Joaquim Quantz - On Playing Flute (Historically Informed Performance)

What could be nicer than finding what you want is available free online?  So, here's another for our historically informed performance students. You may not be able to read the whole of Quantz's flute treatise in English online, but you can read Chapter 13, on ornamentation.  

It must be a good source, if it's also picked up by the blog, Technology for the Classical Singer!

And yes, we've saved the link on our RCS Library portal too.

Getting Spiritual: a Cloud-Based Solution for Singers

 Spirituals Database: an Art of the Negro Spiritual Project

This may be of interest to singers - we were told about it by the American branch of the International Association of Music Libraries:-http://www.iaml.info/news/introducing-spirituals-database

Click on this link to explore the database for yourself! 

Singers! You've sung Warlock Songs - now celebrate his Anniversary!

120th Anniversary Celebration of Warlock’s Birth

Members of the Peter Warlock Society and their friends are warmly invited
to attend this one day symposium at the British Library.
Saturday 25 October 10am to 5pm

The Whittaker Library at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland is a member of the Peter Warlock Society. Staff and students of the Conservatoire - do come and ask us about it!

.

Singers! Instantly track down that Aria - The Aria Database

The Aria Database

Singers will feel right at home here!  Who wrote that aria? What opera is it in? Who wrote the libretto?  Are there recordings?  The Aria Database is a free resource to help you.

Staff and students at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland will probably be very familiar with IPA Source, which gives you transliterations, phonetic pronunciations and so on.  It's fabulous, but our subscription is only available on campus.  Therefore, The Aria Database might be a useful fallback for those away-days when you need aria information in a hurry.

Save IPA Source (International Phonetic Alphabet) and The Aria Database to your favourites, and you've got arias just about covered!

 

Say what you mean, Sing what was written - IPA Source

IPA Source is a database for singers.  It gives the pronunciations of opera, oratorio and song texts.  Karen has made a short podcast about it.  Here's the YouTube link.

You'll also find the podcast on the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Library Mahara pages, so don't worry if you can't find this posting later!

Shetland's Young Singer-Songwriters

Article in Shetland Times by Malachy Tallack today - read it here.

Musical Limericks Again?

D'you remember Whittaker's series of musical limericks last year?  Well, it seems the brass ones in particular attracted quite a bit of interest.  (I looked at the stats!)  I'm curious - why the interest in brass players?!

So, here's a quick link back to the whole series - now, would anyone care for a new set?

The Singer Link

Whittaker came across a useful link for singers and conductors, this weekend:

The Singer Link

 

"Network with singers around the globe.  This is a one-of-a-kind online choral community for singers and choral conductors to connect."

Definitely worth a look. 

Musical limericks no.10 (GO VOCAL)

It's the singers' turn ...

The Highs

A cute little Scottish soprano

First encountered her spouse in Milano,

So they cancelled her flight

And were up half the night

Singing amorous songs at the piano.

And the Lows

The contralto said "Bonnie Dundee"

Would suit her range better in C;

But when asked to transpose,

Her accompanist froze;

checked his diary, and croaked, "I'm not free!"

Schwarzkopf (shampoo) anyone?

A vain, image-conscious young tenor

Said hair products packaged for men, or

For family use

Using fruit-fragranced juice

Were not nearly as luscious as henna.

From the valleys

A baritone lad from Caerphilly

Said Strauss operette were silly;

A La Scala role

Was his ultimate goal,

Via Glyndebourne or first, Piccadilly.

 

Musical Limericks no.1 (flute, oboe, clarinet)
Musical Limericks no.2 (bassoon)
Musical Limericks no.3 (trumpet, horn)
Musical Limericks no.4 (Piper, by James Beaton)
Musical Limericks no.5 (tuba, trombone)
Musical Limericks no.6 (saxophone)
Musical Limericks no.7 (violin, viola)
Musical Limericks no.8 (cello, double bass, timpani)
Musical Limericks no.9 (percussion)
Musical Limericks no.10 (singers)

Opera singers competition, Germany

18th International Competition for Opera Singers 10-17 April 2012

Deutschlandsberg
"Ferruccio Tagliavini"

Internationale Sommerakademie fur Operngesang (I.S.O.)

organised by

Stadtgemeinde Deutschlandsberg

and

Oper Graz

For opera singers (1st section - age limit 33 years) and voice students (2nd section - age limit 24 years)

Email iso.schuber@aon.at for further information.

This will also be posted on Whittaker Live's Awards, Grants, Prizes page.