Singing Showcase: Monday 18th November 2013: Session Three

Monday 18th November 2013

Session Three

As always we started off with warm ups like we do every week. 

This week's warm up exercises were: 

• Sirening (with Lip Trills)
• Arpeggios
• Number scales

My aim last week was to practise the Arpeggios as it would help me with the pitching of "You Raise Me Up" in the chorus. I found that I could go through the scale this week without straining my voice and it was used to the higher notes. I still had to work hard but it was much easier as I had been practising them each day. I was really happy this because I knew it would enable me to perform the chorus of "You Raise Me Up" with more confidence. 

We went on to sing "You Raise Me Up" a few times. I thought the song was coming along really nicely and it had a pure sound to it. I am happy I went through the song and practised my Arpeggios because I was able to sing the song and I thought I pitched it well and the harmony was stronger than last week. I really want to continue increasing my range so I can perform more challenging harmonies and become more versatile. 

We began working on a new song "The Rhythm of Life" from musical Sweet Charity. 

Here are the lyrics to the song: 

"Daddy started out in San Franciso, 

Tootin' on his trumpet loud and mean, suddenly a voice said, "Go forth, Daddy", 

Spread the picture on a wider screen." 

And the voice said, "Brother, there's a million pigeons

Ready to be hooked on new religions. 

Hit the road, Daddy, leave your common-law wife. 

Spread the religion of The Rhythm Of Life."

And The Rhythm Of Life is a powerful beat, 

Puts in a tingle in your fingers and a tingle in your feet, 

Rhythm in your bedroom, rhythm in the street, 

Yes, The Rhythm Of Life is a powerful beat, 

And The Rhythm Of Life is a powerful beat, 

(To feel The Rhythm Of Life)

Puts a tingle in your fingers and a tingle in your feet, 

(To feel the powerful beat)

Rhythm in your bedroom, Rhythm in the street, 

(To feel the tingle in your fingers)

Yes, The Rhythm Of Life is a powerful beat, 

(To feel the tingle in your feet)

And The Rhythm Of Life is a powerful beat, 

(To feel the The Rhythm Of Life)

Puts a tingle in your fingers and a tingle in your feet, 

(To feel the powerful beat) 

Rhythm in your bedroom, rhythm in the street, 

(To feel the tingle in your fingers)

Yes, The Rhythm Or Life is a powerful beat, 

(To feel the tingle in your feet)

And The Rhythm Of Life is a powerful beat, 

(To feel the Rhythm Of Life)

(Go, go, go)

Puts a tingle in your fingers and a tingle in your feet, 

(To feel the powerful beat)

(Go, go, go)

Rhythm in your bedroom, rhythm in the street, 

(To feel the tingle in your fingers)

(Tell them everything)

Yes, The Rhythm Of Life is a powerful beat, 

(To feel the tingle in your feet)

(You know)

Flip you wings and fly to Daddy, 

Flip your wings and fly to Daddy, 

(Flip you wings and fly)

Flip your wings and fly to Daddy, 

(Flip you wings) 

Fly, fly, fly to Daddy, 

(Fly, fly, fly)

(Fly, fly, fly)"

The girls sung the pink, the boys sung the blue, then the sopranos sung the purple and the altos sung the orange. 

We started by separating the words between girls and boys as the song progressed the girls were split into two groups (alto and sopranos) creating three different groups singing. 

I had never heard this song before so I was learning something new, our singing teacher had printed off the lyrics for us and this made it much easier for someone who didn't know the song and I was grateful for that even though I know that I should be able to remember it and exercise my memory, but a song this length would be extremely hard. 

Even though I didn't know the song, the tune was easy to grasp and it was a very upbeat and energetic song. I think as I have been doing this sessions my ability to pick up songs is improving which is great because it means I am developing my singing skills as a performer. 

I really enjoyed singing this song because it was upbeat and energetic, it also told a story and I thought it would be an ideal song to characterise and perform. I sung the alto lines and all the lines together with the three groups sounded really different, all the voices blended nicely together and created an atmosphere. 

As this was a high-energy and upbeat piece song it was very fun to perform, I also found myself being able to get learn the words and the tune more efficiently then before, showing me these singing sessions are improving and developing my singing skill. 

As the song increased in pace towards the end my diction fell. 

My aim for next week is to focus on practising the end of this song so I can get used to the speed and my articulation and diction doesn't suffer from the pace increasing.