AVA thoughts...

What a great way to use a vacation day...

Spent the entire day at the AVA workshop today-LOVED it. The energy, the common interest of everyone there, the information I was able to absorb, everything.

Sat in on Lori Hetzel's talk on the changes the female voice goes through from puberty to maturity. I thought back, and sure enough, in the 8th grade, I was having a harder time singing first soprano, figured it was me personally, instead of my body changing, was bored in the soprano section anyway, so I switched to Alto II...lived there ever since...I even remember having difficulty singing with enough breath in church, for instance, just singing hymns. Funny-it's the normal process. Very interesting to hear her speak. Got more things to look up-oh, BOY!! More reading! (I'm actually really happy about that...)

Andre Thomas was wonderful. Quite the entertainer/teacher. Very involving, very engaging. Never dull. I watched him work the room with such specific intent and purpose-really fine.

I thoroughly liked his way of "re-attaching" the "Singing Head" to the body.Too many singers think that if the sound comes out of their mouths, that's all that's involved. He used specific physical movement/images to connect and give deeper meaning/internalization of what he's after-it becomes more about how it FEELS, than how it sounds. Simple movements that automatically give your body a different message and changes the sound production. Cool! Like cues for your brain to remember what the voice can do naturally...until we start thinking too much... Great habits/tips to follow. The connection of mind and body is incredible: Your body can help more than you think-it's VERY smart. Let it loose...


His afternoon session about his book on how to approach the spiritual was fascinating-made me want to learn tons more about that painful segment of our nation's history. Can't separate the music of a people from the history that created it. Sure changes how you hear a piece. His personal history is quite rich as well, making his interest in preserving the history and culture of his heritage all the more meaningful.

He walked the whole group across the floor while singing "Keep Your Lamps (trimmed and burning)" as if we were shackled together, unable to do more than drag the attached foot. Very powerful. Eye-opening.

These kinds of days, spent just sucking up music makes me blissfully happy and equally full of regret that I'm doing this all so late. I could have lived there the whole time...