What should I do to prepare for a one hour singing concert?

Question

I'm going to be singing and doing my very own debut concert. It will be one hour at my school and I need any advice I can get. I'm not sure how many songs to do or if I should probably take a break during that hour...like an intermission. I need any advice, any sort of guidance as to what preparation I need!! Thanks!! :)

Answer 1

Yikes! An hour is an ambitious gig for a debutante singer.

The other suggestions you have are on the money. I can further offer that you:
*for a few days before your show, handle the voice carefully; no screaming at sports events, for example.

*avoid a big meal within three hours of your concert, even longer if possible

*if you're using an accompanist, have her/him do a solo in the middle of your show while you relax offstage; and give the pianist an opportunity to demonstrate her/his skills.

*before your gig, in your dressing room or off stage, do some simple stretches, especially from the hip up; stretch facial muscles by saying but with NO sound (with great exaggeration in the stretching) MMMAAAHHHH, MMMAAAYYY, MMMEEEEE, MMMMMOOOOOOWWWW (rhymes with toe), MMMMOOOOOO.
Then sing those syllables to a scale or little tune that you've made up. No belting, just loud enough to bounce back to you. Keep within your normal tessitura (vocal range). Repeat the singing warmup, but start all those words above with a T instead of an M, then a P.

Slow deep breaths; exhale through a pretend drinking straw. We sometimes forget that the breath is the fuel for the voice and that the "tank" must always be full and supported.

*look at your program; create an order that won't tax your voice. I can't stress the importance of that. Your first selection is also going to give you a taste of the acoustics of the concert hall. Listen to the sound that comes back to you. Save one song, preferably something gentle, for an encore

*if you're introducing your material, speak to the audience as if you were chatting over a cup of tea in a sunroom; avoid any Joan Rivers powerhouse lectures.

*many years ago, I had the luck to hear Renata Tebaldi, the lyric soprano sing. I was working backstage and caught her sipping Constant Comment Tea-the kind with orange peel. She told me it settled her and her voice. Your favourite warm drink may do the same.Probably not milk.

*it's important after the concert to relax your voice; moderate conversation and giggling only. Give the vocal machine a chance to recover.

*send me a comp ticket to your performance. I'd love to hear you.

Answer 2

you've received some wonderful advice here.
As to programming, a full-fledged Lieder Abend by a famous singer takes about an hour and a half, including the intermission. So an hour's recital might want a ten minute break, or two five minute breaks, depending on the order and length of the songs to be sung.
As to programming, what about a standard recital order?
4 blocks of music, max 5 songs per block. And that's again for an a hour and a half.
One starts with either early music ( baroque, renaissance, old italians) or Mozart/Haydn.
the second block can be mainstream German Romantics: Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, Wolf, etc.
After the break
French or Spanish classical ( Faure, Debussy, Duparc, Chabrier; Obradors, de Falla)
and the last block is modern. Either 20th century English or American, or musicals and light opera.
Have something completely unexpected for an encore. Either your all-time favorite that you can sing in your sleep, or something not represented by any of the above.
Drink plenty of water or herb tea to keep your voice fresh. Don't talk in the intermission unless it's some vital piece of business. Wear something that makes you feel gorgeous- but it has to be comfortable. And keep the high heels low, better for your posture.
TOI TOI TOI as we say in Germany
have a bang up show

Answer 3

Calm down! Ali at your service. Here's what you should do. Pick your favorite song off the top of your head. During that hour practice. It won't hurt you. Do a few warm ups. Oh, and drink water. Not too much though.

Catch ya later!

Answer 4

10 min intermissions never hurt any one and little kids love them.

make sure you warm up good and have water on stage or just off stage at a reachable place.

what helps me is I warm up on middle C on the piano and go up 5 notes then down back to C and say be, ba, bah, boh, then back down be, ba, bah, boh , boo. Then like octive or 5th slides* and really dig into every note.

Have good posture sternum up. Breath with your stomach not your sholders(sholders should be sationanry and stomach sould move in and out.) don't worry they can't tell that you aren't holding your stomach in.

*octive/5th slides are were you reach every note inbetween the two end notes [ex. C to C - C,C#,D,Eb,E,F,F#,G,G#,A,Bb,B,C] then back down.

notice when you yawn your soft palate lifts up and that helps with singing (soft palate up).

GOOD LUCK AND HAVE FUN!!!

Answer 5

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Answer 6

First of all, don't talk at all that day, and very little the day before so your voice rests.
Also, drink plenty of water.
And relax.

Answer 7

water, drink water, and do your singing warmups

Answer 8

Just relax and relax..do your best