London masterclasses
Wow! What a week. Auditioned and got accepted to attend the vocal masterclass with Philip Langraidge. It started last Sunday and ran till this Sunday(yesterday). Came up to London and stayed for a while with a lovely lady in Finchely before moving to my aunts place on wed. Getting up and down from where I was staying to the Royal academy where the masterclasses were held was quite a journey of about an hour each way involving bus and train. Was it all worth it? Yes!
The first Sunday night was a concert where all the teachers of the masterclasses performed to raise funds for the London masterclass bursaries fund. Was incredible of course and we were quite inspired to start the week. Melvin was also attending so we had a fun time trying to spot the singers:) (We actually did quite well) .
The actual master's started on Monday. Was so nervous especially when I started to meet the other singers and found out that most of them had already finished studying and were auditioning and working. Philip was really great and started us off with some exercises and games which really broke the ice and got us laughing and mucking around. The first day was always going to be hard so it was more a getting to know each other session and putting a voice to the names. We all just sang a song and he spent about ten minutes with each of us to get though all twelve.
The rest of the week we got sessions of about twenty minutes each and ended up working through 4 pieces each. I sang le temp des lilias, die manner sind mechant, prince ovlosky's aria and olga's aria ah tanya.
He was very patient and encouraging but what came through was to not to sing too much but to be honest to the content of the songs. To think about each phrase before singing it and meaning it though the the line of the voice rather than putting it on through acting. Was all about less is more and a contained intensity rather than shouting your interpretation of the songs to the audience. He kept saying that the audience is not interested in being told what to think and feel but wants to be inspired and encouraged to be drawn in to your thoughts and emotions.
It takes a lot of courage to just simply be yourself in each song and not hide behind a lot of posturing and the typical singers bright eyed and busy tailed stance.
The singers were all so different and all so talented it was a pleasure to hear everyone sing each day. By then second day we were like a little family and were thrilled with each breakthrough and each step forward. We shared so many of the same problems and worries. They were a lovely bunch from all over the world. Most were from the UK but there were us two singaporean, a soprano from Australia and a soprano from Japan.
Its been such a great experience but also the level of skill and confidence of some of the singers also brings home how much harder I need to work to build my skill and to get as much performing experience that I can get.
It back to Manchester today and I need to get organized with all the paperwork for the concert in Singapore and also working through all the music. Really want to do well.
The first Sunday night was a concert where all the teachers of the masterclasses performed to raise funds for the London masterclass bursaries fund. Was incredible of course and we were quite inspired to start the week. Melvin was also attending so we had a fun time trying to spot the singers:) (We actually did quite well) .
The actual master's started on Monday. Was so nervous especially when I started to meet the other singers and found out that most of them had already finished studying and were auditioning and working. Philip was really great and started us off with some exercises and games which really broke the ice and got us laughing and mucking around. The first day was always going to be hard so it was more a getting to know each other session and putting a voice to the names. We all just sang a song and he spent about ten minutes with each of us to get though all twelve.
The rest of the week we got sessions of about twenty minutes each and ended up working through 4 pieces each. I sang le temp des lilias, die manner sind mechant, prince ovlosky's aria and olga's aria ah tanya.
He was very patient and encouraging but what came through was to not to sing too much but to be honest to the content of the songs. To think about each phrase before singing it and meaning it though the the line of the voice rather than putting it on through acting. Was all about less is more and a contained intensity rather than shouting your interpretation of the songs to the audience. He kept saying that the audience is not interested in being told what to think and feel but wants to be inspired and encouraged to be drawn in to your thoughts and emotions.
It takes a lot of courage to just simply be yourself in each song and not hide behind a lot of posturing and the typical singers bright eyed and busy tailed stance.
The singers were all so different and all so talented it was a pleasure to hear everyone sing each day. By then second day we were like a little family and were thrilled with each breakthrough and each step forward. We shared so many of the same problems and worries. They were a lovely bunch from all over the world. Most were from the UK but there were us two singaporean, a soprano from Australia and a soprano from Japan.
Its been such a great experience but also the level of skill and confidence of some of the singers also brings home how much harder I need to work to build my skill and to get as much performing experience that I can get.
It back to Manchester today and I need to get organized with all the paperwork for the concert in Singapore and also working through all the music. Really want to do well.
posted by Becky | 2:19 AM
1 Comments:
A passionate singer true to your craft! Christianity is so much like that too, that we pant after the word of God, meditating & soaking it line upon line, precept upon precept so that we can be transformed inside out and not to perform nor to put up an act before men. Then we let the holy spirit gently inspire and encourage. And the men of God are not super apostles but are merely conduits of the holy spirit. how awesome! Keep it up Becky! Love to meet you when you're back home!
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