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Help! I’ve been assigned to sing alto in choir but I’ve been told I’m a soprano?
Disclaimer: Voice types are not an exact science, this article reflects my experiences and observations, as well as some knowledge acquired from Pedagogical lessons. Always talk to your teacher if singing something feels too high or too low. One thing I heard very frequently at the beginning of the semester were first-years expressing confusion about what their voice type was. One after one, when asking what they sang, I was told variations of “I sing _ in choir but I thought I was a _.” I also remember feeling confused about this during my first year. Growing up, I had sang practically every part on the treble staves while in…
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Reflections on Mahler 2
It’s been roughly three days since I’ve returned home from my amazing experiences at the Grand Teton Music Festival, and I can’t help but to reflect on the beauty and symbolism of Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony. The work has always had tremendous symbolic meaning, especially within Mahler’s personal life. His life was not an easy one, and Mahler found himself in a shroud of darkness after the death of his children. Inspired by his pain, he composed Kindertotenlieder, (Literally translating to Children Dying Songs) a work of music and poetry about the death of children. This work angered his wife, who thought that the continued death in the family was due…
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Choirs, Churches, and Concerts Oh My!
My second day in Salt Lake was super busy, even for a Sunday. But, as many musicians know, Sunday is a huge day for music. Music is a very special and well loved part of religious services around the world, and my choirmate and I experienced it with one of our hosts. Last Sunday was Pioneer Day in Utah. The holiday is a Utah-specific holiday honoring the pioneers, most of which were LDS, who made the journey westward in search of religious freedom. We heard that the Mormon Tabernacle Choir was going to be performing at the LDS Conference Center as part of their Music and the Spoken Word broadcast.…
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First Days in Salt Lake City
It’s official! My Grand Teton Music Festival adventure has begun, and it has been amazing so far. Yesterday (Saturday, July 23) my day began with a flight to Salt Lake City, followed immediately by my first choir rehearsal with Dr. Barlow Bradford. The first rehearsal was thrilling, with amazing cohesive tone and sound that filled the room from the first downbeat. It is pretty incredible to be singing in the ensemble, as me and my University Choirmate are most likely the youngest singers in the ensemble. Mahler’s second symphony, known as the “Resurrection Symphony” has very special meaning. Mahler himself wrote the poem that accompanies the music, inspired by the…
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Reflections on Mahler 2
