mastodon 4.8.0-alpha.3+mementomods-2026-10-11Recorder and Alexander technique teacher and musician. I play recorder, traverso, modern and baroque bassoon and sing in a very active choir.
I teach in Utrecht where I live, and online on playwithapro.com
Nokkahuilunsoiton ja Alexandertekniikan opettaja ja sen lisäksi soittaja ja laulaja. Soitan nokkahuilua, traversoa, modernia ja barokkifagottia ja laulan ahkerasti kuorossa.
Opetan Utrechtissä Alankomaissa ja online playwithapro.com -sivuston kautta.
A historical occasion today, that according to older choir members has never happened before: today there is no choir practise. We got the week off because last Saturday's concert was so stressful!
I've used the extra time to deal with a couple minor catastrophes at home. Not very restful but let's say time well spent. :P Also made a start on practising the next program: double choir motets by Bach and Schütz. It will take me a while to get Singet dem Herrn up to the right tempo, so best to start right away!
In today’s voice lesson I learned that I move my jaw way too much. So this week’s practise will probably include holding both hands on the sides of my face a lot of the time. At least there’s an emoji for it: 😱
Agreed to fill in in a community orchestra nearby for a concert end of May. I’m glad they’re not doing this movement in pro-orchestra tempo because it’s brutal enough to practise as it is.
Combining playing bassoon and singing in the same day is somewhat challenging it turns out. For singing my face, tongue and throat have to as free as possible. Bassoon playing tends to cause all kinds of little tensions to creep in.
In today’s voice lesson I learned that I move my jaw way too much. So this week’s practise will probably include holding both hands on the sides of my face a lot of the time. At least there’s an emoji for it: 😱
Was rehearsing one of the voice lesson songs with my husband (he’s a pianist). We had the following discussion:
Pauliina: how did my voice sound just now
Husband: not awful, quite tolerable
P: coming from you that means pretty good I guess
H: well you know I don’t like singers much
P: and now your wife has become one!
H: yeah it takes some getting used to
It was a very good rehearsal. :)
For the last st Matthew’s performance this year, I’ve got a cozy spot behind the harpsichord. :D
I was going to toot about something else, but I just came across this video of Nathalie Stutzmann singing Händel, and my jaw dropped open basically.
Usually with a good singer I tend to wonder if I could maybe with a lot of practise learn to sing as well as they do. I don't think anyone can sing like Nathalie Stutzmann ecxept Nathalie Stutzmann. Amazing.
Another question that easily pops into my head when listening to a singer is whether I like their voice or not. That question is completely irrelevant here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSAuHrg8XnM&list=RDhSAuHrg8XnM&start_radio=1
Spent most of the day yesterday, between students, listening to music. Got an assignment to listen to song by Mahler and Strauss and I especially liked several Mahler songs! As an early music person it's a rather unknown style period to me. :D
But the point of this post is really this piece by Clemance de Grandval, a composer I didn't knew existed until yesterday! There's a vocal score on IMSLP, and the whole Sabat Mater is also on Youtube, I just didn't have a chance to listen to the whole thing yet. Worth discovering I'd say!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9S_RixhLU-E&list=RD9S_RixhLU-E&start_radio=1
RE: https://socel.net/@martinemussies/116296933120556245
First passion concert for me is not by the ever so popular in the Netherlands Bach, but by Charles Wood. This Saturday in the Dom church in Utrecht.
On the way to the center of town to teach recorder, I was apping with my sis and saying that I found it hard to concentrate on teaching with all the Easter concerts coming up.
Arrived at the first lesson and discovered that I'd left all my recorders at home.
The kids were amused, so that's something.
RE: https://cupoftea.social/@Gaolaitch/116382560874251549
!!! !!!
I've got to get the sheet music for this.
”’Nine hundred’, said Buddy, in the same flat tone, ’but the money isn’t imporant’.
’The money’s not important? You keep on saying that! What kind of musician _are_ you?’”
(Terry Pratchett, Soul Music)
A nice change to my teaching week routine-today and tomorrow I’m language coaching the Nederlands Kamerkoor on how to pronounce Finnish. It’s a professional choir, so they pick up sounds impressively fast! There’s a lot of text to go through though. They’re going to perform Eino-Juhani Rautavaara’s Vigilia. I love this piece! If you have an hour to listen to it, it won’t be a wasted hour. :)
St. Matthew’s Passion preparations. I put one or two of these little handwarmers in my trouser pockets and that keeps my whole body warm. Bought enough for the whole week. Too bad I didn’t remember this trick before the icy three hours in the audience last week!
Won’t need them today though, today’s concert is wearing choir robes and standing up singing. A couple of sweaters under the robes will do.
Had a glorious day off yesterday, and spent most of it on the sofa. And now it’s back to business (as in teaching) as usual after all the Easter madness.
My husband declared today Organists’ Easter and plans to celebrate by eating a Kinder egg. His turn to spend the day on the sofa. :)
I find this so beautiful (this piece, and especially this recording) that it hurts a little bit to listen to it. Which makes no sense. But it does.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VVoTypKie0w&pp=0gcJCcQBo7VqN5tD
St Matthew’s passion rehearsal day. Waiting for the tutti rehearsal in the evening. The church is thankfully not too cold. In typical Dutch countryside fashion it’s a huge church in a little village.
Looking around I realized that the podium we’re sitting on is erected above some of the pews.
RE: https://mementomori.social/@paija/116265955786186223
Tämä täytyy näköjään kuunnella aina välillä uudestaan. <3
Decided to take a break from all possible practising and hopped on a train, to go hear my voice teacher sing in the st. Matthew’s passion. Only drawback of this plan is that I’ll have to listen to the rest of it. :D
Otan osaa
RE: https://kamu.social/@JankaWessman/116289334527608757
Excellent thread from the start!
