Corona lasts until conductor says it's over

 It was very lazy this summer. This text was written thanks to my dear friends who advised me to publish it anyway. 

   There is room for insouciance these days. While I am watching movies based on Agatha Christie’s novels, I have moments when I remember the misfortune that has happened to this world. Considering that now in the middle of the summer and coronavirus pandemic, the sun is very strong and at the same time, we need to stay home. Sometimes, just for a moment, I think of how I used to have a hobby. I sang in the choir.  That led me to other thoughts. There was a sign that allowed the conductor to extend the note. The name of the sign is fermata or corona. Perfect match, I would say. Corona lasts until the conductor says it is over, which means that the world right now has a very interesting conductor who likes to count and worships very, very long notes …or pauses. Thanks to this new disease from the most harmless thing, singing now is the most dangerous thing to do, because a singer has to open the mouth and spread the spittle all around in the diameter of one meter and wider. But, I miss singing and choir rehearsals more than ever and sometimes so many ordinary things remind me of singing, technique practicing and all other things you can hear during that wonderful journey. Speaking of conductors, it’s not just conducting that is a part of their job. They have very interesting ways of explaining how to sing some sequences in order to make singing easy and interesting for amateur singers. Choir singers are blessed, there is always a person who will explain them very vividly how to produce sound. That makes some imagine things, but it’s not always pleasant as one could think. When we speak about singing everything is about breathing. Of course, you need to hear well and have a god voice - in one word to be talented and educated, if you want to do it in a proper, dignified, and nice way. But the good sound is coming with proper breathing, and sometimes a bit of imagination can lead us on the right path when we talk about singing. 

For example, a perfectionist who does not know his singers would say: ''Just don’t breathe, till the end of the whole phrase, maybe until the end of the concert.’’ Or “during this exercise
bones of the whole head and skull have to vibrate together with the voice. You are not allowed to touch the nose or the cheeks. You have to feel it!’’ And the best when the high notes are in order “imagine that someone is pulling your hair up to the ceiling.’’ There is no singing with a closed mouth, so the conductor or his assistant would probably encourage their singers to open their mouths, would follow the famous sentence ‘’Why in the name of God were you bragging around with your tonsils???? The Audience was terrified!’’

 

In the world where everything is about intonation and purity of the sound sometimes everything is allowed. “If you do it again, I'll grab you by the scruff and throw you out of the window.’’ “I am thinking to cancel the cooperation with the soloist, he was singing that Rachmaninov like he was holding God for the lapels, it was extremely rude performance.’’ But let’s get back to technique. I will never forget this advice: “Just imagine that you have cylinders and rollers in your stomach, and breathe while they are working under pressure. …Be a fish, you have gills which are all around your body, and filtrating while we are laboring this beautiful music, just imagine, ….’’ As nerdy as I am, I imagined not only the gills but that I have imagined that I have wings, feathers and red crest on the top of my had that is flapping while I am singing.

I will suggest to everyone who is reading this text, to sing. You can sing in the kitchen, under the shower, for your parents, grandparents, children, and neighbors but please be careful with the neighbors, for your own sake. Singing is like a cure for heart and soul, yoga for the body. Sing even you are not such a good singer, who cares.

    I’ve been singing for my soul and poor ears of my neighbors during the lockdown, but when it was over and we could go out again, I decided to sing for the entire neighborhood. And one early summer evening I rested my soul with singing in front of my building for my neighborhood. So, I put my imaginary crest, red lipstick and best suit and I started to sing. Unfortunately, it was filmed. Sing whenever you wish, prepare your crest, put your red lipstick on, it is not required, but gills are much more necessary and enjoy singing!!!!!