 minutes of travel each way and has made attending classes regularly and impossibility. However it is a lot of fun and I am getting pretty close with a lot of the cast. We have on German (half Korean) Four Serbians, a Macedonian, a girl from Uzbekistan who has a contract with The Berlin Staatsoper next season for their coloratura roles, probably 8 Koreans, 3 Chinese, a Japanese tenor, and me...haha. It is a great group.



Meanwhile I have started spending my nights going to and from Heidelberg to rehearse with the Pepperdine group doing two scenes with them. It is a complete change of pace to sing Italian Mozart and really just have a good time in comparison to a comic role singing German with a French accent.



voice lessons consist of working on Russian songs for Piernay's Klassenabend and being called lazy and or slow. (still learning a ton though)



16th: first performance Lustige Weiber. 19th: class concert. 20th: Second performance Lustige Weiber. 23: Opera scenes with Pepperdine.



Then...Freeeeedom! I am thinking that I have already missed so much class and little need for the Scheins, that I may just travel the last 20 days. Actually that is not true. I find all of the classes interesting and honestly enjoy attending them, but if missing one means I can go to Italy...I will go to Italy.



Anyway, wish me luck.