Primo Primavera

Another incredible day with Chorale.

Today was our Primo Primavera, a full-day of rehearsing, getting to know each other and other musical shenanigans. Like our Autumn Avanti, it was a busy day, an active day, and I am absolutely exhausted tonight--in the best possible way.

My voice continues to improve and grow as I listen to and learn from Magen. I hit a high D today, which is remarkable, considering that one year ago, B-flat was my limit, and that was that.

What do I mean by all this?

Think of the first C, at the very left of the keyboard above, as Middle C. This is near the middle of the piano (hence the name) and it is a note that most people can sing--on the lower end for sopranos (though I can sing a full octave below it, thanks to teaching high school boys how to access their baritone range for two years). The next C is right in the passaggio, that middle part of the range where women go between chest voice and head voice. The third C is a note that a year ago I hit on "good days." I sailed it out the first time I sang for Magen, last July. She told me what note I'd just done. I laughed and said, "That note is one I only hit on a good day!" She just smiled and said, "I think it's more of an every day note for you."

Since then, I've learned to access the little black key next to that high C (C-sharp) and now, today, the next white key after that C, the infamous high D. I actually over-shot it in warm-ups today, leaving me to wonder if I don't have D-sharp and maybe even E coming one of these days.

How thrilling!

I've always been a Second Soprano. Choral directors would listen to me and say I had a pretty soprano voice, but I am a mezzo-soprano--that mid-range soprano who can sing some higher notes and really shouldn't be stuck in an alto section. Magen is the first director who has made me understand that I actually do have those high soprano notes within my grasp. Through Chorale warm-ups and the tricks she has taught us, she has helped me find a way to sing those notes. I certainly don't sing them every day, and the highest any of our Chorale music ever really goes is a B-flat (fine by me).

So for the first time in seventeen years of singing, I'm a true soprano. I've been assigned to sing the higher parts whenever the sopranos have a divisi in the music. It has been liberating, and thrilling, hearing my range widen (I have about three octaves; not bad, really) and finding that I'm getting stronger and stronger all the time.

Case in point--after the Autum Avanti, I could barely speak. Today I came home a bit raspy, but a cup of tea and  a quick shower put me to rights. And the raspiness only started in that last hour of rehearsing.

Aside from my geeking out over my improving voice, the day had many other fun parts. I had been asked to coordinate a couple of getting-to-know-you activities, so I put together two fun games. The first was one of those "Find Someone Who..." lists, with such things as "Find someone who knows all the state capitols," or "Find someone who does not have a Facebook profile." It was quite amusing, and I had many people test me when I said that I do, indeed, remember almost all of the capitols.

"Montana!"

"Helena."

"Washington State!"

*smirk* "Psh. I lived there for a year. Olympia."

"Dang, you're right!"

The second activity found me giving everyone a puzzle piece. I had printed some coloring pages of musical instruments onto card stock and cut each one into 8 pieces. Each different image had differnt styles of cutting--one puzzle had round cut-outs, another square, another zig-zag, etc. It made it easier for groups to find each other. Once their puzzles were assembled, they had to chat with their group and tell them something interesting about themselves. I ended up without a puzzle piece, and as I ran around from group to group, I saw people laughing, chatting, and working together to put their puzzles together. I think they enjoyed themselves.

We capped off the day with a marvelous pasta dinner from a local restaurant (I'm still burping garlic, hours later) and more opportunities to chat and relax. I got to know a few new people, and was reminded, yet again, why I'm not miserable in Stockton. (Forbes magazine is at it again!)