The Day Julie Andrews Basically Left Me a Voicemail

This month is the 50th anniversary of the film release of The Sound of Music! 

We all probably remember our first experiences with this movie; I know I do.  I was in Kindergarten and it was way past my bedtime.  I was watching with my family and when we got up to I Have Confidence my mom asked, "Jennifer, do you recognize that actress?" I listened more carefully for a few seconds and said, "Mary Poppins?"  That was my first conscious realization of two things: actresses can play more than one part... and I want to sound like Julie Andrews.  The next day in music class I pretended as if the new song we were learning was already familiar to me a la the Captain recalling Edelweiss, mouthing the words with a bewildered look on my face.  Clearly I liked the movie and clearly I was a baby theatre person.... and talk about voice recognition skills! I was only 5 years old!

My sister is a writer for a popular fashion magazine and a few weeks ago she actually sat down with Julie Andrews to talk about the anniversary.  She had tea with her in her hotel room... one on one.  I know; I nearly passed out when I heard, too.  She knew that I was dying inside because I didn't get to go with her but she was very nice about entertaining the fact that I was totally geeking out.  She even told Julie Andrews ABOUT me.  ME.  Julie Andrews knows about ME.

The day of the interview I was overwhelmingly slightly devastated knowing that my sister was at that very moment meeting one of my heroes.  I mean, how ironic can it get:  the fashionista of the family gets to meet the theatre nerd's idol.  I was imagining her experience in my mind minute by minute.  "Now she's probably in the elevator.  Now she's probably putting two sugars in her tea with little sugar cube tongs."  And then my phone buzzed.  I got a text... from my sister... with an attachment... Holy... shit.

Needless to say I sobbed uncontrollably for a solid 72 hours.  Now I only cry about it periodically. I wish I were exaggerating.  My family now plays the recording to watch my reaction and have a good laugh at my expense.  I listen to it on repeat while I'm on the subway or walking down the street and smile like a goon. Not meeting her was probably for the better.  I definitely wouldn't have been able to keep it cool.

Some things mentioned in the interview of particular interest to me were her musical influences (Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and Lily Pons) and the fact that she modestly attributes her successful career to luck!  I had also asked my sister to ask her about versatility and how one can play roles from Victor/Victoria to Polly Browne yet maintain such a distinct identity as a performer.  Her response could have been a direct quote from Mary Poppins' tape measure: "Practice makes perfect."

I watched the Untold Story of The Sound of Music special that aired on ABC a couple of weeks ago (as I'm sure you did, too!) and this is something I loved that Julie Andrews' voice teacher once said to her:

"Amateurs practice until they get it right.  Professionals practice until it can't go wrong."

So there we have it!  If we want to be as good as Julie Andrews... this probably needs to be our mantra to live by!  But also, I wanted to share this with everybody because even though that message was for me, she could be telling any of us, "Don't stop, keep going, and enjoy it all." So when you're feeling like you went to that EPA just to sit there for hours without being seen or you have some other frustrating experience in this field, hear her voice telling you to keep going... it will be like that little spoonful of sugar that helps the medicine go down.

It fit! haha!

Mixie Picks of 2014

It's that time of year again! The season of gift giving and overall appreciation is upon us and I have chosen my top, most-appreciated picks of the year to share with you!  Some of these things have to do with singing but a lot of them are just things that I think made me an overall better teacher, performer or person this year (even if several of my favorites weirdly had to do with elaborate murder plots...! Hmmm.... #2014)

****Edited**** I forgot to include my favorite song when I wrote this post and HAD to go back to include it.  My favorite song performance... no 16 BAR PERFORMANCE of the year was an excerpt from It All Fades Away from Bridges of Madison County performed by Stephen Pasquale.  This absolutely broke my heart for a full weekend.  To hear the 16 bars, go to minute 2:30 in this video.  It's one emotionally loaded syllable that will break your heart.  Then listen to the whole song.



AND NOW MY LIST OF THE YEAR!

1. Heathers: The Musical:   I know I've already talked about this one in a previous entry but this show was by far
my favorite thing to see this year.  This is what great musical theater is all about.  The songs were motivated, the lyrics were hysterical and character driven, and the melodies were memorable... and it confirmed that I have the sense of humor of a teenage boy.  If you're not familiar with this one I highly suggest giving the soundtrack a listen as it's very easy to follow even if you haven't seen it.

2. Once Upon a Time :  I have to be honest, I don't remember the entire month of October because whenever I wasn't working I was watching Once Upon a Time on Netflix.  I love this show. It's like a cross between LOST, Desperate Housewives and Into the Woods.   I particularly respect the acting work of the actress who plays the Evil Queen, Lana Parrilla, because she makes an evil character totally likable which I find fascinating. If you're a theater person and you liked LOST you have to try this one.

3. Wingspan Arts: Wingspan is a non-profit organization that offers after-school and summer theatre programs for kids. A lot of these kids depend on Wingspan to provide them with a creative outlet as many of them aren't exposed to theatre programs via their own schools.  This summer I saw a production of Just So and it was by far the best youth production I've ever seen.   I could not believe what I was seeing and hearing from these kids; it blew my mind.  It inspired me to push my own young students a little harder whether they be professional or hobbyists because it's insane what kids are capable of, really.   To support or read more about Wingspan, go here.

4. Pace University's production of Light in the Piazza: You guys, college theater is better than ever.  Think about going to see a local college production of a show because even if the production value isn't Broadway-budget-high, a lot of times these students are professional level if not already professionals, and they really care about the product which makes a HUGE difference.  I'm feeling inspired to see more college theatre after seeing The Light in the Piazza at Pace University (maybe I'm biased but I thought it was better than the Broadway production).

5. Healing Crystals:  If you know me personally you know I'm not necessarily a worry-wart but I'd say I'm just a serial care-er. I care way too much about everything.  Somehow these crystals have seemed to lower life's stakes for me and now I carry them around almost 100% of the time in some form whether they be incorporated into my jewelry or just in my wallet.  My favorites are Smoky Quartz and Aqua Aura.  Smoky Quartz is supposed to make you "let things go" more easily and Aqua Aura is supposed to protect you from caring too much about what other people think... two things that I have difficulty with.  I buy mine at a store called Rock Star.

6.  Rice Experiment : If you have not seen this video, take a look. It changed my thinking in a big way and will probably change yours too.


7. Sweeney Todd in Concert: - Oooh, I loved this.  It's still taking up 50% of my DVR and I don't even care.  The opening alone was worth tuning in for and I really loved Emma Thompson's take on Mrs. Lovett.  And, if you ask me, this is a great example of how it really doesn't matter how well the person sings if it's motivated.  She's not vocally perfect but every vocal choice was borne out of acting choices which I think is something we don't see very often.  Very special performance.

8. Iain the Theatre Reviewer:  What could be better than seeing that a kid enjoyed a piece of theatre?  After reading endless angry tweets made by adults about various casting choices, lack of talent, etc. this is the kind of review we should all be satisfied to hear.  Iain simply summarizes the show, tells us what he loved and tells us what we'll gain by seeing the production.  Theatre is a magical thing and this kid sees it that way and encourages us to see it that way, too.  If you have not seen his review of Peter Pan Live, search for that, too!


9. The Pollen Forecast on Weather.com- Apparently allergies have been more of an issue this year than any other year.  Being an allergy novice and highly agitated by the amount of times I have to clear my throat on an hourly basis, I recently discovered the pollen forecast provided by Weather.com! This tells me how high the pollen count is on any given day, and sometimes when I'm not feeling great or not singing my best I don't have to wonder if it's allergies; I can just check!  It basically warns me when I need to remember to take my Allegra and it makes me feel better when I can't sing as high as usual.

10. Chandelier - Sia: I think this was a unanimous favorite this year.




Bonus #11.  Trader Joe's Gluten Free Pizza: I couldn't not include this on my list. I find it hilarious that last year I was all about diet food and this year my favorites list includes a pizza.  But this is a new pizza from Trader Joes, it's gluten free, it actually tastes GOOD and it's $5.   Bam.  Dinner.







Well there you have it! These were my top picks this year!  Musicals and TV shows about the murders of ultimate nemeses, pollen, pizza and healing crystals for the road to recovery! What made your 2014???

Happy Holidays, everybody!
Jen

The Holy Grail of Singing: Vibrato (New Quick Fix Video!)

Today we're going to talk about the mystical, elusive creature of the Enchanted Singing Forest which we call Vibrato.

Vibrato can come naturally to some, but finding vibrato can be a very frustrating task for others.  Before we set out on our quest and get a quick video tutorial fix, let's learn a little about it! 

Where the hell did vibrato come from?

The man responsible for your vibrato woes

Vibrato was first introduced in the early 1800's by an Italian singer named Giovanni Battista Rubini.  He was known not only for this new trick but also for having an extraordinarily high range. While he was praised for his use of vibrato to heighten emotion in his performance, copy-cat performers were considered offensive, and vibrato was then seen by the pros as a way to disguise poor technique, aging and lack of support. 

**Food for thought: Rubini had been a violinist since age 12 and string players made their vibrato debut some 50 years prior.  Perhaps this was his inspiration to incorporate it into his singing in his 20's!  

As of right now, we're not 100% sure what creates vibrato and this adds to the frustration experienced by vibrato-seekers, but we do know that you have to be relaxed to produce it and that it comes from an "undulation" of the vocal folds, meaning they're being tossed around.  Another morsel for your brain: Vibrato-haters considered vibrato an indication that the singer was TOO relaxed and not using enough "support."  However, it's highly probably that the reason Rubini had such a notably high range was because he was, in fact, relaxed!  Relaxed enough to produce... vibrato!   

Let's just briefly talk about why we're so stressed about not having vibrato:

Why do we even like vibrato?
Well, Rubini was using it to show emotion, so this is perhaps how we've come to see vibrato even to this day- as an expression of emotion.  In addition to my explorations regarding vibrato I've also been exploring Taan which is the vocal trill we hear in a lot of Indian music!  In one interview of a Hindustani singer she mentioned that it is used as a "beautifying effect."  So, it would seem that globally we just recognize rapid, deliberate pitch change as something that makes music more aesthetically pleasing: vibrato, taan, finger vibrato for string instruments, even riffing could be put in this category!  Is this why we freak out about it when we can't do it?  If we don't have vibrato, the whole world thinks we're ugly and emotionless?  This got me googling.  

How Does Vibrato Happen and What Should it Feel Like? 

I've been reading about a study being done at The University of Missouri that aims to find a cure for vocal tremor disorders by investigating the differences between taan gestures which is considered voluntary and vibrato which is considered involuntary.  If you want to see more about that study watch this video. 

From the study: On a spectrogram, Taan Gesture is seen at left; Vibrato is seen at right.  They show taan as very drastic pitch changes and fast.  Vibrato is slower and pitch change is less drastic. 

For the purposes of the study, one Hindustani singer and one Opera singer are asked to describe the act of initiating and sustaining taan or vibrato, and the Opera singer describes vibrato as a "spinning" feeling.  This is a typical response to that question.   The question I had was whether someone without extensive training who could produce vibrato would have had a different response.  I think that's a word we think we SHOULD use because we're not sure how to explain it even when we CAN do it,  I sure don't feel anything actually spinning and I wouldn't even say it's involuntary for me!   (Side note, I thought to myself that it's kind of like peeing.  You know how to start peeing, you can turn it on and off, but you can't explain it, really. And I just googled whether peeing is voluntary or involuntary and it says that that's still not clear and one thought is that it's a voluntary relaxation.  Hmm... sound familiar?) 

So I decided to ask a few people who are new to vibrato and wouldn't have the vocabulary of a trained classical singer. Here are some of the responses I received to give you a general idea of what you could be feeling when you strike gold:

Sarah - (learned as an adult) : "I feel a regular oscillation at the back of my throat as well as in the top of my abs... I engage a driving muscular support from the top of my abs just below where my ribs come together. Doing exercises to mimic vibrato helped my body learn how much to engage some muscles and how much to relax others."
Amelia, Age 8 (learned by copying a friend):    "Vibrato is holding a long note while shaking your vocal cords. It kind of feels like a wave in your throat. "

So now that we know a little about vibrato (or now that I've scared the hell out of you), take a look at my latest video and try this quick fix so you, too, can capture your own natural vibrato and ride off into the sunset!  Comment in the comments section and let me know if it works for you!

Pumpkin Spice Lattes = Time to Drink Water

Ah, the irony of this picture.

So when I was in college I was told I have a hole in my heart.  (How's that for an introductory sentence?)  It's nothing serious, apparently.  In fact, the doctor who told me basically made it sound like I just had something as benign as the common cold.  And he said it can be caused by dehydration.  That made sense to me since I hadn't had a glass of water since 1992.

Today's post is about dehydration... and the catalyst for this post was the fact that yesterday I heard that dreaded sound that we all know and love; the heat in my building was turned on. Fall is in the air my friends! Starbucks might be serving your seasonal fave but it's time to buy a Poland Spring.

If you've never lived in NYC you may not know what it's like to live in an apartment where you cannot control the thermostat.  It's pretty wretched.

Here is a snapshot of what our lives are like:
October 1st through May 31st is "Heat Season" in New York City. Building owners are also required to provide tenants with heat as follows: 

• Between the hours of 6:00 AM and 10:00 PM, if the outside temperature falls below 55 degrees, the inside temperature is required to be at least 68 degrees Fahrenheit; and, 
• Between the hours of 10:00 PM and 6:00 AM, if the temperature outside falls below 40 degrees, the inside temperature is required to be at least 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

Let me assure you, the temperature is DEFINITELY higher than 55F. Many of us (myself especially) live with open windows all winter.  And the higher you live, the hotter it is.  Since heat rises, you can expect that if you live on the 6th floor like I do, you will boil.  To death.  All winter.  Cozy, you might say?  No.  From the very moment I hear that steam sound coming from the heater I

Curses! 7 more months of this crap! 

start to curse the day I was born and everybody I know, and I count the days until Spring on a calendar on which I cross out each little day with my own blood.  Dramatic? Ok maybe.  I've been watching Once Upon a Time a lot.  But anyway, it's rough!  And not good for our voices!  It's dry as hell!



I did an unintentional experiment this summer with a basil plant I bought from Trader Joes.  Truth be told, I don't have a green thumb.  But take a look at this:

It took 1 DAY for this to happen. It's the same plant.  Water is a powerful (magical) thing.
Just briefly to be nerdy for a second, your vocal cords are not vital organs which means that they're not the first to get water.  If my HEART wasn't even getting water, you can imagine how crusty and dry my vocal cords were. 

I have a friend who insists on drinking 5 Liters of water a DAY. I followed her lead and the first day  it took me a full day to finish one bottle. Now that I'm used to it I can drink 1 liter in under 5 minutes and want more.  I never knew what THIRSTY felt like.  All these years I thought I was HUNGRY or just had a MIGRAINE.  Meanwhile I was probably severely dehydrated.

During the wintertime it's really important for us to hydrate especially while the heat is on.  Even if we do have the luxury of thermostat control...

Instead of thinking you're going to melt like a Wicked Witch when you come in contact with H20,

• take it in small doses at first.  You don't need to be a hero.  
• when life gives you lemons... use them. it makes drinking water easier because it tastes better. 
• weirdly enough, some bottled water comes from regions where there is higher salt content.  It might be that you don't like SOME water.  Try other brands of bottled water.  I like Smart Water and can't drink one called Volvic because it makes me feel like I swallowed the Atlantic Ocean.  Maybe I was a water sommelier in a past life.

Hm!

How much water do you drink? Do you notice a difference vocally when you're not drinking water?

Animation Voiceover Trickery - Singing and Speaking Voices Provided by Two Separate Artists

Take a listen to Journey to the Past from Anastasia.... and watch the scene leading up to the song, too.    


Notice anything?!  The speaking voice is provided by Meg Ryan... but the singing voice is provided by Broadway vet Liz Callaway. It's so cool how they blend together, isn't it?!  Kind of makes you wonder if that's how Meg Ryan would sing or if she'd sound totally different.  What do you think makes this particular match successful?

The singing voice double has been done for many animated movies, not just Anastasia.  For instance, the voices for Jasmine (Aladdin) and Pocahontas are also provided by Broadway actresses.  Jasmine's singing voice is Lea Salonga and Pocahontas is Judy Kuhn.

Also, Anastasia is available on Netflix!  If you've never seen it, watch it! Bernadette Peters voices a character, too!