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Acting in Plays, Singing/professional solo in a un uncomfortable tessitura

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Expert: - 11/18/2009


Question
Dear expert,
I am a lyrico spinto soprano and have been hired to sing a solo with chorus, and the tessitura of the piece is very high...and low in places.It would be better for a different type of soprano I have been working at keeping everything in a high (heady) position but am wobbling on the high notes.  It's not a natural fit.  G A Bflat, but not written like  Puccini aria -capisce?   Any suggestions?  I am touring and not anywhere near my vocal coach: the gig is next week and I am terrified that I will not do it or myself justice.  
Please help.
Sincerely,
Becky
B

Answer
Hello, Becky

Thank you for the question.

Prior to accepting the gig, did you know this piece you are performing? If you auditioned for it, what did you sing?

It is not unusual for a singer to find themselves in a position where the demands of the job and their own particular gifts don’t quite match. To others, it seems odd that a stretch of notes that appear in every song should somehow prove awkward or nearly impossible within a certain piece. But it’s true.

Consider this when you are rehearsing on your own and after you have warmed-up your entire register. Take each of the more awkward phrases or measures out of context and just sing the notes without the lyrics. Sing through the phrase on a set of neutral vowels, just as you would a scale – it’s not “about” anything, it’s not in a certain style – it’s just a set of notes in a certain rhythmic pattern. Work through it until you are more comfortable. Then sing through it again on the succession vowels that match the lyrics. Notice how the placement changes and becomes more specific to the movement of the phrase and perhaps suggests the mood or emotional content of the song. This kind of piece work will also reveal how you are breathing and supporting. Again, work through each of those phrases until you are more comfortable and more in control of what you are doing. Ultimately, these patterns are what you will be re-creating in performance. After that, apply the actual lyrics. Then drill it until you could do it in your sleep.

In other words, focus on your musicianship and the athletic demands of the song. After all, it's just the same notes you always sing but arranged in a particular fashion. And you are the one who has been hired to sing them.

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Acting in Plays, Singing

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Sean Martinfield

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I am a professional vocal coach in San Francisco. In addition to answers from a previous web site (Askme.com - where my "tag" was "VocalCoach") I have published over 2000 responses related to vocal training - particularly as it relates to Musical Theatre and Opera. I have 24 years of experience as Personal Trainer to singers and actors in the San Francisco Bay Area. I sang professionally for 20 years and know what it means to live the life of a musician. I can determine your voice category, i.e., Tenor, Baritone, Bass, Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto, Alto Belter, etc., and how to broaden and strengthen your range. Need an audition song for a Broadway Musical? I will give you suggestions that are appropriate to your vocal category and to requirements specified in the audition notice. I have also created a vocal methodology, "The Belter`s Method". It will enable those in Musical Theatre to practice more efficiently because it focuses on the demands of professional performers as well as to those auditioning for school and community productions, and as University and Conservatory performing arts majors. If what you want is a better voice and more control over your career moves and choices, contact me. Also, as the Editor of SanFranciscoSentinel.com, it is my privilege to review productions at the San Francisco Opera, Ballet and Symphony, as well as Broadway National Tours booked into San Francisco's Orpheum, Golden Gate and Curran Theatres. I also review works by A.C.T (the American Conservatory Theatre) and Magic Theatre. I cover select films, tributes and retrospects, and various international film festivals – particulary those booked into The City's opulent Castro Theatre – including the LGBT Frameline Festival, International Film Festival, Silent Film Festival, Jewish Film Festival, etc. For private vocal instruction, I can be contacted through SanFranciscoSentinel.com. Look under: Seán Martinfield, Sentinel Editor and Publisher.

Experience

As a vocal coach, I work primarily with singers and actors throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. My students range from absolute beginners to working professionals, from pre-schoolers to senior citizens. The vast majority of my clients come to me through recommendation. I know how to identify any singer's vocal category, i.e., soprano, tenor, alto, baritone, etc. I know how to muscle-up every singer's vocal range and to expand it beyond conventional definitions. I have developed a vocal methodology for those who want to know how to belt, THE BELTER'S METHOD. As a singer who spent half of his career doing Bel Canto, I know that classical or Italian methodologies do not work in Standard American music. Bel Canto cannot be "adapted" to meet the needs of contemporary American music, including the demands of the Musical Theatre. There are a number of major components to my work as a vocal coach. The first is to identify the client's vocal category and to strengthen and maximize the vocal range accordingly. Then it's about teaching a reliable vocal workout that will enable the client to gain better control of their musicianship. That includes scale work to expand the vocal range and to improve placement, breath control, and diction. Then we work on material for the audition portfolio, the immediate job or assignment, a recording session, etc. My task to is to better equip singers and actors who are hoping to or relying upon their performance skills and vocal endurance to maintain a career in the Performing Arts. My clients regularly appear in cabarets and musical productions throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Some have worked in New York and gone on National Tours. For more information, Contact me at: Broadwaybelters@yahoo.com

Education/Credentials
San Francisco State University – BA in Theatre Arts; graduate work in Theatre, Philosophy, and Comparative Reiligion. Pacific School of Religion, Berkeley – Graduate work in Ethics

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