Intention to Communicate, or Tell the story of the song

The Intention to Communicate

 Here’s a silly question: Why do we talk? Aside from muttering to ourselves, we usually talk because we have something to say to someone. And unless we’re shy, we tend to look at the person or people we’re talking to—we focus on them.

Singing is basically extended speech, and it should work the same way. Ideally, singing is an attempt to communicate something to someone, not just to make a pleasant noise. The “someone” can be the audience, or an imaginary person at the back of the hall, but we need a focus (while keeping one eagle eye on the conductor, of course).

Try this: Think of someone you love or really like, whom you haven’t seen for a long time. Now, imagine you’re walking down a street, and you unexpectedly see this person on the opposite side. What would you do? Of course, you’d spontaneously say that person’s name loudly enough to attract his or her attention.

Try doing that now, but give yourself a mental count of three to prepare: Picture your friend about 30 feet from where you’re standing, think “one, two, three” and then say his or her name. Do this a few times, observing what happens in your body. Here are some things you might notice:

• You automatically inhale in the shape of the vowel.

• Without consciously trying, you speak at a volume that will reach your friend.

• Your face comes alive, especially the area around your eyes (so crucial for resonance).

• Your pelvis tilts to support you.

All of these things, and more, happen by themselves when you have the intention to communicate. Saying the words of a song in rhythm to an imaginary someone is a great way to connect with meaning.

Even when singing repetitive text you’ve sung a hundred times before, like the Mass, your singing will be livelier and more nuanced if you’re communicating.  “Kyrie eleison” means “Lord have mercy.” What might inspire you to say “Lord have mercy”? Just think for a moment of poverty, war, or some other form of suffering and you’ll have a good reason to say it.  And when you’re performing, mentally place whatever god you’re praying to at the back of the hall.

John Oliver, who founded the Tanglewood Festival Chorus and conducted it for 46 years, put it this way when asked what gets his attention in auditions: “Technique and very accurate readings of music…all this is a given. But it really boils down, essentially, to whether they’re communicating something. And it isn’t so much that they’re standing there trying to communicate, it’s that …the song or aria itself is communicating something to them, and…it comes through their voice.”

© 2016 Marya Danihel