After-Thanksgiving Issue, 2009

Hi Singers!

Gads! So much to tell you guys!

First, I sin[g]cerely hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and used the day to seriously count your blessings and feel the gratitude that is needed to physically alter you earthly experience. The longer I live and the more I read about spiritual matters, the clearer it becomes that if we express gratitude, the vibration we generate in that expression can actually change things in our lives...practically over night.

It's easy to be upset, annoyed, or bitter about the economy for instance, and I certainly am not recommending we jump up and down in enthusiasm for it, but what I AM suggesting is that we quietly thank our version of God, (Source, The Almighty, The Universe, Divine Creator of ALL that exists, whatever you call it), for the the good things we have...like family and friends and health instead of focussing on the bad stuff. It really does help! As Ghandi put it, "Be the change you wish see".

Let me wish you each and every singer who read this blog a wonderful holiday season... whichever holiday you celebrate.

Here's what happening in my world....

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My toilet tissue list of "projects" grew like crazy and I never DID get everything completed in the time I gave myself, but here's the thing. I figure, since I, and no one else, created the time-table, I could also change it and thereby alter the deadline I originally set for these projects. And so I did that!! Easy! Problem solved! It's so simple when you give your permission to take the pressure off...ha ha!

But here's an update on where I am with each project:

The Video Collection:

I am working on a professional vocal series that covers these questions: (each video to run about 30-45 minutes)

1. If you Can Talk...You can Sing!

2. The Role of ego in a vocal performance

3. The Competitive Singer or the Creative Singer? Which are You?

4. Don't forget to breathe.

5. Being more than a singer...being a musician!

6. Expression vs. Impression

7. Let's Put On a Show!!

8. PRACTICE does not make perfect. PRACTICE MAKES PERMANENT!

9. Perfectionism vs. Authenticity

10. Mis-takes...Take 2!

If you are a member of the Sing Your Life Community, you can receive advanced copies of each series of lessons for your review prior to their publication and distribution to the public. Further, if you care to share your viewing experience on any of the lesson packages, you receive special gifts from SYL!

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Sing Your Life is Out of the Backing Track Business! We were thankfully put out of business by a site that allows the buyer to change the key right there on the displayed page PRIOR to actually purchasing the track.

Now, when I say "thankfully" put us put of business, I am saying that the job of locating a track in my database, listening to it, transposing it into the appropriate key for the customer, (and this is a long and arduous process if the singer has no idea of the keys he or she sings in), compressing the file for easy transport through email, or singing it myself if a vocal guide track was not available...all these steps were taking a good deal of time and I simply ran out of those luxurious hours. And that's where the pressure was mounting ...so much that I eventually made myself ill.

Finding the site with which we are now affiliated has freed up the time we can now devote to the Video Packages, and the 2010 plans for all of you singers.

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We have several projects in the works for 2010...

1.Along with the Videos mentioned above, we are developing a workshop for those singers who want to perform in front of a "live" audience with a "live" accompaniment, like a band or a pianist, or guitar player.

Using a group of local students as a model of sorts, (or guinea pigs as they may call themselves, LOL), we have secured a local venue where each singer can showcase their own act of about 30 minutes in front of an audience. The singer will put a showcase together with my coaching help, work out the theme, the keys, the patter, etc., and then rehearse the whole thing with an accompanist and perform it on a Friday or Saturday night at a local coffee house.

I'm considering getting the entire process recorded with each student from the brain-storming

process to the actual performance, which I will post for my internet singers to use as a guide of how to put a show together.

2. There are several older singers in our community who I want to gather around and put on a seminar of sorts, a cyber-seminar on performance expression. I guess it's part of the maturation of us singers that contributes to the disappearance of a self-conscious performance, 'cause our younger singers don't seem as comfortable on stage. I thought it might help them if some of us older ladies, who have "been there, done that", share our own experiences and tips on what we've done to get over the "butterflies" that come with singing in front of strangers.

3. Later in the year, we will start working on an original Christmas Song which I wrote along with my older sister who provided the lyrics.

There wasn't enough time to work on it this year because the arrangement for chorus was not completed until late October. The choir arrangement has been written by my dear friend, Barney McClure, who is a renowned composer and arranger of vocal music, including songs for vocal jazz ensemble and choirs of 100 or more singers. Barney is also the gentleman

who arranged my recording of "Where Do You Start", which I posted to our Community Pages last month. He was so impressed with my Chrsitmas tune, he arranged it and published that arrangement, which means that the song is currently being distributed to Universities and Colleges and Church Choirs all over the country. This'll be a real treat for those of us who can read music, and who enjoy singing with a group. We will begin work in August of 2010. I will post the music for you to download and practice.

And BTW, check out Barney's arrangement of a song her wrote called "Before the Rain" at: http://www.barneymcclure.com/. I just melted when I heard those harmonies.

4. Yes!, Virginia! I WILL complete the sage of "Get Off the Bandstand". It will have an ending...and an important lesson, so stay tuned.

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That's just an outline of our agenda coming up, singers. I will continue to post free video clips based on questions and concerns I receive from you singers, so if you are working on something and need some advice or you have issues with vocal and performance matters, just let me know, okay?

Have a wonderfully joyful and fulfilling holiday, singers, and we'll see you next year!!

Sin[g]cerely,

Chrys