Unit 33: Solo recital/Performance Logbook

 Unseen Sight (20 Minute Solo Recital)

Artist Bio:

My name is Kellie Figueiredo and I am a singer that is taking music performance at Coulsdon college, I have been singing since year 7 where I further developed the interest to continue singing as I participated many events such as festivals, concerts and Legacy youth Zone in order to gain experience and share the power of music to everyone.

Event Program:

I will be performing a solo recital which will consist 20 minutes and the on going theme throughout the performance is Conflict-ion of love and viewing the aftermath from beginning to end. As the chosen songs each represent a clear display of the story line and I settled on this theme because we aren't always considering the other aspects of love such as mental health/emotion or the build up of tempo when one gets butterflies to them transforming into flames.

The following songs are:

1. Location (By Khalid)
2. That way (By Tate McRae)
3. Heartbreak Anniversary (By Giveon)
4. Traitor (Olivia Rodrigo)
5. There's Nothing Holding Me Back (Shawn Mendes)
6. 'As the world caves in' (Sarah Cothran)

Practice rehearsal will run at least an hour with short 15 minutes break to allow myself to feel hydrated and give time for the vocal chords to strengthen and be able to not strain so much.

First few days my focus was on listening to the chosen music and carefully picking up the correct pitches and lyrics so I can already work on remembering the lyrics for my performance as I would prefer to not have printed lyrics out in front of me since it will cause me to lose focus and overwhelm me however depending the amount of time I have to rehearse and practice I may need to print the lyrics out. Another thing I wanted to to focus is the different techniques I can possibly use to show a difference or variety within my performance as I want to be able to tell the story through the emotion and pitch s it will allow me to make a connection with the audience members.

We got reintroduced to the topic or recital and we were also told to discuss about what songs are we going to choose and what is the purpose of your performance and why did you choose this particular theme? 

As soon as we finished discussing we were introduced to paddle which is an app where you can visually upload your notes and display it in many different ways which is best suited to your taste and method of organising your notes. The abilities to keep myself organised in terms of meeting deadlines, arriving on time, and being able to access information when I need it.

It entails the capacity to gather data, analyse it, interpret it, and assess it before coming up with a solution. I'm able to notice that certain songs are more comfortable right away when you try out songs from different genres and/or different styles within those genres. Checking whether it sounds right to me, and examine the song's style to see if it's the right fit for my natural voice. I did this through Spotify an app which is useful for discovering a variety of songs so it could speed the process on choosing my songs much more earlier to ensure enough sufficient time to rehearse for the next few weeks.

Chosen Songs:

1. Location (By Khalid)
2. That way (By Tate McRae)
3. Heartbreak Anniversary (By Giveon)
4. Traitor (Olivia Rodrigo)
5. There's Nothing Holding Me Back (Shawn Mendes)
6. 'As the world caves in' (Sarah Cothran)

Describe your routine (E.g Explain progress made over 3+ months?

I spent the first week of classes on Spotify and YouTube, looking for and simply listening to songs that would work well with my voice, which finally led to the idea of having the theme be confliction of love, as it is a difficulty and something that the majority of the audience can connect to. It also provides for a range of dynamics and pitch with music selections, as well as the ability to express the perspective of how both sides of a relationship are stereotypically shown, with the male having no interest and the female having a full breakdown, believing that her half is gone forever. For example I spent the time warming up my voice during lesson and practising my chosen songs along with the other singers, which was very helpful because I was struggling to choose a fourth song which is 'Traitor" (Olivia Rodrigo) to display the significance of the anger and frustration after a cheat break up. The goal of this rehearsal was for me to be able to know my part well on my own and be able to make modifications once I felt comfortable in order to demonstrate difference and improvement and earn a higher score. This rehearsal also allows me to hear it all together, tweak sounds, feel the groove together, and imagine the song as it will be for the audience, as receiving feedback from my colleagues was beneficial and enabled me to push myself outside of my comfort zone, as Julia suggested it would be great to show off my vocal range and challenge myself with songs that are above my average pitch sound. Another element I considered was picking an ideal time and location for myself, so that I could arrive on time and in good spirits. Ascertaining that the rehearsal space I've chosen meets my needs and objectives in terms of equipment, amenities, and location. After the lesson, I continued to listen to the chosen songs and familiarise myself with the lyrics because I also want to work on time management and set a schedule for how long I want to spend practising each song and how I can modify and personalise them, as this was something that my colleagues mentioned. I spent about 15-20 minutes on each song in this session, attempting to use my talents to my advantage in order to make each song fresh and unique, rather than sounding exactly like the original covers. I performed some research into potential approaches or tactics I might perhaps utilise as a result of this, and the responses I found were to sing the song in a lower key or add lower harmonies if singing low notes is your skill. Add extra belts or sustain some notes in the background if belting is your strong suit. And this immediately inspired me to think about how I could spice up my performance.

During the weeks we had rehearsals, I concentrated on controlling the distinct dynamics between each song and editing on seamless transitions between song changes since I wanted to convey a clear difference in dynamics as well as the climax of emotions developed inside either side of the relationships. So I practised singing songs like 'Location,' 'That Way,' and 'Heartbreak Anniversary,' which require minimal usage of dynamics. These songs require a mild tone of voice to clearly convey the vulnerability of emotions, whereas the other songs, such as 'Traitor,' 'There's nothing holding me back,' and 'As the world crashes in,' require an increase in dynamics to indicate the decline and wrath built up during a breakup phase. I achieved this by watching YouTube videos by singing instructors such as Cheryl Porter, who is a woman who helps singers work on professionally working on their deficiencies through the song by wearing boxing gloves to support the diaphragm and widening the month to let the sound to pass through clearly. I began by extending my mouth to manage the volume produced and how I might adapt to make it sound softer to fit the genre of the chosen songs. I then progressed by alternating between the softer tones to a harder, louder tone. To assist me in supporting myself and allowing me to challenge myself in regulating the dynamics and achieving my goal of a smooth transition between tracks.

After that, I spent the rehearsals honing my techniques and making adjustments to the songs I'd chosen. I decided to work on my diction and pronunciations of the lyrics because when I was practising with the other singers in my class, I kept getting feedback that I wasn't singing the songs clearly, especially the last song, 'As the world caves in.' One of my classmates said that the lyrical line 'As the world caves in' sounds like 'As the've world caves in,' which as a singer, I wouldn't want the audience to be unable to understand what I am singing. I overcome this by first practising speaking the words out loud to get my lips used to the wording, then gradually adding singing the lyrics until I was satisfied with it and felt it was clear and audible. I also completed some warmups to help my mouth relax, which was aided by other warmups to help contain my nerves, ensuring that I wouldn't mumble my words and that the audience members could understand me. Doing mouth trills made me feel calmer and relaxed, and it warmed up my lips, which made singing the lyrics more simpler and improved my English diction.

What adaptations are you making to the songs you chosen and why? (e.g For each song- Changing the structure, deleting or repeating sections, changing the key, adapting the melody to suit your pitch range, adding improvisations such as riffs and runs etc.)

1. Location (By Khalid) - This song didn't require any substantial changes; instead, I simply searched for and practised with several backing tracks that would fit my low vocal register voice, as some didn't blend in well or sounded off pitch to me.
2. That way (By Tate McRae) - I didn't make any changes to this song because I wanted to keep the originality and challenges that I faced while practising it. My weakness as a singer is riffs or runs of any kind because I can't smoothly execute the glissando between the notes, resulting in a staccato sound, which is something I'd like to improve and avoid during my solo recital performance.
3. Heartbreak Anniversary (By Giveon) - Because it suited the theme, I maintained it in its original shape and tempo because it helps shift the mood from absolute pain to that empty numb feeling that lies at the bottom of your stomach when you think about all the experiences you shared with that person. After the verses, I just kept improvising with some humming and repeating the line 'Heartbreak anniversary,' and attempted the riffs at the end to help lend more style to the relationship's wave before the storm.
4. Traitor (Olivia Rodrigo) - This song I decided to change the pitch and make it higher because when I sing higher in pitch, I get uncontrollable voice cracks, which I believe will work perfectly during my solo recital because it allows me to show emotion to my audience members and allow them to understand the theme much better. Changing the pitch also allows me as a singer to strengthen my head voice and give it the support it requires.
5. There's Nothing Holding Me Back (Shawn Mendes) - Except for the last line, where it ends with 'I feel so free when you with me, Baby there's nothing holding me back,' I altered the words from 'Naked' to 'Beauty' since one is merely keeping it acceptable and keeping the same pace. I sang and recited these lines to create a conversational sense between the male and female characters. I did this by speaking it first and then rehearsing it over and over until I was able to sing along while saying it perfectly.
6. 'As the world caves in' (Sarah Cothran) - The adaptation I created specifically for this song takes advantage of the ability to change the structure through the use of dynamics. Originally, the cover of this song kept changing the pitch and having that reverb on the vocals to create that smooth feeling, which I decided to change by adapting the use of belting and creating a different feel, which is the ending emotion of being able to grow past this depressed phase and ensuring the empowerment women feel once they have been able to reflect and work independently on themselves. This is to further pique the audience's interest and make them want to learn more about the plot I've built.

How will your 20-minute programme hold the interest of the audience? (e.g. is there a theme that links the songs? How do the songs contrast- tempo, key, rhythms, genre and style, lyrics, technical skills involved, how have you picked your opening and closing songs. etc.)

When a relationship begins with the use of mood-altering drugs, high alcohol consumption, or intense sexual attraction, I chose the theme Confliction of Love because it can be misinterpreted with exhilaration. The relationship may lack the necessary elements for a healthy attachment, but in the midst of the chaos, you may overlook your own needs and overlook what is missing from the relationship. And it's a theme on which I may expand or keep it simple so that the listener can sense a connection or relationship to the songs I chose to portray my initial concept.

There is a contrast between having butterflies in your stomach and burning in ashes in extreme fury and frustration of sadness and having the desire to communicate this towards your ex spouse via my song choices. Because of the lyrics "Send me your location," which I dissected and portrayed in a manner that suits today's stereotypes, I interpreted the opening song "Location" as the first moments when you're trying to get to know the individual and wanting to spend time with them. Being "in love" with someone implies an infatuation usually including strong sexual and/or romantic.

The lyrics are another way I'll entice the listeners. They are significant because they have the ability to affect change and have a bad or positive impact on someone's life. A great songwriter aspires to write music that is inspired by personal experiences and resonates with millions of others. Which all of the singers whose songs I chose have the capacity to captivate an audience through their lyrics, allowing me to provide an engaging performance as a performer. Because I can transform the meaning of lyrics theatrically by using my facial expressions and body language, especially in songs with strong meanings like 'Traitor,' which deals with being betrayed, the emotion expressed through the lyrics 'And I know that your never feel sorry, for the way I hurt yeah!' expresses absolute pain as diminishing people's feelings is the worst thing you can do. And it's something that anyone, including myself, can identify to, and by having had a similar experience, I can channel that anguish into the delivery of my solo recital, making it even more convincing and allowing the audience to connect with me. Because I want people to feel included and not alone while watching me perform. All of this gradually builds up the platform to assist me execute the vocal methods and usage of pitch as I go into character to show both sides of this once passionate romance that has regrettably turned to ashes, and they are now left by the burns of the flaws within. This is related to how pitch range, dynamics, and tone are used differently. I need to perfect these skills to assist me execute my vision for this solo recital because I want to convey a different feel of emotion throughout the tale telling throughout my performance.

What technical skills will you be displaying in your performance? (e.g. full use of singing pitch range, variety of tone or stylistic delivery (e.g. contrasting dynamics, contrasting a vibrato or smooth legato delivery with a staccato delivery on another song. etc) variety of improvisational skills (riffs and runs, rhythmic variety in rapping, dexterity of guitar playing etc.)

1. Location (By Khalid) - The tactics I'll demonstrate in 'Location' include employing the lower vocal register pitch range to mimic a male singing voice in order to add to the two perspectives in a relationship and to feel more confident singing a lower key song. By employing staccato while singing the lyrics, I am able to demonstrate the power and distinct attitude that a male can have. By using this approach, I am able to portray the male as a strong and forceful personality. It also forces me to work on using staccato more often rather than legato in every song I sing because there isn't much variety in my performance material.
2. That way (By Tate McRae) - 'That way' was a difficult challenge to rehearse, especially because it involved the vocal technique that I struggle with the most, riff and runs, which I admire other singers accomplishing, such as fellow artist Madison Beer's ability to sing the scale in-between her range smoothly in her music video 'Selfish,' which later became a trend and a tiktok challenge. This served as motivation for me to master simple riffs/runs before progressing to and learning more difficult riffs. To do this, I looked for videos on YouTube that could guide me step by step on how to make a seamless transition between each note without interruption or staccato. The video I linked in was very helpful on exercising and warming up my vocals in preparation to do riffs/runs: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?view=detail&mid=0D4D4893FFB2B0E185C70D4D4893FFB2B0E185C7&q=how to do riffs and runs easily&shtp=GetUrl&shid=241269e0-d185-41a0-9fd9-cfb07f7f21f6&shtk=UklGRlMgQU5EIFJVTlMgIzIgKEVBU1kpIC0gVk9DQUwgRVhFUkNJU0U%3D&shdk=dm9jYWwgZXhlcmNpc2UgZm9yIHJpZmZzIGFuZCBydW5zLiBZb3UgY2FuIHVzZSBhbnkgY29tbW9uIHN5bGxhYmxlIGluIHRoaXM6IG1haCwgZWUsIG5heSwgbWVvdywgYnVwLCBhaCwgbXVoLi4uIEZSRUUgMyBkYXkgdHJhaW5pbmcgZm9yIHNpbmdlcnM6IGh0dHA6Ly9iaXQubHkvM2RheWZyZWV0cmFpbmluZ2J5amFjb2Jzdm9jYWxhY2FkZW15IENvdXJzZXM6IO2gve20pU91ciBTaW5naW5nIENvdXJzZSDvuI8gaHR0cDovL2JpdC5seS92b2ljZW1hc3Rlcnljb3Vyc2Vjb20gTXVzaWMgVGhlb3J5IEZvciBCZWdpbm5lcnM6IGh0dHBzOi8vZ29vLmdsL0Ryd1NETiBBbGwgQ291cnNlczogaHR0cHMgLi4u&shhk=H%2F9Q3fPGty8L2jzTg%2B7d%2FRdbLJy%2Fc7Zg8katw6wY5AM%3D&form=VDSHOT&shth=OVP.UZPoYtzimiwjl2aKWLFfZAHgFo
3. Heartbreak Anniversary (By Giveon) - Because of the chorus parts, where the runs have a set timing when they are queued in, the rhythmic timing for this song has to be accurate, which ties to the concept of their being a timing within relationships, especially the aftermath. When you're attempting to obtain the closure you desire, but you need to schedule it properly so neither party is more wounded and you're in the right frame of mind to talk about it. By achieving this I spent my rehearsal times memorizing the beats and rhythm to ensure I'm on time.
4. Traitor (Olivia Rodrigo) - During this song, I'll use vibrato to represent the woman's heartbreak as she tries to cope with it, and I'll try to raise the pitch higher than my regular vocal register because I want to challenge myself to sing higher, and rehearsing this song should help me assist in singing higher notes if I commit to rehearsing this song throughout the weeks leading up to the solo performance. And through this song, the tone shifts from rage to sadness, demonstrating the thought process that a woman goes through. I do this by varying the way I pronounce the words and the way I present them stylistically.
5. There's Nothing Holding Me Back (Shawn Mendes) - The variation of tone and style delivery of the lyrics are the technical qualities I shall demonstrate during this song. As I previously stated, I changed the structure of the last verse by using spoken singing. This technique is useful when trying to clearly show the important messages in a song because the delivery is unique, which intrigues the audience, and it also allows me to demonstrate the various techniques I used during my solo recital.
6. 'As the world caves in' (Sarah Cothran) - The technical skill I employed was contrasting dynamics by singing quietly at first and then gradually raising the dynamics to reflect the female's growth and emotion. Furthermore, demonstrating the contrast through the use of volume forces me to concentrate on vocal control, as belting is a vocal technique in which you must be careful to discern between shouting and a good belt voice.

How will you control your nerves during the performance? (e.g. rehearsing in the performance space, deep-breathing, calmness mantras, rehearsal schedule, practical organisation, etc)

You need to adopt an opportunity mindset rather than a threat mindset to control your anxieties the way I did. Nerves and anxiety are generally regarded as negative characteristics, but exhilaration is regarded as a desirable characteristic. The idea is to convince your mind that you're excited rather than nervous. To transform your nerves into good energy, concentrate and activate it. It's not the same as overcoming more severe panic attacks to figure out how to control your anxiousness. Some folks bring along motivational photographs, create a relaxing soundtrack, or study yoga and breathing techniques to help them relax. Some people need to be active in order to relax, while others require stillness and calmness. Find a technique that works for you and establish a strategy to employ it in the lead-up to a major performance.

The video below explains how to calm your nerves in stages and clearly, which I personally found helpful as a performer because it allows me to give a performance that I will be satisfied with later after reviewing it and making any necessary adjustments so that my next performance goes as smoothly as possible. As nerves can have a significant impact on my performance, it can cause me to suffer and damage my confidence, as well as deliverance to my audience members, as I want to ensure that they understand the storyline that I am attempting to portray through the music choices, which was a critical detail that I paid attention to, as well as ensuring that the variety of techniques used would not suffer. Especially when belting, which is defined as singing notes in your head voice range with the power of your chest voice, and if I'm not able to control my nerves, the tightness in my chest will affect my delivery of this vocal technique, resulting in vocal damage and a performance that I won't be able to recover from.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=how+to+control+your+nerves+video&docid=608006475537412407&mid=5FA0269EA112946998B75FA0269EA112946998B7&view=detail&FORM=VIRE

Another technique I use to calm myself before a performance is to see myself performing the act and going through it step by step. Begin by visualising yourself walking down from the classroom to the stage and hitting those first notes to help calm the nerves and stress of not knowing what is going to happen and when. I find it helpful to ask teachers how the set up will be and where I will be standing so that I can recreate that same environment in my rehearsal times, so I can feel comfortable and reassured as I have some preparation and a taste of what it will be like. As a result, not everything comes as a surprise. As well as arriving early! This will calm any concerns I might have about being late or having any last–minute problems, and it will also give me more time to rehearse any songs that I think need it, especially because I like to warm up my voice before belting to guarantee that any vocal damage is minimal.

​

​