Summer plans...

I am working on plans to present a patriotic musical this summer.
We have already been asked to perform at Willowcreek Winery (Sheridan), Heritage Village (Gerry), and a church in Amherst, NY.

Participation in our chorus is open to anyone over 12 years of age, so please invite any and all people you think might be interested.

Contact me if you have interest in our plans; or if you know someone who would like to help us.

WE NEED ALL THE HELP WE CAN GET!

Thanks for all your help and support.

SEE YOU THIS SUMMER!

Vocal Tips...

NEVER LET THEM SEE YOU SWEAT. The perception of the audience is the reality. Say that out loud, “the perception of the audience is the reality.” What they think is true, is true. So if you sing with confidence and handle that “creative” phrase you accidentally added like a professional, most of your audience will be convinced that you meant to sing it that way. Professionals sing creative nuances, amateurs make mistakes.

Vocal Tips...

MONEY NOTES MATTER. Let’s face it. If you are singing a song with a big money note, let’s be real. You can knock the rest of the song out of the park, but if you miss the money note that’s all your audience will remember. A lot of times singers miss money notes because they are worried about it and if you even think for a moment that it “might not happen” you just increased your odds of it not happening by a great deal. Usually it is only one or two notes of a phrase that reach that “money” potential. When you focus specifically on the note, you compartmentalize it and tell your subconscious to watch out for it. Instead, in practice try concentrating on the phrase. Figure out how to use the phrase to your advantage. Sometimes changing your placement on the note(s) just before your money note can make a huge difference. And of course, during performance…see yourself hitting that note like a pro. If you can see it and you believe it, you’ll hit it almost every time.

LIFT YOUR DIAPHRAGM. So many singers learn to “belly breath” (breathe into the belly) and therefore tend to think that lifting their diaphragm feels similar to holding in their stomach. You can sing like this, but you are only using half your resources and not making full use of the power provided by the muscles in the back. To get your best breath for singing, you want to fill up your abdomen like an inner tube, you should feel expansion all the way around your body…yes, even in your back. Then to compress the air and support the vocal tone release, you lift the diaphragm muscle straight up from the center of your body. If you are used to the other way, it takes some practice to get the new diaphragm muscle memory, but well worth the effort!

Singing Tips...

An old joke says that an alto is just a soprano who can read music. While funny, and sometimes true in practice, it is ideal to be able to sing the voice part that your voice suits the best. For this reason, you will create more depth in your choir if you can learn to read music and sing harmonies. That way, if you truly are an interior voice such as an alto or tenor, you will be able sing it, rather than your director having to recruit someone who can read the music but whose voice may not be as well suited to the part.

Singing Tips...

While it is fun to copy someone else's singing style, be sure not to do so to the detriment of your physical voice. Very few people have vocal chords that lend themselves to singing like James Brown, Luciano Pavarotti, or Mariah Carey.