July 24, 2009
Larry and his mother picked me up in Rauland. They arrived several hours earlier than I was expecting them. I was mostly packed and the apartment was a rough approximation of clean. When I left Rauland, my bags were packed and the apartment was a little closer to presentable.
There was just barely enough room in the back seat of the rental car for me and the roads from Telemark weren't any friendlier than usual. At least I was in a car and not on the bus! By the time we arrived in Hokksund, I was slightly green. We spent a lovely evening with Chris and Terry-Anne, with a walk down to the river and songs late into the night.
We dragged ourselves out of bed early the next morning, Sweden bound! Karlyn called from the train station just as Larry had come down for breakfast, so he headed straight off to find her. We enjoyed our breakfast and coffee while Karlyn entertained us with her travel updates. We were on the road before 8am.
We drove through Oslo to Kongsvinger. We picked the most direct route, along the small roads through Finnskogen, Värmland, and Dalarna. We didn't see to many other cars, but we did hear shooting in the distance just after we crossed the border. We cruised Malung, got some groceries in Mora, zipped through Orsa, and happily arrived in Furudal in plenty of time to find our rooms, unpack the car, eat and get to the dance floor early. It was a long day for Larry who drove the whole way!
Showing posts with label singing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label singing. Show all posts
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Busy, Busy, Busy
Wow! What a week!
Over the weekend, starting Thursday night, I took a fabulous course with Unni Boksasp. She is brilliant; her voice is amazing, she is a phenomenal teacher, and she is a really nice person. Over the course of the weekend she managed to make everyone in the class happy by covering pretty much every genre possible in Norwegian vocal tradition (from cow calls to religious folksongs). We also all got a fifteen minute private lesson with her. While fifteen minutes isn't a very long time, she did manage to give good tips and encouragement.
Unni gave two bits of advice I can pass on here. The first is it really is important to warm up if you're going to be singing for any length of time. Each day we warmed up for about a half an hour, and then another ten to fifteen minutes after lunch. Remember that you should warm up your whole body when you sing!
The second bit of advice is - enunciate. Enunciate everything until you think you've got it clear and then over enunciate a little bit more. Especially if you're tralling, the syllables are what drive the rhythm in the music and are very important. If you're singing for dancing (or dancing to singing) you can appreciate how important the enunciation of the rhythm is. That's not to say that everyone in a group has to use the same syllables in a trall, but that's a different topic...
Somewhere during the course of the weekend I managed to find time to write my first paper. Our assignment was to analyze a tune (Skjåken, track #3 on CD5 - Folkemusikk fra Oppland in the Norsk Folkemusikk series). I think the entire class made the assignment harder than it needed to be, but it wasn't easy. Also, the tune is enough to drive a person crazy after listening to it nearly 100 times in the span of a week.
If that weren't enough, we had auditions today for extra lessons. The way it works is if you're good enough to be worthy of extra lessons, the teachers will try to find the time to give them to you. Otherwise, you get a note saying something along the lines of, 'We think you have enough with what you're getting now.' So, I practiced like mad all weekend (between taking the course with Unni and working on the paper).
Today at 4pm it was my turn in the hot seat. I was up first and got to the room before the instructors. I had prepared four tunes, but was only going to play three of them. I was shaking like a leaf. This isn't particularly compatible with fiddling, but I didn't really have any options. I sat down, introduced my first tune, said some words about the tuning and played it.
They were tapping their feet. I made it through the rough parts. I remembered to breath. It was over! Two more tunes...
I announced them, still shaking, and began to play. I survived the first one and introduced the last tune. I played it. Finally, I was done with the ordeal! My mistakes were minor, but they were there. I wasn't playing for a prize, but I was playing for judges. I'll know by the end of the week if I passed that test or not. At least I tried.
Over the weekend, starting Thursday night, I took a fabulous course with Unni Boksasp. She is brilliant; her voice is amazing, she is a phenomenal teacher, and she is a really nice person. Over the course of the weekend she managed to make everyone in the class happy by covering pretty much every genre possible in Norwegian vocal tradition (from cow calls to religious folksongs). We also all got a fifteen minute private lesson with her. While fifteen minutes isn't a very long time, she did manage to give good tips and encouragement.
Unni gave two bits of advice I can pass on here. The first is it really is important to warm up if you're going to be singing for any length of time. Each day we warmed up for about a half an hour, and then another ten to fifteen minutes after lunch. Remember that you should warm up your whole body when you sing!
The second bit of advice is - enunciate. Enunciate everything until you think you've got it clear and then over enunciate a little bit more. Especially if you're tralling, the syllables are what drive the rhythm in the music and are very important. If you're singing for dancing (or dancing to singing) you can appreciate how important the enunciation of the rhythm is. That's not to say that everyone in a group has to use the same syllables in a trall, but that's a different topic...
Somewhere during the course of the weekend I managed to find time to write my first paper. Our assignment was to analyze a tune (Skjåken, track #3 on CD5 - Folkemusikk fra Oppland in the Norsk Folkemusikk series). I think the entire class made the assignment harder than it needed to be, but it wasn't easy. Also, the tune is enough to drive a person crazy after listening to it nearly 100 times in the span of a week.
If that weren't enough, we had auditions today for extra lessons. The way it works is if you're good enough to be worthy of extra lessons, the teachers will try to find the time to give them to you. Otherwise, you get a note saying something along the lines of, 'We think you have enough with what you're getting now.' So, I practiced like mad all weekend (between taking the course with Unni and working on the paper).
Today at 4pm it was my turn in the hot seat. I was up first and got to the room before the instructors. I had prepared four tunes, but was only going to play three of them. I was shaking like a leaf. This isn't particularly compatible with fiddling, but I didn't really have any options. I sat down, introduced my first tune, said some words about the tuning and played it.
They were tapping their feet. I made it through the rough parts. I remembered to breath. It was over! Two more tunes...
I announced them, still shaking, and began to play. I survived the first one and introduced the last tune. I played it. Finally, I was done with the ordeal! My mistakes were minor, but they were there. I wasn't playing for a prize, but I was playing for judges. I'll know by the end of the week if I passed that test or not. At least I tried.
Friday, November 7, 2008
From Sunshine to Snowstorm
This week has been delightful. I got paid from both of my jobs. I made it to the doctor to refill my prescriptions. My prescriptions arrived at the gas station (there isn't a pharmacy in town). I ordered a ukulele. I stayed up late and got up early to watch the election. I attended the local spelmannslag rehearsal. We have managed to stay busy even without a Wednesday night concert.
We sang in classes this week. We sang and danced ballads (stordans) in our vocal tradition class. In our ear-training class, we sang the whole hour! And, we had a really great hour of singing in our singing group.
Until today, the sun has been shining. Bright sunshine filled the clear skies at lunch most days. We sat outside and soaked up the rays, surrounded by the picturesque campus coated with a thin layer of snow. I wouldn't call it exactly warm, but it wasn't cold either.
Today the snow came again. I was a little worried this morning when I headed to class, since the precipitation began as rain. By the time lunch rolled around it was definitely snow and lots of it. Hopefully, I don't have to worry about ice anymore for a long time!
This weekend promises to be relaxing and productive. I have a few practice dates lined up, but with the hotel closed, I will still have plenty of time to relax and read. I've got to rest up for next week - we'll have a concert by Storm Weather Shanty Choir and then I'm taking an extra course in kveding from Unni Boksasp.
We sang in classes this week. We sang and danced ballads (stordans) in our vocal tradition class. In our ear-training class, we sang the whole hour! And, we had a really great hour of singing in our singing group.
Until today, the sun has been shining. Bright sunshine filled the clear skies at lunch most days. We sat outside and soaked up the rays, surrounded by the picturesque campus coated with a thin layer of snow. I wouldn't call it exactly warm, but it wasn't cold either.
Today the snow came again. I was a little worried this morning when I headed to class, since the precipitation began as rain. By the time lunch rolled around it was definitely snow and lots of it. Hopefully, I don't have to worry about ice anymore for a long time!
This weekend promises to be relaxing and productive. I have a few practice dates lined up, but with the hotel closed, I will still have plenty of time to relax and read. I've got to rest up for next week - we'll have a concert by Storm Weather Shanty Choir and then I'm taking an extra course in kveding from Unni Boksasp.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Folkemusikkhelga i Suldal
This weekend I enjoyed a trip over the mountains to the West with two of my classmates. We descended to sea-level on the bus (I hate traveling by bus) to Sand in Suldal, which is in Rogaland.
Sveinung's mother was the course organizer for the weekend, and also let us stay at her house. Over the course of the weekend, Sveinung and I took a kvedar (singer) class with Halvor Håkanes and David took hardingfele with Arngunn Timenes Bell (who is the sister of one of our classmates here in Rauland).
After we arrived on Friday, we unpacked and then headed up to Mo Laksegard where the courses were held and where most people were staying. Like Seabeck, they have houses that people sleep in, you can order your meals whether or not you're staying there, there's a small but functional bar, two fireplaces, a pool for warmer times of the year, and a dance hall.
We got straight to work on Friday, singing a few soothing melodies; a lullabye or two and a couple of stev. I raised the excitement level by getting locked in the bathroom during the break. I, like most people, lock the door when I use a bathroom. Somehow, the wrong key had been placed in the lock. After several minutes of trying, unsuccessfully, to unlock the door, I was about ready to call for help when several other class members arrived on the other side of the door.
We sent the key out the window and they tried unlocking it from the other side. Eventually the solution became clear. I would have to exit the bathroom the same way as the key. They brought around a chair and faster than Sveinung could get my camera, I was out the bathroom window and back on solid ground.
The rest of the weekend was considerably less exciting, but fun nonetheless. We learned a bunch of good tunes (stev, ballad, and slåttestev) from Halvor. We learned Suldalspringar, which is a super peppy dance. Saturday night was a presentation of everything we had learned, plus the teachers played solo. Some folks played for dancing after the concert as well.
On Sunday, we finished the courses in the morning and then began our bus journey home. We finally arrived in Rauland and made the decision (David and I) to go straight to dance. We were already a half hour late. It's always a small crowd, but it's fun and it's good to dance on a Sunday evening. Last night was the first time I've played for dancing and that was really fun.
This morning I was going to get up early to wash at the dentist's office (at 6am). I was in the middle of a dream about being late for a doctor's appointment when suddenly I woke up and realized that it was far too light outside to be 6am. It was in fact 8am. I had time to take out the garbage and vacuum, but that was all. I guess I was tired from the weekend!
Sveinung's mother was the course organizer for the weekend, and also let us stay at her house. Over the course of the weekend, Sveinung and I took a kvedar (singer) class with Halvor Håkanes and David took hardingfele with Arngunn Timenes Bell (who is the sister of one of our classmates here in Rauland).
After we arrived on Friday, we unpacked and then headed up to Mo Laksegard where the courses were held and where most people were staying. Like Seabeck, they have houses that people sleep in, you can order your meals whether or not you're staying there, there's a small but functional bar, two fireplaces, a pool for warmer times of the year, and a dance hall.
We got straight to work on Friday, singing a few soothing melodies; a lullabye or two and a couple of stev. I raised the excitement level by getting locked in the bathroom during the break. I, like most people, lock the door when I use a bathroom. Somehow, the wrong key had been placed in the lock. After several minutes of trying, unsuccessfully, to unlock the door, I was about ready to call for help when several other class members arrived on the other side of the door.
We sent the key out the window and they tried unlocking it from the other side. Eventually the solution became clear. I would have to exit the bathroom the same way as the key. They brought around a chair and faster than Sveinung could get my camera, I was out the bathroom window and back on solid ground.
The rest of the weekend was considerably less exciting, but fun nonetheless. We learned a bunch of good tunes (stev, ballad, and slåttestev) from Halvor. We learned Suldalspringar, which is a super peppy dance. Saturday night was a presentation of everything we had learned, plus the teachers played solo. Some folks played for dancing after the concert as well.
On Sunday, we finished the courses in the morning and then began our bus journey home. We finally arrived in Rauland and made the decision (David and I) to go straight to dance. We were already a half hour late. It's always a small crowd, but it's fun and it's good to dance on a Sunday evening. Last night was the first time I've played for dancing and that was really fun.
This morning I was going to get up early to wash at the dentist's office (at 6am). I was in the middle of a dream about being late for a doctor's appointment when suddenly I woke up and realized that it was far too light outside to be 6am. It was in fact 8am. I had time to take out the garbage and vacuum, but that was all. I guess I was tired from the weekend!
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Sonya's visit II
Wednesday Sonya got to visit the dentist. This was after she came and had lunch with me at the school and met some of my classmates. I decided that more people need to meet Sonya, so I invited everyone over.
Later, I decided that we should have something vaguely American, but not to cheesy to share. What could be better than chocolate chip cookies!? Sonya and I walked to the store again for ingredients and proceded to bake several dozen cookies. My classmates and friends came over and we wound up singing until just after midnight. We also decided that we needed to start some kind of choir.
Thursday was a bit of a rush. Sonya and I were both leaving - Sonya for Oslo and me for Farsund. Neither of us packed the night before and we had laundry that needed to dry! Fortunately the laundry in the dryers was dry, so ours could go in. We had lunch and a few more good laughs before catching the bus and saying another hard goodbye.
Later, I decided that we should have something vaguely American, but not to cheesy to share. What could be better than chocolate chip cookies!? Sonya and I walked to the store again for ingredients and proceded to bake several dozen cookies. My classmates and friends came over and we wound up singing until just after midnight. We also decided that we needed to start some kind of choir.
Thursday was a bit of a rush. Sonya and I were both leaving - Sonya for Oslo and me for Farsund. Neither of us packed the night before and we had laundry that needed to dry! Fortunately the laundry in the dryers was dry, so ours could go in. We had lunch and a few more good laughs before catching the bus and saying another hard goodbye.
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