Victoria Oruwari

Things to consider when preparing for a singing exam

Exams in general are a yardstick for measuring progress. They earn us certificates which represent our capabilities and open the doors to wider opportunities. Singing

Exams like any other exams require a high level of commitment to practice if excellence is to be achieved. This brings me to the first question a candidate should consider when choosing to take a singing exam.

Why do we take singing exams?

It is often assumed that the ability to sing comes naturally to most people and the novelty attached to the act of singing is overstated. This sometimes results in some pupils choosing to do singing at school in the hope that they have chosen the “Easier option” since they don’t have to find their way round a new instrument.

A lot of people choose singing as a hobby and find fulfilment in spending their spare time having singing lessons. Sometimes, their interest increases and they want to set themselves goals. You also have a number of people who are passionate about singing and have decided to take it up as a career.

However diverse your reasons for taking a singing exam are, there is something that unites prospective candidates.

All Candidates who choose to take a singing exam have obligations to fulfil. They are to turn up to the exams and to perform the set pieces to the best of their ability. To ensure that this happens, there are several things to consider.

Examination requirements

All graded singing exams have a syllabus which must be followed strictly. This is because the examining board has carefully chosen pieces that are appropriate for respective grades and voice types. They have also chosen singing exercises that are good for the development of the voice. You must therefore, read the syllabus for your respective grade carefully and with the help of your singing teacher, choose pieces from the given list, that you would like to perform.

Practice

As the saying goes. “Practice makes perfect” and “To fail to plan, is to plan to fail”

A singer should devote at least 30 minutes each day at beginners’ level, 60 at intermediate level and 90 at an advanced level to practice.

It is very important for candidates to practice their set pieces alongside their singing exercises. These singing exercises are set to improve the quality of the sound the voice produces by enhancing the fluidity, tonality and agility of the voice. They will often come in the form of major and minor scales, chromatic scales and arpeggios. If you practice your vocal exercises, they get the voice warmed up to sing the songs. You must ensure that during your practice you commit the text of the pieces to memory. This reduces the pressure you would be under, if you had to worry about forgetting your words. When you commit the text to memory, you are better able to focus on the whole act of singing which involves breathing, and communicating. You should also practice your pieces in the right tempo with your accompanist. This is really important as you may not have the same pianist present at your exam and if you are not familiar with the right speed, it could result in your running out of breath in the middle of a musical phrase. It is also important to read the dynamic markings in the music because they were written to enhance your delivery of the text. Your teacher will help you to understand the reasons behind the dynamic markings so do not hesitate to ask questions during your singing lessons.

Do you suffer from performance anxiety?

If you do, you are not alone. Performance anxiety is a common malady that plagues all musicians at every level. It is endured by the most famous singers and one thing you must remember, is that anxiety is unquantifiable and subjective since it affects people in a multitude of ways. Some people are better skilled or more predisposed to deal with it than others. This distinguishes a confident performer whose instrument is more reliable, from a less confident one whose instrument cannot be relied upon to function on request. Do not despair if you happen to fall in to the latter category because your anxiety can be managed through lots of experience.

The first thing you should consider when you start to feel nervous or anxious about your singing exam, are your reasons for feeling this way. Write down all your fears and think up solutions to them. Sometimes, you will find that the things you are afraid of are within your control. If your fears can not be rationalized, you should endeavour to engage yourself in relaxing activities before your exams. Some people prefer long walks; others listen to some music, or meditate.

Never underestimate the power of practice. Performance anxiety can be overcome through lots of practice. When you are very familiar with a piece of music, in an environment stripped of familiar faces or features, the song becomes like an old friend you have with you. A physical warm up how ever short, could give your body the chance to release some tension caused by accumulated stress.

What are the examiners looking for?

The examiners will want to see a candidate who displays the ability to deliver a committed performance. This includes:

Accurate delivery of the text
Clarity of diction
Full commitment to the text, and the dynamic markings in the music
Stylistic awareness
A good tone quality
A good stage presence

Credit is often given to pupils for presentation, and good physical comportment. A pleasant smile is always welcome when you address the examiners whilst introducing your piece. The priority given to these requirements will vary according to the graded exam you are taking. The higher the grade, the more necessary it is to fulfil these requirements.

Candidates who fulfil all of the requirements will be awarded a distinction. Candidates, who fulfil most of them, will be awarded a merit, and candidates who fulfil some of them will be awarded a pass provided they achieve more than half of what is required.

Conclusion

When all is said and done, examiners mostly want to see an enthusiastic candidate who displays a genuine love of their instrument because they want to be entertained. They are also wanting more than anything to see what you are capable of. It is never an examiner’s wish to fail a candidate so always ensure that you display your strengths and focus less on your weaknesses during your exam. Don’t spend all the time you are given, worrying about what you may have done wrong. E.g. if you make any mistakes carry on as if nothing has happened. Your ability to keep the performance going will be noted. If you get lost in the middle of a piece, do not hesitate to ask the examiners if you can repeat the performance.

Most of all enjoy your exam. Live through the performance or else you might just realize after you have walked out of the examination that you missed your moment.

Glossary

Fluidity, tonality and agility of the voice

These are things that describe what the voice can do. Fluidity meaning how freely the voice moves up and down the scale. Tonality means how easily the voice pitches a note with out sounding flat or out of tune. Agility, describes how well the voice copes with melodies that have big intervals like sixths and fourths, and melodies with small note values that form quick passages up and down the scale. Think of it as vocal gymnastics.

Scale:

A scale is a stepwise sequence of notes that start on the first and end on the eighth note. The last note always replicates the first and resolves the melody. Example: c d e f g a b c. or (doh Reh Mi Fah So Lah Ti Doh)

Major scale:

A major scale is a scale that progresses in whole tone intervals with an exception of the notes 3 to 4, (e to f), and 7 to 8 (b to c) which have semi tone intervals.

Minor Scale:

A minor scale on the other hand, is the same scale, but the 3^rd and 6^th notes are flat. (Half the value of what they used to be). E.g. (c d e flat, f g a Flat, b c.) on the piano, those flats in the key of c, will be black notes.

Chromatic scales:

A Chromatic scale is a normal scale that progresses in semitones or half steps. (c c sharp, d d sharp, e, f f Sharp and so on. till we get back to c).

Arpeggios:

An arpeggio is a sequence of notes that make a chord when song or played simultaneously. E.g. (c e g c)

Please note, I have used the key of C to illustrate these definitions. You will find that the rules are the same in other keys if you note the degree of the scale in which the relevant changes happen, but the letter names will differ. .

Musical phrase

A musical phrase correlates a spoken phrase in its ability to make sense with out speaking a whole sentence. It is a melody line that sounds right when put together. A good example is: a famous Christmas carol. Silent night. I will right each musical phrase on a separate line.

“Silent night”

“Holy night”

“All is calm”

“All is bright”

“Round yon virgin mother and child” etc.

Dynamic symbols

Dynamic symbols do the same things that adverbs do. They are the composer’s way of telling us how to sing things. E.g. pp. means piano, for softly. F. for forte. Meaning loud. Mf. For mezzo forte. Meaning moderately loud. And mp. Mezzo piano meaning moderately soft.

Stylistic awareness

Stylistic awareness is an ability to adhere to the rules governing each style of singing. Musical styles can be distinguished by their different attributes. Such as ornamentation, phrasing, tonality etc. E.g. it would be stylistically incorrect to sing the hymn “Praise my soul the king of heaven” like Whitney Houston’s “greatest love of all” which is a popular song. Nor would you sing a Puccini Aria “O mio Babbino Caro” like Mozart’s “Vado ma Dove?”. The former belonging to the romantic period and the latter being classical.

For an in-depth understanding of these musical terms,

Read the Grove concise dictionary of music, or paste the URL below to your web browser.

Soprano - Concert Artist / recitalist

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