Imagine, if you practice ...

Imagine, if you practice ... Any ambitious collegiate musician who is considering a music careerneeds consistent, focused practice and the benefits it can reap. Whilethis article will concentrate on the human instrument--the voice, acorrelation may be drawn to other wind instruments where there isfundamental need to build stamina StaminaStaying power, endurance.Mentioned in: Tai Chi for playing that instrument. Forplaying a brass instrument brass instrumentMusical wind instrument, usually made of brass or other metal, in which the vibration of the player's lips against a cup- or funnel-shaped mouthpiece causes the initial vibration of an air column. , the major concern is building thestudent's embouchure em��bou��chure?n.1. The mouth of a river.2. Musica. The mouthpiece of a woodwind or brass instrument.b. The manner in which the lips and tongue are applied to such a mouthpiece. control. This is also quite true in trainingof woodwind players. Facial muscles facial muscles,n See muscles, facial. , which control breath streammanagement for flute and double reed double reedn.1. A pair of joined reeds that vibrate together to produce sound in certain wind instruments, such as bassoons and oboes.2. An instrument in which sound is produced by a pair of joined reeds. players, are absolutely essential.Every teacher, whether one works with wind instrumentalists or singers,faces the initial hurtle hur��tle?v. hur��tled, hur��tling, hur��tlesv.intr.To move with or as if with great speed and a rushing noise: an express train that hurtled past.v.tr. with their students of instilling in��stillalso in��stil ?tr.v. in��stilled, in��still��ing, in��stills also in��stils1. To introduce by gradual, persistent efforts; implant: "Morality . . . a consistentregimen of good practice habits in their students to build the staminaneeded to counter muscle fatigue. You should know there are students throughout the countrypracticing twenty or more hours a week; you will meet them at auditionsand compete with them for jobs of all kinds. For a moment, consider themedium-sized state of Ohio. It has sixty schools of higher education higher educationStudy beyond the level of secondary education. Institutions of higher education include not only colleges and universities but also professional schools in such fields as law, theology, medicine, business, music, and art. where one can get various vocal music degrees. Of these, eleven areschools or conservatories of music, while the remaining fifty or so havedepartments of music. If we make a very conservative estimate of theaverage number of undergraduate vocal majors in each of theseinstitutions, say thirty per school, the state of Ohio alone has atleast 1,800 vocal majors working on undergraduate degrees “First degree” redirects here. For the BBC television series, see First Degree.An undergraduate degree (sometimes called a first degree or simply a degree . It willgraduate about a fourth of that number, approximately 450 per year.Ohio's graduating singers then will be competing, with severalthousand other undergraduates, for teaching positions in thenation's job market or for acceptance into the best graduateschools and apprentice programs along with you. Low Endurance, Low Confidence If you practice vocal music for two to three hours weekly, or sixthirty-minute sessions, you will slowly learn the notes and be fairlyaccurate rhythmically on about four songs of easy to moderatedifficulty--that's typical for a first semester se��mes��ter?n.One of two divisions of 15 to 18 weeks each of an academic year.[German, from Latin (cursus) s freshman withaverage ability. You will sound fairly good if your teacher'smodeling elicits a free sound that is well-focused on pure vowels. Youcould even have fun. But, if you had to sing all four of your songsconsecutively at jury time, you probably would become fatigued towardthe end of the second song and would begin to have pitch problemsshortly into your third song. You may find that your memory fails,depending on how nervous you are, and that you begin to tire becausethirty-minute practice sessions for singers are not long enough workperiods to build vocal stamina and develop confidence. Ensemble rehearsal time can't really be counted yet in theabove two- to three-hour practice schedule, for two reasons. First,those rehearsals, especially early in the learning cycle for asemester-ending concert, seldom require sustained singing for more thana few minutes. Second, two to three hours in vocal practice is barelyenough time to learn four songs in a semester, so there isn't timeto learn choral cho��ral?adj.1. Of or relating to a chorus or choir.2. Performed or written for performance by a chorus.[Medieval Latin chor music outside of actual rehearsals--something a goodconductor requires of choristers. Choral rehearsals can be a detrimentto your vocal progress, or they can be a tremendous boost to it. Youwill see why later. You learn a lot in ensemble rehearsals. They teachyou important musical skills such as how to focus in rehearsal andrelate with others to music; you learn how to follow a conductor andtake directions; how to mark a score; how to take cues from other partsand the piano; and how to count, read intervals and shape phrasesmusically and more. But these skills are not a substitute for skillsgained in the practice room and the endurance that comes with practicethere. Practicing five to six hours a week, you can make progress withcareful time management. You likely will be able to develop acomprehensive warm-up routine and work on various vocalises, etudes orvocal methods, called "vocal study." These exercises are idealnot only for building your ear and sensitivity to phrasing, but willbegin to help you gain the stamina needed to counter fatigue. You mayactually even prepare songs and materials for jury examinations wellbefore the cramming The unauthorized addition of services to your telephone bill such as an 800 number that you never ordered. The charges are usually noted on the bill, but are identified in a cryptic manner and/or are printed in a place that is easy to overlook. See slamming. that comes at the end of each semester. Your teacherwill consider this to be minimally satisfactory progress for asemester's work. Such effort allows for reasonable muscle memorydevelopment, which is vital for a singer's progressive development.You may even begin to memorize mem��o��rize?tr.v. mem��o��rized, mem��o��riz��ing, mem��o��riz��es1. To commit to memory; learn by heart.2. Computer Science To store in memory: the various vocal studies. At this pointthere will be time for practicing choral music outside the rehearsal,which is essential for building technique and endurance. Choral Singing Improves Solo Growth Let us consider one of the hidden benefits choral rehearsal holdsfor your studio work now that you've allotted al��lot?tr.v. al��lot��ted, al��lot��ting, al��lots1. To parcel out; distribute or apportion: allotting land to homesteaders; allot blame.2. additional time topractice your choral music. Because choral rehearsals also areopportunities to build upon vocal studio technique, the time inmandatory choral rehearsal is now an addition to your weekly vocalpractice time. By knowing your choral parts better, you are able toparticipate more fully in rehearsals with improved vocal quality. Youincrease your stamina and flexibility in choral rehearsal. A singer who doesn't know the notes is working atcross-purposes with studio objectives. A timid timid,adj in Chinese medicine, pertaining to inadequate energy needed to face and overcome obstacles. singer inadvertently usespoor technique when following rather than leading--remember how good itfeels to be a leader in any singing experience? Your voice teacher, whowondered why advancement in the previous lesson wasn't holding foryour next lesson, is now seeing weekly progress. Here's why youweren't able to build on what was taught the week before: The lackof sufficient practice each week was "killing your technique"because you didn't know your notes well enough to feel useful andreinforce what was being taught in your studio lesson. Therefore, yourmandatory choral rehearsal time was neither increasing your stamina norbuilding your technique. Now the time you've gained allows you topractice your choral music and makes those choral rehearsals work inyour favor. This is a win-win situation--you build your voice whileimproving the choir. Build to a Crescendo cres��cen��do?n. pl. cres��cen��dos or cres��cen��di1. Abbr. cr. Musica. A gradual increase, especially in the volume or intensity of sound in a passage.b. Regular practice up to ten hours per week, or forty per month, maycause some important and valuable developments in your singing. Mostlikely, you will become more "fit." You will learn andmemorize eight to ten songs of increasing difficulty per semester andpossibly more, in addition to getting greater benefit out of yourvocalises. There even will be time to play memorization mem��o��rize?tr.v. mem��o��rized, mem��o��riz��ing, mem��o��riz��es1. To commit to memory; learn by heart.2. Computer Science To store in memory: games, writeyour words into a notebook of song texts and study your songs'harmonic and formal structure, which can improve your interpretations.You also will be able to determine the deep structure of the poetry orprose you're singing, which will make your interpretations moreconvincing because they will be more musically expressive andinsightful. You will be able to work on fine points of stage presence,articulation articulationIn phonetics, the shaping of the vocal tract (larynx, pharynx, and oral and nasal cavities) by positioning mobile organs (such as the tongue) relative to other parts that may be rigid (such as the hard palate) and thus modifying the airstream to produce speech , facial expression facial expression,n the use of the facial muscles to communicate or to convey mood. and poise. You'll be able to listento many new recordings in search of new repertoire and much more. Yoursight reading will improve, and you will be able to spend qualityrehearsal time with your accompanist, whose services you may have to payfor each semester. And best of all, you will not get tired. Your choral rehearsals will be a joy because you can fully andeffectively contribute to the expression of great choral music chosenfor students, like you, who inspire and make their director morecreative. Your work ethic work ethicn.A set of values based on the moral virtues of hard work and diligence.work ethicNouna belief in the moral value of work , vocal quality and spirit will be aninspiration to those around you in choral rehearsals. And your voiceteacher, who will be very pleased with your progress, will be remindedof how important quality choral rehearsals are to the technical progressand health of a voice student under a competent choral director. Youwill have greater self-esteem; an outgrowth of personal achievement andthe recognition it brings you from others, who respect your work. Youwill like yourself. Now, if you develop the discipline to practice fifteen to twentyhours a week--remember that your choral rehearsals are now bonus hours,depending on the weekly length of those rehearsals--you'll get allof the previously mentioned benefits. Plus, you'll be a seriouscompetitor at auditions, and you'll deserve to be chosen for solowork. If you cannot increase the number of practice hours to this level,the gains will be haphazard hap��haz��ard?adj.Dependent upon or characterized by mere chance. See Synonyms at chance.n.Mere chance; fortuity.adv.By chance; casually. and elusive. There are many gifted musicians studying in America's schoolsof higher education. And since there is so much talent, it appears thattalent alone does not determine success. Beyond talent, it's thecompetitive drive to practice. Do you take your talent to the next levelby increasing the amount of time you commit to consistent and focusedpractice? Imagine, if you practice ... David Saladino is Director of Choral Activities at the Universityof Arkansas The University of Arkansas strives to be known as a "nationally competitive, student-centered research university serving Arkansas and the world." The school recently completed its "Campaign for the 21st Century," in which the university raised more than $1 billion for the school, used , where he teaches conducting and conducts Schola Cantorum, acritically acclaimed American choir that has performed all over theworld.