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Role preparation is a process and an essential part of life as an opera singer.  I don't have yet a lot of experiences with performing opera but I am working on the process of being a good actor. Here are some of my suggestions to learn a new role in Opera. 1. Buy the right score First thing before you practice the pieces, it is important you buy the right score. There are many editions of opera scores. Different musicologists and editors might have different editions. For you, you have to choose the accurate source for your music. Classical Vocal Reprints is a good source I would recommend. Also, make sure you you buy the right part. The one with voice and piano reduction. Sometimes, people can make a mistake of buying a full opera score including the orchestra part which is quite expensive.  2. Listen to the recording and highlights I would suggest highilght your part of text and any musical indication that is tricky. You can use different highlighter to make different part ...

Today, as a vocal performance major student at UW, I want to talk a little bit more about the field of Opera. What are its differences from singing musicals? Why is it hard to learn? How the sound is made? Hope this blog would interest you. 1. This thing called Resonance Comparing with other genres of singing, opera relies more on getting resonance with our bodies. Saying by that is you have to involve your whole body when singing. We don't use microphones when performing. Our bodies become the amplifiers through our voices. There are three body resonators: nasal, pharyngeal, and oral cavities. With lots of training, you would find your voice recipe for resonance and you would have to memorize the sensation, remind yourself constantly to get those involved. Resonance is the key factor for an opera singer. Also, it is not right to sing big volumes with no resonance. The sound without resonance won't spread out. If you sing in a big hall. People who sit in the back rolls won'...

Hi, if you are struggling with developing more control of your sound when playing the piano, this will be a good article for you to read. Voicing in playing the piano is extremely important. It means you have to have the ability to play one note or notes louder than others (Sometimes it is your thumb, but sometimes it can be your little finger). For example, if you are playing a melody and an accompaniment. It would be very clear that you want to make the melody louder than the accompaniment. Good voicing and sound control at the piano is also one of the clearest signs of an accomplished pianist but the most difficult task to master and to practice. Here are two tips I would give you to practice voicing: 1. Be able to visualize sound in your head   First, be a good listener. Be able to distinguish which is the line that you want to play above other voices. Then, play the part you think is louder using the right hand, and the part you think is softer using the left hand. This w...

Last blog I have already give three tips. Here are the following tips I will give.  4. Play with others One of the most interesting and exciting things to do for kids is recitals. Music is meant to be heard. If no one is going to listen to your music. There is no point in practicing and playing. Ask your friends if they want to hear what you have been working on lately. Get together and have fun or sit down at a public piano and play. You might feel nervous and that is normal but as you do it more and more, you will enjoy and feel more relaxed. It is an incredible practice. When you make a mistake, you can not just stop there. You must move on. Otherwise, you will make another mistake very shortly. That's what my teacher told me. Celebrate your new skills and improvements by playing for others. 5. Learn with a Piano teacher Many beginners - especially adult beginners (including me) - want to start playing the instrument on their own. I have tried learning by myself but I found I im...