Blue Ridge
Vocal Connection
I’ve been thinking a lot about my mind’s ear.
I own a book from the hippie days called, “Seeing with the mind’s eye,” which instructs how to envision the things we want to achieve. One memorable part is where the authors describe Einstein surfing on a beam of light to imagine how the speed could link matter and energy in his most famous, and simplest equation: E=mc2.
Because I’m new to reading music, there’s lots that goes by me in a hurry as I practice with the choir. It’s too much to take on, flying by quicker than I can react. So it really helps me to know what the music is supposed to sound like before we get started.
We worked most of the rehearsal this evening on a medley of Over the Rainbow, drifting into It’s a Wonderful World. For most of us I suppose the most familiar version of the former for most of us like me in the bifocal set is Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz. But that’s not what we did! Our arrangement was made famous by Israel Kamakawiwoʻole in probably his only hit recording.
So when Susan and I started practicing it a few nights earlier, I was trying to sound like Julie and not like Iz. What made all the difference was finding Iz’s version on YouTube and planting it in my mind’s ear instead. “Sound like Iz,” I told myself. Then when we did it in tonight’s rehearsal, I was more comfortable with it and able to focus more of my attention on the other aspects of the song, especially pronunciation, which is a focus for director Thomas.
I may find myself in trouble with learning some new songs, as the arrangement I find given to us may not match any other version. But it least it helps me to have an aural vision planted in my brain before taking on a new piece. If I know what it sounds like, I can more easily make myself sound like what I think it sounds like.
And thus my musical journey continues.
Stay tuned.