Performing Vocal Music

[demerzel]

Hi all,

I've been playing piano for several years and almost everything I've worked on and performed up to this point has been from the Classical and Romantic eras (and some Impressionist). Recently, though, I've started to gain a bit of an interest in vocal music: playing accompaniment for musicals and choral concerts and such, in addition to the classical pieces I'm working on now.

Performing a solo piece and performing with vocals are obviously two way different things, so does anyone have any advice as to things that will make me stronger as a vocal accompanist?

[jgallag]

Listen! And do it a LOT!

I play for three vocalists in college, and each is different. You have to know when they are going to breathe, not just by when they tell you, but by the speed of the vibrato and the quality of their tone. You will NOT be able to tell by looking, as a good vocalist only requires movement from the stomach to breathe and you probably won't be able to see that from where you are. Your vocalist will not be facing you. You'll begin to recognize and react after a while. You should also be breathing with them. You must be able to follow. Make sure the vocalists you're learning with will take charge. You cannot learn the skills you need if you are the one leading the vocalist. He/she is in the spotlight, not you, so he/she needs to make the musical decisions regarding rubato and dynamics.

Know the text. Word for word. You should be able to translate and pronounce all of your vocalists pieces, no matter what language. Remember to give time for consonants, your chords should line up with the beginnings of the vowels. Know the time periods. You may be much more pianistic with a German lied by Brahms or Schubert because these pieces were written with the piano in mind. However, an Italian aria requires you to mimic a string section, as that was most certainly used. Find recordings of the pieces you're accompanying and try to imitate the orchestra or piano as you hear it there, while bearing in mind your vocalist's interpretation will be different. Bring out the bass more than the melody. My vocalists' professors are constantly reminding me that I am not a soloist, and that the singer needs the support from the bass line to sing over while they need less of the "melody" found in the accompaniment.

With a chorus, you must follow the conductor. You must still breathe with the singers, and you must still bring out the bass while subduing the melody. The most important thing is that you do not make your own decisions. You are as a player in an orchestra, subservient to the whole. Do as the conductor/soloist says. If they don't say, or are wishy-washy, give your input, but encourage them to be firm with you and to decide what they want. They need to learn how to lead, and you can't learn to follow without a leader.

Finally, make sure you know your music. Yeah, this sounds stupid, but, as an accompanist, you don't need to memorize the music, and you're probably working hard (if you're being challenged) on your solo repertoire that you might neglect your accompaniments. Be realistic with yourself, too. There are some parts where you simply will not have time to learn it and you will have to fake it. So, you must know your theory and understand the accompaniment style. However, watch where you do this. It's quite humiliating to have a voice professor scold you for missing a couple notes in an Italian aria (speaking from experience). Don't expect to be less nervous during a performance because you're not in the spotlight. The nerves will still be there, and probably worse, since your vocalist/chorus needs you for support. Also remember that, even if the audience is not familiar with the music, the chorus/soloist/conductor will be. You want their confidence in you. Trust me. It is not easy.

[birba]

You must read Gerald Moore's "Am I too loud?" - Everything you've wanted to know about accompanists but were afraid to ask.
If you're really that interested in it, just throw yourself into it.  Everything will come to you with experience.  You can study and read all you want, but it's the actual work that's going to do it.  And you can believe me, you will have no shortage of work.  You know the difference between accompanying an instrumentalist and a singer.   The first one puts up with you, the second one writes you a check.