Argh! My feet! My back! Argh!

We have just finished the dress rehearsal for tomorrow night’s concert and the choir has been dismissed, but the orchestra is redoing a few numbers. Hence I am in my office waiting for my violist friend. Two hours is a long time to stand.

I had a breakthrough with one of my students yesterday. After the warm-ups I asked her, “What do you hear when you sing? How would you describe your singing?” and she answered, “Noise.” I was a little shocked. Most singers actually like the way they sound, even if they’re rather terrible. She went on to detail all the things she doesn’t like about her sound and I wondered why the hell she was studying singing if it was so odious to her.

So then I told her that I could only do so much as a singing teacher, that I could tell her what to do and I could beg her to do it, but ultimately her improvement is a product of her own desire to get better. She must listen to the sound she makes and figure out why she doesn’t like it and what she can do to make it better. I just don’t understand how she can continue to make horrible sounds, or “noise” and not try to change.

She agreed with me. I then said that I thought that maybe we should not be training her as a soprano because she actually makes nicer sounds lower in her range. The high notes are easy for her, but they sound terrible. I didn’t actually say that. I try to be as encouraging and non-damaging as possible.

So we started working on her middle to low register, and I think that I will be able to teach her now without wincing all the time. Still, I feel as though the past year and-a-half have been somewhat of a learning experience for me, not so much for her. I really don’t know what she’s learned. She spouts back my words to me, but they haven’t seemed to have an actual effect on her voice production. So frustrating for both of us, I’m sure.

Last night Hubby and I went to the jazz ensembles concert. This is the first year they have the rock band ensemble, and so it was a very long concert. I was extremely glad that I carry ear plugs in my purse. They were invaluable.

Tonight he is at a concert on campus of Canada’s premiere jazz singer and I am so upset that I wasn’t able to go. If I ever have to worry about him having an affair, it’ll be with her. But then, I can’t really blame him.

|

<~~~ * ~~~>