Adventures in Singing

So I was feeling iffy about the cast. Yes, they are famous and arguably can sing but yeah….wasn’t feeling it. 

Then I see —>

“Samantha Barks…

????

So I click on her name and see Les Misérables in Concert: The 25th Anniversary on her credits! I love her version of On my own!!! I watch it on youtube all the time! 

Cool. :)

Woah! I have to say that I’ve had lots of training in auditioning but nothing compares to acutally auditioning. 

My main issue has been finding good audition rep. 

Disney auditions want more musical theatre and pop while I have nothing but opera/classical music. 

I don’t believe I have been singing rep that shows me off. I’m trying to find good songs but have limited resources and time. 

GRRRR!

Since I started working for Disney World, I haven’t had much time for Tumblr. 

I will be going to Austria to sing this summer! YAY! Luckily, I have a friend who is also going that speaks German. Thank goodness. Instead of paying to live in a dorm we are renting an apartment for a month. So we get a kitchen, living room and our own bedrooms! I purchased a keyboard at the beginning for my DCP program, so I will be able to practice and learn my music. 

Disney Auditions! I have a singing audition later this month. It is for a role that requires belt. I will be singing, If I Were a Bell from Guy and Dolls and God Help the Outcasts from Hunchback because I can actually belt those two songs in the exact range they are looking for. :)

Hopefully, more singing adventures to come soon. The biggest decisions still lie ahead. To teach public school or to sing….that is the question?

Yesterday was my DCP check-in date! Great day but this morning I am sore! Luckily, I got there early as I was through casting by 10:30am and had time to move in between then and our housing meeting! I GOT MY PLACEMENT! I will be working Epcot-Center which the cast member informed me that means that I got be attendanting any character in Epcot including at the World Showcase! I have today off then Traditions on Friday. I really want to meet some of the people who I have read about on Tumblr…I feel like this place is so huge. Oh, I’m living in a 3 bedroom at Vista Way, its been great so far. I knew two of my five roommates before I came down here which was nice. I’m just ready to start training and working!

So I planned on applying to three summer programs this year. Well, I’ve already heard back from the first one and I got in and recieved a small scholarship. I was offered the role of Mademoiselle Silberklang in Der Schauspieldirektor, which is a great role for me!!! The program is basically a month in Austria. I would need about $5,000 to $6,000 dollars to go. This is actually a good deal in my opinion but it’s making the money appear that is the issue…..I really want to go…. 

So yesterday I had my first voice recital as a teacher. I had two eight year olds, three eleven year olds, and a fourteen year old student perform. None of them froze, or had a meltdown or had any major mistakes! SOO proud. They sang some country (If I Die Young, etc), Musical Theatre, (On My Own, Goodnight My Someone, In My Own Little Corner and more), Sacred music (Panis Angelicus and Amazing Grace), and some Pop Music (Turning Tables, etc) OH WAIT and one original song! I sang For Good and How Can I Keep From Singing with my sister and then Chacun Le Sait.

It was extremely stressful. I was running around like a crazy women. Luckily, my family was very helpful and the parents were patient and awesome as well. The accompanist was very impressful with the kids.

They sang well and I am very proud at how posied they were on stage, getting on and off, etc. If you work with children you know how unpredictable they can be. They acted like pros! I’m going to miss my kiddos when I leave for Disney World!

President Obama was suppose to be at Magic Kingdom today!! Any stories yet?

I’ve been subbing this week. Children are evil. It’s a really stressful job and I don’t understand how people can do it for a living. I’ve been subbing 2nd grade a lot and they are alright…usually there’s that one sour or rude kid that ruins the class. I can’t wait to finish subbing and move to Florida for DCP!

Anyway, my voice students are having a recital this weekend! I’m nervous and excited. The program has musical theatre, pop, country, and sacred music. My kiddos want me to sing for them on the program so I’m singing Chacun Le Sait. hehehe, the high C festival. I’ll be posting some recordings soon. I’m applying for a few summer programs but mostly choral programs. My voice, in my opinion, is more suited to choral music BUT I do looooove opera. Last year I had awesome summer program experiences so I’m hoping this summer will be similar!

turtlemoments asked: I've been meaning to ask how you got cast with the DCP program. From what you've shared, I thought you'd already graduated, and unless I'm wrong, I thought you had to still be in school to take part in DCP?? I only ask because I'd looked into it before. :)

You can participate the semester after you graduate from college. This is the last semester students are eligible for the program. I did my interview while I was enrolled in college. As a music student I didn’t want to do DCP till I was finished with everything! Oh, this is from the website, “College seniors may apply for the program and participate immediately after graduation, but must be enrolled in school at the time of their interview. Seniors graduating in April are eligible to apply for either the Fall Advantage or Fall programs.”  

So composers like Sondheim believe that the text or the acting is more important then the vocal tone/production. Who am I to argue with Sondheim?

However, I believe in with the amount of good vocal training happening in colleges and schools across the US that it is more than possible to achieve brilliant acting/text emphasis and heathly vocal tone. I am one of those people with a pretty voice, not super impressive, but nice enough that most people like it. I won’t be singing at the MET or premiering on Broadway but I put a lot of depth and emotion into the music I learn even though I am a “singer”. If it’s an aria, art song, or show tune I try to enjoy the music and convey the meaning to the audience. I love good vocal technique even if the voice itself isn’t perfect. This is why I hate it when musical movies cast people who can act the part well but  do not have the vocal ability to portray the part.

 There are tons of options of talented working singers who can act. AND there are actors that with some proper training could sing with some soild technique.

Also, keeping in mind that good technique and bad technique….good singing vs. bad singing is in the eye of the beholder.

That is all.

Does anyone have a recital template that they use/love?