Peggy wrote: For myself, while I learn music very quickly, it takes me a long time to get it sounding really good in my voice. It takes even longer to make the music emotionally my own, to arrive at the stage where I feel it's ready to present to an audience.
So, unless this recital is some kind of academic requirement you can't postpone, I would recommend that you seriously consider not doing it in a month and a half (beginning of May?), but postpone it until you are comfortable performing the repertoire you want to present.
Brava, Peggy! Excellent and very sound advice.
Lea Ann- I fear that in light of your situation, you're jumping straight to a final result, and not taking time to consider the process, and HOW you get there. This spells trouble......
To get new repertoire to the point where it's "performance ready" or "roll out of your bed and ready to sing" ready - i.e. sufficiently memorized- musically and lyrically; you have it working like clockwork in your body (breathing and all the other good stuff); and that all important emotional connection, etc... takes quite a bit of time to develop and make your own- I don't care how fast and quick you are in learning the stuff. Very few people can pull that sort of thing off, have it all come together in a very, very short amount of time, and still be convincing in a recital situation . Believe me- those are NOT the sorts of concerns one should be having while in the throes and passions of performing- it really is too late, and will come to "bite you in the bum" (!) in fact, they are indeed an invitation to disaster and usually translates into an experience that's less than satisfactory more often than not. It's the hard work, the attention to detail and allowing yourself the time to live and get comfortable with the words, music and emotions that will make the difference, not only to you as a performer/storyteller, but to your audience as well.
Granted, there will always be situations where you'll have to learn and perform things "likkety-split" fast, and perhaps one learns to deal with it better with experience and a rock-solid, dependable technique.... but where your grade, your reputation or your peace of mind is at stake- I'd certainly give it some serious thought as to whether it is really in your best interest to just "do" it.
I echo the advice Peggy has given you- the up-side is that not only will you have the benefit of using the time to continue to improve and refine your singing, but you'll be able to perform repertoire that you really love, and allow yourself the courtesy and luxury of the necessary length of time to do it right.
Patience, Grasshopper..... and best of luck in your decision.
Virginija
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