Trying Another Story

Madame Skye, our own Opera Cat

Yesterday, I posted a video of myself reading my very favorite children's book. 
I decided to try another story today.  This one is called Opera Cat, written by Tess Weaver and illustrated by Andrea Wesson. 
The book is one I became very fond of once I realized I had an Opera Cat.  Though our Madame Skye couldn't sing, she enjoyed hearing me sing opera, and would appear, and make commentary or faces depending upon what and how I sang.  The song featured in this story is by Verdi, but Madame preferred Mozart.  In fact, she would only respond to a summons if it was the song "Deh Viene Non Tardar" from Marriage of Figaro.  And usually, only if I sang it.  I still miss her when I practice, because she was there for every one.  She'd come in and sit on a chair or table close to me, and offer her opinion. 
Our Opera Cat is very much missed.

I cannot imagine what she'd make of me singing the "Queen of the Night" aria.  If ever a temper tantrum were put into song, this is it.

Anyway, without further ado, I give you Opera Cat

Musing On Soprano Things

I started this journey with my voice 12, almost 13 years ago.  The singer I had leaned on a lot was leaving our choir, and I felt insecure.  So, I started taking lessons from the same vocal coach that she studied with.  This set me on a journey of self discovery that has caused changes in more areas of my life than just my singing.

Friends have commented that I seem to have more confidence in myself, I am less likely to sit back and let others carry conversations.  Friends who have heard me sing are also sometimes astonished that it was ME they heard singing. 

Twelve years ago, I had a light, unsupported, unremarkable singing voice.  Nice enough, OK for choral work, nothing to write home about.  Then I started taking voice lessons with Karen Smith-Pearson.  I discovered the great literature of Grand Opera, and classics beyond church music.  I also discovered some of the great oratorios that I thought would always be beyond my skills.  I also rediscovered show tunes.

For my first recital, I sang Oh, What A Beautiful Morning from Oklahoma! .  That was very difficult for me, not technically, but as far as my confidence and my nerves were concerned.  After it was over, and I realized how well I had truly done, I was energized.  The high you get from singing well, and truly feeling it, there is NOTHING like it!  I wanted to do it again!

Over the last twelve years, I have worked very hard (with Karen's skillful help and patience) and I have seen my range  increase, my voice gain resonance, power, luster, even a little vibrato when needed.  Sounds have come out of  my mouth that I never, ever thought I could correctly produce. 
For recital, I have sung pieces from Mozart, Offenbach, Handel, and Donizetti.  I still marvel that I sang the Doll Aria from Tales of Hoffmann and didn't crash and burn. 
This last recital, it was a Holiday recital, so I sang a piece from Handel's Messiah.  "Rejoice Greatly, O Daughter Of Zion."  Karen and I had BOTH had issues with this piece, the runs were a particular challenge.  Everything came together at performance time, and it was one of those shining, rare, flying moments when you get lost in the music, and the music takes you up to the heavens.  It was truly a great feeling. 

 Since the recital, I have had another breakthrough with my vocal development.  The resonance and depth of my upper register has increased, and I have actually been able to sing a few coloratura pieces without squeaking all the high notes.  (The Minnie Mouse on helium effect.  NOT desirable.)  SO glad to finally be able to get past that pinched off place, at least most of the time.  No, now my high notes sound like real, resounding, grown up high notes.  At least more often than not.

It DOES do wonders for one's self confidence to know that one has such an instrument of power at one's disposal.  My t-shirt that says "Keep calm or I'll use my Opera Voice" is not an idle threat.  My opera voice could hurt you.  ;-)

I realize that I do not have a great voice, merely a good one, but I have so much more than I ever dreamed I'd have.  Practice isn't boring, isn't work, it's a challenge, it's fun, unlike the frustration piano practice always was for me.  Singing truly takes me to another place, another time, takes me out of myself, really gives my soul wings.

Make no mistake, singing properly IS work!  It can be damned HARD work, but it is SO rewarding! When the notes come out right, when the pinched place finally opens up, the wonders, the joys you can find in that beautiful sound make it all worthwhile.  You share that joy and beauty with others, it magnifies it, multiplies it, makes the whole universe shine.

There is still a LOT for me to learn.  I told Karen I feel like I'm still trying to learn how to walk in these high heels.  This sound isn't secure and locked down yet.  Lots more practice required to get the rough edges off, get the muscles used to putting the sound in the right place, get the breath pressure correct.

I am SO looking forward to the process; for I know the end result will be glorious.

The journey continues...

Ear Worms

Yes, you read that right.  Ear worms.  Those little snippets of songs, or sometimes entire songs that get themselves lodged in your ear and cannot be exorcised by any means but the passage of tine.  Or perhaps the introduction of a new tune. 
Everyone has their pet offenders.  Some of the most common (and most noxious, be warned!) are:
"It's A Small World After All"
"Puff, the Magic Dragon"
"There is a Bad Moon on the Rise"
"The Pirate's Life For Me"
And I am sure there are thousands of others you could think of that have not occurred to me at this moment.  (Now, please, no hate mail for bringing up those Disney gems that really do get FIRMLY stuck in one's ear.  I was making a rhetorical point.)
Today I have been suffering from a rather obscure little ear worm.  This one was hatched by the Alan Parsons Project in the late 1970s.  It is a musical setting of one of Poe's most famous poems: The Raven.

Since hearing the piece on my Pandora feed this morning, the last verse has been cycling through my head most of the day.
"And so the raven remains in my room
No matter how much I implore.
No words can soothe him
No prayer remove him
So I must hear for evermore...
Nevermore!"

Sometimes these things are just plain annoying, at other times, they can be useful.  I have often had difficult bits of choral pieces or even some operatic arias that I have been fussing over run themselves repeatedly through my head.  Often, this actually helps me learn the difficult bits of a piece.  (But only if I can somehow cement the relevant bit of music into my brain.)
One of these is a series of runs from So Anch'io La Virtu Magica, a  piece from Donizetti's setting of Don Pasquale.  It is lovely, especially the very first section.  The rest of it is also lovely, but a bit of a tongue twister AND filled with pitfalls for the unwary vocalist.  If I can but manage to get a few of those difficult bits into my subconscious, I shall be able to polish them up without actively working on them.  That is the only USEFUL service provided by an "ear worm".

Off and on over the years of voice lessons, many arias have been ear worms for me.  The most persistent is the one I have to use to call the cat.  "Deh vieni, non tardar" is what I must sing if I wish to summon the cat.  Madame is VERY particular, and will come for nothing else.  No "kitty, kitty," or calling by her name (neither Skye nor Madame Skye, or Madame) will bring her.  If Matt wishes to summon her, he must flip the drawer pull on his desk where he keeps the string she likes to play with.  That is the only other thing she will stir herself for.  So, Deh vieni is often heard in our house, and is consequently often stuck in my mind.    Some days, Dove sono i bei momenti , also from Nozze Di Figaro, runs around in my head.  Opera ear worms are sometimes less trying than pop music or Disney ear worms. 
The worst of course, can be hymns as ear worms.  You then begin to wonder if Someone is trying to tell you something because this one particular hymn keeps running in your head over an over.  Church anthems have the same effect.  I begin to wonder if their is Someone trying to beat me over the head with a point they wish to make.

So, now I wonder if I will hear from any of you what ear worms haunt your existence and spoil your dreams? 

Thoughts on a stormy Wednesday

This is my first attempt at blogging. I have been around computers and the Internet since about 1993. It has all grown and changed so quickly that it makes me feel my age. (My web page, which URL shall remain obscure for now, is more than 10 years out of date. )
I do, in fact, sing. I am a lyric soprano, which means I sing a lot of operatic arias written for characters whose names end in -ina. (Zerlina, Serpina, etc.) I have recently sung Dove Sono from Marriage of Figaro. That is the Contessa's big aria. I am surprised I survived. It is a real workout for someone who sings as a hobby instead of a profession or sacred calling.
My sacred calling used to be elementary education, but it is now library customer service. (My credential expired and it was cheaper to go to work at the library than to try and renew an old California credential in Oklahoma. Besides, the library is lots less stress and probably pays better by the hour when you count all the extra work teachers do.)
I enjoy working in the library. Our customers are priceless. Since Moore is really a small town masquerading as a big suburb, we get to know quite a few of our customers. We find ourselves worrying about the older ones if we go awhile without seeing them, we marvel at how fast every body's kids are growing up, and we sympathize with every body's troubles.
I also enjoy the fact that our system gives us discretion to waive fines for those customers who have had a serious family situation arise. It is very gratifying to be able to lift at least the small burden of library fines for folks who have bigger worries on their minds.
I was hoping to think of something witty to say today, but the weather (dreary, stormy) has sapped my creative energy. I also seem to have a headache for some reason, most likely my sinuses. (Why do singers always have allergies and lousy sinuses? Every singer I know (in Oklahoma, anyway) has allergy/sinus trouble.)
So, anyway, here I am getting my feet wet in the blog world. I hope the quality improves as time goes by. Often I am all written out because I also keep pen and ink journals and poetry workbooks. Those are sadly neglected lately, alas.