I love that line " and if the song is in freedom's key" . At my "mature age", I wake up everyday so grateful for what we have in this wonderful community we call the NoteWorthy Singers.
It's such a crazy world but, my music lifts my spirits above it all. As I drove home from this weeks rehearsal, it struck me how wonderful it is to wrap oneself in community and song.
Your commitment continues to inspire me. Thank you.
So where are we at this week. A good start on One Song and I Am Song. I encourage you to look at the "rhythm sheet" and try to apply the information to everyline of music in all the pieces. We are making good strides to getting to a solid ensemble sound - i.e. everyone singing at exactly the same time. So...
PLEASE get out your 'ta and ti-ti's' and '1,2,3,4' and practise them using your music.
The other thing we all need to do is read, read and read the text.
We have to really understand what we are is saying.
Take for example It's a Grand Night for Singing -- What does it say?
Of course there is the obvious - "it's a good time to sing"-
BUT why is it a good time to sing,
just what is the world like,
what things make us want to sing?
What is causing the singer to feel like singing.
How do I relate to the message.
How does it fit into my life experience?
All of the above are part of making good music.
When I'm singing, I think the expression of lyrics are like reading a story to a child.
If I just say the words, the child looses interest very quickly. I have to convey understanding, inflection, expression and conviction to make it appreciated and understood.
Singing notes and words is like reading aloud in one tone - no highs no lows. If you have a message (and many songs do) then each individual has to convey their conviction.
But, what about something like Yemaya? There is a message and conviction here as well. Remember, the chant is from the Rule of the Osha - a Yoruba religion. (Nigeria) One possibility is to think of it as a prayer of worship to the goddess Yemaya the mother of all deities. It might be intended to lift us beyond daily concerns, or asking for protection of the land and all living creatures. In fact the more I read about it, the more I understand that the musical line is also a means of conveying a certain mysticism about Yemaya.
I rambling to myself as you can probably tell, but there is a challenge to every piece of music we will sing at our concert. How well can we communicate and what are we communicating.
Remember there is no technology, recording, singer, performer etc who can perform these pieces the way we can.
Next week our goal will be
1. to learn Verse 1 and 3 of Walk in the Wind - clarity of words and rhythms.
2. One Song - measure 44 - 67 (please look at the rhythms) if time- we'll read to the end
3. The Colours of My Life - beginning to end. - text - message, message, message.
4. Bright Side of Life -
5. ending of Grand Night
6. Get Happy - page 10 - 13
7. I Am Song - to the end.
Have a great week everyone!