Thursday, July 9, 2009

The recital

I am planning my graduate recital in October of this year. The recital material is set. All the languages are covered, as are all the requisite time periods. The accompanist has been hired. I have even worked with him a couple of times already. I have just under an hour's worth of music right now. I need 45 minutes.

To sing for 45 minutes at a performance level exhausts me when I think too hard about it. To sing in rehearsal for that period exhausts me. It is the beginning of July. All my notes are learned, most of the texts are learned--familiar--not memorized.

Five pieces are memorized enough that I am now taking them out and working on the performance aspects of the pieces--i. e., expression, movement or lack thereof, energy, dealing with nerves.

That leaves another seven or so to go. Today, I had my first real thoughts of "am I going to be able to do all the work that I need to do, to get everything ready?" It wasn't panic really, just the reality of the press of time: besides the music, there are all of the logistics--texts and translations together with program notes, rehearsals, memorization, advertising, a reception to prepare for.

It seems like a lot to do. And when I feel it pressing on me, I try to do a little of it -every day--and hope that it will be enough in the long run. Besides practicing everyday to build stamina, I am aware that three pieces still need to be transposed into other keys. I started one yesterday and will work on it again today.

Today, October 18 does not seem so very far away!