eurosolo::seven::vocal joy::

As many of you may or may not remember, there was a time when your technique was only just developing and there were few things your voice could really do but phonate. I suppose most of us don't remember this time because we have come a long way in our vocal development. For someone like me--first finding a new voice, then learning to sing it with a new technique--I found that I regressed musically. I cannot communicate to you the frustration I have had in the last couple of months because I could not express musically what I wanted to because of a lack of technique. My graduation recital in Ottawa was a program filled with everything which fed my artistic soul. Every note of everything I sang that evening was from my heart. And so, it was not by choice that I should sing something like Vergin, tutto amor by Francesco Durante, but technically it was all my voice could handle--and needed. In the re-learning of this piece, it has been made clear to me all my old habits and the amount of technique needed to sing every piece...not just the ones we categorize as "difficult".

Now that I have a firmer grasp (albeit, still a long way to go) on my technique I have fallen in love with singing yet again. Now that I am actually able to sing a pianissimo--and distinguish it from a mezzo-piano, a crescendo, a decrescendo, "a piacere" etc etc. it is a thrill for me to sing at all...even Vergin, tutto amor.

This all goes to show how important technique is as a tool for expression. I can say with absolute certainty that I will never take dynamic markings for granted ever again. I am truly finding joy in ever single accent I am required to sing.

=)