The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #152589 Message #3571416
Posted By: Jim Carroll
30-Oct-13 - 11:00 AM
Thread Name: Criticism at singarounds
Subject: RE: Criticism at singarounds
I've been assembling material gathered over the years on work we've been involved in with various workshops - happy to pass on anything we have to interested people.
I wonder if anybody has an opinion on present 'workshops' which seem to have sprung up like mushrooms over the last few years and have become part of a number of festivals and singing weekends.
The ones we've attended are run thus:
Them in charge hand out printed sheets of words of one/several songs you may or may not know or like.
The tune is taught by 'im/'er in charge and the group repeats it until they've learned it proficiently enough to try it out for themselves.
Depending on the size of the group, the teacher may or may not spend a limited amount of time with individuals.....
The number of times I've raised the question of 'song-sheet teaching' I have invariably been told that singers need to feel that they have been given something tangible, rather than something they have to achieve for themselves.
I'm used to groups that limited themselves to one - maybe two performances per evening (usually consisting 3 contrasting songs) which are then discussed by the group as a whole, who were expected to comment positively on what worked and didn't and suggest how what didn't work might be improved (this latter being given in 'bite-size chunks so the singer wasn't overwhelmed by too much information)
These 'criticisms' were always fairly firmly chaired so the singer didn't drown in a mass of suggestions.
The real work on singing was always done (or not done, depending on the enthusiasm of those worked on and the skill of the criticism) at home.
These sessions were followed up some time later when the singer had had time to do some work - a progress assessment, if you like.
I've never really been convinced that there is a quick-fix method, but I may have missed something.
Wonder if anybody has any views on teaching - is it possible to actually teach anybody to sing without imposing personal views, techniques and idiosyncrasies.
I would very much welcome views and suggestions.
Jim Carroll