Vocalist.org archive


From:  "Annelies Dille" <annelies_dille@h...>
Date:  Fri May 26, 2000  11:47 pm
Subject:  voice problem


Hi!

You must think: all the sudden she's very active! I have been lurking for
quite a time now, I was always very scared getting into the discussions
because I didn't feel my english was well enough (by the way I'm dutch
speaking). But your lovely comments on my Competition reports gave me
courage!! :-)

I'll explain the situation. Next monday (29 mai) I have to sing my final
recital exam for Master Degree in singing. For a few days now (maybe even
weeks) I felt something was wrong with my voice but I couldn't tell exactly
what. I gave concerts to prepare my exam and nobody (not even my singing
teacher) heard something wrong. But still it felt like I had to do more as
usual. Something just didn't feel right. I thought it were nerves or
fatigue, so I tried not to worry. On wednesday I discovered I couldn't hum
any more above my passage. When I try it, a whole different note than the
one I want to sing comes up, a lot higher. Very scary! Also my pure
headtones don't want to come. When I sing with the right breath and support
the notes above the passage are ok, I just can't sing sing them very quiet
any more. (I could never sing quiet high notes, but at least I could squeeze
something out :-) ) I do have the feeling when I start a high note above the
passage my vocal chords don't close as well as they have to, so I have to
very careful not to crack them.
This morning I panicked because I still couldn't hum, so I went to a special
doctor. He didn't believe my mysterious disease at first, it had to be the
nerves and the stress. He looked at my vocal chords and discovered there was
a minuscule protuberance (i hope this is the right term) on one of my cords.
He said it must have been there for quite a long time (very scary thought!).
He reinsured me that I couldn't make it worse by singing and he tried to
give me some confidence for the exam.
The doctor also gave me Celestone, those are steroids. I don't like to take
so strong medication but I do want to sing my exam, if possible at the
maximum of my capabilities. I have been working towards this exam for the
last five years so I really want to do it good! But I know it isn't worth
destroying my voice and the rest of my career over. I'm able to sing at this
point, I just have to be very carefull to do everything technically very,
very right otherwise I have the chance to have only air and no sound.

Has anyone ever experienced the same thing? Can anyone give me some tips on
what to do?

A very desperate soprano,
Annelies

P.S. About the Elisabeth Competition: I saw it yesterday and am going to see
it this evening but as you understand I was to busy worrying today to write
a report. But I promise it will come.


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  Replies Name/Email Yahoo! ID Date Size
1930 Re: voice problem Naomi Gurt Lind   Sat  5/27/2000   3 KB
1931 Re: voice problem Diane Moore   Sat  5/27/2000   2 KB
1932 Re: voice problem Susan Schneider   Sat  5/27/2000   6 KB
1971 Re: voice problem john schweinfurth   Tue  5/30/2000   4 KB

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