The Classical Voice Studio of Diana Farrell

Monday, May 17, 2021 by Diana Farrell | THOUGHTS FROM THE STUDIO

Let's talk about #Shame. I've sung plenty of not beautiful notes. I've even sung some of them in public and on stage, gasps! Am I proud of them, of course not. We do our best to always present our most perfect performance. We craft our lines and phrases to tell stories, we study the orchestral score to find what other parts of the music are helping to tell our story - even if it is not a moment where our character sings -  but there's always going to be one of those days where a moment gets away from you. I cannot stress enough letting yourself be overcome with shame will absolutely murder the rest of your performance! All you can do is look forward to the next one and continue to tell your story. When we get in our heads an hour bodies on autopilot the rest of our performance is sure to suffer and more than likely we will have another oops moment and that is how we will be remembered. The only way to work past surprises is to embrace them in practice. I often tell my students "Stop editing yourself!" If something is not perfect then we can reflect on it afterwards and ask important questions to ensure it doesn't happen again in the future: did I prepare for this note properly? Was I focused on the through idea of the line or was I overwhelmed by a spot that gives me anxiety? Does this section feel different in my voice when I am ill, overtired, etc? Allowing these moments to happen in practice gives us the opportunity to make a plan so we are not cut off guard in front of an audience. Shame is a thief of joy and creativity. Embrace your mistakes to learn from them and see how they help you grow.

📷: Me as Lady Macbeth, when her shame finally gets the best of her and drives her insane! Don't let this happen to you 🤣

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