One of our favorite phrases of choice when communicating to our artists before a performance or audition is “Whatever you do, don’t be boring.” While that is meant as a way to loosen up our artists and is usually delivered and taken ‘tongue in cheek’ it is also very true. Have you ever been bored at an opera, oratorio or vocal recital? If so, why? How can a performance be boring when the music is the complete opposite of boring? Is it subjective? Perhaps. Yet, how do people who love classical vocal music, opera, oratorio etc. become bored in performances and why? Something must be missing and usually is. In this article, we will focus on one potential reason; being musical.
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines musicality as “sensitivity to, knowledge of, or talent for music”. Most musicians define themselves as having a “sensitivity to, knowledge of, or talent for music”. We would add that musicality is the ability to take creative chances within the music’s particular style, while maintaining good vocal technique of course. How many ways can you take creative chances can you take? This should be a fun and creative process. It may require looking at the music in a slightly different way however, which we recommend. Mark each phrase so you actually record your creative choice and can remember it. Here are a few considerations:
- Dynamics and the shaping of each phrase: Are you able to sing as soft as you possibly can sing in this song/aria? Are you able to sing as loud as you possibly can in this song/aria? With regard to sustaining notes, are you able to crescendo or decrescendo or do both and to what degree? In other words, choosing to hold a note only makes sense musically when you do something with it. It is not about holding a note just because you can. There must be a musical reason. Sing coloratura passages with a crescendo, a decrescendo or both. Make dynamic choices unless you are making a distinct choice not to.
Often, making a dynamics choice can be directly related to the text, for example. Where is the accent in the particular sentence or word you are singing? Would you ever sing “Amazing Grace How Sweet the Sound” with no accent? Where is the accent and/or could there be several? When you speak the word “Amazing”, the accent is not on “Ah” or “zing”. It is on the “may”. So you would sing “ah MAY zing”. Is it aMAYzing GRACE with the accent on “Grace” or is it aMAYzing grace how SWEET the sound” with the accent on “sweet”? Do you understand the idea? Making a conscious choice is a big part of being musical. Doing this work to explore various choices will make you more interesting and therefore more musical.
- Color: When you talk you use all sorts of vocal colors. Why then would you not color the voice when you sing? If the text you are singing is about love, you most likely will have a different color in your voice than if you are singing about revenge for example, right? Color a word. Color a phrase. There are a rainbow of colors from which to choose, not just one color for your singing.
- Articulation: How you phonate vowels and consonants in a particular word will add dimension to your musicality such as taking time for the “m” and “Sw” in the phrase “Amazing Grace how SWeet the sound”. Making choices such as these can have a profound effect on the listener as well as effecting you as the artist. It may not be written in the music necessarily but you might speak the words that way. Again, you explore it and then make a choice based on what you want to deliver to the listener.
- Have Fun: When you have fun with dynamics, with colors and then play with the consonants and vowels, you will have more fun, find yourself becoming more musical and often times, technical challenges that you may have experienced just might go away.
We hope this article will spark your desire to approach your music in a renewed and perhaps even different way. Be bold. Take chances. Have fun. Be creative. And above all…’don’t be boring’
Until next time, stay the course, believe in yourself and SHINE!
