The vocal equivalent of eating your vegetables

I’m going to be honest - I haven’t done much practicing this week!

I had big plans for picking new rep to learn and starting work on that. I had big plans for practicing cello every day. I had big plans for finishing Audition Success….

Wanna guess how much of that happened?

NONE OF IT.

I didn’t realize how tired I was. Stuffing Carmen into my brain in two and a half weeks followed by eight straight days of coachings where I was singing out, plus recording. I was mentally and physically EXHAUSTED!

Thinking about it now, of course I was. I have a bad habit of going and going and going until I drop (or simply start forgetting stupid stuff). I am (slowly) learning. Slowing down is hard.

Want to know what did happen last week? A lot of rest. Some reading. A lot of administrative work (hello, tax season). A little bit of maintenance practice, because I don’t want to deal with the frustration of an out-of-shape voice right now. Also, a lot of listening as I’ve looked for new rep to learn.

It’s probably sacrilege for me to admit this, but I’m realizing that I don’t find bel canto opera thrilling. Like AT ALL. What’s funny is that I always enjoy hearing other peoples’ performances of this rep, but I don’t really enjoy singing it myself. I feel like it’s the vocal equivalent of eating your veggies (funny, because I really like to eat my veggies!)…not necessarily fun, but something you’re supposed to do. Oh well.

My solution to make it feel less un-fun is that I’m going to find a way to MAKE it fun. I think I’m going to pair it with learning a piece that I DO enjoy, but I’m also trying to find a way of turning this into a game somehow. Anyone have an idea?

How do you make something you don’t inherently enjoy feel fun?!