Vocal Open-Score Reading and You

Bookstores have plenty in the piano 'self-help' section on sight-reading, but literature on vocal open-score reading and score preparation is practically nonexistent. Amazon.com offers one book with clef reading exercises, one book out of print since 1971 and another book published in 1906. Granted, there isn't a huge audience clamoring to find out more about score reading - it is a specialized skill, even among pianists. Many rehearsal pianists are introduced to the experience with little guidance beyond 'play what you can' and 'it gets easier with practice'. Those practice hours may be a touch more productive with some suggestions.

Score Reading For Dummies

Score reading simultaneously demands advanced piano ability, multiple stave reading ability, tenor clef transposition as well as other mind-numbing skills. Pianists can learn how with slow practice, music analysis and skill isolation techniques. Or they can learn via the diving board (which is most pianist's experience). Those motivated to practice skills one at a time should try the following:

• Isolate broader eye-motion work by reading same-clef scores like SSA/SSAA
• Focus on tenor clef transposition with two-clef, two-stave scores such as TB/ST
• In preparation for SATB, begin with SAB scores, then move to scores with the tenor clef such as SAT/TBB
• Throughout practice, continuously reinforce the sight-reading technique of reading one or two chords ahead (which naturally gets more difficult when reading multiple staves)

A couple of online sources that may be interesting: a score analysis method and the article, Pedagogical Tools for Preparing and Performing Open Scores. Realistically speaking, however, these skills are rarely broken down to this degree. Which is why you should grab a pencil.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Score Preparers

Pianists may find quicker results by cultivating the skill of score preparation, which involves using a set of markings that guide the eye. Experimenting with different markings helps find the ones that are most effective. Things to try:

• Identify unison areas with the word 'uni' or lightly slash through pitches that double another line, leaving only one stave with the pitches that are heard
• Write in chords (c min, C7 or ii, V, vi, etc) over or underneath
• Use arrows to identify phrase directional movement, to call attention to a pitch or to reinforce pitch movement
• Write numbers that identify intervals (8, 5, tritone) in between staves
• Group pitches played in one hand with U-shaped hooks - groupings are usually according to keyboard geography or rhythmic activity
• Use brackets to quickly signify groups of repeated intervals or chords
• Identify voice crossings between staves with a large circle

Brackets, arrows, circles, numbers, letters - they can all be assigned certain meanings. What is meaningful is peculiar to each pianist, so it is most effective to experiment. The score probably will look cluttered at first, but the need to mark the score will decrease with experience.

Unleash the Score-Reader Within

A good resource for practice choral scores is CPDL.org, an online public domain library for choral music (all legal and all free). Their scores are organized by different categories: popular choral scores, voicing or by composer. There is also another source of choral music organized by composers A-L and composers M-Z. In preparation for sight-reading circumstances, a good practice method is play a new score with only two minutes of visual prep time (no trying out on the keyboard). You may play a scale in the key signature, but spend the rest of the time looking through the piece and marking it as necessary. After two minutes, slowly read through the piece with a metronome - do not correct mistakes, do not stop. This reinforces good reading habits which are helpful in rehearsals.

The Beginning Score Reader's Survival Guide

For those with little experience, it helps to begin with the correct mindset. In a vocal rehearsal, the pianist's goal in open-score reading is not to play every note; the goal is to facilitate part-learning. So when a pianist is first starting out, sparse-but-correct part playing is just fine (for example, playing the soprano-bass parts often help outline the harmonic progression). Other thoughts: always work to catch up and continue when 'reading through' a piece - conductors will rarely stop if you get lost. Simplify as much as possible: for example, rapidly moving parts (like running-16th note phrases in Handel's Messiah) can be simplified by playing just the harmonic movements i.e., play the pitches falling on the beginning of 'big beats' 1-2-3-4. Keep the focus on playing what will help the singers stay on track harmonically and rhythmically (in other words, curb the impulse to try to read everything on the page). Be smart - chops are not the most important asset in a rehearsal pianist.

Oh, the Humanity

I had a *headpiano* moment this weekend. And of course, it was in front of several hundred people.

At my church gig, I regularly play hymns with the music director/organist. This particular Sunday we had strings playing with us as well. A last-minute discovery of key differences (strings had hymn in D, hymnals were in Eb) meant I had to play the hymn a half step different than written. Which is fine - I've become so familiar with the repertoire that changing keys is a no-brainer (similar to transposing happy birthday). However, it helps when you remember the correct direction the key is supposed to be moved.

After the intro, I entering strongly in the key of E. I was immediately disconcerted by how bad the music sounded against the accompanying players. I immediately wondered if something was wrong with the other players as the pastors glance at me oddly . . NO, I realized a nanosecond later: wrong key - wrong key - change key now!!

Churches generally put a positive spin on things - which means I heard several versions of "you have a real gift for transposition" after the service. I am fully aware that the phrase really translates to, "wow, that sounded really bad before you changed keys", so it takes some will power to accept the comment gracefully.

Events like this are examples of why pianists should transpose well. And why they should write things down.

Repertoire Lists and You

Collaborative pianists usually have to make a repertoire list at some point in their life, either as a student or as a professional. It is just like making a CV/resume: the accumulation of information is easy - making it look good is challenging. The most crucial aspects of a repertoire list are organizing and formatting. Organization ensures that specific info can be found quickly, while formatting keeps the document's length under 19 pages.

Understandably, a beginning collaborative pianist may simply have their repertoire divided in to Vocal and Instrumental sections. A more experienced pianist with a larger repertoire list needs more than two categories, however. What many pianists do is arrange their vocal music repertoire into smaller categories of art song, opera, and musical theatre sections, and arrange their instrumental music by instrument or instrument family (brass, winds, strings). Using italics and bold fonts can be visually helpful when used to specify composer or show title. Other formatting tip: pianists with larger repertoire should avoid single columns, as they lead to epic sized lists. Double columns utilize space more efficiently.

Sometimes it helps to see what other pianists do to their lists. Here are one page samples of what I like to do with my formatting: Art Song, Opera and Operetta, Musical Theatre, and Instrumental. Also, I found more examples of how pianists can present repertoire lists, picked totally at random off of a Google Search: Amanda Johnston (click on repertoire), Casey Robards.

This Vacancy is Not Vacant

It happens quite often. A piano job vacancy is advertised, people mail in application materials, and then an inside candidate gets hired. Which usually means the person was selected before the ad was even written. It seems a bit silly to advertise a filled position, but the act serves a purpose beyond toying with job-seekers. In many cases, an ad must be published to satisfy a human resources policy requiring an official advertisement for each job (giggle factor: the policies exist to ensure fairness in hiring).

I have no problem with the morality of pre-hiring. My issue is the time taken to apply for a job that doesn't exist.

I propose that a code be invented for these occasions, some clever turn of phrase that clearly communicates 'this ad is just for show, no job here'. Some suggestions: insert the phrase "preference given to our own candidate"; specify candidate requirements to an obvious degree (5'9", mid-thirties male with DMA in X from XXU, brown hair, blue eyes and 2 dogs preferred); insert 'not' at the beginning of the entire ad (XXU is not looking for an accompanist). Or just tack on "No one is encouraged to apply" at the end. Win-win!

Pianist Business Cards - the Highlights

Finding a piano business card template can be problematic. Usually they are scattered throughout a large 'arts' category and depict improper or improbable note sequences (yes, we notice). Some cards feature random floating clefs, notes and staves - reminding me of my elementary school music teacher's wall decorations*. But there are a few decent cards out there. For those wanting a musically-inspired template, consider these:

Vistaprint has Template A, Template B and Template C.

123Print has Piano 1 and Piano 2.

Postcards.com has Example page - it is not allowing me to do specific links with any success.

Printbusinesscards.com has Idea 1, Idea 2 and Idea 3.

Zazzle.com has Pic1 available in several colors and Pic2.

Businesscardsthatwork.com has Image1 and Image2.

On the ridiculous side of things:

This business card cracked me up.

This one just looks painful . . .

*Although if you like the abstract, brightly colored look, try this card.

Collaborative But Solo

It was slightly odd when I began a new gig a few weeks ago - because I was paid to play the piano by myself.

Background music, cocktail piano - whatever you want to call it - is a venue I have never pursued. When the opportunity came (as it often does, when I wasn't looking for it), I mentally shrugged - and pulled together repertoire. The gig: 2 hours a day, once or twice a week, play background music in an office building lobby, surrounded by modern art, orchids and random businessmen. Selecting music to fill two hours (avoiding any repeat pieces) took some thought, but I was amused to find collaborative repertoire I've performed in other venues translates just fine when played solo. For example, popular opera arias (O Mio Babbino, Quando Men Vo, Summertime), showtunes (selections of Bernstein, Sondheim, Cole Porter) and wedding music (Canon in D, Jesu Joy of Man's etc, Schubert or Bach/Gounod Ave Maria) all work well even without a singer/instrumentalist.

Solo piano music selections usually are 'whatever pieces you know how to play', but also consider that people enjoy familiar pieces. Classical chestnuts people recognize, such as Clair de Lune, Moonlight Sonata and Gymnopédie No 1, are all appreciated and not too difficult to work up. I add some contemporary pop music in as well - but is isn't required. I find the gig a nice temporary departure from what I usually do, and enjoy the challenge of providing atmosphere while avoiding monotony. All pianists should have their own folder of at least 60 minutes of music - ready to go. It comes in handy on several occasions, such as wedding and funeral gigs, providing incidental music for church services and so on.

*Quick side note - I was sad to discover that Nordstrom has let their pianists go.

Careers for Pianists, Part I: Expectations and Beginnings

So you want a career in piano . . .

Bugs Bunny Had a Candelabra and a Tux

Common portrayals of classical pianists' careers are pretty lofty, usually including concerts, recordings, masterclasses and elite teaching studios. Orchestras, singers, or cleverly named trios may also be shown. The superior images are so ingrained that some pianists aren't even aware of career options beyond being a concert artist and pedagogue. It shouldn't be a huge secret that the countless hours of Czerny, scales and Beethoven hones practical keyboard skills that transfer nicely into several other music careers. The snag: the skill sets required in diverse environments are left out of many music curriculums. Too often, piano performance majors graduate with virtuosic skill, but are virtually clueless of how to be useful in different venues. So what environments ARE they ready to work in?

Adjunct, Instructor, Staff . . .

Hands down, staying in academia is the simplest way to go for all piano performance graduates. Unfortunately, there are not a lot of secure, full-time positions available. Even with a doctorate in hand, it is startlingly difficult to land a university gig that exceeds the part-time or adjunct level. Here is some info about the present academic job market for pianists. The College Music Society posted 43 jobs between Aug 2008 to the present (discounting positions outside the US, sabbatical replacements and temporary positions).

• Of the 43 jobs, 31 are tenure track (TT)
• Of the 31 TT jobs, 24 indicated a doctorate was preferred or required
• Of the 43 jobs, 6 are repeated ads from the previous year
• Of the 43 jobs, 5 are for Staff Accompanists (none TT)

A warning on the above information: high turnover rates (repeat ads) may indicate a poisonous position (back-breaking workload, suffocating location, or snake-pit politics). For those encouraged to see the five accompanist positions, consider their locations: Clarksville, TN; Arkadelphia, AR; Nacogdoches and San Angelo, TX and Lake Charles, Louisiana. Previously, in 2007-2008 there were 80 pianist positions posted. I didn't crunch the statistics, but I did count the number of accompanist positions posted: twelve. Several other jobs were listed that held 'collaborative' in the title, but I discounted those as essentially veiled piano teaching jobs saddled with additional accompanying duties. The accompanist jobs' diverse locales: Carbondale, IL; Oxford, MS; Mt Pleasant, MI; Knoxville, TN; Conway, AR; Rome, GA; Los Angeles, CA; Kirksville, MO; Wayne, NE; Moscow, ID and Macomb, IL.

It Don't Mean a Thing if it Ain't in Academia

For some, academia means more than an easy transition: it is an idealized sanctuary of civilization. Spending many years in that environment has deluded some to believe that life outside of academe means failure. An article, Is Grad School a Cult?, talks about the ivory tower seduction of such students, who become convinced a university is the only 'real' option for meaningful employment. When the realistic likelihood of landing a full-time position in a good location with job security (tenure track) is the equivalent of winning the lottery* - it is time to change faiths. Believe that meaningful jobs exist outside academia.

Freelance Nation

Some academics are focusing on preparing pianists for employment beyond teaching. The authors of the article, Keyboard Collaborative Careers, are definitely on the right track, discussing useful piano skills that get you work. Further net-crawling for practical information revealed this article on music employment, Refocusing (Musical Entrepreneurship), written by a freelance bass player/professor. It calls attention to the ever-growing reality of many classical musicians: full-time work assembled from divergent part-time jobs. This is golden information: pianists who curl their lip concerning that brand of lifestyle need to find another major. Pianists who embrace the kaleidoscopic lifestyle need to investigate the skill sets more relevant to today's employment landscape.

Next Up: Careers for Pianists, Part II: Practically Educational

*paraphrased Graduate School in the Humanities quote

From Academia to Freelance . . . Down the Rabbit Hole

When I traded academia for the freelance world, I found that traipsing through the new terrain was trickier than I expected. Successful navigation required some mental reprogramming. And gas money. 

There's No Place Like Home
In general, academia is orderly. Repertoire, rehearsals and recitals are planned and scheduled in advance. Everyone comes to the same location, the music building, where rehearsal spaces are free, well lit, and furnished with pianos and stands. Scores and CDs can be plucked from the library, office supplies ransacked from the cabinet, and musical input is supplied (solicited or not) by knowledgeable colleagues. Dead composers write most of the performed repertoire. The artistic merit of the performed repertoire is rarely questionable. Collaborative partners have training, often extensive training, and are focused on their work. On the whole, the gig allows musicians to sound their best and I was accustomed to that feeling of security.

Buckle Your Seatbelt, Dorothy
The freelance world runs differently than academia. Advance notice of repertoire is rare (especially with vocalists), making public sightreading a standard exercise in humility. Requests for transposition occur more frequently, especially for musical theatre repertoire. Audition playing has its challenges, as I mentioned in a previous blog. Repertoire is all over the map - knowing styles, being able to read charts, translate musical theatre orchestral reductions into viable accompaniments are different skills than simply reading dots on a page. Listening to recordings of the repertoire is essential, because unlike classical music, most written musical theatre and pop music is 'loosely translated'. The recording of a performance often becomes more important than what the composer scribbled down - which is weird after years in academia of viewing the little black dots' placement as crucial. Of course, there are composers who actually write for the piano, and accurately transcribe their ideas: their stuff can be performed as is. Bless them.

No Time to Say Hello Goodbye
Working in the theatre world you gain a new appreciation for the skill of 'time management', because in theatre, there is never enough time to cover all the details. You must prioritize and cover what must be done. From there, you rely upon the professionalism of coworkers, that they will do the necessary homework to get the job done and done right. The saying 'Hurry up and Wait' is especially apt for theatre work. It is helpful to bring a book, a laptop - anything you can use to fill in the dead time. I try to keep my ipod constantly updated with new music, so I can actively use dead time (in rehearsal and in transit) to learn new repertoire.

You Don't Need a Bench, Do You?

Workplaces can range from havens to hovels. I have performed in bad lighting, no lighting, sorry versions of piano benches heightened via phone book, and on ridiculously rough pianos that drew blood after I executed a glissando. Sound equipment sometimes doesn't work properly - or it works fine, but no one is competent at the soundboard. Transportation is an ongoing issue, as locations tend to multiply when you have over 7 gigs - and 3 separate locations are in one day. Extensive road travel is wearing - as is getting lost on a regular basis (hello, gps unit). Finding parking can be a headache, depending on your location. DC parking is a migraine.

Stranger in a Strange Land
Age ranges are wider outside of academia - you are dealing with the full age spectrum, each with their differing challenges and attitudes: children, teenagers, older men and women. You may have to work with musicians with no formal training (often singers and guitarists). That lack of common knowledge can be frustrating when trying to ascertain key signatures or tempos. Occasionally there is no written music available, and you are issued a CD instead. Some gigs have you providing music to people who have no direct understanding of it - choreographers are notorious for their lack of musicianship (they speak in code, like "I need 7 counts of 8"

You Want That on a Silver Platter?
The transition from academia to freelance challenges deeply held convictions of how things ought to be done. You should not have to sound mediocre due to circumstances. You should get the music in advance. You should have enough time to learn the music. You should have rehearsals before you perform with someone. You should have an instrument in tune with itself. You should not have to specially arrange music when already written out music is available. Holding on to all these 'shoulds' can create resentment, stress or rage . Be professional and avoid these negative emotions by letting go of your past reality. Then glom on to the present one.

There is No Spoon
Whether you like it or not, your emotions can be transparent in your playing: discomfort and dissatisfaction cannot be broadcast, because the music suffers. To remain in the profession, your attitudes must be professional - even if circumstances utterly suck. You are hired to play. Even if you had virtually no time to learn the piece, you wanted to play something else, you hate the composer, the monitors aren't working right or the piano is out of tune - it is in your best interest to view every performance as an opportunity. Mentally bend yourself and slip into a zone where you can perform to the best of your abilities. Somehow, you have to enjoy your performance, or your audience probably won't, either.

Life of a tour musician/pianist

I finally found something about what it is like to be a pianist on a musical theatre tour. It's a travelogue covering about two years, organized by month and location:

Tales from the Tour

Also, a website that I like, MusicianWages.com, just came out with an article of practical thoughts on traveling as a musician.

Enjoy!

Patron Saint for Working Pianists

In a previous blog I mentioned prayer as a last-ditch effort to avoid art song slaughter. Further reflection led to the idea of the patron saint: some religions include prayer to saints, who then intercede in heaven on behalf of their chosen patronage of a craft, activity or person. Catholicism has a patron saint for musicians, Saint Cecilia, who apparently sang to God as she lay dying (after surviving suffocation, being boiled alive, and a botched beheading). She is an excellent role model for never giving up, but I don't think she can effectively advocate for the special needs of today's musicians, who find themselves infrequently boiled alive.

I have decided to appoint Saint Gregory Thaumaturgus, also known as Gregory the Wonder Worker, as the patron saint for collaborative pianists. His intercessions deal mainly with impossible, desperate and lost causes (also earthquakes and floods). Collaborative pianists tend to be a hardy bunch; our pleas for intercession will occur only when extraordinary effort has failed to save a stupid situation. And we can't worm out of the gig.

Collaborative pianists develop supernatural abilities to deal with most musical malfunctions. ESP (the musical anticipation of almost anything) and teleportation (following a partner to a totally unrelated part of the piece) keep many performances on track. We can cue entrances with a sharp *sniff* until audience members think we suffer incredible allergies. We can highlight pitch cues in a clear-but-subtle manner. We can rein in a galloping tempo with a deliberate left hand. We can lean the tempo forward through singer's held notes when their air is flagging, and pause long enough for their deep gulp of air afterwards. But we cannot alter a performer's ability to publicly remember a piece's melody or lyrics, cause ensemble pitch retention within an a cappella piece, or correct an instrumentalists' intonation. Sometimes the circumstances are that the show must go on, but it really, really shouldn't.

So it may be advantageous to appeal to this patron saint of the desperate, forgotten, impossible and lost causes. Because if Saint Gregory can stop floods and earthquakes, he can avert onstage disasters as well.

Make your Audition Pianist happy

It is astonishing to me how many singers sabotage their own audition.

The process of auditioning is costly. To remain in top marketable form, singers need regular lessons, coachings and/or classes. On the day of each audition, time and attention is invested to dress and groom appropriately, warm up, travel to the location, find the correct room, and wait for the correct time. Additionally, the audition takes time away from actively earning money. It is an exciting, often nervewracking, event in every singer's life.

And these same people who have invested so much time, energy and finances arrive . . .

. . . and immediately handicap the pianist who accompanies them. With their own music.

It really is a simple situation to fix - it just takes some attention and some office supplies.

Many of the following comments are universal in dealing with audition pianists, but I am thinking specifically of Musical Theatre auditions. They usually involve a monologue and one or two 16 measure cuts of a song (ballad and/or uptempo). Occasionally the whole song is requested.

Suicide by Song Selection

Finding the elusive combination of a song that you like, with a melody that highlights your voice, with an age appropriate character that fits your body type and personality, that is not overdone (the list continues) and has an easily played accompaniment can be tough. Unfortunately, unless the piece lies within [whoever is at the keyboard]'s capabilities, the audition will suffer (or be suffocated). Weird time signature changes, tough key signatures and lightening-quick tempos should all be red flags. Work with a pianist and ask if it is difficult. Which leads me to the next common error:

Wrong chords and keys

Always have a professional accompanist test your sheet music, for this very good reason: mistakes occur often in sheet music, especially random downloads from the internet. The music could be in the wrong key, it could be different than your recorded version (different intro and ending, for example), or it could be a very bad arrangement, period. So allow yourself plenty of time to prep your piece with a pianist before you perform it - an audition is not a good place to try something brand new.

Lost in Translation

Auditioning with a pop or rock song you love may seem like a great idea . . . until you hear it performed using only a piano. Some songs simply don't 'work' with a keyboard, and need drums and a guitar for it to come off well. Yet another reason to work with a pianist ahead of time and pick your song carefully.

And now, onto the actual pages of music itself. This will get you started, quick and dirty:

The Devil is in the Details (or Loose Sheet Music is Evil)

• Music in a published book must lie flat
• No Loose Sheet Music (music curling up and falling down on the piano can be unhelpful)
• Sheet music should be hole-punched
• Sheet music belongs in a 3 ring binder that allows efficient page turns
• Sheet music should not be singled sided and hole-punched on one side (necessitating twice the amount of page turns)
• Sheet music should be double-sided (or tape -not staple- one-sided copies back to back). An exception: if it is an odd number of pages, it can be helpful to fold out the beginning or ending page to lessen the # of page turns)
• Sheet music should be complete (missing a page can be unhelpful)
• Sheet music should be in the correct order
• Sheet music should be in the correct key
• Sheet music should include the left hand part at the bottom of the page and the singers' melody at the top of the page (copy at 93% reduction and you should be fine)
• Sheet music should not be in plastic sleeves (glare is distracting)
• Sheet music should be dark enough to read easily
• Sheet music should not be run through a fax machine
• Sheet music should not be hand-written on lined notebook paper (something I've actually been handed at an audition - it was a ballpoint pen-written, transposed Jason Robert Brown song)

Following these guidelines, your song should now be organized in a form that resembles actual music. Because the pianist usually has all of 30 seconds to mentally grasp the dots and lines on the page, it is additionally helpful to do the following:

• Mark beginnings and endings clearly. Have the intro and the ending clearly spelled out (no requests to just make up a beginning/ending)
• Use a highlighter or pen to draw attention to confusing repeats, codas, key changes, time changes, etc.
• Visibly cross out measures you do not want played
• Mark spots where the tempo speeds up or slows down
• Mark breaths
• General rule: the less page turns the better
• Clearly mark the name of the song, the composer, and the tempo
• Note any 'cue lines' if you are going straight into singing from a monologue
• Clearly communicate your tempo (usually by quietly singing the first line)

In mentally reviewing auditions that were not successful, sometimes it helps to think of the situation in terms of cause and effect. I like to think of it in terms of crime and punishment:

• For the crime of handing the pianist a published music book that cannot lie flat, the sentence is a ridiculously choppy performance with occasional pauses and swatting noises from the piano bench.
• For the crime of handing the pianist a 'lead sheet' (a vocal line and chord symbols), the sentence is a unique rendition of your song that may be altogether unrecognizable to anyone else.
• For the crime of requesting a major transposition, the sentence is a brief dirty look and a clench-jawed version of the tune which the pianist pulls from his - ear.

The saying goes that "If the audition is successful, the singer sang well. If the audition goes badly, the pianist messed up" . . . it is also true that every time a singer says, "Can you transpose this up a 3rd?", there's a pianist somewhere that cries.

Business cards for pianists

If you are a working pianist, you should have an up-to-date business card (no crossed out phone numbers or emails). They are ridiculously cheap nowadays, and it is easily done online with pre-designed templates - there are lots out there to browse through. For conventional business cards, a good starting point is Vistaprint, which has tons of basic templates. It also has a set of 'arts, music and entertainment' designs.

Postcards.com has a set of music business cards.

123Print has a set of 'music and entertainment' business cards.

MOO has fun stuff

PrintBusinessCards.com can be interesting.

The following can be pricey, but are interesting:

A different concept you may not have considered: plastic business cards. They come in clear or frosted versions.

Metal Business cards at PlasmaDesign.

And this one is just fun:

The Violette Vortex

Today I had a near miss with a force of nature that mainly exists onstage and in audition rooms. Many collaborative pianists have also encountered the phenomenon that a colleague of mine aptly dubbed: "The Violette Vortex".

Essentially, a singer begins Alessandro Scarlatti's Le Violette, and suddenly realizes that they are underprepared, hungry, nervous, stressed, and/or nauseous. In that moment, gravitational anomalies create an environment that will "defy gravity, bend light, scare animals, twist plant life into contorted shapes, and cause humans to feel strange". At least that's what some random website reports about vortexes. And that seems the most reasonable explanation for the following:

Repetition of wrong phrases. Missed entrances, early entrances. Absolute confusion. Anxiety and desperation heighten. Mentally the pianist prepares themself for a train wreck. The song continues . . . and then the pianist wonders - what if the song never ends? What if they keep saying, "Violette, violette, graziose, violette . . ."? How long will they keep going before admitting they are lost?

Science probably doesn't have any answers, so I suggest prayer.

Resources for Musicians - jobs, fellowships, etc.

I stumbled over this yesterday, and was very impressed:

New England Conservatory's Career Services page has several useful links. My favorite by far (and which has a free trial period during June 2009 - 5 more days to go look!) is the Bridge Worldwide Connection. Jobs (academic, church and beyond), Fellowships, Competitions - all are listed. It's $55 dollars to join, but highly worth it.

Here is their Opportunities and Resources page - provides great ideas

Music Career Handouts - several are free, the rest are $2 to $3 dollars apiece. They have varying information which look useful - examples: Grants, Teaching, Publicity/Marketing.

Their Music Resource Library has lists of reading suggestions according to subject.

Also - here is YAP, a tracking website for Young Artist Programs. It's mainly for singers, but its a great resource in general about programs, competitions, mainstage opportunities, workshops, and more. Your singer friends will love you when you forward them stuff. It's $60 to join.

OperaAmerica has a similar site, called Opera Source that also tracks the upcoming auditions and deadlines of all kinds of opportunities. It's $45 to join.