Concert Self Care
Our concerts can be exciting, engergizing and full of joy. They can also be tiring and tough to get through. The SANS Board has created this list of Self Care Tips to help everyone have the best concert experience possible.
Standing: There is a lot of standing on concert day - approximately one hour and 15 minutes for sound check & tech rehearsal before the concert, then another hour and a half of the concert itself. To best manage this we suggest:
Wear your most comfortable (black) shoes. Save your high-fashion kicks for the after-party!
If you would prefer to sing from a seated position, we will have chairs in the front row, in front of the risers. Please let Linda know if you would like a chair.
If you need to take a break during the sound check/tech rehearsal, please feel free to come off the risers and take a seat in the audience area for a rest.
During the break between the tech rehearsal and the concert (approx 6:45-7:30), please rest and sit. We will have chairs set up in the Vestry. If you don't see a chair, there are always more in the closet - just pull out another chair, or ask someone for help.
To minimize standing in line for the bathrooms, familiarize yourself with the additional restrooms near the church office. Because we have so many female singers, let's reserve those restrooms for women, to reduce waiting in line.
Compression socks (like we use for long airplane rides) can help keep your blood circulating during long periods of standing. These are readily available in any drugstore or online.
If you ever feel dizzy or faint on the risers, please ask a neighbor to help you down to a chair. We will have a few extra chairs on either side of the risers. Don't worry about creating a disturbance; we would much rather see you safely sitting, than feeling faint on the risers. If you know standing for a long time is challenging for you, please tell the people around you on the risers, so they can be ready to help if needed.
Stay hydrated: Water helps your body stay energized and helps you sing your best. Drink lots of water this week, especially on concert day. Bring a couple of water bottles, or refill in the church kitchen. Some people like bringing an extra thermos of hot herbal tea. Honey is soothing on your throat, if you like it. Avoid dairy and dehydrating foods and beverages such as coffee, black tea, and chocolate. Bring a few lozenges in your pocket in case you feel a cough coming on during the concert.
Eat something before the tech rehearsal and before the concert. You may not want to eat a full meal, but small, healthy snacks will keep you going and feeling good. Options include: Fresh fruit and veggies, lean proteins, nuts, dried fruits, etc.
Take care of your voice this week - Some great suggestions from Claire:
Warm up your voice at home before coming to rehearsal on Thursday and the concert on Saturday. Do something you remember from Louise’s warm ups.
Try warming up your voice in the shower! It's great for your voice and vocal chords.
Hydrating during the day before and the day of the concert a little extra is very good.
Gargling with a little mild salt water will help clear the back of your throat of any congestion.
Tthe day of the concert it’s really helpful to save your voice and try not to do a lot of talking that day, which is hard to resist for many of us, but really pays off and not fatiguing in your voice.
Massage your face and practice opening your mouth and releasing your tongue and jaw.
Getting Grounded - There can be a lot of hubub and energy flying around before the concert. If you need a little quiet time, feel free to take it. It's OK to sit in a chair by yourself, or find a quiet area of the church to take some deep breaths and get yourself grounded.
Soloists - if you want a little time before your song, feel free to come down off the risers one song early, and go into the back hallway to get yourself ready. Come back at the end of the song prior to your song.
Take care of yourself, and let your neighbor do the same - We all need different things to feel ready for the concert. Please take care of yourself and let others be.
Let the music team take care of concert logistics - You know the thing about "too many cooks..." The music team has a lot to work out in a very short amount of time/space. Please follow their directions for getting on/off stage, and keep quiet on the risers when they are working out issues with the sound team and soloists.
Practice! How do you get to Carnegie Hall...? Practice, practice, practice! We have lined up lots of great practice tools. The more time you can find to practice between now and the concert, the more fun you will have! Even a few minutes here and there can add up to make a big difference.
Thanks everyone! Let's have a great concert week!