I am half way through the second of three semesters of my MA Ritual Chant and Song program at the Irish World Academy of Song and Dance and I am still loving it. I suspect the singing has been the most challenging of everything I am doing here. Singing anything a cappella is not easy, but Gregorian chant is especially challenging. It requires exceptional vocal technique. That means an engaged diaghram, breath control,perfectly shaped vowels, its all about the Latin vowels,articulated forward in the mouth. You must create back space for resonance, keep the breath streaming through in order to solidly and beautifully sing this special chant.
As you can see, there is much to think of as one sets out to chant. After you set yourself up technique-wise there has to be an understanding of the text your are singing and an emotional connection to it. This is music that is truly sung from the deepest place.
I have come a long way since last semester. I am not singing chant perfectly. At times it is frustrating but I am not giving up. The Eger motto is to never, ever give up, and of course it would never occur to me to do so. Instead I am spending three and four hours at a time in a practice room, as my schedule permits, practicing chant and other music as well. My repetoire has expanded somewhat this semester with my elective chants. I am sing all allejuia chants, two Jewish, one Irish tradition, a Donegal Allejuia, one Gregorian chant and one Hildegarde Van Bingen, 12th century chant. I am working with the wonderful Irish soprano and theologian, Noirin Ni Riain.
Yesterday I had a very special opportunity to be accompanied by a very fine cello player, Alec Brown. Alec is from Kansas and asked me a couple weeks ago if I would like to collaborate. I was thrilled and yesterday we put some Jewish chants to the test. They are in a minor key and work so well with the cello. It was a wonderful first rehersal of three very special pieces, a Hallejuah,(150th Psalm... praise with resounding cymbals, praise with crashing symbols. Let all that breathes praise you, G-d.)We also worked on Avinu Malkenu, a chant sung at the Jewish High Holidays, and Shalom Alechem... peace be upon you angels of the Exalted One. We have a lunchtime concert coming up at the end of the month and I hope along with my Gregorian chant piece, to do two or three or these Jewish chants as my part of the program. I am excited and so pleased for this opportunity for collaboration with such a fine musician as Alec. This is a totally new experience with great potential. Alec loves to play in the minor key of G and I love to sing Gm as well!
All this new music, new ways of singing, new collaboration is a dream come true. Everytime I am in a practice room looking out over the River Shannon, I think to myself that all I have really ever longed to do was sing, sing all day long. And this is what I seem to be doing and I am so incredibly grateful to everyone here at the Irish World Academy or Song and Dance for challenging me and helping me to become a better singer. If the concert goes well I will post it to this site.
In the meantime here are some links to what I am working on.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7L5q_5oC-hw&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50pMiUj8MA4
And this is one of Noirin's http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2v8qxFo3nxM&playnext=1&list=PLFE4858620B9DC41D
Thanks so much for letting me share my joy of the journey.I feel very blessed.
Love from Glocca Morra.
No comments:
Post a Comment