I just returned home from an intensive weekend of workshops fort he JuMuNet (Youth Music Network) in Hünfeld, Germany. On Saturday and Sunday, John and I have been working on concert pieces from three different musicals: Porgy and Bess, West Side Story and the Lion King. Both choir and wind orchestra had been practising before in separate rehearsals to get familiar with the score. This weekend was meant to bring the music from soloists, choir and orchestra together.
Dotting i’s, crossing t’s
While John was working on the last details with the project choir, I had the pleasure of working with the different soloists. It was a treat! Teaching a young woman how to “anchor” her body in the ground does take some energy. But when you listen to the result of twenty minutes of hard work it has been very rewarding: her voice won so much in depth and warmth.
I saw a young man, who was brought up with the philosophy that volume is everything. I was able to show him that a soft voice brings a totally different beauty and vulnerability and it was great to witness realising the new possibilities. Most certainly when he noticed in the orchestra rehearsal after my coaching that several orchestra members listened in awe to his fragile, intimate solo. Showing a young teenage girl where to find the expression in her voice was heart warming. Thank you, my dear soloists for these great moments of teaching and learning. You make me proud!
On to Sunday… Workshop small choir and close harmony style singing. We had a ball watching people starting to listen to each other and blend their sound. And teaching them to be able to notice that, by listening, their own singing improves and magic appears in the harmony.
Thank you all. I am really looking forward to november 2nd and 3rd: Concert weekend!
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