Getting Acquainted

     I'm  a singer. I like singing. I sing at school, and that is why I go to school. This is not always easy, in fact, at times it's extremely difficult. During the school year, life is a fine balance between practicing voice and piano, working insane hours at Campus Safety, going to all of those other classes, and trying to fit in time for eating and sleeping. Summer seems to be the time when most of my friend (and me, trust me, I'm guilty...) give up on singing, because school has made singing an academic activity. And summer academic activities....are hard.
     My project (which will unfold to you if you keep reading!) was proposed to me by my voice teacher during our last lesson of the school year. There are multiple situational circumstances that have led to this project becoming a good idea for me. One of them is this:

Tendinitis is a jerk. While I have discovered activities I can partake in, it has unabashedly taken away my ability to work this summer. Thank you, Tendinities. I'm sure my voice teacher will. 

Also, I tend to go a litttttle wonky when I have nothing to do during the summer. This includes agoraphobic moments, Netflix watching marathons, unsuccessfully attempting to learn the guitar, dyeing my hair odd colors, talking to my cats, contemplating Hemingway and just plain bizarre musings. 

   
     Those are the main catalyzing circumstances that have popped off the top of my head. If you continue following my blog, I'm sure more will pop up. So what is this wonderful project I speak of?!

     This will be my summer getting to know Nicola Vaccai, or, more precisely, getting to know his Practical Method of Italian Singing. I generally feel like getting to know an individuals music is much like getting to know them--so this summer I will be spending a wealth of time with Nicola. We'll be buds. There would be nothing more fulfilling than sitting in the backyard, sipping lemonade, chilling out with Nicola. So here I go.
     This summer's goals are as follows:

1. Get through all of the vocal exercises Vaccai's Practical Method of Italian Singing. This includes being able to sing the notes, not necessarily perfection. (Though, wouldn't that be nice?)
2. Not being a wimp. I've been forcefully instructed that wimping out is a bad thing, especially vocally. (Thanks, Holly ;]) 
3. Keep enjoying singing! After all, isn't that the point?
4. Finish learning and memorizing all of my repertoire for my Jr. Recital next Fall. Curious? Maybe I'll let you try to figure out that program by reading my blog.
5. Derive my own conclusions about swimming being good for singers' breath control. Swimming is about the only aerobic activity I can partake in.
6. Give YA'LL a source of entertainment!! Not only will I be writing about technical aspects of singing, I'll being doing some reading (Richard Miller, dundundunnnnnn), some research, laughing, crying, whining, singing, humming, youtube watching, and allowing you all into my rather interesting head for the course of the summer. This will result in some hilarity, I ensure you.

So there. Stay tuned for musings on life, opera, and art song, frustration with Benjamin Britten and miraculous vocal breakthroughs. ;)