Loss Of Our Little Bird #spreadingashes#byefornowrhys #622023

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Tonight, we spread some of Rhys’ ashes in Red Bank, NJ where we had some of our first dates 20 years ago. Fly free, Rhys blue heart 💙💙💙

“These ashes are blessed, a gift of return to this earth, a gift of renewal. We are blessed to have known Rhys. We are blessed to carry on some part of Rhys’ story. And from such blessing, we give thanks for the life that has gifted our own.”

My Voice Lesson 5.30.23

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A Day Of Vocal Architecture with Andrea DelGiudice

By E. Perryman 5.30.23 #akintsucrooner

Brief Lesson Excerpts: https://youtu.be/UnAkkU4xwmo

From a Lloyd Wright prairie house approach to physical legato to Raphael-esque work with bel canto vowels, advanced voice lesson architecture work with Andrea always challenges me to vocally redirect and reshape. Today my “claw” collected (along with my vowels) the following concepts below. 

Regarding The Movement Of Air

The sensation of the movement of air is reinforced with a feeling of back in and up. There is a hovered sense surrounding the synced vowel and vibrato. 

Regarding Inhalation

Use early inhalatory sob/yawn sans aspirate breath. It creates the flexible cage in which the access to many vocal options exist. Air refills not restarts. A consonant vocalize on V up and down the 5th isolates basic sound supported by breath. 

Regarding Vowels

Collect vowels from above; it’s not an up and down linear mechanic as we sing throughout the registers and passagios. The collection of sound (not unlike a successful turn at a child’s claw toy) via tether/siren results in shorter intervallic distances. Immediacy/rushing of sound, collected throughout the registers, interrupted with an internal stretch, creates the conditions needed for most efficient phonation. 

Regarding Descent (often my nemesis):

Early sob/yawn inhalation with an internal “er” (along with an inner Y) helps balance physical legato. Reopening and stretching up on descent while repeat vowel and vibrato at same consistency depending on individual will implement integrated body legato. 

5.30.23 EP diagnosis: I have a tendency to spread on the 5th of arpeggio. It helps to find space above the sinus cavity. My habit can be to “hit” note/place sound forward without singing in the interest of the sound. It helps to find my “megaphone mouth” for direction and sing as loud as the sob will allow. Avoid stopping the sound to get to the next note. Use air and vowel elongation aka “bleed vowel/vibrato” to make a legato move from note to note.

Signs #5202023

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We are feeling grateful for the balm of levity, coincidences, sympathy, and humor in the midst of sadness after the passing of our bird Rhys.

  1. Yesterday as I took Elizabeth Honer’s call about Rhys’ passing and picked up a random Disney singalong to play for the kids, they cheerfully giggled as “circle of life” began to play.
  2. We had been preparing for the worst and dreaded waking up to Rhys gone. She went to the vet on Thursday and called out to Eliz who left in tears; passing in her sleep that night. My heart says that was her goodbye and Rhys waited to pass until we were gone as my Grandma Alice did with my mom Janet Perryman.
  3. Wordle was on the same wavelength on 5.19.23.

RIP to our little bird Rhys #5192023

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Our little bird Rhys passed away in her sleep last night. She was 13. She had been slowly declining this past year. She wasn’t able to fly or grip well and her appetite and movements began to decrease. She continued to sit on our shoulder, chirp and call for us, sleep on us, let us nuzzle her and nuzzle us, and would happily eat her banana even up until yesterday. Dearest blue heart, fly high without pain and please pay a visit to my bird watching Dad. All of our love now and forever.

Rhys Fun Facts:

  1. She was very social and was called a fan favorite at the vet she would visit.
  2. She loved to fly on the heads of family and friends. 
  3. She would play hide and seek under the cage paper. 
  4. She loved to drink out of our glass. 
  5. She sat on Eliz’s arm while she animated. 
  6. She’d sing along when I had lessons. She especially loved high sopranos and wagner arias. 
  7. We adopted her from Adam and James. 
  8. She was a lineolated parakeet and up until recently had very large poops for a little bird. 
  9. She was known to turn her head around like the exorcist. 
  10. Nicknames included: little blue heart, little Rhys-lee; poop heart, little fly guy, Rhys-a-ford.
  11. She had cat tendencies it would seem with the many lives she lived. She’d get sick, we’d take her to the vet, and soon recover. She was a tough one and we were privileged to be her moms for 8 years. 

Am I “Dumb?” #5152023

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SPECIALS INTRO: It’s 1978. My scores in school haven’t exceeded 70; my standardized tests have been consistently in the 50s out of 100. I’ve passed out of transitional reading but I continue to earn average scores far below my annoying overachiever brother. My mom asks my 4th grade teacher, “Will Elizabeth always be an average student?” Mrs. Timmer, RIP, says, hmm let me think about that and get back to you. Oops. The next day my persistent mom asks again and Mrs. Timmer hems and haws and says “I don’t think so.” Fortunately for me, I found many teachers more optimistic than this teacher post 4th grade who guided me into the academic circle through theater, music, storytelling, poetry, history, and spirituality. Now at 54, even though I still hear Mrs. Timmer’s hesitancy in my head, I can proudly answer my Mom’s question. Through auxiliary subjects and arts education, I have surpassed being an average student and earned 3 years towards a doctorate of musical arts and have taught Pre-K to college successfully since 1990.

SO, BESIDES A PREP; WHY ARE SPECIALS SUCH AS TECHNOLOGY, FOREIGN LANGUAGE, LIBRARY ARTS, PHYSICAL EDUCATION, ART, & MUSIC SO INTEGRAL TO LEARNING?

THE SCHOLARS THOUGHT SO: For the past 1000 years, liberal arts has been considered essential education for a free individual active in civic life. The aim of a liberal arts education was to produce a person who was virtuous and ethical, knowledgeable in many fields and highly articulate. Modern liberal arts curricula aim towards traditional liberal arts curricula: to develop well-rounded individuals with general knowledge of a wide range of subjects and with mastery of a range of transferable skills.

ASIDE FROM THE OPINION OF THE SCHOLARS, SOME TOP TEN HIGHLIGHTS…..

  1. Special areas help develop creative problem-solving and focusing skills.
  2. Special areas make concepts easier to understand; communicate non-verbally.
  3. Special areas assist with the development of motor skills, language skills, social skills, decision-making, risk-taking, and inventiveness.
  4. Special areas teach students to take the time in how they observe the world.
  5. Special areas integrate with other disciplines.
  6. Special areas boost critical thinking and confidence.
  7. Special areas provide challenges for learners at all levels.
  8. Special area education connects students with their own culture and the wider world.
  9. Young people who participate regularly in special areas are four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement compared to those who don’t.
  10. Special area education has led to fewer disciplinary infractions and higher attendance, graduation rates, and test scores.

Spiritual Recital

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Spiritual Recital/Spring 2023

Celebrating African-American Culture with:

David Arnold
Joseph DeVaughn
Marion Gayles
Elizabeth Perryman

Kristin Johnson Dabaghian, Pianist

I’ve Been ‘buked – Arr. Hall Johnson
Quartet
https://youtu.be/-k7Dwrt0Pcs

There Is a Balm in Gilead – Traditional
David Arnold
https://youtu.be/2qjjYR4UZ9s

I,Too – Margaret Bonds A Witness -Hayes
Marion Gayles
https://youtu.be/0rGGZcEQ80c

He’s Got the Whole World/Bonds
Elizabeth Perryman
https://youtu.be/wcJ9gKUtTYg

King Jesus is A -Listening – Hall Johnson
Quartet
https://youtu.be/oIvYdmjdKUU

Non Scale Victories #noom #noomlife

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Today’s happiness:
15 months on Noom=a few extra airplane seatbelt inches; it used to JUST fit.

I’ve been maintaining my 30 lb loss since pandemic times over the past year via logging and daily weigh ins. I diversify and add new options to my meals; feed my elephant; notice trends; and read Noom curriculum at my own pace. I have utilized my wise rider to plan ahead; moved beyond the blame game; steered clear from the epic good/bad mindset; and check in with my coach a couple times a week. My next step is another 10-20 this coming year. At this gradual pace it’s been so much more obvious when I need to feed my feelings and when I didn’t even taste the donut I shoveled down. The good news: I’m less visually dysmorphic when I see pics because the loss hasn’t been so fast.

noomnerds #noomlife #nonscalevictories

College Memories #42023

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My Mom and Dad came to visit me at LSU in the fall 2000 when I was a DMA graduate teaching assistant. It was a year before my father would pass away. I remember so well how my friends said my Dad was like a kid in a candy store being on campus. He came to my various classes and joyfully contributed. He and my mom also sang for my students at my voice class. Today I enjoyed my first day of spring break teaching some makeup lessons, singing with the college choir, and being on campus on a beautiful spring day. I usually teach at Wagner on Wednesday night so I got a kick out of my student saying to me “I’ve never seen you in the light of day”. He also thanked me for putting out the forest fires of vowels low in position. I loved the enthusiastic energy of the students; so filled with potential and ideas. And of course it was a special bonus to watch one student cruise around rehearsal in their roller blades. As the college kids would say, today was a great shot of dopamine after a very long Holy Week.