I Went, I Sang, I Left

Voice eval was yesterday.

I think I did pretty well. I mean, I know I could have done better. I didn’t manage to consistently keep on top of my air to produce that full ringing sound, but I’d say I did do it for the majority of the time. And I actually forgot one word in Art is Calling. "Men sigh at my feet..." I forgot the word sigh. I got to the part and I had no idea what the word was so I sort of made something up to sing the note. I don't know if anyone noticed. I fudged my way through and pressed on. I look forward to seeing the comments from the panel.

I have to say, I admire the accompanist. What a job - I don't think that anyone who plays piano could do it. There was no rehearsal so we were just winging it. So, I had some parts in Art is Calling For Me where I held out the notes or did fancy fun stuff, but she just plunged right on into the next part. Then she’d realize what I was doing, stop and wait for me. Me, I just sang and ignored the piano when that happened. That took some discipline because my instinct was to stop and figure out where we were, especially because what I was singing didn’t match what she was playing. There was one instance where she started the “I want to be a prima donna” part while I was still doing the fancy-fancy notes part just before it, where we actually stopped, then I gave her a nod for when to start it. Then the second time around she waited for me to give her the nod. It was fun - I so much enjoy singing with a real live person at the piano! Then for Nel Cor, my teacher showed her the parts in the music where I sing it out fancy. She pretty much stopped playing when I got to those parts, and then joined me when I resumed. In previous years the piano stuff would have made me anxious, but now it was just fun. I guess that's what happens. I thanked them for listening to me, they thanked me for singing for them, I thanked the accompanist, thanks all around.

While I was waiting my turn I could hear the student who went before me. She was about 13. She sang the Verruca Salt song from Willy Wonka. She was great. She came out of there so upset from being nervous and from thinking she didn't do well. Her mom and I were both like, "Of course you were nervous! Even famous singers get nervous before they sing for people!" And of course I had to add, "Some of them even throw up! And you didn't do that!"

I was nervous too, but I wasn't as worked up about it as I had been for the previous evals. You just have to suffer through the first ones in order to get to that place. It's not like you'll get kicked out of the music school if you don't do well. I wonder if it's not only an evaluation of the singer but also of the teacher?

Anyway, I'm done with the school. I'll get my results on Saturday and then shut the door. I won't lock it, and light will shine under in both directions, but I'm not going back through it. If I ever do, it'll be into a different room. Just came up with that door/room thing as I typed it. Hokey, but not too bad.