Chapter 2.3 - Bit by bit 3 (1/2)

Which part of a song is the most important?

If we were to list, there would be countless choices. It could be the highlight part with the highest pitch, the ending which gives a lingering aftertaste to the audience, or it could be a part with fancy skills involved.

Everyone would have different thoughts, but…

I think the beginning is what really matters.

‘The introduction…’

With a glance, a letter written on the front enters the eye.

p

The musical notation ‘piano’. It means to sing softly – a dynamic that can be written casually by the composer. From that casual one letter, the executant has to read the composer’s intention.

Soft, but how soft? Starting soft and going up or the same throughout?

‘No, here I should flow down from high.’

I did it like that.

“Ah-…”

After deciding on the first sound, the following can flow naturally with the breath – like a wave. And I just have to maintain the air intake as if opening a tap of water.

The eyes quickly checked the spacing between the notes.

A part where it is okay to breathe normally, and the phrasing required 7 beats. 7 beats – that was the time the song requested of me. Now, all I needed to do was manage my breath. That little bit of breath I had had to be divided into seven equal parts, and letting them out with the exact timing. That alone was enough to softly connect the song.

This was commonly referred to as, the ‘Legato’.

“Ah- Ah-! Ah ah ah-…”

Of course, it wasn’t easy for this body to handle. The unfamiliar feeling made the mouth crack… but opening my eyes wide, I maintained the resonance within. The weak diaphragm muscles trembled and refused to obey the brain… but I concentrated my all in forcing the breath out.

Singing – to perform that task at a level ever closer to perfection, I asked of more than what the body’s capabilities could handle.

Whoever was before me no longer entered my eyes.

A complete immersion.

The first verse, and the second flowed without a stop.

“Ah-…”

Decrescendo. Gradually lower the sound. As soon as that thought appeared on the head I carried it out. Squeezing out the air quivering inside, a soft voice escaped from the throat.

Next. From the score, I realised the next segment had the highest note of the song within.

‘High note’.

In addition, there was a demand for emphasis written next to it, and there was a list of notes connected without a stop.

I quickly made a decision.

‘It’s impossible to sing in one breath.’

Giving up on perfect phrasing, I decided to separate the link between notes on my own accord. As that would result in causing the least harm to the song.

In return, so to speak, I threw in all the remaining breath into the highlight.

“Ah–!”

Making the highest note with all the breath added in it caused my vision to dim. The things in front blurred as furniture appeared misty like watercolours.

And from within, I could see the kids focusing on my song. With their bodies leaning forward, and with their eyes penetrating my mouth.

‘…’

That alone was enough compensation for all the hard work.

“Ah- Ah-…”

The last note was expressed thinly before closing the mouth.

It was the end.

Lowering the chin down and looking over the class, a sense of nervousness flooded in. It was time to receive feedback on my song – time to view the attitude from the honest audience. During this time, an edgy trembling would reign over me – a strange nervousness filled with both slight fear and joy.

This is the same whether I’m a student or a professional executant.

Thinking such things, I lowered my head.

And sounds of claps entered my ears.

*

‘What was that…?’

Ku Mingi suddenly came to himself.

He could hear the sound of applause after Jo Yunjae’s song getting softer. It wasn’t the time for appreciation. Thinking as such, he began to do the work of a teacher.

A teacher who opened their mouths to proceed with the lesson.

“Hmm… Thank you, the two students, for the solos”

After staggering his words for a bit, Ku Mingi quickly added on.

“Right, that just then were their solos. How did everyone feel as you heard their solos? Shall we start from student Jun Shihyuk’s evaluation?”

Evaluations flowed out.

“It was strong.”

“The ringing was rich.”

“Enough to send the body trembling.”

Ku Mingi nodded his head. They were still students so the evaluations were rather simple – they focused on the volume that directly attacked their ears and the high notes.

Of course those were important, but it was not enough to explain all the pros of Jun Shihyuk.

Jun Shihyuk.

He glanced at him standing proud and evaluated.

‘He knows how to use his body properly.’

A large body with a fitting resonance, powerful vocal cords and an overwhelming lung capacity.

He is cleverly making use of the body gifted from heavens made for opera. That alone would be enough to have him succeed as an opera singer without much effort but his control was great and the basics were good too.

“Overall very well-balanced. Then, how was student Jo Yunjae’s?”

The students tilted their heads and carefully opened their mouths.

“A soft feeling?”

“It was nice to hear.”

“Uh… it was okay.”

They had puzzled expressions. It was somehow nice to hear but that was it. No prickling of the eardrums nor a strong resonance behind. There wasn’t anything fancy either.

And yet, it was nice to hear.

There was nothing they could devalue so the overall opinion was that it was so so, but Ku Mingi thought.

‘That’s in fact what makes it amazing.’

The ringing is not that good nor is strength, but was nice to hear?

‘Firstly there’s the fact that the timbre he was born with is good but…’