Choral Chameleon Institute: Day 4

Boy, what a day Monday has been! The full spectrum of musical knowledge and human emotion went into it for sure, and I think I've just about come out the other side - not entirely unscathed, but relatively intact!

Brain fried yet?....

Beginning the morning with ear training (as so many of the mornings here do), I think I've decided what my issue is with Solfege..... and that is that it is literally just requiring me to rename everything, and actually, for no good reason that I can see (or hear). If I was a complete beginner, then sure, I would relish the need for notes to be named in some way so that I could try to reference - but my problem is, they already ARE named! I use the musical alphabet! And if you compare the system of the musical alphabet and Fixed Doh, the only difference is what each note is called. There is no additional benefit to me singing 'Re' instead of a D, or a 'Sol' instead of G - I actually tried this in my own time, by sight-reading a piece using letter names, and then sight-treading another (similarly difficult piece) in Solfege, and what I found was that with letters I had no problems at all, but with Solfege I kept singing the wrong syllables, found my pitch was wavering in places, and I even just reverted to letter names at one point because it's so ingrained! I think my real bugbear is that, with the course participants that have learned Moveable Doh, I can see the benefit in them learning how to use Fixed Doh, as it's a variant of the system that they already use that they may come across - for me though, like I've said before, it's like asking me to think in French for no reason!

Soon after we were off to meet the Choral Chameleon Singers for the first read-through sessions. Up first was conducting, which meant that Tegan and I were to conduct this professional group of singers for the first time. In total honesty, I was terrified. This is so far out of my comfort zone I have to admit, my anxiety levels are through the roof, and I found myself retreating into myself when it was my turn to conduct, which those of you that know me would probably have been really shocked to see! Perhaps it's the fact that these are professional singers who really know their stuff and I, as the amateur am expected to lead them.... perhaps it's realising that Tegan is so much more experienced and at ease with this than me that I feel not up to par..... or perhaps there's some other mental block that's going on - whatever it is, I know I need to take some time and figure it out, because the concert is on Friday and I really don't want to suck at this! All that said, the faculty we had on hand were superb, and were really able to get the needed teaching across: at one point I was surrounded by the choir singing at me, and having to run around and look them all directly in the eye, really listening to each individual voice, which was just the right amount of silly to sink in as an important lesson! The singers themselves are also truly lovely people, who you can tell are willing you to do well, and want to help you in anyway they can, always giving feedback with a compliment as well as a suggestion.

In session with Choral Chameleon (or half of them at least!) 

After a short break to compose myself (ha, pun intended), the choir split in half so we could begin to read-through everyone's first drafts of their piece, using two separate groups. I was up first, and I soon realised just how much more comfortable I am having a choir sing my music at me, rather than lead them in performing the music - I just felt much calmer and my piece really started to come to life. Although it's not finished yet, I'm really pleased with where it's going, and several of the choir, other composers and even the faculty were saying how wonderful it's already sounding. A fab little pick me up to get me back in the zone, and I can't wait to hear my next draft, and indeed the finished article with the full ensemble on Friday!

Yaaaaay! Singing Nerds! (Me with Justin Stoney,
post-vocal workout)

Taking a little detour from the Institute, I spent the afternoon back in Manhattan, as I had booked myself a singing lesson with Justin Stoney from New York Vocal Coaching. I came across Justin's youtube channel from my research for my Singing Teaching Diploma with The Voice College, and found I really liked his approach to both teaching and singing, and found it complemented everything I was learning and my own approach to music on the whole. So, I thought, why the hell not book myself a lesson with him while I'm in New York?! And I am SO glad I did, as it was a truly awesome lesson. Justin is every bit as knowledgeable and compassionate in person as he is on youtube, and we were able to jam in about 5 lessons worth of material into my one session, getting sounds out of my voice that I didn't know I could do! He was also really complementary on my voice on the whole, and seemed rather impressed with my vocal range, which was just an awesome icing on the cake, and just the boost I needed before having a good old stomp through Central Park: a glorious piece of nature in the middle of a busy city - fabulous!

What really struck me today was just how much of a different person I was in each of these four activities - in Ear Training, I would be more confident if I was allowed to do it my way (haha!), but generally speaking I'm solidly comfortable - in conducting I could not be more uncomfortable right now, which is actually somewhat of a shock to me! It's not even that I think I can't do it, because I know I can - there's something else going on which needs working out.... With composing I'm more than happy to sit and listen to a choir sing my music and then talk about it - and well, having a singing lesson and nerding about the voice is basically my life, and it was clearly the happiest and most energetic I'd been all day! It just goes to show that every musician has their strengths, weaknesses and underlying anxieties, and, harkening back to Vince's masterclass on Sunday, it really is all about knowing yourself if you're going to succeed.

A little bit of the good stuff at the end of a very busy day....

Choral Chameleon Institute: Day 3

Perfect little artist's corner!

Sunday morning in Brooklyn, and it's a bit of a nice lazy start to the day - which is a good thing, because last night it was muggy and hot and horrible in my apartment, so it took me a while to nod off! Safe to say though, I got started on my piece, and decided to spend the free morning at a neighbourhood coffee shop enjoying some people watching while I continued on with my piece. It really is a lovely area of the city this little corner of Brooklyn, and with the sun shining, it was the perfect time to crack on with some creativity!

Starting off the afternoon it was back in with some more ear training, which included an interesting discussion of the concept of perfect pitch, and yet more discussions about Solfege, specifically 'Fixed Doh vs 'Moveable Doh' ' - probably time to explain the difference! - The Solfege system relates to the 'musical alphabet': C-D-E-F-G-A-B = Doh-Re-Mi-Fa-Sol-La-Ti Fixed Doh means that 'Doh' is always the same note, regardless of what key you might be in. For Moveable Doh, 'Doh' will be whatever the tonic/root note of the key you are in might be - so if you are in A major; A-B-C#-D-E-F#-G# = Doh-Re-Mi-Fa-Sol-La-Ti. The debate that arises is which one is better, and why you might use one over the other. Many of the participants on this course have been taught Moveable Doh, and are thus struggling to wrap their head around using a different system, unlike me, who is just struggling to 'speak in another language'! Generally speaking, what I’m finding most difficult of this whole ‘ear training experience’ is learning to use completely different words to describe the notes I already hear in my head - for example, if I see an A on a score, I will hear the A, and would want to sing ‘A’, but the Fixed Doh Solfege system requires me to sing ‘La’ - when you then have to do them all in quick succession, that’s when the ‘fun’ really begins! I’m not entirely sure I’ll have it down by the time I leave the institute, nor am I sure I’ll use it in any real way when I leave, but it is fascinating to be learning about it and approaching something in a completely foreign way. 

Everyone hard at work!

Our masterclass for the day was with course director Vince Peterson, on the subject of 'Your Career in Music'. A hugely honest and insightful masterclass, which Vince delivered with both compassion and humour. The overall premise what how 'Art is Work', and that what a lot of people view as 'talent' is actually completely overrated. Having a career in music is based on knowing yourself, REALLY knowing yourself: your habits, your needs, your goals, things that help you work, things that distract you, your personal triggers and admitting your fears. It's about understanding what you're great at and who needs/wants what you have to offer, and likewise what are bad at and what do people not want from you. There was discussion on the Myers-Briggs Test, which essentially gives you insight into your true personality type, and how this can be related to your career, and discussion on how versatility in the music business essentially if the path to money! Overall, this masterclass was a full package of useful information, which I liken to the masterclass I experienced with Lawrence Dillon at Charlotte New Music Festival - a little bit of a life changer!

In my conducting session I tackled my second piece that I will conduct with the choir, which just so happens to have been written by course director Vince Peterson, and heavily features irregular time signatures in 7/8 and 5/4 - oh yeah, no pressure then.... That said, I'm up for the challenge, and this piece poses itself as a massive learning tool. A lot of my focus with this piece was learning how to beat the irregular time signatures, as well as more on the subtleties of what your hand gestures actually mean for a choir. I'm very much looking forward to trying all this new stuff out with the Guernsey Glee Singers when I return to Guernsey! - Finally, having got some notation on the go, my composition lesson with Jeff was also very productive, as I was able to show him how my piece was developing, and likewise he was able to make suggestions on how to expand on my ideas, and push the harmonic language a bit more. Jeff seems to really understand how I operate as a composer, and has a really warm way of discussing ideas which I find extremely helpful, so I'm really positive as to how my piece is going to turn out.

All in all, a shorter, but jam-packed day of music exploration, which was rounded off with a nice little dinner with a couple of my fellow composers in a local Venezuelan cafe, and a brief moment watching a live production of Shakespeare's Richard III in Carroll Park - #artiswork #artiseverywhere

Richard III - in the park on a Sunny Sunday evening!

Choral Chameleon Institute: Day 2

After the baptism of fire that seemed to be the first day of the Institute, safe to say the second day felt a little bit calmer, with everything seeming to seep in a little bit more and ideas beginning to grow.

Are you scared yet?....

I began my morning with another ear training session, which was not as hair raising as I had expected it might be - the day before we all had a short assessment of our aural skills, which was a little intimidating, but this mornings sessions was just the right amount of 'I know how to do this' and 'hmmm, that was a little more challenging than I thought!' - One particular exercise which was a little bamboozling was a two part rhythm exercise, where we were singing the top line, and clapping the bottom line. As a self-accompanied singer I thought I'd have this down, but alas the odd corner or two was seeming to throw me off! It took a few goes to figure out the best way for my brain to handle it, that's for sure - can I put that down to it being morning and the coffee not kicking in yet?.... I'm going to go with yes....
- For the rest of the morning we were treated to a master class with David Dabbon, who works as a vocal arranger for broadway musicals, and even Disney! This was a HUGE treat, especially for me as a musical theatre nerd - as a composer I also spend my 'downtime' between writing my own choral music arranging choral music, quite often from the rock, pop and musical theatre genres, so it was great to get the insight and tips and tricks from someone who actually does it for a living, and clearly, very successfully! One of the biggest considerations, particularly for musicals is how heavily dance features in the number in question - for example, if you listen to the title number of 'Oklahoma' there is a lot of complex harmonies going on - not surprisingly, this is a number which is done with the actors just standing and singing. In a number where there's a huge dance break, in a well written arrangement you'll notice that the singing comes back in in unison, or with the soloist featured so the chorus can catch a breath. Another interesting statement David made was that, "If your writing is good enough then it doesn't matter how good the singers are!" - which is a really, REALLY good point to consider!

One thing this institute has been full of the 'inspirational quote', most often supplied by the course director Vince Peterson - one that has particularly resonated with me is; "Don't over think! There is beauty in simplicity! Go with your instincts!" - This is a great statement for me, as I've often wondered if my compositions are 'complex' enough, or 'sophisticated enough' - but it really is true that sometimes, less is indeed more. Another great quote came from David Dabbon (who was actually quoting someone else), to round off his masterclass:

"Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes - art is knowing which ones to keep" 

After the lunch break it was back to the conducting for me, and boy, what a difference a day makes! After my slightly flustered start yesterday I spent some time with the score back in my apartment, just singing through each line, noticing the dynamics, any tempo changes, key moments etc. When I got up to conduct today I certainly felt much more at ease, and Vince even commented on how much more musical my piece was sounding, which is a big boost. Until you've actually tried to conduct, you have absolutely no idea of the intricate techniques required to do it well - it is SO much more than just flapping your arms around in time to the music! As pretty much a novice conductor I really am getting a huge body of knowledge thrown at me, and the biggest insight I've learned is that 'conducting is just a series of preparations' - it is all about being, literally, one step ahead of the game! It's also great to watch Tegan, the other student conductor at this institute, as I'm learning so much from watching her session as well as participating in my own.

Not a bad view from my 'classroom'...

Following on from my conducting session it was time to dash over to the choir loft for my composition lesson. As I'm the only participant doing both composing and conducting, my time management this week is somewhat spectacular! It's also unsurprising that I hadn't managed to get any notation on the go yet for this lesson, but I had managed to do some sketches relating to the two texts I was umming and ahhing between. If you're unfamiliar with the term, composers will often sketch out their ideas for their pieces, and there is no set way to do this - each composer will have their own way of doing it which reflects their process and their ideas. For me, this can include what I call 'harmony stacking', in which I write chord pattern ideas with letters in columns, melodic riffs, and in this particular case, a diagram of the proposed structure of the piece, which I often do by using block lines to signify parts moving together, and interweaving wiggly lines to represent parts moving across each other. From this sketching I can then start to 'noodle' on the piano, trying out melodic ideas or chord progressions, and the piece starts to develop from there. Safe to say Jeff (my tutor) was happy with my sketched ideas, and even said he might steal my sketching process to use himself, which is nice to hear! I'm certainly looking forward to my piece starting to develop now.

A hugely productive day at the Choral Chameleon Institute - I'm very much enjoying the positive vibe here at St Paul's. There's an excellent balance of focus and fun, as well as the hugely encouraging personas of each of the staff. So, it's time to get back to work, which in my case means translating scribbles into notated music and practicing my conductor arms in the mirror! #nerdalert

There beautiful evening light on St Paul's church

Choral Chameleon Institute: Day 1 (...ish....)

Here I am again! In the US of A on another musical learning adventure, this time taking place at the Choral Chameleon Institute in Brooklyn, New York! One look at the course schedule, and it's obvious it's going to be jam-packed - so, naturally, I have prepared for this by being a tourist and enjoying what NYC has to offer!

"New York, New Yoooooork!"

After spending a day in London during one of the hottest days of the year (the tube was disgusting, need I say more....), followed by an long haul flight over to NYC, and after waiting what seemed like an ice-age for the damn Subway train to show up, I finally got myself settled into my AirBnB flat in Brooklyn, with a quick walk around the area for some food and to get my bearings. The following day I decided to got for the longest walk EVER, first spending the morning taking in the sights of Brooklyn, specifically round Brooklyn Bridge Park. What's rather lovely about this area is how green it is, and surprisingly peaceful for being in a city! The big main roads are noisy, sure, but overall, Brooklyn has a calm feel to it, which is just what the doctor ordered right now! On this morning adventure I even found a piano, just sitting there on the pier facing the financial district of downtown
Manhattan. Naturally, I immediately sat at said piano to play and sing some jazz, because that's what it's there for, surely! It turns out there are about 50 pianos dotted all over New York, as an effort to increase creativity and increase the 'humanity' of the city, which I think is a great idea, and I love to see more of this everywhere - Guernsey has attempted something like this in the past, with one piano in the Market Square, but we really could do more - there's 10 parishes for crying out loud! One in every parish, open to the public to be played and enjoyed by all - I think it's worth doing! After my musical detour I decided to make my way to over the Brooklyn Bridge, which is a hell of a walk I can tell you, but absolutely worth doing if you're ever in NYC - the views alone are fantastic, and there is a tremendous sense of achievement when you get to the other side! After a brief rest I made my towards the financial district in order to see the 9/11 memorials: two large square shape pools, each with plaques around the outside to list the names of all the victims, from the towers, planes, and emergency services. There was something about these memorials that felt very respectful, tasteful, and powerful, and I'm not ashamed to admit I was moved to tears by them - perhaps the recent stream of attacks and horror we've had in the UK hit me while I was reading these names, because that's the power of a name: it puts a face, even a blurry one you can't see because you didn't know the person, onto the tragedy, which makes it terribly effecting. Continuing on my first day of exploration, I made a heroic charge through Greenwich Village, Soho, China Town and Little Italy, eventually giving in to the agony my feet were in and making my way back to Brooklyn via the Subway for a much needed night in of rest.

One World Trade Centre

 For my second day of exploration, I took the Subway into Manhattan to pick up, vaguely, where I left off, at the Washington Square Park Arch, and then decided to make another heroic effort to walk all the way to the Empire State Building via a few of New Yorks park squares. Once again I was delighted to find music creativity alive and well in these little hubs of nature, as several of them had stages set up and bands performing - the Jazz trio I heard in Union Square Park were fantastic! Making my way past the Flatiron building, I finally got to the Empire State Building, and took in a little time to shop around the so called 'Garment District' of NYC. Just to put these 'heroic' walks in perspective, I spent a minimum of 8 hours walking across both of these days, which, at 3mph average walking speed is some fair mileage I can tell you! Needing a little respite it was back on the Subway to head to Rockefeller Centre and walk past Radio City Music Hall and down to the infamous Time Square, where there was a fabulous area of raked steps to just sit on and people watch. Although it's easy to see why it's so iconic, housing the many theatres of Broadway, the Time Square area was not my favourite place to be in New York - very noisy, garish, and if the ladies who were roaming the streets in nothing but knickers, high heels and red white and blue paint  to 'cover' everything else were anything to go by, clearly, anything goes on Broadway. Personally, I'd rather take the West End of London any day! But that said, what better way to finish of my day with a Broadway show: Avenue Q! The show itself was brilliant, with a capsule cast and

Just chilling out at Times Square

band, and a delightful reference to modern times, I thoroughly enjoyed my time laughing heartily and enjoying my broadway experience. Interestingly, the New World Stages, where Avenue Q is staged is actually a multiplex of theatres (about 5 I think!), which are built underground, which means several shows can take place in one building at any one time. A fantastic idea in theory, but my love of 'theatre' just left me feeling a little cold in this modern looking 'cinema' style building - I just wish it looked a bit more like a classic theatre is all! 

Finally, after a hectic few days of touristing, it was time to get down to business with the start of the Choral Chameleon Institute. After a welcoming breakfast, there was no hanging around, it was straight down to business with a group singing session. One of the things which has already thrown itself at me as a challenge is the use of Solfege; a musical system by which to sing notes - many of you non-muso's will actually know it, as it is the lyrics in 'Do-Re-Mi' from the Sound of Music! And, although I have actually played the part of Maria in said musical, I didn't actually learn Solfege to do that song - I learned the notes and the Solfege was just 'lyrics' to me! There's also a whole other debate of 'Fixed Doh' and 'Moveable Doh' which I won't get into now, but will revisit at a later date after much needed processing and discussion! Following this session was brief one-to-one sessions to gauge our ear-training levels, followed by music analysis; a hardcore session revisiting Bach Chorales and their theoretical elements, many of which I have not done extensively since I did my GCSE music! I can only thank my mother for hammering that information into me so well, because boy was I rusty! My initial comparison to this course so far is, there's SO much more in the way of academic involvement, but at the same time, it is still a safe and welcoming space of learning and exploration, and the positive vibe is palpable for sure.

Now, I'm attending this course as dual concentration, which means I taking part as both a composer AND a conductor. The composing part I feel confident enough with that I can get a piece I'm happy with out in this week-long time frame, and, even with the Solfege quandary to get my head round, the theory side of things I also feel confident about..... but conducting... that is a whole other ball game right there. I've only been chorally conducting for 9 months, so I am feeling like a guppy in a sea of sharks, and safe to say, I've left my comfort zone on this one! But what's really great is that this Institute already has a vibe of safety about it - there is no judgement, just compassion and a will to do your best, and guide you. The staff are passionate and approachable, and there's just the right amount of eccentricity to make everything feel fun amidst all the intense work being thrown at us. That said, I need to do some serious alone time with my conducting scores and really find my 'conducting hat', so to speak - watch this space on that one!

Time to get cracking! Scores, coffee - let's go!

Following that mental mind-bend was my first one-to-one lesson, which consisted of 'tell me about yourself' and discussing which text I might use, and how to approach it. Undecided thus far, but I have a few ideas swimming around which are starting to present their potential. Rounding off the teaching for the day was a Dictation lesson, where essentially we spent time applying ear-training techniques and theoretical knowledge of Bach Chorales in order to be able to dictate them, as in, write them down from just hearing them. I'm a little rusty, I admit, but much more back in my comfort zone with this one - however, I feel like Solfege and I are fast becoming frenemies in this Institute - my natural instinct is to just sing any sound (like 'Doo', or 'Dah'), because, as I have perfect pitch, I hear the note I need in my head anyway. Applying these 'new' words to these notes I already hear in my head is proving to be my issue: it's like trying to read and speak a new language and translate in your head all at the same time, and it's rather annoying! We did end the session with a rather fun (operative word) little exercise which I urge my muso friends out there to try - singing 'Row Row Row your boat' in canon with playing it on your instrument (piano usually best - clarinet could pose a problem....) - Now, I can do this quite happily with the words.... with Solfege, I want to murder things...... this is going to be an emotional roller-coaster of a week I can see.... But, all in all, a great start to the course, rounded off by a excellent social dinner - what better way to get to know your fellow composer/conductors than over food and drink eh?

The Music of the Night....

It's a topic that, as a musician, I find crops up again and again - living in a society of '9-5 jobs', if you don't 'conform to the norm' it can greatly hamper your creative juices if your circadian rhythms are out of whack (or, at the very least, are perceived to be....) but just what the hell are they, these 'circadian rhythms'...?

Circadian rhythms are physical, mental and behavioral changes that follow a roughly 24-hour cycle, responding primarily to light and darkness in an organism's environment. They are found in most living things, including animals, plants and many tiny microbes. In us humans, circadian rhythms are your body's natural Sleep/Awake cycle - they tell you when to be awake, and when you're tired. Many things can effect your natural rhythms, such as travel (jet lag), stress, a change in your normal routine, and certain foods (like excess caffeine or sugar). Some people claim that napping during the day can cause you problems with your sleep cycle, but actually, napping doesn't typically effect it. In fact the science suggests that a well timed nap can actually improve your overall health and circadian function. The National Sleep Foundation states that the circadian rhythms in humans dip and rise at different times of the day, so adults' strongest sleep drive generally occurs between 2:00-4:00 am and in the afternoon between 1:00-3:00 pm, although there is some variation depending on whether you are a “morning person” or an “evening person.” 

There are three types of circadian rhythms, or 'Sleep Phase Types':

• 'Typical Sleep Phase Type': These people naturally rise around 7am and go to sleep sometime around 11pm - this is the type of sleep phase expected of most of the population in order to comply with the '9-5 job' mentality we have in our modern society. 
• 'Advanced Sleep Phase Type', also known as 'Morning Larks': These people naturally rise early, often before or around 4am, and go to sleep early around 7-9pm - this type of sleep phase benefits people who work early in the morning as refuse collectors, or delivering milk etc. 
• 'Delayed Sleep Phase Type', also known as 'Night Owls': These people naturally rise late around or after 11am, and go to sleep late, often after 3am - People with this type of sleep phase have the most problems trying to fit into conventional jobs (like office work, or teaching in schools etc). 

There are also certain sleep disorders that quite often come about from being forced into a routine that does not comply with your own bodies natural sleep phase type - 'Advanced Sleep Phase Type' and 'Delayed Sleep Phase Type' are under dispute as to whether they are disorders. Some doctors refer to them as 'disorders' because the persons body clock doesn't conform to the 'socially accepted' timings of sleep. However, people with these sleep types (like myself, in fact), when left to sleep at a time of their choosing do sleep healthily (the right amount of time and undisturbed). In my opinion, if it's causing a problem to your health because of something you can't control, that's a true and obvious disorder - examples include: 

• Insomnia: Inability to fall asleep at any time of day.
• Narcolepsy: Inability to stay awake, or problems with falling asleep at unexpected moments
• Shift Work Disorder: Can affect those who work in jobs with rotating shifts (such as doctors/nurses, power plant workers etc)
• Non-24hr-Sleep-Wake Disorder: People with this disorder find their body clock 'cycles' through 24hrs, either with extended periods or wakefulness, or greatly reduced periods of wakefulness - for part of a month they will wake with daylight, and the other part they will wake in darkness.

I fall into the category of 'Delayed Sleep Phase Type' (Night Owl) and it is often the type that is typically associated with 'Creative People', particularly those working as musicians, writers and artists. Gigs often run late (sometimes you don't get off stage until gone midnight and still have to pack up and then go home.... and maybe eat!), or you might be doing late sessions in a studio recording an album, and as a composer I find my creativity surge tend to hit me late at night, around 11pm. There's been many a time (especially during my Masters Degree), that I've had a sudden burst of inspiration around about midnight, got to 4am and had to make the big decision: go to sleep and risk losing the ideas, or plough on, pull the all-nighter and try to go to bed earlier the next evening to make up for it.
You can see from the picture opposite that creatively minded people don't have a 'typical rhythm', but there are many that follow similar rhythms. My own rhythms match quite well to Pablo Picasso's, although I'd insert a block of 'Day Job' (working as a vocal coach) between 1-7pm.... which I guess is still creative work if you really think about it!

How does being a night owl effect my daily life?
There are upsides and downsides to having an atypical sleep phase type. The major downside is that, sadly, pretty much everyone needs to work, and if you have a delayed sleep phase type but need to work a 9-5 job, you are going to struggle to find the energy. However, if like me you are self-employed, you have control over your working hours, and can live and work perfectly happily and healthily. 'Productivity of Work' is another benefit. It stands to reason that, if you're sleeping well, you work well, and therefore get more done. I really dislike the pressure that there seems to be for everyone to conform to the '9-5' mentality of modern society, because, clearly, not everyone fits into this particular mold. Experts in circadian rhythms and sleep disorders clearly state that we only need 'typically 8 hours of sleep a day', but they don't specify when you should be sleeping. If I had to work a 9-5 job, I would never be able to do all my composing/songwriting alongside that type of job as well as the performing I want to do. But because my 'day job' is private vocal tuition with atypical hours, it leaves me open to work later in the day (and often into the wee hours of the morning) because I don't need to be 'at work' until 12pm (at the earliest!)

It's also amazing how much stigma is attached to being a Night Owl. I typically get up around 11am each day, but there are some days that I need to be up and about earlier - much to my chagrin, I teach at a music school on a Saturday morning, and need to be ready to teach at 9am. My dad to this day will still say to me, on days I need to be up earlier, 'Oh wow, you're awake then!' - YES, I'm damn well awake - it's not that I can't get up earlier! But it doesn't feel natural (and actually, sometimes, it feels quite painful). And I've lost count of how many times I've heard people say, "Well, can't you just go to bed earlier?..." - NO. It doesn't work like that. And believe me, I've tried. When I get up early every Saturday morning, my body clock still wants to go to bed well after midnight the following evening - going to bed earlier just means lying in bed awake longer. However, a strange plus/negative of being a Night Owl is travel. I've been to the US several times in the last few years, and interestingly I have a very easy time getting into a routine. My 3-4am bedtime in the UK is 10-11pm in New York, which means my 11am get up time is 8am in New York. This is a wonderful benefit for when I attend music courses in the US which have a packed (and early start) schedule.... but inevitably, my body will start to adapt and shift to the new time zone.... which makes the return home VERY painful indeed!

All in all, it's clear that there's a lot about sleep and human routines that goes beyond the 'get 8 hours sleep a day and work 9-5', and I think it's about time that society started to accept and appreciate the types of people that don't conform to the norm. And most importantly, being a Night Owl doesn't mean you're lazy! It just means you operate differently: just like all those incredibly renown creative and intellectually minded people..... it's certainly nothing to lose sleep over.

How about a little..... 'Cat-Nap'...?

To Backing Track, or not to Backing Track....

If you're a singing in any way shape or form, you'll have had experience with backing tracks, and probably have a preference either way as to whether you like or don't like them. It's a topic that comes up time and time again in my teaching studio, and I'm frequently asked as to whether or not singers should be using them, and actually, there isn't really a simple 'yes' or 'no' answer - there are many factors to consider! So I thought it was time for a blogpost about it!

So - what is a backing track?....
Aptly named, a backing track is simply an pre-recorded backing to a song so that you have something to perform with. Backing tracks come in a variety of formats (CD, MP3, acoustic instrument (aka: live recording) MIDI etc), and, more importantly, can vary extensively in terms of quality! Anyone can use a backing track to perform, which in itself draws out it's own issues and benefits, and there are also many reasons people may choose to use a backing track:

• Inability to perform with a live musician, due to rehearsal time, or unavailability etc.
• Inability to replicate the 'CD' sound of the song in question - some songs don't work well with just a pianist accompanying!
• Some people actually just prefer having the 'full band' sound behind them, even if the band aren't really there!  
• Some exam syllabi, like Trinity Rock & Pop, or Rockschool actually require you to perform with a backing track for exams 

Below I've listed the Pros and Cons of using a backing track: 

PROS

• Getting Started: If you're a young singer, and especially one who doesn't know many musicians to perform with to begin with, using backing tracks to go busking/performing is a great way of getting started with live performances. 

• Ease of Rehearsal: Using a good quality backing track for rehearsal away from your band can be a great way of getting the song in your head without relying on the singer on the original recording. It can also be good if perhaps your usual accompanist is unavailable for a session etc. 

• Time Management: Sometimes you simply don't have the time to get a full band together for a gig, perhaps because of a short-notice booking, or a specific song request that will take too long to rehearse with a full ensemble.

• Cost: Sometimes the person booking you has a limited budget, and simply can't afford a full band, but really want a live singer. A backing track enables you, as the singer, to still perform and get paid

• You can change the key: Some musicians have excellent skills, and can sight transpose, or (if you're lucky) are able to use a transpose function or capo to re-work the song into a key that suit you - however, to expect this of a musician is rather demanding and unrealistic! The luxury of a backing track means, if it's not in a good key for you, you can change it using a software program like audacity. 

CONS

• They can't replace a live musician: As much as some backing tracks can be of excellent quality and production, the simple truth is, playing with a live musician enables you, as the singer, the best chance to perform a song your way. A backing track is unsympathetic to your desired tempos, your choice of dynamics, use of rubato etc etc. You are, in essence, performing with a robot. 

• Lack of Expression: Even the best backing tracks lose that 'live feeling', and in turn it can make your performance as the singer rather mechanical, and it's easy to get into a sense of 'going through the motions' when you perform. Part of the joy of performing live with a live band is how songs are different every time you do them. 

• You get what you pay for: Some backing tracks you can find for a couple of quid, or even for free.... not to mince words, these are often terrible karaoke tracks with awful synth sounds. If you want to sound good, you need to pay for it. Often decent tracks come in vocal volumes (the 'You're the Voice' series is excellent), and there are some websites which offer excellent quality tracks. We're not talking extortionate prices here, maybe a fiver - but fiver's add up! - If you're booking quality gigs however, you can expect to get paid more, so it make sense to back that up with quality material (both live and backing!)

• It's easy to lose your musicianship skills: If you become reliant on the 'backing track' sound, it's far too easy to forget how to work with living, breathing musicians. Remember, a backing track is a robot - musicians can think for themselves! They're also not mind-readers! You can't expect the live musician to know how you like to perform with your backing track. They either need to be given instruction in rehearsal, or have it written on their sheet music. 

• Sometimes the track doesn't reflect the reality of the performing situation: A classic example of this is musical theatre audition preparation. It's all very well and good practicing a song you want use for an audition with a backing track, but if the track is a full blown band track, you're going to get a massive shock when you turn up for an audition and hand the sheet music to the pianist! I cannot stress enough how important it is to practice your audition material with a live pianist! Remember, musicians think for themselves, and they won't think like you! 

As you can see, there's a equal weight of argument both for and against the use of backing tracks - ultimately, it's down to you as the performer to make the judgement call on what would be right for you in the performing situation you're in. My own personal preference is for live music - I perform as a self-accompanied singer, or with my band. That's not to say I never use backing tracks. On a few occasions I have found myself being requested to perform solo, but they ask for a song which just won't have the desired impact without a band, or that I don't have time to rehearse with a band, or the client simply doesn't have a budget to accommodate a full band of live musicians. I even have a playlist ready for times when I can't accompany myself (for example, when I sprained my wrist and couldn't play either piano or guitar!) - Below is a list of Dos and Don'ts, designed to help you make the right call about backing tracks:

• DO your research: spend some time searching for decent, good quality backing tracks. If these are something you will use regularly, either in your practice or performance, you need to invest. 

• DON'T get complacent: either about using the track, or not! If you're used to using a track and are suddenly going to need to work with a live musician, remember you need to convey to them what it is you want from the song, but remember that everyone interprets music in their own way - their natural interpretation of a track might not align with yours! If you're not used to using a backing track, remember, it can't mould itself around you, or do what you want, you will need to adapt to the track. 

• DO consider recording a live musician: If you have a piece of music for which there is not a backing track, and for whatever reason you can't use a live musician for the gig, don't rule out asking a musician (or your music teacher) to record themselves playing the song for you without you singing. That way, at least you have the accompaniment exactly as you want it. I have done this quite successfully for many of my students using only garageband to great results. (PS: don't expect them to do this for free though!)

• DON'T judge: It's really easy to be critical of another singer's performance that actually has nothing to do with their voice! If you're an advocate of the live musician backing and hear a singer performing with some crappy backing tracks, just remember, they may not be as fortunate as you to know a lovely musician who will play for them! Likewise, if you're used to performing with quality backing tracks that make you feel confident and you hear a singer performing with a musician who perhaps isn't as skilled as they need to be to support the singer, remember, this could be their first gig trying to perform a live set! Listen to what's really there - the artistry, the skills, the connection with the music and the connection with the audience, and try to keep bias aside (and any negative thoughts/comments to yourself!) 

Useful Links / Products: 

www.karaoke-version.com
- Although the name suggests 'karaoke' type tracks, if you spend some time and go looking (and listening) you can find some quality tracks, many of which are pretty much identical to the original song. They also have a 'custom' option, by which you can include or discard things (like backing vocals) should you wish.

www.jazzbacks.com
- If you're a jazz singer, the quality and variety of the tracks available on this site are fantastic. You have to pay a bit more (about £3.99+ a track), but it is absolutely worth it.

www.pianotracksformusicals.com
- An excellent site for budding musical theatre performers perhaps looking for a backing track for a college showcase, or rehearsal for an audition. These tracks feature ONLY a piano backing, which makes them great for practicing a song for which you know you will only have a piano backing.

www.trinityrock.com
- The backing tracks for exams are generally only available with purchase of the grade books (they come on a CD) - however, their website has a free Transposition Tool, which enables you to transpose ANY track you might have into another key.

'You're the Voice' - vocal series
- This is an excellent series of vocal anthologies, featuring songs as performed by famous singers, recorded by live musicians. I can personally vouch for the Eva Cassidy, Billy Holiday and Ray Charles editions, but there are many other volumes available such as Amy Winehouse, Frank Sinatra, Katherine Jenkins, Michael Buble etc. The books cost around £12-15 (www.musicroom.com), and you get a book of piano/vocal music (excellent as it is 100% faithful to the track, which means you can confidently give it to a pianist to play) and a CD of backing tracks, approximately 12 songs per anthology. A worthy investment.

Lehigh Choral Composers Forum: Day 7

The home stretch of a truly remarkable week of music making - last day of the Lehigh Choral Composers Forum. With no seminar or lessons to attend today, we began the day with a de-briefing lunch at Zoellner. Safe to say, the general consensus of the week has been one of many emotions: from break-throughs to break-downs, everyone has had a little bit of an emotional roller coaster this week whilst trying to realise their new piece for choir. But also, it's been a week of connections. Dr Sven-David Sandstrom spoke to us with the view that, we are now all friends and colleagues, a view I most certainly hold myself. There are many composers involved in this forum whom I would love for choirs back home in Guernsey to perform, and there are many composers whom are now very dear to me and who I truly feel are now friends for life. Dr Steven Sametz reiterated that, in a week where there can be no failure (and indeed, there was none) we have all learned things about ourselves through watching other people's compositional journey's as well as going through our own. I certainly feel like I've certainly come to know 18 other pieces as well as my own - my head this morning is some sort of very strange mishmash of all these pieces! From my own experience, alongside the amazing music, this week has heavily featured the following topics: The use of key signature's when composing, the EU referendum (let's not go there shall we?.....) and gender equality within the composing world. Clearly a topic that is immediately apparent because I was the lone female at this forum, I have to say I was a little apprehensive at the start of the week as to how it would be. However, I quickly realised that I was amongst peers and equals, and felt completed accepted as 'one of the boys' within this group. I never once felt singled out because of my gender, and I really do want to thank everyone for that. There are far too many ideas and opinions on how we create and maintain gender equality within music (and the arts in general), enough for an entirely separate blogpost (*hint hint). But safe to say, gender equality is alive and well at this forum.... if even it doesn't look like it from the outside!

Off to Bethlehem, it's the three wise.... men?

After lunch, with a little bit of time to kill, Bryan Lin, Corey Hable and myself went for a little wander around main street Bethlehem. A really beautiful city, with a lot of history, and sadly not enough time to take it all in. To be honest, I haven't really seen much of this place outside of the Lehigh University Campus (and the various 'watering holes' nearby). If I were to do this forum again (and I would really love to) it would definitely be on the agenda to try and see more of the city.

The final rehearsals of this week, in the Baker Theatre at the Zoellner Arts Centre, a last chance for the Princeton Singers to put the finishing touches on our pieces. I have so say, we (the composers) thought our job was tough, writing a new piece in such a short space of time. These singers (and Dr Sametz who conducts them) have had to learn all 19 new pieces... in essentially 5 days.... whilst the pieces are still evolving. A really remarkable feat, to say the least! And all credit to them, they pulled it off. Indeed the concert in the evening was a great success, and it was truly wonderful to hear all the music at the finishing point. If I were to highlight my favourite pieces of the week (excluding my own, because, you know, I'm a bit biased), I would have to single out Casey Rule's 'The Singers', which features some fantastic harmony (aka, chord porn) and a brilliant piano part, and Michael Fairbairns 'I will come to you.' I've mention Michael's piece several times now, but I literally cannot stop going on about it, it is truly magnificent (and yes, I wept like a child in the concert, it broke me). Both of these pieces I would love to perform back home in Guernsey in St James concert hall (and I hope to, one day soon!) Post concert, of course, we made our way out for a drink or three to celebrate. A lovely mirror of lunchtime's de-briefing, it was a great way to cement in the new friendships, and have a last hurrah with this week's witty banter.

A job well done indeed - 19 new works in the bag!

The music involved this week has been sensational, and I highly recommend you check out these talent people - so here's links to all their websites (*note - this will fill in as I get all the details from everyone!)

David L. Almond: TBC
Andrew Bonacci : https://soundcloud.com/andrewbonacci
Shiuan Chang: http://www.shiuanchang.com
Peter Dayton: http://www.peterdaytonmusic.com
Wayne H. Dietterick:
Jared Field: http://www.jaredfieldmusic.com
Jacob Gelber: https://soundcloud.com/jacobgelber
Michael Fairbairn: https://www.facebook.com/mike.fairbairn.7/videos/10101026366325789/?pnref=story.unseen-section (PS: This a video link to the rehearsal of his piece 'I will come to you')
Corey Hable: TBC
Byran Lin: www.bryanlinmusic.com
Dan Lis: http://www.danlismusic.com
Daniel McDavitt: http://www.danielmcdavitt.com/biography.html
Travis Maslen: TBC
David Neches: TBC
Corey Rubin: www.ckrubin.com
Casey Rule: http://www.caseyrule.com
Steven Sametz: http://stevensametz.com
Sven-David Sandstrom: http://www.svendavidsandstrom.com
Barry Sharp: http://www.barrysharpmusic.com
Scott Anthony Shell: www.ScottAnthonyShell.com 

And for good measure, my own website details:

Lydia Jane Pugh: www.lydiajanepugh.com 

Thanks Dr Sametz for inviting me to be part of this forum!

It has been a life-changing week. An absolutely brilliant and positive experience all round, I am returning home to the UK, in uncertain times with absolutely certainty about my own skills. This was a decision, to apply for and take part in this forum, that I am 100% happy I made. Cheers Lehigh Choral Composers Forum, it has been wonderful - here's to my next composing adventure!

Thanks Lehigh Choral Composers Forum - it has been #epic