Blog Posts
Notes on Singing
by Jean Clara Cartwright
When performing to an audience, stage fright or performance anxiety often impacts your mental health, no matter how big or small that anxiety may be it does play a part in your life. In having the opportunity to work with teachers, other performers and professional musicians, it surprisingly does teach you that anyone and everyone gets nervous before a performance (some say that it even gives you an adrenaline rush!).
People normally have their own rituals and ways of staying calm, and overall it’s really just finding what is right for you. For myself personally I practice several things:
1.) First of all I make sure I know my pieces inside and out. However, nothing is always perfect and things do go wrong… so, if you mess up do it confidently! Often the audience won’t even notice if didn’t let it show and your overall performance is good
2.) Practice runs. This may sound something very similar to the first point, but this is something entirely different! Practice runs are essentially going over your repertoire in a performance setting and doing a professional run through (in case something goes wrong rather in the actual performance). The purpose being to become more comfortable and aware of the space that you’re performing in. Often stages, halls, churches and other venues can be quite daunting, so by familiarising yourself with the surroundings and acoustics can be quite helpful. By feeling more at ease with the space, it diminishes the nerves and ends up being one less thing for you to worry about.
3.) Practicing mindfulness. This can be done through breathing and talking to ones-self before performing, with the result of calming yourself down and making yourself feel more confident. It really is the key thing that helps me be more present, as I then like to take those natural nerves that come and turn them into excitement to perform.
I also like to incorporate a healthy lifestyle of going to bed early, exercising, eating healthy and drinking plenty of water. Basically everything you should be doing, and as hard as it is to do, you really do end up feeling much better! It’s really had a positive effect on my life since falling ill is such a burden for a singer, and with a balanced diet and exercise this really does keep the flu at bay and makes me feel so much better with my performances. This in turn impacts my confidence in not just performing but with life, both truly go hand in hand.
These practices can be incorporated in not only singing but many aspects in people’s lives such as public speaking.
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Jean Clara Cartwright is currently a first study singer at the University of Nottingham with a highlighted focus and love for coloratura soprano arias. After previously winning a number of state piano competitions in the Philippines and completing her DipABRSM exam, she decided to solely focus on singing and in developing her voice to a higher standard. She is a soprano choral scholar at St Mary’s Church in Nottingham, which has presented her with numerous opportunities for solo work and CD recordings.
by Jean Clara Cartwright
When performing to an audience, stage fright or performance anxiety often impacts your mental health, no matter how big or small that anxiety may be it does play a part in your life. In having the opportunity to work with teachers, other performers and professional musicians, it surprisingly does teach you that anyone and everyone gets nervous before a performance (some say that it even gives you an adrenaline rush!).
People normally have their own rituals and ways of staying calm, and overall it’s really just finding what is right for you. For myself personally I practice several things:
1.) First of all I make sure I know my pieces inside and out. However, nothing is always perfect and things do go wrong… so, if you mess up do it confidently! Often the audience won’t even notice if didn’t let it show and your overall performance is good
2.) Practice runs. This may sound something very similar to the first point, but this is something entirely different! Practice runs are essentially going over your repertoire in a performance setting and doing a professional run through (in case something goes wrong rather in the actual performance). The purpose being to become more comfortable and aware of the space that you’re performing in. Often stages, halls, churches and other venues can be quite daunting, so by familiarising yourself with the surroundings and acoustics can be quite helpful. By feeling more at ease with the space, it diminishes the nerves and ends up being one less thing for you to worry about.
3.) Practicing mindfulness. This can be done through breathing and talking to ones-self before performing, with the result of calming yourself down and making yourself feel more confident. It really is the key thing that helps me be more present, as I then like to take those natural nerves that come and turn them into excitement to perform.
I also like to incorporate a healthy lifestyle of going to bed early, exercising, eating healthy and drinking plenty of water. Basically everything you should be doing, and as hard as it is to do, you really do end up feeling much better! It’s really had a positive effect on my life since falling ill is such a burden for a singer, and with a balanced diet and exercise this really does keep the flu at bay and makes me feel so much better with my performances. This in turn impacts my confidence in not just performing but with life, both truly go hand in hand.
These practices can be incorporated in not only singing but many aspects in people’s lives such as public speaking.
--
Jean Clara Cartwright is currently a first study singer at the University of Nottingham with a highlighted focus and love for coloratura soprano arias. After previously winning a number of state piano competitions in the Philippines and completing her DipABRSM exam, she decided to solely focus on singing and in developing her voice to a higher standard. She is a soprano choral scholar at St Mary’s Church in Nottingham, which has presented her with numerous opportunities for solo work and CD recordings.