Masterclass With Ann Moss.docx

Masterclass with Ann Moss, soprano Saturday, February 9, 2019 Apparition (Debussy) Kailyn Martino, soprano Notes:  Take time to think through and visualize performance of pieces o Especially vocally demanding repertoire  Use vowel to help you “hold up the sound” o Use upper compression with more space o Nearer to closest front vowel ([o] umbrella over [e] tongue)  Jaw has nothing to do with sound production/vowels  Pick a set number of nouns/adjectives to focus one  Find a focal point to focus on  “Is that [movement] for you or for them?”  Let the body be heavy and quiet o Wait for it to become part of the story  Get curious about what you’re saying  Feel phrasing communicate important text  Be specific  Don’t give everything away during first expression of emotions  Don’t overspecify by doing too much  “The back is expressive, too’  Watch jaw tension Meine Liebe ist Grün (Brahms) Mary Grace Corrigan, soprano Notes:  Know your translation  Imagery- not the crocus’, not the daffodils, but the lilacs o Know the connotation of each word  Who are you telling this to? o Your inner monologue can be whatever you need it to be as long as it’s intentional and connected and means something to you o Sing to kindergarteners or your dog  Outrageous is good  Watch unnecessary gestures o Don’t do “technique gestures”  Be aware of where your weight is  Watch and be aware of your habits, but don’t qualify yourself by them  Make conscientious shifts of weight  Make outrageously uncomfortable movements to know what intentional movements feel like o Undoing habitual movements o You must go far in the opposite direction o Practice during warms up/scales  Regain control of your own body

 If your body parts don’t have a specific intention, they will do what they want Va Godendo from Serse (G.F. Handel) Anissa Clay, soprano Notes:  With song, you can make all choices. In opera, you have some freedom, but another story o There is imagery allowed in opera scenes  Treat the pianist like a scene partner o When we touch the piano, we bring it into the scene- bring the pianist  Short stick = piano in your space  Full stick offers pianist more facility o Closing it is taking away from the pianist’s freedom  Placement in relation to piano is dependent on performance situation  Play with gestures not happening in time  Legato applies to gestures Q&A In terms of shoes, should we prioritize fashion or comfort?  I never wear more than a 2 ¼ inch heel, always a wedge o Know your body and what your best work is How do you get songs in front of people in a short time?  Mirror work and visualization o Get an honest friend and a good coach  Make sure you clean the transitions between songs  Imagine the space that you’re singing in o It’s on the Internet, I promise  Take quiet time to put yourself “in the music” before performance  Don’t plan everything- improv in the moment o Know when you can take risks o SCHOOL IS THE PLACE FOR THIS Unaccompanied pieces: metronome or acting beats?  All I practice with is a tuning fork and a metronome  Practice with given meter, markings, etc. then loose  Accommodate scene partners, pianists, conductors, etc.