The aim of this lesson was to come up with an idea of what I would be doing for our first variety show:
After looking at what variety was last week, I knew my options weren't very limited, as variety performance could be juggling, to dog tricks, to a choir performance. Whilst this was vague and didn't help me narrow down my options, we did have theme of Black History month.
Original Ideas :At first I was looking at doing 'Mightnight Train to Georgia' by Gladys Knight and the Pips, on guitar and vocals as a slowed down, ballad/acoustic cover.
She herself was born in Georgia, a state who were a key part of the progressive movement for African-Americans. Whilst I would have liked to have made this work, as a solo act it just wasn't viable as the gaps between main vocals and BV's were too big, and the long silence stopped the general flow of the song and would have restricted the audience's enjoyment.
What next?I began to look through my Spotify playlist for my car, all my favourite songs that I enjoy hearing, and that I thought an audience would also enjoy. I came across 'Knocks me off my feet' by Stevie Wonder. Whilst I didn't want to perform this song (it's one I had already performed to my family and friends, and wanted to try something else) I knew that Stevie Wonder would provide a great song, but also a strong link to Black History.
Stevie Wonder and Black History
He was written about for a blog for Black History's hero's and was commended for his musicality, passion and ability to face difficult adversity. (http://www.leadershipacademy.nhs.uk/blog/black-history-month-heroes-stevie-wonder/)He also played a huge part in Martin Luther King's life and progress as a way to change the world. He is an ambassador of peace and equality, and an amazing role model and a blind, multi instrumentalist. The origins of african american music which inspired Stevie Wonder have origins in the historical condition of slavery which characterised the lives of black Americans prior to the Civil War
The OriginalI thought I would link the original song so that you can see how I have altered the arrangement to fit a more acoustic, ballad genre:Practice
Charlotte and I then began to play around with an acoustic, mellow version of the song.
Here is our first practice as a full song:
I am proud of this as a first draft because I feel we involved many techniques to keep the audience actively listening:1) building dynamics throughout the piece
2) involving an a capella section, with clapping from the audience on 2 and 4 beat.
3) both singing together in harmonies of 3rds, and having separate solos
What we could do to improve:I think In general we need to learn the lyrics, structure and general plan for the piece so that it can turn from a song into a performance, and we can focus on delivering it in an exiting and engaging way, rather than worrying about what we will be the next word we sing.
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