Quiz Chapter Eight

1. “The term ‘voice placing’ is a misnomer. ‘Voice-_______’ is a more appropriate expression.” A. Fixing B. Placing C. Resonance D. Calling E. Finding [64]

2. “What can prevent the focus of tone?” A. compressed inhaled air B. non-compressed inhaled air C. Failing to inhale air and fainting D. Failing to sing the worship song, “This is the air I breathe!” [64]

3-6. Circle the 4 animal sounds/mouth positions your text associates with “creating a core sound” and placement. [67-69]

Hamster chattering
Fishmouth
Cow mooing
Bumblebee flying
Shark biting
Crows calling
Cats scratching
Elephant trumpeting
Dog sniffing
Chimpanzee belching
Feline yawning
Owl blinking
Camel Spitting
Rabbit teeth

7. [T or F] The sound should be in the nose, but the nose resonance should not be in the sound. [67]

8. [T or F] After the initial concepts of placement have been established, by and large, the refinement of placement rests in the domain of the solo singer. [69]

9.”Ultimate success in the development of proper resonance and placement culminates in a beautiful, blended choral sound, and is directly related to the choir’s grasp of the concept of ____ ____.” A. Vocal sighing B. Head voice C. Voice placing D. Focused tone [70]

10. [T or F] By allowing the voice to sing freely with a relaxed and open tone, the amateur voice will find its proper placement. [69]

Extra Credit: “The beauty of the gospel is that, although we are the means by which God is pleased to diffuse His glory, He is the end. If we are the beam, He is the sun. If we are the echo, He is the shout. If we are the appetizer, He is the meal.”

Chamber Singers Relaxation Exercise Vignette February 13

The world is under the vast white blanket snow and transparent ice. You’re standing [clothed with a big coat, gloves, and warm cap] in a cornfield of snow untouched by any imprint other than the delicate hoof markings of deer that have wandered across this white sea. Lifting your arms up and down anticipating the angel that you’ll make in the snow, you slowly go to the ground making a snow angel with your hands and feet. Making sure that your angel looks angelic, you make the angel-like motion three times. Slowly getting back into a sitting position, you shiver and stand stretching high to the sky like an angel ascending. You sigh anticipating glorification. You encourage yourself by speaking, “Though my sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow."

Quiz Six Scores

AM19 - Absent
daddyzlittleangel - 11/11
dreams - 11/11
Flossy - 9/11
Jillian - 9/11
maviecestmusique - 11/11
patatosplat - 12/11
shoedeedoodoo - 11/11
Thedairyqueen - 11/11

Yes, be careful with those non-voiced consonant exercises. Warning: Unfortunate combinations can occur.

The big idea of today's class was: The support sensation consists of flexible diaphragmatic pushes. There were 19 life-activity exercises to teach you the flexible diaphragmatic activity; however connecting those pushes with your instrument [without locking your body] is absolute essential.

Wasn't Frauke wonderful? Remember what we observed:

1. Her intensity was large than the room's.
2. Her interaction is generous with the choir.
3. Her flexibility [changing the grab the coffee - towel fell off - put on your pants and shirt - go back and get your coffee] and spontaneity were enjoyable.

Remember, don't lose your choir. Enjoy the laughter that comes from doing the life-activity exercises; however when the laughter peaks, top it with more intensity. The dance of work and play, play and work - This dance is hard to learn.

Abigail, good work! Good head voice with creative contextualization at BBC. The refreshing water and luscious smelling rose outside the Underground Cafe saved us from the anxiety of the smelly giant. A couple of things:

1. Intensify your head voice away from us. Remember, your voice has to "effectually" call us to attention.
2. Try, perhaps, walking the 18 steps [was it?] while we are hissing on exhalation.
3. With a longer vignette, keep the life-activities moving, especially the transitions. The seams in the garment ["No seam in His garment / All else rags to hide"] can easily tear.

Great class! I enjoyed it. Melody, we missed you! I hope all is well.

Doc
"It's amazing, the Church can sing without PowerPoint! Soli Deo Gloria!"

Quiz Chapter Six

1. Only the bright human beings breathe through their A. toes B. heels C. knees D. nose The less intelligent breathe through their throats. [48]

2. [T or F] Finish the tone but not the expiration. [49]

3-10. Underline the life activities or objects mentioned as enhancing diaphragmatic activity:

1. Vigorous Running
2. Canine breathing
3. Feline meowing
4. Hobbit gibberish
5. Honey-tasting
6. Fast breathing from watching 24
7. Exhalation-hissing
8. Canine Barking
9. “Gospelicious” Bible Reading
10. Chapel-snoring [invigorates deep breathing and palate stimulating – also enhances multi-tasking skills]
11. Candle-smelling [preferably a Yankee Sweet Strawberry Tart]
12. Fat man and witchlike laughing
13. Window-puffing
14. Feather-playing
15. Balloon-filling
16. Soup-Cooling

These answers [8 correct] come from the 19 suggested diaphragm activity excercises [pp. 51-54]

11. Did you read chapter six in full for today’s class. "Will it be yes or no?" :/

Extra Credit [2 points]

On my blog comments for February 5, I mentioned “Two big ideas that dominated the atmosphere of the class. Which two:

1. Heavy Jaw
2. Tongue Relaxation
3. What to do with the vignette [jump out or stay in]
4. Diaphragm-pushing
5. Lip-relaxing
6. Head voice calling
7. Soft Palate Massaging

Chamber Singers Relaxation Exercise Vignette February 6

Perambulating in a pine forest near your log cabin, you happen upon the perfect Christmas tree. Overwhelmed with the intoxicating scent of a pine grove and hearing the snow crunch beneath your feet, you approach the tree. With an axe you’ve brought, you cut it down near the roots. You pick up the tree, walk it back to your red Jeep Cherokee, strapping it to the top of your mean red machine. [Now imagine] that you are in your living room of wood walls and red couches. You're looking at your tree. It's lighted now and ornamented; however it's missing one thing. It's missing its star. Reaching high to the tree’s top, you place the lighted angel on the top of the tree. As you feel the warmth of your home, the smell of the pine mingled with the fragrance of a Yankee candle sweet strawberry tart, you sigh with a feeling of domestic tranquility.

Quiz Five Scores

AM19 - 14/13
daddyzlittleangel - 10/13
dreams - 14/13
Flossy - 11/13
Jillian - 14/13
maviecestmusique - 10/13
potato splat - 14/13
shoedeedoodoo - 11/13
Thedairyqueen - 10/13

I thought we had a fine time this afternoon. There are two big ideas that dominated the atmosphere of the class. "Abiding" in these ideas will be our goal.

1. The head voice call. Jillian did a great job in her life activity exercise of using snatches of dialogue that we could all call back in the head voice. "Oh no! My tire is flat! Oh Well, I guess I'll go back to sleep!" Remember that head voice is high palate. It's up space created with the palate, not back and down space created with the tongue.

Remember that when you are calling, "the blinds can't be down." I opened the blinds so that we could see the mountain and call to that far away distance. If there's not a window, create one in the singer's imagination so that they can call somewhere. ["Hallelujah" and "Hosianna"] Don't forget the head voice call.

2. Diaphragm pushes in the upper voice. We'll work more on this later; however suffice it to say that bel canto singing is impossible without flexible pushes. Singing in the upper voice is impossible without this connection. Breath pressurization is impossible without it.

I love you. I am praying for you. Jillian, the energy and life you brought to your exercise was wonderful. We were with you. You stayed with your vignette. As was mentioned your exercise had a good shape. You took us from sleep to sleep. Now if I have a flat tire, I'll have a new attitude. I'll know that I can crawl back into my bed and sleep. I'm not sure what to tell you about the neck stretches you did:

1. Stay within the vignette and demonstrate
2. Jump out of the vignette for a moment and describe what you want them to
3. Find a body movement that correpsonds with the life activity you are describing.

I think 3 is the best if you can do it.

Doc

"None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God." Romans 3:11

Quiz Chapter Five

1. Vocal pedagogy could make a major step forward by using “exact” language. Which of the following expressions properly illustrate this “precise” language?
A. “Support the voice” B. “Sing on the breath” C. “Place the voice” D. None of these E. All of these [43]

2-3. Choose from the following list below and put them in the blanks to complete the following sentence. The correct word must be placed in the correct blank. In other words, if one of the correct words is chosen and put in the wrong place, the answer will be wrong.

The greater volume employed by the singer, the more the vowel will be modified from the basic word concept. [43]

1. consonant 2. vowel 3. equalized 4. modified 5. placement 6. supported 7. distorted 8. dynamics 9. line

4. Which comes first: A. Expanding the vocal tract B. Vowel modification [44]

5. Which of the following was not one of the three areas “that frequently carry tension and consequently affect vocal sound? A. jaw B. neck C. tongue D. shoulder E. A and C F. B and D [44]

6. Using the words “hallelujah” and “hosianna” your authors build resonance, support, and energy by teaching the: A. Yawn B. Relaxed Tongue C. Call D. Relaxed lips [45-46]

7. [T or F] Diaphragm “pushes” create tension in the singer and should be avoided on the ascending note as the leap occurs. [46]

8. On the upward leap, the choir simultaneously needs to A. Increase B. Decrease C. Maintain their support [46]

9. Which life activity was associated with “massaging” the soft palate? A. Cough B. Sneeze C. Snore D. Yawn [45]

10. With heavy jaw, what did your text ask you to imagine your jaw was full of? A. Heavy bone B. Heavy metal C. “He aint heavy, he’s my brother” D. Heavy brick [44]

11. Which [life -- oops, sorry about putting "animal"] activity exercise was not associated with tongue relaxation? A. Frogs catching flies B. licking whipped cream from the top of a Sundae C. drinking a glass of water D. None of these [45]

12. Which of the following were associated with the relaxation of the lips? A. A goldfish in a fishbowl at feeding time B. A cow eating grass C. The lips forming a tube and then relaxing C. Massaging the cheeks and lips forward as if kneading dough D. All of these E. A and B [45]

13. Did you read chapter 5 completely and fully for today? Yes

Bonus 1: On the blog I mentioned [Quiz 4 scores] that I thought the biggest idea from the class was: A. The conductor should continually create new vignettes for each relaxation exercise B. Think about the way you walk to the place from which you will conduct. C. Stay planted D. Eye contact with your students is vital E. Throw your speaking voice beyond the students F.Give singers more opportunity to inhale before asking them to exhale.

Bonus 2: Identify which of the above was Sarah’s critique of herself. [also referenced on the blog after-class comments] F. Give singers more opportunity to inhale before asking them to exhale