Porcine Performance

One of my students at the University of Toronto had a personal victory today in a group class. We were all excited for her, and the other singers were amazed to hear her confess that her secret ingredient was...(drum roll please)...bacon.

Earlier in the day at her private lesson we spoke about performance energy. Petunia, not her real name, was lamenting that it was difficult for her to summon performance level energy for auditions in particular. It was a bit of a sore spot because someone had suggested that she was not the kind of singer to get jobs from auditions, but likely to get jobs from jobs (i.e. being seen in performance). While this was interesting feedback it can be rather discouraging because, as a young singer, you must audition. Heck, as a professional you must audition!

You must practice performing, just as you must practice technique. Period.

Is performance energy something that is learned, cultivated, and/or put on? I think it is all of those things. I am constantly surprised at how many singers are, in fact, shy people in the 'real world'. They love being on stage but don't necessarily need to be the centre of attention wherever two or more people are gathered. Somehow our Canadian sense of discretion can get in the way too...better not show off or we will get our come-up-ance!

Back to Petunia in the studio. In her lesson we got her body opened up and voice flowing, but it wasn't a place she went to instinctively. She felt she was way over the top for the size of my studio and her audience of two. It wasn't, and the proof is that it became vocally easier for her. Building on this I suggested that she think about channeling someone who might inspire her to be more 'diva like'. Did she have an idea? She did. I challenged her to appear at master class and be that 'diva'.

She delivered.

Imagine the hilarity in the room when after a terrific performance of  'Una voce poco fa', for which they applauded vociferously, Petunia confessed to be channeling none other than...Miss Piggy! The other singers thought that it was some of the best singing they had heard from her; vibrant and a complete performance. Petunia was stunned. She was convinced that it was too much. It wasn't.

Petunia has a lot of stage experience and is a very talented singing actor, she just needs to bring performance level energy in an audition or rehearsal. I remember Canadian pianist/coach Michael McMahon telling me of his admiration of Maureen Forrester's rehearsal style. He said she never sang a note without complete commitment to communicating the emotional meaning.

We can learn from Miss Forrester. So often we check out from the emotional connection when trying to get a certain passage note perfect or correct technically. We forget that emotion and connection are directly linked to breath and soul. It's the very essence of what we do.

A great exercise is to assign emotions or situations to vocal exercises. Here are a few suggestions:
sing that scale imaging a joyful reunion with an old friend,or that arpeggio with the dread of not knowing what the future holds or that melisma distraught at the loss of someone close to you. Keep your technique brain in close contact with your emotional brain, they might just help each other out.