Being in the moment

Posted on | March 11, 2009 | No Comments

I think about singing a lot. I guess this is a good thing considering it it my job. I read and reread singing texts, journals on teaching voice and vocal health, attend conferences and workshops and generally try to keep my ears, eyes and mind fresh. However, what I love best is when I sing once my work has been done. Once I have worked out how to sing a song effectively and efficiently, with the best technical ability I have at that time, I put down all of the muscle memory work, and trust that this is built into my voice. Then I look at my text and ask not only "what is this song about" but "what is the feeling of this song?" What is the emotion behind the lyric? Then, I sing and I feel the song. Exaltation, passion, lust, fear, anger, love, peace, joy, angst, embarrassment, anxiety, sadness, despair – what are the feelings behind each line? These are all part of the human condition, but allowing ourselves to really feel and be "in the moment" can sometimes be tricky. We like to stay in our mind and think things through – here comes that high note! Oh – this passage is tricky! I'm running out of air. That sounded terrible. Being in the moment helps me to suspend all my (usually negative) judgements and simply sing. The results? Well, it may not be a perfect performance. It may have mistakes. Luckily, I know of very few singers who are perfect all the time so I know that I don't have to be perfect. I just want to be real and "in the moment". Try it! Sing from your heart and soul. Get out of your mind. Trust your voice.Feel the freedom!

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