Practising, Augsburg, Munich…

Hi there! This week I took the time to work on what Marcelo Alvarez advice me to work on. I am also preparing for an Operetta concert coming up next week, which is going to be a believe really nice, at least the songs I am learning are nice. Some of them I know and some other are knew.

I travelled this week to south of Germany, to Augsburg to rehearse for this concert. The Christmas market there was really nice, and the rehearsal went smoothly. I have to say travelling lately a lot by train is getting less tedious, but seating 6 hours on a train is always tiring somehow. After the rehearsal in Augsburg, I decided to visit a friend in Munich that I have not seen since long time. It was nice catching and also, I visited there some of my favourite coffee places and walked the Christmas market which was also full of life and full of people, I guess lots of tourists as well, going specifically to this market in this main city of Germany.

To keep busy learning repertoire is always really interesting, for this specific concert I am challenged with the German language, because this Operetta arias, are full of words so, to make a nice legato with so many consonants is not that easy, specially to make it clear without chopping the sense of the musical line. I am glad I have some time to put it on my voice, with all the consonants, closed and open vowels, it always takes sometime to work on them really consciously. I like the challenge though. It does not matter how many years one is singing, always learning new repertoire challenges you in a positive way. I love learning music and creating my own interpretation within the boundaries of the style. I have so much respect for every musical work I sing , and I never think something is easy to sing. Because is not about only the notes or the melody, it is about also an intellectual challenge that needs also time to put all the pieces together to bring this music alive, and I try always to do it to the best of my abilities, sometimes I have more success than others. That is the great thing about doing something live, every time is slightly different, and some things are also discovered on the way, not only in the practice room, but also during performances magical things happen and also the opposite.

I am looking forward to spend Christmas at home next week. At this time last year I was in Japan, my dreamland, with my Japanese Family and doing music with friends. This year I am at home with Aki and we will celebrate together. For Japanese, Christmas is more of a social event and New Years is more important. Aki however likes to celebrate it and also this year she made the advents crown so every week she has been lighting on a candle I really appreciate it.

I keep doing my everyday morning pages, daily reading, and exercise routines.

I hope you are well and please take care. See you here next week.