Happy St. Patricks Day!

Straight from the school parking lot–

In honor of my Mother-in-law’s family (the O’Connells and Flanigans), I wanted to post my favorite choral arrangement of the Irish Blessing. I had no idea that it would be so difficult to find!!! So, in it’s stead– me. I don’t remember the melody to the final two lines, so help a girl out and if you know it, post you singing it in the comments.

2nd Adult Class

The Adult class is running monthly and it’s not too late to decide to be a part of it! The short story is that the last two classes had two different sets of people and were each Class 1. This month marks both classes coming together for Class 2. If you missed Class 1 and are interested in attending, send me a message and I can help you make that happen. I hope to see you there!! SUNDAY, MARCH 20 at 1pm.

What it’s all about: My Students

This is what it’s all about. My students. These three did such wonderful jobs in their musicals these past weeks. Into the Woods. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. 42nd Street Wolf. Augustus Gloop. Andy Lee.

  • Character: Andy Lee
    Show: 42nd Street
  • Character: Wolf
    Show: Into the Woods
  • Character: Augustus Gloop
    Show: Charlie and Chocolate Factory

The Practice Box

I tell my students that practicing is about getting into a ‘box’ and leaving everything else outside those walls. ‘The box’ is a place where only you and music exist; life melts away for those moments and you get a break from stressors while doing something you that can be energizing, centering, calming and sometimes all three at once! I know. It’s so much easier to talk about shutting life out like this than it is to actually do. We keep talking about it because someday, maybe, it will work for them, and what a great day that will be! I know I struggled with bringing my stress into my practicing when I was younger, but the older I get, the easier and more natural leaving it outside my ‘box’ that has become. I get to sing!

Musicals, musicals, more musicals!

Good morning, friends! So many musicals are right around the corner and I’m excited. The next 4 weekends will be full of performances and I cannot wait to celebrate every single one. If you’re looking to enjoy some amazing highschool talents, send me a message and I’ll happily point you towards my students who are in upcoming productions of Into the Woods, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and 42nd Street, respectively. I kicked things off, yesterday, with a little recon for my own show and saw Beauty and the Beast with my fellow production team friends. It was produced by a neighboring park district and was a fantastic time! With a little luck, I’ll figure out how to squeeze in Something Rotten and Mamma Mia, both at local highschools. So many opportunities to enjoy theater; tis the season!

Practice Tip #2

Here’s another practicing tip: make achievable goals.

When you tell yourself to go from 0 to 60 and expect it to happen, you’re often setting yourself up for failure. I tell my students to make small, achievable, goals to help them gain and maintain good practicing habits. Not practicing at all? Let’s try to do it for 10 minutes, twice in a week. After you make it a reality for a few weeks, add a third time!

In case you’re wondering, I’m also ok with making a list and putting ‘make a list’ at the top so that you have something to cross off right away. Let’s set ourselves up to feel good about the work we get done!

Rehearsal Fatigue

Some of my students are struggling with rehearsal-related fatigue, but not because of singing. They’re straining their voices while trying to project their speaking /stage voices and injecting character into them. Did you know that you can employ a lot of the same mechanics for singing into your speaking? Good, intentional, breathing and solid support in your core can go a long way to reducing stage/speaking strain! (And hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!!)

Vocal Fatigue

I’ve seen several students struggling with vocal fatigue this week. The causes were all, mostly, different but solutions are sometimes the same. Winter is rough on the body, but rougher still when we’re constantly trying to rehearse and perform. One easy ‘help’ I like to recommend is hot, herbal tea. (Traditional Medicinal’s Throat Coat and Cold Care teas are favorites of mine when I’m struggling.) Humidifiers and/or oil diffusers running while you sleep is another great ‘help’ to dry, fatigued, and sore voices and bodies. Water and rest are always key, so grab some when you can!