singing with intention:

nourishing spirit and imagination in choral singing

sandra snow, ph.d. pianist, tom shelton

michigan state university conductor/composer
college of music greensboro, nc
slsnow@msu.edu

slides available:
http://public.me.com/slsnow
http://acdaonline.org
  musical understanding

  connection with self

  relationship with others

  creation of new
  MSU Women’s Chamber Ensemble
The vital principle or animating force within
living things

We cannot impose spirit-filled singing.

We can only invite…

nourishing the spirit requires the conditions
of trust and relationship-making.

firing the creative imagination is deeply

rooted in musical and personal
understanding
  intention
in singing as experienced
through the portals of:

◦  articulation
◦  phrasing
◦  language/text
◦  vocal coloration
  articulationis an overarching umbrella
that frames treatment of language/music
and is a function of musical interpretation.

  choices
can be made not only work by
work but:

◦  sections
◦  Phrases
◦  individual words (as vocal coloration)
  articulation choice at unit level
  on

  between
  principles of syllabic stress
◦  fade from the unstressed syllable
◦  renew energy toward the next stressed
syllable

◦  micro=natural language inflection

◦  macro=architecture
  verse 2

  simple folk tune

◦  create at least two levels of phrasing
  voiced
consonants the connectors
between vowels (ex: b, d, th, m, n)

In singing, these connectors are exaggerated vis-à-vis the

sustaining of pitch.

  unvoiced consonants interrupt sound. (ex:

k, s, t, sh)
s…c…h…w…a…!

plus

quality of release!
  of, and, the, but…etc.

  the special use of glottal

  beginning sounds get equal treatment

there is a song
sleeping in all things that dream on and on,
and the world will awaken to sing
if only you can find the magic word.

von eichendrorff
1788-1857
 functions as a portal, like articulation, to
ascribe meaning to musical gesture
  whatevidence is there about how music
might sound?

  context/research

  listening

  decision-making
  articulation
and phrasing a key feature of
interpretation (spirit of piece)
  sensitivity
to language/text a sensual
experience that connects singers to
musical gesture

  vocal coloration is an expressive device

that if conscious, fires the imagination
THANK YOU!