Dido's Lament and a brand new singing year !

My first week of the new winter term is now done and I am into the second week ! How time flies when one is enjoying oneself ! We have some exciting happenings during this term - a concert given solely by 7 of my ladies, which will be a big undertaking but one they are more than capable of pulling off. We are in the process of selecting solos and ensembles which will constitute a varied and enjoyable concert.

So far the choices made, and these are not all of them, are Lehar, 'Say not Love is a Dream' Gounod 'O Divine Redeemer', Verdi 'O Don Fatale', Rogers and Hammerstein 'Climb Every Mountain', Copland, 'Long time Ago'.........some gorgeous music and each very suited to the individual. We will call upon some past ensembles and some new ones, they shall remain under wraps until nearer the time, but rest assured they will be sad, happy, funny and challenging! 

I saw my young lady E, who travels from Mid Argyll each month, on Sunday morning. She was bubbling and excited and ready to go with some new repertoire. I had given her the wonderful Dido's Lament, and whilst she is extremely talented, it was a big ask for a girl in her teens. She has a remarkable maturity in her thought and she takes this maturity into her performance and within minutes of slowing it down, giving the languid and tragic lines some space to breathe, she was performing with real pathos and understanding. 

Lots of changes in the voices of my teens during the week - I simply love the first lesson after the summer holidays- a young voice changes almost weekly anyway, but after an 8 week break the changes can be truly momentous. My natural little alto L, has developed more middle so it sounded so much more even, what a smile she had ! A young soprano, R had finally added a strong middle register to her vibrant head register, and another smile was added to the list of happy changes. 

The middle register is the last part of a girl's voice to develop, and sometimes a beautiful soprano with ringing top A's and B's has to wait well into her twenties before she gains strength and depth in the range from F - C above Middle C. Thus, when I hear it happening my heart rejoices along with the pupil. The difference it makes to a voice just missing warmth in that important middle area, is incalculable and suddenly a song or aria has a 'finished' feel.

Onwards to an exciting term.........

 A great start to a lovely tone......

and a great year !