Molly Holleran Voice Studio header
Voice Studio News & Fun
August 18, 2019 | Issue #3
Important Studio Info

  • The lesson schedule for fall is nearly full, so if you want a regular lesson time and haven't signed up yet, let me know ASAP!
Cool Upcoming Arts Events
Aug 25 Classical Guitar Society of the Tri-Cities Summer Recital (Molly is singing a song at this!)
Musical of the Week
A rock musical that is based on a Puccini opera from the 1890s, but moves the action to modern-day issues of the 1990s.
Name That Tune
Challenge your sight-reading skills with the melodies below!
You've Got Rhythm
Practice your rhythm with some fun exercises below!
Folk Song Favorites
Check out the info below to learn about this song, and print out the sheet music to play or sing it for yourself!
Composer Spotlight:
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Mozart is the most recognized composer of the Classical era, who has had a profound influence on Western classical music. He wrote over 600 pieces of music in his 35 years, including symphonies, concertos, chamber music, operas, and choral works. He was a musical genius! Scroll down to find out more!
Musical of the Week
The musical Rent is a Broadway show based on opera! The story comes from Puccini's "La Boheme," about a group of starving artists in Paris dealing with poverty, love and tuberculosis. Some of Puccini's music is even quoted in Rent, like this aria called " Quando m'en vo." Rent moves the action to New York City and adds modern day issues to the mix. It's amazing how times have changed but the themes in the show are still relevant to today. At the time, it was ground-breaking to have a mainstream Broadway show deal with those issues, and now we see this and more on prime-time TV every day.


Voice Technique: Lift your soft palate!
The soft palate (also known as the velum) is the soft tissue of the back of the roof of the mouth. You can feel it lift when you yawn, and how high or low it is can affect how your voice resonates when you sing.

As you can see in the graphic to the right, if your soft palate is lifted and connects to the back wall of your throat, then the sound and air will not go through your nose. If your soft palate is lowered, then the sound/air can go through your nose. If your mouth is closed, the sound/air will only go through your nose. If you plug your nose and have your soft palate lowered, the sound gets trapped in your nose and it will sound very nasal! Depending on what you are singing, you can lift or lower your soft palate to make it sound the way you want.
Folk Song Favorites
Scarborough Fair
This week's folk song favorite is Scarborough Fair . You might know the version recorded by Simon and Garfunkel in 1966, but it has existed and evolved through many different versions since medieval days. Discover more about this classic folk song, watch this video of Simon and Garfunkel's version , listen to this beautiful version for Renaissance recorder and harpsichord , or click here to download and sing or play for yourself!
Name That Tune
Have fun sight-reading these folk tunes! Do you recognize them?
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You've Got Rhythm!
Here are some exercises for rhythm practice - good luck!
Composer Spotlight: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) was an Austrian composer of the Classical era who has proven to be one of the most enduringly beloved composers in Western music. You undoubtedly know his music, even if you don't think you do! You have probably heard his " Eine klein's Nachtmusik," or maybe you recognize the overture from his opera " The Marriage of Figaro," or one of my own favorite things to sing, the Queen of the Night aria from the the opera The Magic Flute.