Singing is something everyone can do. You don’t need to
be good at it or even know the words as long as you’re having fun. Well I am a member of Happiness Inc. and let
me tell you singing may be for fun, but it is hard core when you’re in a dedicated
group. This weekend we had Brett Caroll singing sensation come to visit us. We
were all stressed out awaiting the arrival because we knew hard work was ahead.
For the past week we had blown dancing to the side and started hitting the
books (okay well pages). We were trying to perfect ever note ever to have come
out of our mouths. Well perfection isn’t easy. Even though were pretty dang
close to it. I belived we sounded pretty amazing as this group of fifty or so
singers who all loved to sing. As the last two days had progressed we built
into a more vicious machine of power. It reminded me of a snowball rolling down
the hill, where as it keeps going it keeps growing.
Friday night we start with learning new forms and ways to position our singing so we will have enough we need to claim the win. “Ping” or “more ping” was filling my head. Ping is jargon for having a vibration in your nose when your singing, so that you know you’re not singing in the back of your throat but the front of your mouth. Another thing we have to hear is more space. Drop the jaw, or diction. Throughout all of this structure you can see the light at the end of the tunnel. We gradually work our way into our songs but then again the long and agonizing structure of breaking it down begins. We can sing one line and then hear stop. Try it again. No this way. Not that way. That’s what we get all night long. One measure, maybe even a couple notes. Friday night ends, and Saturday comes around. This day is intense. The most crucial point of the show choir season has begun. Combining dance and singing is the most crazy day of your life. Trying to keep the pace of the dance moves but not mess up your rhythm of singing. We continue to start and stop but it gradually begins to come together. So may I say, the beginning of the madness has began.
Friday night we start with learning new forms and ways to position our singing so we will have enough we need to claim the win. “Ping” or “more ping” was filling my head. Ping is jargon for having a vibration in your nose when your singing, so that you know you’re not singing in the back of your throat but the front of your mouth. Another thing we have to hear is more space. Drop the jaw, or diction. Throughout all of this structure you can see the light at the end of the tunnel. We gradually work our way into our songs but then again the long and agonizing structure of breaking it down begins. We can sing one line and then hear stop. Try it again. No this way. Not that way. That’s what we get all night long. One measure, maybe even a couple notes. Friday night ends, and Saturday comes around. This day is intense. The most crucial point of the show choir season has begun. Combining dance and singing is the most crazy day of your life. Trying to keep the pace of the dance moves but not mess up your rhythm of singing. We continue to start and stop but it gradually begins to come together. So may I say, the beginning of the madness has began.
Hmmm... I never thought about the "which comes first question" for show choir singing and dancing. Interesting! I like how you explain some of the jargon also. So, what was Brett's reaction to the singing? Is he there to critique or coach? Does bringing in a person help the group in ways different from the regular director? This could branch out to a lot of essay topics!
ReplyDeleteYou might consider adding description to this. What does the group sound like during various stages of learning the songs? What does the group look like during stages of learning the choreography? Lots of opprotunities to experiement with description!