<p>thanks ABlest Mom, and good luck to your daughter!</p>
<p>Yesterday was really a dress rehearsal, to see where to set up camera and microphone, so next Monday is his real taping day, too. I did make a DVD of the pieces just for him to go over with his voice teacher, who wasn't able to be there, and I'm listening now. It is funny how as a parent I can't judge his voice properly (I've read Lorelei's comments about how impossible this is)--I am simultaneously hypercritical (TO MYSELF!) about individual notes--and how he pushes back his hair, but I'm learning not to look, just listen! his voice teacher will handle the presentation critique--and unabashedly impressed at the beauty of his timbre. Of course, all I can say is "great job" because I have no expertise whatsoever. My H and I have had disagreements about this, as he has wanted to make suggestions about singing--I say leave it to the voice teacher/choral directors.</p>
<p>Good luck on tomorrow's taping!!! How did the dress rehearsal go?</p>
<p>My comments to my daughter are only reinforcements of what I heard the voice teacher/coach mention. I'm very critical as well but she is far more critical of herself.</p>
<p>Regarding the taping for NFAA, my S entered two years ago, in theater/spoken and musical. We made a video tape in the choir room at school. I taped up a black cloth to give the plain background. The teacher played the music on a concert grand made to accompany a choir not one kid and I was the cameraperson, I'd never video taped anyting before. You can imagine the quality. He still did quite well and was awarded a scholarship. I think they are very good at seeing through poor techical quality. Although I am sure a good quality tape is probably appreciated and may help a little. I know this is posted too late to help those for this year, but this thread will probably be viewed for those with questions in next years competiion</p>
<p>srw--we are making our own tape, too--will set up the camera and auxiliary microphone, then leave the room! great idea about the black cloth! We are using the church my S sings in, as the piano and acoustic are decent and the accompanist is the organist. Congrats to your S!</p>
<p>ABlestMom, good luck to your D today, too. S dress rehearsal was really helpful, as he showed the dvd to his voice teacher and they were both happy with it and were able to pick out some things to work on. Voice teacher won't be there today either, but S has recorded some recent warmups so his iPod will be his ersatz teacher. And the pianist is a fabulous singer/teacher, too. In any case, he's looking at this as something fun to do and as a great tool to preparing for recording CDs for prescreening and for the colleges that don't have auditions (BA's). BTW, his voice teacher liked him singing right into the camera. Again, I doubt it matters.</p>
<p>Does anyone know what kind of monetary awards are given to those not invited to Arts Week? Are there just the small honorable mention $500 types? The website isn't clear...nor can I tell how many individuals from each genre are invited, or whether there are multiple finalists in different ones...or even if the number invited depends how many entries there were in different categories.</p>
<p>If anyone has any additional info (and I have perused the website a number of times, and can't find the answers there), thank you!</p>
<p>We'll be in church today too with her vocal coach but no voice teacher as well. She didn't think she needed to be there! Hope she's right :) It will be fun to have a new DVD and CD as well with wonderful accoustics. It's a gorgeous day so their voices should be in top form barring illness (I did NOT say that!). GOOD LUCK!!!!</p>
<p>I think as to how many are invited, it varies from year to year, depending on how many they like. Last time I checked the website it had been revamped and they didn't have the past winners available, but I remember some years there would be few if any people in a catagory and other years there were alot from the same catagory. Some years lots of girls in a catagory, other years no girls, mostly boys. Unless they've changed it there is not set amount of winners in a particular catagory. I think the thing to remember is if you enter and don't place, no one will ever know you entered unless you tell them. Although the $$ my S was awarded was not all that much, having the "accomplishment" on his resume may have helped with college program admission. I think anything you can do to get any kind of legitimate edge is a good idea.</p>
<p>Viewing this thread has got me to remembering what we did. A tip, because you are trying to get everything in in a small amount of time, I typed my S's intro information (arts # intro information) and printed it as large as I could, then held it up, just above the camera, so if he forgot his #, etc, it was right there. I just went and checked the NFAA site, they don't require a "plain" background any more, just one less thing to have to do! Although I thnk that a background of windows or livingrooms, might be distracting.</p>
<p>It did sort of seem like there was no rhyme nor reason to the numbers selected in any one genre. I still can't quite determine whether multiple finalists in any given genre are invited either..or whether there is really only one big winner per instrument or category.</p>
<p>It doesn't much matter, since the experience of preparing for this was a good one for my S, no matter the outcome.</p>
<p>In my opinion, I think it is not based on genre. Last year, there were no bassoonists, the year before 2. That year, there were no french horns.</p>
<p>I think they pick according to whom they feel are extraordinary, no matter how many are in that field.</p>
<p>My son (voice) did his video last Sunday and it is being mailed as I write this. It was a complete disaster. My wife and son arrived at the "recording studio" to find that his studio was filled with drum sets, speakers, and other rock band stuff. No problem says the studio owner, we'll move it (on our nickel). Now that everything is moved they find it is almost impossible to place the camera so that it can record on the same level as my son because the studio is multi-level. Finally, everything is set and they realize that he is half in shadow because of the lighting. Mr. Helpful Studio Owner solves this problem by directing two filtered lights to the shadow areas. Eureka, no shadows, although where shadows once were has been replaced by green on one side and orange on the other. Lurch looked better on the Adams Family.</p>
<p>Now on to the audio, the only thing that the studio was really hired for (we had a friend with a professional video camera). The owner kept "burning the red" on each of the recordings, such that most of his good high notes pop. I really hope that those of you who believe that the judges will look past the recording issues to the underlying voice are right.</p>
<p>BTW, while most colleges/conservatories may only require a CD for pre-screening purposes, at least some require a VHS tape or DVD if you want to not appear in person for an audition (add USC to the list with Rice).</p>
<p>Overall, I think that it is a good thing that NFAA and colleges are requiring a video. I just know that video recording is not something that the average recording studio is set up for and much research is necessary in order to get a good result.</p>
<p>Join the club! After a decent dress rehearsal a week before, S's actual taping this past Monday was not so great. He was on his way to losing his voice after a weekend with three play performances, two sung services, and a very long concert Sunday night. (He has no voice at all right now.) His last piece--the most complicated one--was shaky on the high notes. Interestingly, his presentation was more expressive, even if his voice was not as clear as usual. We set up the camera and microphone and left them running so as not to bother the process. By the end, he had shifted to the left of the screen and a nice big hole in the plaster was showing (church wall!) and the microphone, on a tall stand, was drooping into the upper right hand corner. And it was really quite dark and it was hard to see his face clearly. But the DVD is done and gone to Miami, and it was, after all, a very good experience in getting ready for auditions, and his accompanist--the church organist--asked if he'd sing his pieces as a recital before an evensong in a couple of weeks to give him more practice before auditions--hope his voice comes back!</p>
<p>I just hope NFAA listens instead of watches!</p>
<p>I so sympathize! In an earlier post I remarked on how bad my S's vidieo was, but he still did well. The folks down there are very nice and want the kids to do well and they see all kinds of videos, some great and lots not so great. I have talked with the director and she says they look for the good in all and really want the kids to succeed, that is what they are all about! Good luck all.</p>
<p>NFAA awards based on a standard of excellence so you are not competing with anyone but yourself. That's why the numbers vary so much and why there are absences of instruments and voice types from year to year.</p>
<p>Neumes - I'm so sorry with all the wonderful preparation that it didn't turn out exactly as you would have liked. I totally agree with the others that the auditioners hear the good in all and will definitely see past the hole in the wall :). Isn't it a wonderful relief that it is out the door - I was so excited to get the e-mail that submission was complete! Now we just have to wait till December 1st. That is the good thing about submitting late - it's a pretty short wait time!</p>
<p>ABlestmom and srw thanks for encouragement. S looked at the NFAA as something fun to do to get ready for making CDs and doing auditions for colleges. So he's fine with the hole in the wall! But he's not fine with his voice and is really worried. I've been reading the vocal health thread at the Music Theater forum and he has an appt with an ear-nose-throat doc this week. Makes you realize how precarious a voice performance major would/will be.</p>
<p>Neumes, my S is a vocal performance major. What I have observed with him is the more training and experience he has the "tougher" he gets and he is learning to take care of himself and is avoiding problems he may have had when he was younger. Something to look forward to!</p>
<p>My D's throat is scratchy tonight and she has started the Zicam, steamer, Mucinex, salt water gargle routine. She is recording her CD next week so is really hoping a cold is not on the horizon.</p>