Hello, Listers!
Well, its Monday, and I'd like to tell you about a musical experience I had on Saturday, a singular event in my singing life.
I sang in a Southern Gospel Music Concert. In the Chorus, and as a soloist out front.
Many of you know that I am a classically trained singer, with degrees in Music Education and Choral Conducting, and vocal work with a variety of excellent singing teachers. Through all of this training, these teachers and role models have instilled in me a personal core value: that vocal music is a synthesis of music and text which communicates vitally between the performer(s) and the listener. At its best, it totally immerses us in the message, the moods and the emotions; lifting and transporting us to a place where we experience something profoundly satisfying and affirming.
This concert was three hours of that sort of experience. There was no intermission. Except for a few short speeches, it was nonstop music by the choir, the groups and the band. Yes. A band. Lead and rhythm guitars, soprano sax, full drum kit, electronic keyboard, bass guitar & harmonica.
Several things make this concert unique for me. The chorus learned its parts, and sang the concert, WITHOUT printed music. I learned my solo off of a CD track. Though there were 37 (yup) musical selections, and the ensembles had their own distinct styles, the audience was openly appreciative of all the pieces.
There was quite a range of individual voices and vocal styles. One of the quartets has a spectacular tenor, distinctive in that his tone floats beautifully, with power and without apparent effort, up to and THROUGH the performance top of the typical, well-trained tenor voice, without a discernable break. On one of the songs, in one phrase he sang scalewise up to the Eb and F above tenor high C, and then came gracefully down again. Oh, and you could understand the words too.
In another group, a family consisting of a tenor, a contralto and a soprano did some fabulous singing. Yes, a contralto! Rich, ringing, chocolate-y sound... like a true Sweet Adelines Bass, with a well- modulated, powerful middle register as well. The soprano? This is the first time that I have heard a young singer (22 or 24) in person who could WITH CONTROL alternate between true belt and coordinated registration throughout her whole range.
All in all, though, this was the most fun concert that I have been involved in for a long time. Everybody openly had a good time. The performers and the listeners were there because they enjoy making and listening to this kind of music. And, you know, its fun to sing with a band, and to do a tune with a chorus backing you up. At least, it was for me.
All the best,
Steven Fraser
|