Your school is hosting an awards ceremony for local community organisations. You have been asked to provide a 10-15 minute performance appropriate to the event.
Your work: Must be suitable for the audience
If you work as a group each candidate in the group must be able to show their contribution. Each candidate will be assessed individually.
TASK 1 Planning
1 My statement of personal aims:
Through my contribution to the event I would like to achieve the following goals:
I want to improve my confidence with performing on the viola, as well as my confidence with singing and playing piano on stage. I want to achieve a polished, well rounded set that an audience of all ages can enjoy.
I think that I have the following skills which I will use to help me achieve these goals:
I am already good at playing by ear on the viola; I often will just pick it up and play whatever I've been listening to. Recently, I've been practicing improvising with a backing track, although this proves fairly difficult as it's rarely in an easy key! This will help me improve playing by ear which means that I won't necessarily have to look at my sheet music in such detail. This means that I will have better stage presence whilst playing and if playing in a group, will find it easier to watch the conductor.
I feel like I am fairly organised and motivated, which are important skills I can apply to all areas of my work. I need my organisation to effectively rehearse every week, not to mention ensuring I have all the necessary music each rehearsal. My motivation is important as without it, I simply won't bother. I need to have the motivation to practice.
I will know if I’ve achieved it because:
To know I have achieved a well executed, polished set, I will listen back to my performances and evaluate the pieces, taking into account balance, articulation and tone. My chords should be legato so that the accompaniment doesn't feel forced. To know that it is well rounded, I will ensure I have at least one vocal piece and at least one viola piece. I will try to include different genres as well, perhaps a classical viola piece and a couple of theatre songs.
Hopefully, if the whole set is polished, well rounded, and I am pleased with the performance, it will be enjoyable to the audience. Through the practice, my confidence will grow. To know I am more confident, I will listen back and listen to how hesitant vs how fluid my playing is; my nerves often show through a lack of fluidity.
Hopefully, if the whole set is polished, well rounded, and I am pleased with the performance, it will be enjoyable to the audience. Through the practice, my confidence will grow. To know I am more confident, I will listen back and listen to how hesitant vs how fluid my playing is; my nerves often show through a lack of fluidity.
How I will meet the expectations of the audience:
At an awards evening, I would expect to hear polished pieces, and most likely some classical music, as it is often seen as more challenging. As it is also more traditional, it is seen as "elite", and schools like to show off their elite students. However, I know that schools also like to show off the talent and diversity of their students, so a variety of genres would be likely. This will also make a more interesting set list. As such, I will ensure my pieces are well executed and that I play a variety of genres, with a variety of instruments- voice, piano and viola.
I decided to do a survey of what music people would expect at a school awards ceremony. Here are some of the answers:
"I would expect classical and pop music ton appeal to a diverse range of people."
"I would expect a celebration of the students' best work."
"The pieces would sum to about ten or fifteen minutes."
"The performer should be confident and have good stage presence."
"I would expect a level of professionalism in that the performer is polite to the audience, and respect both ways, so the performer would receive applause. I would expect good posture and projection to ensure they can be heard."
"Clean, polite songs."
"Upbeat, cheerful, celebratory songs.The songs should be relatively short, around 3-4 minutes and very engaging. It should be current, so it engages a younger audience."
I decided to do a survey of what music people would expect at a school awards ceremony. Here are some of the answers:
"I would expect classical and pop music ton appeal to a diverse range of people."
"I would expect a celebration of the students' best work."
"The pieces would sum to about ten or fifteen minutes."
"The performer should be confident and have good stage presence."
"I would expect a level of professionalism in that the performer is polite to the audience, and respect both ways, so the performer would receive applause. I would expect good posture and projection to ensure they can be heard."
"Clean, polite songs."
"Upbeat, cheerful, celebratory songs.The songs should be relatively short, around 3-4 minutes and very engaging. It should be current, so it engages a younger audience."
2. Plan of my contribution to the performance
The requirements of the brief and how I will meet them:
The requirements of the brief and how I will meet them:
I need to create a 10-15 minute set that is appropriate for audiences of all ages. To do this, I will perform songs of several genres, such as folk, theatre and alternative because having several genres can appeal to many groups of people. I will ensure all of the songs are polite and don't cover particularly controversial topic areas. As it is for an awards evening, I will ensure the songs aren't too sarcastic (see; Congratulations from Hamilton).
What I intend to do:
What I intend to do:
I intend to perform on Wednesday 22 February 2017, on my school's stage. The songs I will play are;
- Glwysen (traditional Celtic)
- I Will Follow You Into The Dark (Death Cab for a Cutie/ the cover by George Blagden)
- Burn (Hamilton)
- The Wizard and I (Wicked)
First, I will play 'Glwysen'. It will be a good opening song because it is on my viola, whereas the others are all singing, so it is easier for me to play that first, rather than fiddle around with the instrument during the performance. Playing the viola piece first will therefore make the performance flow better. I have chosen this because at most awards evenings, some more classical music is played, and this is on a classical instrument and has a really beautiful melody.
Then, I will play 'I Will Follow You Into The Dark' because it is a different genre to the other two. I will perform a slightly different version, as George Blagden covered it on his YouTube channel, which is where I first heard it. He changed the lyrics slightly to fit the character he played in Les Miserables (Grantaire) and as Grantaire is one of my favourite characters (second only to Enjolras), I decided to keep it from his point of view.
I will play 'Burn' third as it is also on the piano, so it is easier to go straight into another song on the same instrument. I have chosen this because it is a beautiful song that gives me chills every time I listen to it, and the piano part is a lot harder than other songs I have played before, so it is more of a challenge. As it is from 'Hamilton', it is very current. 'Hamilton' is hugely popular, especially in America, and appeals to young people as the style is more similar to current pop music.
I will finish with 'The Wizard and I' because it is a huge, belty number which is really fun and upbeat, so fits the mood of an awards evening very well. As it is such a big number from such a big show, it will require a lot of confidence in order to be engaging. Whilst I know I can sing it, belting the top E requires a lot of warming up. Therefore, singing it last gives me longer to gain confidence and warm my voice up through the other songs, both of which involve relatively high belting.
Then, I will play 'I Will Follow You Into The Dark' because it is a different genre to the other two. I will perform a slightly different version, as George Blagden covered it on his YouTube channel, which is where I first heard it. He changed the lyrics slightly to fit the character he played in Les Miserables (Grantaire) and as Grantaire is one of my favourite characters (second only to Enjolras), I decided to keep it from his point of view.
I will play 'Burn' third as it is also on the piano, so it is easier to go straight into another song on the same instrument. I have chosen this because it is a beautiful song that gives me chills every time I listen to it, and the piano part is a lot harder than other songs I have played before, so it is more of a challenge. As it is from 'Hamilton', it is very current. 'Hamilton' is hugely popular, especially in America, and appeals to young people as the style is more similar to current pop music.
I will finish with 'The Wizard and I' because it is a huge, belty number which is really fun and upbeat, so fits the mood of an awards evening very well. As it is such a big number from such a big show, it will require a lot of confidence in order to be engaging. Whilst I know I can sing it, belting the top E requires a lot of warming up. Therefore, singing it last gives me longer to gain confidence and warm my voice up through the other songs, both of which involve relatively high belting.
How I will do it:
Every week, I will spend an hour of focussed rehearsal time at school. I will try to record myself once every three weeks to listen back so I know where I need to improve. As I cannot bring my viola into school on Thursdays (music days), I will practice my viola piece at home and ensure I polish my technique in my viola lessons. As for my singing pieces, I will work most on The Wizard and I because vocally, it is most difficult- it has a wide range and some high belting notes. I want this to have the best sound possible, especially as it is my final song. As this song requires a lot of confidence, I will put some movement to it so that it feels that I am in character, rather than simply performing the song.
My dress rehearsal will be a week before the event, and I will use that time to ensure everything runs smoothly and watch back to identify anywhere I need to polish before the final event, including stage presence and general confidence.
My dress rehearsal will be a week before the event, and I will use that time to ensure everything runs smoothly and watch back to identify anywhere I need to polish before the final event, including stage presence and general confidence.
Who I will need to involve:
I will need to involve my vocal and viola teachers, as they can give me direct advice on how to improve my technique. I will also need to discuss with the other performers/composers who will be contributing to the event in order to ensure my performance fits well with the order of other songs.
I will also need to ask Miss Rotchell to play the piano accompaniment to 'Glwysen' and provide her with a copy of the music. We will need to rehearse to ensure timings are accurate as this is one of my biggest weaknesses with playing my viola.
I will also include the sound crew and school concert crew as they will manage all of the technical aspects. Without them, the production would not run smoothly at all!
The resources I will need:
On the day, I will need to bring my viola and sheet music for 'Glwysen'. I will also need a piano on stage, and a microphone on a stand by the piano. I do not need lyrics or chords for this as I will learn them by heart. For 'The Wizard and I', I will need a backing track and computer to play this on, as well as a mic, although I will probably use the mic I'm using for my other songs. I will discuss this with the Concert Crew in advance.
The time needed for each song/ activity:
Firstly, I have 20 minute instrumental lessons in which I will practice and refine my technique.
I also have hour long rehearsals in school, where I can run through my set, focusing on aspects which I find more difficult, and ensuring all the music flows fluently.
My dress rehearsal will likely be two to three hours as we may need to repeat songs, and we won't be used to setting up effectively for each performance. Due to this, it is likely to drag on longer than the real performance.
The real performance will be in a two hour slot for about half of the class to perform or present their performances. This will (I believe) include setting up before we start.
As of yet, I haven't timed my set, but I believe all of my songs come to around 13 or 14 minutes.
Health and safety issues for rehearsals and the performances:
During 'The Wizard and I', I will most likely be moving around on stage. I have to be careful not to trip on a cable or the front lip of the stage, as I could injure myself. I will also have to ensure the balance is appropriate and the noise levels are not too high, in order not to damage my/the audience's ears. As for the balance, the backing track or piano shouldn't be too loud so that I don't strain my voice. I have to be careful when working with others so that whilst setting up, I don't walk into people.
To ensure nothing dangerous is on stage, a member of Concert Crew will be on hand at all times. The audience will not be over full, which could cause overheating or even a claustrophobia attack.
To ensure nothing dangerous is on stage, a member of Concert Crew will be on hand at all times. The audience will not be over full, which could cause overheating or even a claustrophobia attack.
Style and Image:
The style of my pieces has some degree of variety as I am performing songs from three different genres- folk, alternative and theatre. This is because for a community awards evening, there will be a variety of groups and I would like to appeal to all of them; hence a more traditional folk piece on a classical instrument; an alternative piece as some variety; and two theatre pieces because my personal style is theatre centred and there could be community theatre groups in the audience.
As I mentioned, my personal style is theatre centred; I am a part of a local drama group, I help out with the school theatre club and I listen almost exclusively to musical theatre cast albums. This could appeal to the audience as songs with acting tend to be more interesting and exciting for an audience to watch, For the performance, I will wear a black and gold dress that I wore for a show last year. It is quite formal so suits the tone of a concert. This, coupled with good posture and a polished performance, will result in a high level of professionalism, which is appropriate for the audience as they will expect a polished performance if it is at an awards ceremony!
As I mentioned, my personal style is theatre centred; I am a part of a local drama group, I help out with the school theatre club and I listen almost exclusively to musical theatre cast albums. This could appeal to the audience as songs with acting tend to be more interesting and exciting for an audience to watch, For the performance, I will wear a black and gold dress that I wore for a show last year. It is quite formal so suits the tone of a concert. This, coupled with good posture and a polished performance, will result in a high level of professionalism, which is appropriate for the audience as they will expect a polished performance if it is at an awards ceremony!
Ideas for the performance:
To ensure everything runs smoothly, I will help organise a clear set list and clarify this with the Concert and Sound Crew before the event. This will ensure the event runs smoothly. I will bring in my own costume, and wear a relatively professional looking dress. This will mean that the event feels more professional.
I will discuss set up with the Concert Crew beforehand and I will help them to set up however they may need me to, including just staying out of the way!
I will discuss set up with the Concert Crew beforehand and I will help them to set up however they may need me to, including just staying out of the way!
Staging and equipment needs:
I will need my viola and a music stand, along with my music for Glwysen.I will also need a piano, microphone and microphone stand. The viola and piano are fairly self explanatory as I need them to perform with, pretty much. The mic and stand will be used for my viola and piano pieces, to amplify my viola/voice without having to hold it-- I can hardly use both hands and hold a microphone at the same time! The music and stand are simply because I will not be able to fully memorise the viola piece before February. However, I will try to know it as well as possible and put the stand to the side so it does not block the audience's view of me.
For 'The Wizard and I', I will not move around as much as the original choreography, just in case I trip or injure myself as we do not have a wireless mic. Instead, I will do all of my movements and gestures from a stationary position, so that the performance is still engaging. In order to engage the audience whilst playing an instrument, I will position the piano to face the audience. I will also take the music stand down so that they can see me as well as possible! For my viola piece, I will stand centre stage, with the music slightly to my side, so that the audience doesn't have an obscured view of me.
Rehearsal Schedule
Rehearsal 1: 4th January (CONTROLLED ASSESSMENT)
Plan: I hope to completely decide on my setlist and practice my three vocal performances.
Actuality: I have almost decided on all my songs, I just need to choose between two viola songs. I also successfully ran through all three songs, and practiced 'The Wizard and I' twice, mostly working on the belty parts.
Before next lesson: With the help of Amber, Jenny and some friends and family(who will tell me which of the two they prefer), I will decide on my viola piece.
Rehearsals at home:
My dad recently bought a new keyboard so I have been practicing my piano pieces a lot. The keyboard is similar to the ones at school and has weighted keys and a pedal, so it is much easier to practice effectively. I have played through Burn and I Will Follow You Into The Dark several times.
I have also finally decided on my viola piece- Glwysen (meaning "the fairest one"), by Edward Jones. It is lovely, if relatively short, and I chose it because it uses a lot of lower tones so really shows off the rich tones of my viola.
I recorded one of my early practices with a backing track, so I can see where I need to practice.
I feel like the opening of this performance was not well executed; the bowing was sloppy and I can hear that my bow needs rosining! Throughout the piece, I noticed that my bow control was bad, and the bow bounced a lot. The rhythms were out in several places and the backing was inaudible, even to me when I was playing! Due to this, I was out of time a lot, so some parts were rushed and some were too slow. In the different verse, I missed the string when I had a large pitch change (from D string to C string). In several places, I was hesitant, and you can tell that I didn't know the song well. The ending was sloppy.
From this, I know that I need to practice the rhythms and tuning in places. Mostly, I just need to practice it until I know the song inside out and can play it well with an accompaniment.
Plan: I hope to completely decide on my setlist and practice my three vocal performances.
Actuality: I have almost decided on all my songs, I just need to choose between two viola songs. I also successfully ran through all three songs, and practiced 'The Wizard and I' twice, mostly working on the belty parts.
Before next lesson: With the help of Amber, Jenny and some friends and family(who will tell me which of the two they prefer), I will decide on my viola piece.
Rehearsals at home:
My dad recently bought a new keyboard so I have been practicing my piano pieces a lot. The keyboard is similar to the ones at school and has weighted keys and a pedal, so it is much easier to practice effectively. I have played through Burn and I Will Follow You Into The Dark several times.
I have also finally decided on my viola piece- Glwysen (meaning "the fairest one"), by Edward Jones. It is lovely, if relatively short, and I chose it because it uses a lot of lower tones so really shows off the rich tones of my viola.
I recorded one of my early practices with a backing track, so I can see where I need to practice.
I feel like the opening of this performance was not well executed; the bowing was sloppy and I can hear that my bow needs rosining! Throughout the piece, I noticed that my bow control was bad, and the bow bounced a lot. The rhythms were out in several places and the backing was inaudible, even to me when I was playing! Due to this, I was out of time a lot, so some parts were rushed and some were too slow. In the different verse, I missed the string when I had a large pitch change (from D string to C string). In several places, I was hesitant, and you can tell that I didn't know the song well. The ending was sloppy.
From this, I know that I need to practice the rhythms and tuning in places. Mostly, I just need to practice it until I know the song inside out and can play it well with an accompaniment.
Rehearsal 2: 5th January (CONTROLLED ASSESSMENT)
Plan: I will bring my viola in and work on Glwysen, especially on the timings. I will ask Miss if she can accompany me, and hopefully practice with her, but I will also bring the CD backing track in case.
Actuality: I practiced all of my songs except for The Wizard and I, then spoke to Miss Rotchell about my viola piece. We practiced it through quickly, then I practiced Glwysen several times separately. I made sure to be careful about my timings and incidentals. I also practiced my other pieces twice and played I Will Follow You Into The Dark with a metronome, because I know that I don't keep a constant tempo.
Teacher Feedback: I need to highlights sharps and flats in some places and ensure I practice the transition between both parts of the song.
Before next lesson: I will continue practicing all of the pieces at home and I will try to download a backing track for The Wizard And I to my phone/iPod so that I can practice at school.
Rehearsal 3: 12th January
Plan: I will work on 'The Wizard and I' and my breathing control, so I know that my diaphragm will support the high notes. I will try to record.
Actuality: I worked on 'The Wizard and I' several times, ensuring I was breathing properly and working on the movements so that it presents better on stage. I also practiced 'Glwysen' several times. Finally, I practiced 'Burn' with a backing track (I was in a room without a piano). I was considering using a backing track for the final performance, as I really love the original show choreography and I think it would work well with the movement. However, the movement does include burning paper and I don't think it is a good idea due to the health and safety implications of fire.
Teacher feedback: Write in dynamics (none are written in the original piece).
I have done so, adding a crescendo to the middle of the piece and a slight diminuendo to the end.
Before next lesson: I will practice all my pieces at home.
Viola: We practiced Glwysen in some detail, as my rhythms are wrong in places. Miss played the piano so I could practice with an accompaniment. She wants me to try some others from the same book (such as a bluegrass once called 'Blackberry Blossom').
Vocal: Unfortunately I had caught a bug and my voice was practically non-existent during my lesson. We did some gentle warm ups and practiced 'What I Did For Love', but not belting any of it. I have told her that I would like to work on 'The Wizard and I' and we plan to do so next week.
Plan: I will bring my viola in and work on Glwysen, especially on the timings. I will ask Miss if she can accompany me, and hopefully practice with her, but I will also bring the CD backing track in case.
Actuality: I practiced all of my songs except for The Wizard and I, then spoke to Miss Rotchell about my viola piece. We practiced it through quickly, then I practiced Glwysen several times separately. I made sure to be careful about my timings and incidentals. I also practiced my other pieces twice and played I Will Follow You Into The Dark with a metronome, because I know that I don't keep a constant tempo.
Teacher Feedback: I need to highlights sharps and flats in some places and ensure I practice the transition between both parts of the song.
Before next lesson: I will continue practicing all of the pieces at home and I will try to download a backing track for The Wizard And I to my phone/iPod so that I can practice at school.
Rehearsal 3: 12th January
Plan: I will work on 'The Wizard and I' and my breathing control, so I know that my diaphragm will support the high notes. I will try to record.
Actuality: I worked on 'The Wizard and I' several times, ensuring I was breathing properly and working on the movements so that it presents better on stage. I also practiced 'Glwysen' several times. Finally, I practiced 'Burn' with a backing track (I was in a room without a piano). I was considering using a backing track for the final performance, as I really love the original show choreography and I think it would work well with the movement. However, the movement does include burning paper and I don't think it is a good idea due to the health and safety implications of fire.
Teacher feedback: Write in dynamics (none are written in the original piece).
I have done so, adding a crescendo to the middle of the piece and a slight diminuendo to the end.
Before next lesson: I will practice all my pieces at home.
Viola: We practiced Glwysen in some detail, as my rhythms are wrong in places. Miss played the piano so I could practice with an accompaniment. She wants me to try some others from the same book (such as a bluegrass once called 'Blackberry Blossom').
Vocal: Unfortunately I had caught a bug and my voice was practically non-existent during my lesson. We did some gentle warm ups and practiced 'What I Did For Love', but not belting any of it. I have told her that I would like to work on 'The Wizard and I' and we plan to do so next week.
Rehearsal 4: 19th January
Plan: I will work on 'Burn', focussing on the bridge, as this is the most difficult part. I will also try to work out how to make the performance appealing to the audience through some movement (even at the piano).
Actuality: I practiced 'Burn' several times until I was happy with it. I then played it to Amber, who thought "It has improved a lot, but the ending needs work because it feels like it ends before it does." This shows me that I need to put some sort of instrumental interlude between the and of the main belt and the final line.
Before next lesson: I will practice the ending of 'Burn' so I feel it is ready to record next week.
Viola: We worked on Glwysen and miss thinks that it is pretty much finished. We started work on another piece called 'Blackberry Blossom', which is a bluegrass piece. She wants me to develop new styles of playing.
Vocal: We worked through 'The Wizard and I' and I was fairly pleased with my performance as I no longer have to alter the tune slightly because I can now reach the lowest note!
Tutor feedback: you need to work on your breathing as some of the main belty notes are a little unsupported.
Actuality: I practiced 'Burn' several times until I was happy with it. I then played it to Amber, who thought "It has improved a lot, but the ending needs work because it feels like it ends before it does." This shows me that I need to put some sort of instrumental interlude between the and of the main belt and the final line.
Before next lesson: I will practice the ending of 'Burn' so I feel it is ready to record next week.
Viola: We worked on Glwysen and miss thinks that it is pretty much finished. We started work on another piece called 'Blackberry Blossom', which is a bluegrass piece. She wants me to develop new styles of playing.
Vocal: We worked through 'The Wizard and I' and I was fairly pleased with my performance as I no longer have to alter the tune slightly because I can now reach the lowest note!
Tutor feedback: you need to work on your breathing as some of the main belty notes are a little unsupported.
Rehearsal 5: 26th January
Plan: I will work on 'I Will Follow You Into The Dark', focussing on the chord transitions, as at the moment, I feel it is a bit same-y throughout. I will try to record this and 'Burn'.
Actuality: Today I rehearsed 'Burn' and 'I Will Follow You Into The Dark' several times. I also recorded both of these songs, although I know I made some mistakes. I will listen back to these after miss has uploaded them so I know where to focus on.
Before next lesson: Over the week, I will continue to practice and focus on 'The Wizard and I'.
Viola: My teacher was not in so I did not have a lesson.
Vocal: I practiced 'The Wizard and I', and learnt several voice-strengthening exercises so I know I can warm up efficiently- I need to belt a high E so I have to warm up well! I also played 'Burn' and she said that it was very well done and very emotional. I just need to ensure that my diction is clear.
Actuality: Today I rehearsed 'Burn' and 'I Will Follow You Into The Dark' several times. I also recorded both of these songs, although I know I made some mistakes. I will listen back to these after miss has uploaded them so I know where to focus on.
Before next lesson: Over the week, I will continue to practice and focus on 'The Wizard and I'.
Viola: My teacher was not in so I did not have a lesson.
Vocal: I practiced 'The Wizard and I', and learnt several voice-strengthening exercises so I know I can warm up efficiently- I need to belt a high E so I have to warm up well! I also played 'Burn' and she said that it was very well done and very emotional. I just need to ensure that my diction is clear.
I Will Follow You Into The Dark:
In all honesty, I am thoroughly disheartened by this recording. My chords were sloppy, clear at the start from how I held the note longer than I should have whilst searching for a chord; and several instances of having to restart a line because the chords were incorrect. In the chorus, I sang "embarks" over too many notes- I sand three, but it would be better with just two. There were no dynamic changes, so it was a little flat and bland. There were a few errors with my pitching which I need to sort out.
However, I did like the gentle sadness in "I heard every word that he said".
Unfortunately, this one lovely line is more than countered by the next chorus. I seemed to forget my notes and was not only underwhelmed but wincing at my own performance. Hopefully, a lot of the tone problems were due to recording problems and the song will be better live. Regardless, I need to practice this a lot.
In all honesty, I am thoroughly disheartened by this recording. My chords were sloppy, clear at the start from how I held the note longer than I should have whilst searching for a chord; and several instances of having to restart a line because the chords were incorrect. In the chorus, I sang "embarks" over too many notes- I sand three, but it would be better with just two. There were no dynamic changes, so it was a little flat and bland. There were a few errors with my pitching which I need to sort out.
However, I did like the gentle sadness in "I heard every word that he said".
Unfortunately, this one lovely line is more than countered by the next chorus. I seemed to forget my notes and was not only underwhelmed but wincing at my own performance. Hopefully, a lot of the tone problems were due to recording problems and the song will be better live. Regardless, I need to practice this a lot.
Burn
From the first few notes of this, I knew that this was set to be a lot better than my other recording. There was some hesitation in my chords at the start and a slight timing error (I needed to cough so that threw me a little bit). There is variety in the styles of chords- straight chords, broken chords and just the base line. This makes the accompaniment more interesting. Unfortunately, I forgot the chords at the start of the chorus and the singing was shaky; I simply didn't breathe properly and couldn't support the note.
I was particularly pleased with the emotion I put into the song. As I am sitting at a piano for this, all my acting needs to be in my voice, so I try and convey Eliza's heartbreak over her husband's affair through my singing alone. Although the chords were a little uncertain in the bridge, I was pleased with it, as I managed to hit the top note without straining. There was also a lot of emotion in this part. The final line made me very happy, as it is very emotional and sweet.
From this, I know that I need to practice the chords a few more times, but it is almost ready!
Rehearsal 6: 2nd February
Plan: I will run through all my pieces and time them to see how long my set is. I think it is unlikely that it will be too short, so I only hope it won't be too long!
Actuality: I played through 'Glwysen' several times with Miss. We decided that as the music is laid out over the turn of a page, she needs a page turner. Eliza has agreed to do this.
I also timed all four pieces; they come to 12:39, excluding switching between pieces and moving around. This is well within the time limit, so it will be fine. I also recorded 'the Wizard and I'
Peer feedback: Jenny said that 'the Wizard and I' is very good but I need to ensure the transitions between some notes are more smooth. I also need to work on diction because some of the words are lost.
Before next lesson: I will practice 'I Will Follow You into the Dark' because that it my least polished song.
Viola: I practiced 'Glwysen' and she said that it is performance level.
Vocal: I played 'I Will Follow You into the Dark' and we worked through adding some dynamics to try and make it more interesting. We also worked through the ending of 'the wizard and I' and miss is happy that it isn't shouty or strained.
Actuality: I played through 'Glwysen' several times with Miss. We decided that as the music is laid out over the turn of a page, she needs a page turner. Eliza has agreed to do this.
I also timed all four pieces; they come to 12:39, excluding switching between pieces and moving around. This is well within the time limit, so it will be fine. I also recorded 'the Wizard and I'
Peer feedback: Jenny said that 'the Wizard and I' is very good but I need to ensure the transitions between some notes are more smooth. I also need to work on diction because some of the words are lost.
Before next lesson: I will practice 'I Will Follow You into the Dark' because that it my least polished song.
Viola: I practiced 'Glwysen' and she said that it is performance level.
Vocal: I played 'I Will Follow You into the Dark' and we worked through adding some dynamics to try and make it more interesting. We also worked through the ending of 'the wizard and I' and miss is happy that it isn't shouty or strained.
The Wizard and I:
While the hesitation at the start was intentional, as the character I am portraying is confused, I felt I took this a little too far, but this is easily rectifiable. I also felt that parts of the piece was slightly nasal, especially in the bridge. On the other hand, my vibrato was good and the whole piece was very expressive. The low Gb3- which is right at the bottom of my range- was weak, but I did hit it. I also managed to belt that E5, although I had a slight voice crack on a later line "so it will be for the rest of my life". This is because it was unsupported, so just comes with better breathing and diaphragm control, which comes with practice. I also found that there was a slight pitching error on the line "all of Oz has to love you" and my accent was... changeable. Again, practice. Unfortunately, the word "team" was shouted slightly (that's the top E- while I hit it solidly, the tone was less good) and I ran out of breath on the final "and I!", which is perhaps expected.
Overall, all the negatives I've listed are very slight and will come with practice, whereas the positives tend to be more to do with the acting, which is less easy to learn, or my vibrato, which takes longer to learn (years, not weeks!). My tone was also mostly nice, which is again, more to do with my natural ability. As such, I am proud of this, even though I know it isn't perfect.
DRESS REHEARSAL ON STAGE and rehearsal in practice room: 8th February (2 hours CONTROLLED ASSESSMENT)
Plan: I will run through all my pieces in order on stage to ensure everything will run smoothly.
Actuality: I performed my entire set list in order, on stage, as if it were my real performance. The only thing missing was my costume. I was almost satisfied with it, given that I had a cold, but it was not at a level I am happy with at all.
Before next lesson: PRACTICE
Actuality: I performed my entire set list in order, on stage, as if it were my real performance. The only thing missing was my costume. I was almost satisfied with it, given that I had a cold, but it was not at a level I am happy with at all.
Before next lesson: PRACTICE
Rehearsal 7: 9th February
Plan: Once again, I will run through all my pieces in order and try to identify any problems. I will then polish each of my pieces.
Actuality: I practiced 'I Will Follow You Into The Dark' until I was beyond fed up with it, but somehow still didn't manage to play it correctly. As by this point around 45 minutes had passed, I quickly practiced 'Burn' and then 'The Wizard and I'.
Before next lesson: I will practice a lot next week, every single piece.
Viola: she wasn't in.
Vocal: I performed all three pieces for her.
Actuality: I practiced 'I Will Follow You Into The Dark' until I was beyond fed up with it, but somehow still didn't manage to play it correctly. As by this point around 45 minutes had passed, I quickly practiced 'Burn' and then 'The Wizard and I'.
Before next lesson: I will practice a lot next week, every single piece.
Viola: she wasn't in.
Vocal: I performed all three pieces for her.
PERFORMANCE: WEDNESDAY 22nd February
Dress Rehearsal Evaluation
Strengths Reflection:
On the whole, the majority of my pieces were played with a degree of accuracy; the majority of each song was played correctly. The balance was mostly good, so the piano didn't drown me out (or vice versa). The theatre songs were certainly in the correct style, although I feel like 'I Will Follow You Into The Dark' may have slipped into a more pop-y style. On the other hand, this does suit the song and a cover does not have to be an exact copy. 'Glwysen' was also in the original style. All health and safety precautions were followed. While I was unhappy with 'I Will Follow You Into The Dark', the actual tone was nice, and my vibrato was lovely.
I think that my stage presence was mostly good, especially in 'The Wizard and I'. My expression and the emotion I put into 'Burn' was also nice, as was the final note. I also managed to (just about) belt the top note in 'the Wizard and I' which I was very happy about as my voice was unhappy and I had a cold. In 'Glwysen', although I didn't necessarily have stage presence per se, my posture was good so I did look quite professional.
As my set list is very varied, I think it was engaging. The pieces were a good order as when my voice is fully recovered, 'The Wizard and I' is by far and away my best song. As such. I think I have met the brief.
I think that my stage presence was mostly good, especially in 'The Wizard and I'. My expression and the emotion I put into 'Burn' was also nice, as was the final note. I also managed to (just about) belt the top note in 'the Wizard and I' which I was very happy about as my voice was unhappy and I had a cold. In 'Glwysen', although I didn't necessarily have stage presence per se, my posture was good so I did look quite professional.
As my set list is very varied, I think it was engaging. The pieces were a good order as when my voice is fully recovered, 'The Wizard and I' is by far and away my best song. As such. I think I have met the brief.
Improvement Reflection:
First of all, my chords were a mess. I messed them up several times in both piano pieces. This is particularly disheartening as I thought I knew 'Burn' inside out. My voice also cracked on one of the top notes in 'the Wizard and I' (though interestingly I hit the E5 and cracked on a D5...). I need more support in this note, although hopefully it was mostly because of my cold! As for 'Glwysen', a couple of the notes were incorrect and in a few places I accidentally double-stopped a note.
Also, the whole of 'I Will Follow You Into The Dark' was messy. The chords were sloppy and I had to re-do several parts of it. The whole song was hesitant and my voice was slightly shaky. In 'Burn', I lost breath control and the first long note slipped. I also had a few pitching, timing and chord errors.
One of the major weaknesses in the performance was the tech. Around eight to ten minutes of the performance were taken up by technical issues; moving mics, playing music, mics not working, the list goes on. Hopefully, now that we have practiced with our tech crew once, they will know more extensively what we need.
While I did introduce each piece, I didn't introduce myself or the pieces in any detail. I also did not look up at the audience whilst introducing them which meant the audience lost some interest. Also, I only wore my school uniform so I did not look very professional.
Improvement #1: image
Strategy: I will write something to say about each song and I will bring in a costume (for want of a better term) that looks more professional.
Improvement #2: keep interest
Strategy: Instead of introducing the song before immediately I sing it, I will introduce all of my pieces at the very start.
Improvement #3: accuracy.
Strategy: I need to practice. Practice, practice, practice. I will practice chords without singing until I get it perfect ten times in a row. Then I will practice with singing until I get it perfect ten times in a row. Then I will repeat the process with the next song.
Then I will do the same the next day.
And five times the next.
(And so on...)
Then I will do the same the next day.
And five times the next.
(And so on...)
Feedback from others:
- engaging stage presence
- good projection
- carried on despite mistakes
- very emotive, meaning a more engaging performance
- viola was clear
- in keeping with style
- good stage presence
- emotive and expressive- well acted
- varied set
- well ordered setlist
- confident
- "vocal tone almost perfect"
- good choices that suit my voice
- more support needed for some high notes
- slow technical changes
- balance slightly off
- need to look up whilst talking to audience
- music was out of time for 'The Wizard and I'- tech crew need to sort it, also first time using that track so it's understandable.
- slight pitching errors towards the end
- need to work on transitions
- look up more!
- clean up piano in 'Burn'
- I should stop grabbing my skirt!
How this feedback helped with my evaluation of the performance:
Honestly, I hadn't noticed that I kept clutching my skirt, so having that pointed out will help with my stage presence. I will try to add slightly more movement for 'The Wizard and I' as well, so it won't have dips in the energy level. A lot of what was written was "sort out the piano" which I wholeheartedly agree with, and need to do.
Conclusion:
On the whole, the vocal tone was nice and accuracy was consistent for the majority of each piece. However, there were several slip-ups that urgently need practice. Timing was an issue in places and a lot of practice is necessary to polish the set to performance level, which I hadn't really realised before. My confidence was relatively high, although I think nerves caused me to slip up quite a bit in 'I Will Follow You Into The Dark'. 'Glwysen' was good, although needs a little more polishing in places. 'Burn' was possibly the worst I have performed it in a long while, so I need to practice performing in front of others. 'The Wizard and I' was not terrible, but there were some pitching errors and my voice cracked.
The main issue was technical changes between pieces. In future, this should run more smoothly as the tech crew now know exactly what needs doing. Overall, every piece needs a lot more practice, but I hope that it will be to performance standard by the real thing!
The main issue was technical changes between pieces. In future, this should run more smoothly as the tech crew now know exactly what needs doing. Overall, every piece needs a lot more practice, but I hope that it will be to performance standard by the real thing!
FINAL LIVE MUSIC PERFORMANCE
TASK 3 Evaluation
Strengths Reflection:
Strengths Reflection:
This performance ran much more smoothly than the rehearsal. By now, the tech crew knew what they were doing, so there was no more than a minute between songs- and that was between 'Glwysen' and 'I Will Follow You Into The Dark', so I had to hand my viola to someone and go onstage to the piano and turn the mic on etc etc. And one minute is much better than five or six!
The microphones worked much better this time and the mic stands were stable! This made it much easier to perform as I didn't have to worry about tech.
The microphones worked much better this time and the mic stands were stable! This made it much easier to perform as I didn't have to worry about tech.
I was particularly pleased with my vibrato in 'Glwysen' and my posture was good. I think I looked a lot more professional, because I was wearing as close to a concert dress as I have. It was also really nice to have miss playing on the grand piano as it has a much nicer sound than the other piano.
'I Will Follow You Into the Dark' was almost perfect, chord wise, and much better than my previous performance! I had a lovely tone to my voice and my vibrato was strong but not overpowering. I also liked the dynamic and tempo change for "and I heard every word that he said"; it gives the piece more variety and interest and it is more expressive.
'Burn' was emotional and expressive. My vibrato was good, especially on the long notes in the chorus. The verse beginning "I'm erasing myself from the narrative" was particularly emotive and proved a lovely change from the previous verse, which was angry and bitter; this verse was sad and heartfelt. My belt for the bridge was powerful, even at a D5 (not so high as my next song, but a good warm up to it!). The penultimate line, "I hope that you..." was sung in my head voice, which I found to be more expressive; it felt more raw as there was less emphasis on technique.
Finally, in 'The Wizard and I', I was pleased as I hit the low Gb3 and my vibrato was strong. The belt throughout was powerful and my tone was nice- I wasn't shouting at all. The emotion throughout was excited and happy, which was engaging for my audience, as the upbeat emotion I portrayed could rub off onto them. I also belted the E5 well and my voice didn't crack at all. This was possibly the best I have performed it so I was very happy.
'Burn' was emotional and expressive. My vibrato was good, especially on the long notes in the chorus. The verse beginning "I'm erasing myself from the narrative" was particularly emotive and proved a lovely change from the previous verse, which was angry and bitter; this verse was sad and heartfelt. My belt for the bridge was powerful, even at a D5 (not so high as my next song, but a good warm up to it!). The penultimate line, "I hope that you..." was sung in my head voice, which I found to be more expressive; it felt more raw as there was less emphasis on technique.
Finally, in 'The Wizard and I', I was pleased as I hit the low Gb3 and my vibrato was strong. The belt throughout was powerful and my tone was nice- I wasn't shouting at all. The emotion throughout was excited and happy, which was engaging for my audience, as the upbeat emotion I portrayed could rub off onto them. I also belted the E5 well and my voice didn't crack at all. This was possibly the best I have performed it so I was very happy.
Improvement Reflection:
I found that 'Glwysen' wasn't the best I have ever played it; there were a few mistakes in the verse, the tone is scratchy, I am hesitant and the dynamics are odd. I think that part of this could be due to the quality of recording!
Between songs, there was a slight mic issue as I was going to introduce the next song but the mic wasn't on. Thankfully, this was quickly rectified, so wasn't a huge problem.
There was one chord error in 'I Will Follow You Into The Dark'. However- there was only one error, which I am incredibly happy with, as I have worked so long on it, and usually have about ten! There was again the odd dynamics, the recording seems to have picked up the first chord in a bar more than anything else. There is also some slight hesitance- which was when I started focusing more on the chords, rather than just playing.
Between songs, there was a slight mic issue as I was going to introduce the next song but the mic wasn't on. Thankfully, this was quickly rectified, so wasn't a huge problem.
There was one chord error in 'I Will Follow You Into The Dark'. However- there was only one error, which I am incredibly happy with, as I have worked so long on it, and usually have about ten! There was again the odd dynamics, the recording seems to have picked up the first chord in a bar more than anything else. There is also some slight hesitance- which was when I started focusing more on the chords, rather than just playing.
The dynamics were odd again in 'Burn' (I am completely attributing this to the recording by this point!). The start of the lines (in the first verse especially) were unclear and mumbled and I took some breaths in odd places. I also had a slight lyric issue on "Do you know what Angelica said/ when she saw what you'd done" and a chord issue on "you and your words". The pedal on this piano was quite unresponsive, which resulted in all my playing being rather staccato. I also accidentally nudged an extra key in one of my chords in the bridge and ran out of breath in the final "burn".
I lost a few parts of 'The Wizard and I', most noticeably "so I'll make good". Even though I was consciously trying not to touch my dress, I still did, but thankfully not to such an extent as last time. There was also a slight timing error.
Improvement #1: hesitance in 'Glwysen'.
Strategy: Quite simply, I needed more practice, especially practicing with miss- I think I only practiced with her two or three times! While I did practice with my viola teacher, she followed me much more, and the backing track followed me much less.
Improvement #2: staccato chords in 'Burn'
Strategy: While I chose to play the electric piano rather than the grand piano because I was more used to it, the pedal is much less responsive than the one I use at home. I should have practiced more with that piano- perhaps taking a lunch time or after school session to play it.
Improvement #3: timing in 'The Wizard and I'
Strategy: Just practice, really. I needed to listen to the track more, and if I practiced with headphones, I would be more used to the nuances of that track in particular.
Feedback from others:
Glwysen:
-smooth
-in time
-patchy at points
-lovely notes
-good stage presence
-stiff bow movement at points
-confident
-played fluently
-no sign of mistake
-eye contact needed
-timing could be more rehearsed
I Will Follow You Into The Dark:
-good smiling
-consistent
-strong, clear vocals
-need to look up more
-beautiful tone
-more eye contact with audience
-strong vocals
-well balanced
-eye contact needed
-piano slightly overpowering
Burn:
-acting throughout
-good vocals
-lots of emotion
-strong belt
-a little disjointed in chord pattern changes
-gorgeous high notes
-lovely transitions
-nice belt
-smoother notes needed
-good emotional expression
-beautiful
The Wizard and I:
-good characterisation
-really strong vocals
-gestures were effective
-"you looked happy, which made me happy"
-backing track slightly fuzzy
-slight timing errors
-engaging stage presence and actions
-touched dress too much
-some movements abandoned halfway through
-amazing stage presence
-exciting and beautiful performance
-some lines mumbled
How this feedback helped with my evaluation of the performance:
Jenny's comment on touching my dress did make me more aware of that, but I picked up on most of them. The comments were mostly very sweet and kind, which made me much more confident in my performance as a whole.
Conclusion:
This performance was considerably better than my dress rehearsal. The tone was lovely throughout, my voice didn't crack, there were far fewer chord errors and my stage presence was excellent. While the pedal on the piano was unresponsive, my chords were mostly accurate so I feel like I pulled it off. My vocal technique was good, my belt and vibrato were strong. The tech changes were swift.
Overall, I am very pleased with this performance and feel like it was a huge improvement from my dress rehearsal.
Overall, I am very pleased with this performance and feel like it was a huge improvement from my dress rehearsal.
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