Folks

I need a bit of a shake-up to sort me out. I'm in a rut with my singing.

As you know, I caught a cold the first week of February. It went to my throat and I lost my voice. I managed to get some of it back long enough to sing my recital on 14th February, then it disappeared again until very recently. Now I've hurt my neck, with a knock-on effect on my ability to sing.

So physically, I'm not doing much. Mentally I'm in an even worse place. My LTCL recital is coming up in the first week of April. I'll be doing the same recital as I did in February, so I know the pieces are there, fully committed to memory, worked in with my accompanist and the programme notes are written.

But this has happened TOO EARLY! I'm beginning to feel apathy or even antipathy towards the recital songs, and towards my singing in general. Not the way to approach a big exam.

I need something to shake me out of this flat patch. My singing teacher was ill just after I was, and is now away until mid March, so I can't consult him.

Help

Ummm... *hug*?

Here, have some Norwegian folk music. Always cheers me up.

Whaddya mean you need a bit of a Kick?

I'm not going to kick you when you're already feeling down.
Here, instead, have a big
HUG



Amber
x

Think Amber hit the nail on the head.... hug don't beat yourself, up, with your cold and your neck and the concert and your recital you've had an awfully rough month or so. Look after yourself. Is it worth resting your LTCL pieces for a while and just doing your technical work and fun stuff?
Just look after yourself!

Yes, everyone goes through periods like these *hug and chocolate*

A rut doesn't mean that you're doing badly, just that you've plateaued out, which isn't necessarily a bad thing

Leave your exam songs for a bit, just sing something that makes you feel happy, sing for pleasure for a few days.

You can do it

And don't forget the effects of the medication you're on. I'd be surprised if you were anything but feeling down , the way things are at the moment. Give yourself permission to have a sickie. You've got your recital under your belt, so you don't need to worry that you're losing time. Just do whatever you usually do when you want to take your mind off things - whether it's reading a good book or vegging out in front of the telly. And I'll join in the hugs.

And a hug from me, too. Having a cold really drags you down and saps your energy, so consider it normal that you feel as you do about EVERYTHING. Chill out or a few days - pop the Vit C, zinc and echinacea - not to mention a bedtime drink of lemon juice and ground ginger in hot water with a generous slug of scotch!
You'll soon feel better about life (AND your singing).

Ann

Thanks for all the hugs, folks, they really help.

At least my voice is working. It's just the outside of my neck that isn't. So it could be much worse!

Ann, thanks for the medicinal advice. Hot water and lemon is one of my regular tipples, especially if I'm the slightest bit cold-y. The scotch will have to wait a fortnight until I'm off the painkillers, though.

Dagny, thanks for the Norwegian music.

I've decided I shall just potter for a few days - a bit of Vaccai, a few other things I've bought as they looked interesting for when I have a moment but never got round to trying out, a lot of doing not a lot at all. I've just heard I've got an audition for an opera course I want to do - so I'll spend a little time choosing the pieces I'll sing for that (probably some of my ATCL stuff dusted off and tidied up again). The audition's on the 24th March, so I need to pull my socks up a bit!

Thanks again everyone

Katyjay

Silly me - I forgot - the lemon juice and ground ginger drink needs honey as well! Hope you feel better soon.

Ann

Sounds like a thoroughly good idea. Hope things perk up and you feel more yourself soon. Look after yourself, you only have one of you!

How about focussing on listening for a while?

Get hold of some recordings of stuff you're singing (or would like to sing) and listen to them first for enjoyment's sake, and then in a more focussed way analysing what you like or don't like about a performance, what you can learn from it, what techniques you might be able to incorporate into your own performance, things to avoid etc. Maybe go for something outside of your usual genre and see if there is anything you can learn or incorporate into your performing. Make notes and treat it as a project to last until you're fit to work properly on your voice again, or incorporate it into your ongoing study (maybe you already do?).

And of course, the best listening experience, see if there are any opportunities coming up to listen to some live music. I never fail to come away from a gig inspired to work harder at my own playing.