Cheeky Chicken!
Lots of people today who are doing exams, so we sang through the programme from top to bottom with no breaks, and thus under a little pressure.
I always like to do a real 'mock exam' before the day, and apply some pressure to add that small element of adrenalin. I think it is very important to feel the stress before the actual day, then it is no longer an 'unknown' area which often leads to those silly mistakes which fear and shaking allow into the performance of the first one or two songs. If one can surmount that fear prior to the day, when faced with the real thing the 'rabbit in headlights' syndrome does not have a strangle hold over one!
So three of my Grades 1, 2 and 3 had a going over in readiness. Of course, being all young, resilient and cool they passed with flying colours and not too many wobbles and shakes. Oh that I could give my adults a little needle full of their confidence !
The songs for the early grades are, on the whole, gorgeous. It is not very often that a child under 13 really 'hates' a song, but my perky little M who is taking Grade 3 absolutely hates, loathes and detests her final song! It is 'Oh What a Beautiful Morning' from Oklahoma, and usually quite a popular 'final' song, but not for this young lady! However hard I try, I can't get her to like the damn song, so now I am tackling the 'but you can act' pathway!
I remember as a young singer loathing an operatic aria which was set for a festival, and Middy telling me in no uncertain manner that if I ever wanted to have a career I had better learn sharpish that to earn our living we needed to be able to sing stuff we loved, hated, were bored with and did'nt even suit us very well, with equal conviction, and so as the paying public thought it was our most loved song!
Later, during that very 'career' I learnt pretty 'sharpish' just exactly what she meant! Sorry M, it is just the way it is!
Learn to love it! (Does that include Avocado do you think?)
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