Thursday, September 5, 2013

Elizabeth VRH 9/5


Name: Emily Floyd
Breathing: I noticed some phrases where you are running out of breath, which must have meant that your error detection at breathing wasn’t good in the practice room… I think.
Intonation: Very good.
Timbre: The piece starts on a low note, but that doesn’t mean the timbre has to start dark!  Pretend you are singing a high note in terms of placement.
Diction: I thought your German was very appropriately done.
Expressiveness: I appreciated the expression you chose, now I would like a greater variety of expressions.
Overall Performance: I appreciated the very clear introduction, very very good.

Name: Amber Denslow
Breathing: I heard a breath in times that you were a bit panicked.  That means that the healthy drop breath is not fully incorporated into your current ability.
Intonation: I wished that that the pitch jumps on “les enemis ont tout pris, tout pris” were more specific in pitch. 
Timbre: I feel the timbre, not pitch, was flat and without direction.
Diction: I think you are getting the nasal vowels down, but I’m missing the bright [a] and [i]
Expressiveness: I noticed a very note by note, choppy approach to the line.  Just because there are fast notes, doesn’t mean that you need to lose the sense of smooth line.
Overall Performance: I understand fully that the piano part is difficult, but you need a bit more confidence in the amount of rests you have, so you can help guide the pianist! 

Name: Amber the younger...
Breathing: I think your breathing could be reduced in effectiveness by your shoulder placement.   I noticed that your go to posture is a bit slunched.  Energize the arms!
Intonation: Not a problem.
Timbre: Your placement is proper, but….something’s missing.  Cindy, I’m sucking at critiques!
Diction: I couldn’t understand super well.  I believe that is not due to consonants, but a lack of clarity and distinction between vowels. 
Expressiveness:  You seemed very nervous.  It’s all gonna be ok!
Overall Performance: Come to a performance fully prepared in how many bars of rest you have, and then lead the pianist along!  That’s a skill, if you develop it, that can impress.

Name: Michael Lechner
Breathing: The only way you could be getting the weird vocal results you are getting is through a super tense body and breathing system.
Intonation: Not too many problems.
Timbre: Good natural color, you can project well with that natural ability.  Now it’s time to extend that color to a greater part of your body.  The timbre needs room to grow!
Diction: I couldn’t understand you words, because there was no distinction between vowel color.  It sounded like a series of umlauts.
Expressiveness:  It seemed your only expression was “Will I get through this awful experience?”
Overall Performance: A bit painful to watch, actually.

Name: Jared Daley
Breathing: I really was encouraged by seeing a lateral expansion in the ribs, that’s a good thing!   #Dr.Cook
Intonation:  Good.
Timbre: I wish we could find a middle ground between your falsetto and belt, they are so different, which could be effective sometimes, but not all the time.  Your “all” at the last note, didn’t seem that it had a high enough placement to me.  You could perhaps practice that last note on an “ee” vowel instead.  or “oo”
Diction: I could understand it!  Rocking consonants
Expressiveness:  You are on such a good road, but the expression could be taken to the next level.  I could tell you checked out at times.
Overall Performance: You’ve got a Jean Valjean hiccup!  I dig it!

Name: Sarah Gee
Breathing: I think breathing for the high notes at the beginning of the first phrase would give you the support you need for the rest of the phrase.
Intonation: No comments
Timbre: In your middle range, it is such a pleasant sound.  Beautiful.
Diction: I couldn’t understand, which seemed to be due to a tightened down jaw, you don’t look free to open your mouth when you need to.
Expressiveness: You looked beautiful!  Just stop showing us you are nervous.
Overall Performance: I think you are going to be a star.

Name: Jordan Davis
Breathing: Cindy, I just don’t know about breathing!
Intonation: Your masked timbre hides the accuracy of pitch.  I don’t think you learned the pitches in the middle fast section accurately enough, go re-myelinate those.
Timbre: Masked
Diction: I could understand everthing!  Good on you
Expressiveness:  A little over earnest, which made it unrealistic.
Overall Performance: Eh

Name: Aubrianne Dunn
Breathing: chest breather
Intonation:  no glaring problems.
Timbre: backwards arrow that is hitting a foam pad….  I can explain this better in person.
Diction: Good
Expressiveness: I appreciated the honesty in expression, but the pre-planned hands aren’t doing anything for me.  Maybe a too large of expression in the voice, when it sounded like you were crying.
Overall Performance: A little ingenuine, but not offensive.

Name: Kayelee Farris
Breathing: I heard a lot of gaspy breaths.
Intonation: good
Timbre: I enjoyed that the tone was smooth and a bit forward.  Great sound on the high notes.
Diction: I would like more
Expressiveness:  I saw nothing but meaningless earnestness.  Didn’t have any realness.
Overall Performance: Communicate to the pianist beforehand what your tempo changes are, that’s not totally your fault though. 

Name: Emily Hess
Breathing: It seemed relaxed to me…
Intonation: Some flatness problems.  have the pitches so clearly in your mind that whenever the pianist messes up, you correct her!   You can be the authority figure. 
Timbre: The bridge between chest voice and head voice is huge, not cool.  You are not preparing your resonance for the high notes in the low notes.
Diction: didn’t have a problem.
Expressiveness: Confident introduction, but too much movement of the body.  You were also squirming throughout the performance.  In addition, looking at the floor is not a strong expressive choice.  Part of your expression including swinging your hips forward, which I think is hurting your posture.
Overall Performance: Don’t keeping walking forward!!  Stay with your pianist.  But generally nice.

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