tonebase Voice Two-Week Recital Prep Challenge

đŸŽ€ tonebase Voice Two-Week Recital Prep Challenge

Preparing to Perform with Confidence
Challenge Dates: February 2–13
Recital Watch Party: February 18
Sign-ups open January 20

This two-week challenge is designed to help singers prepare a short piece for the February Recital Watch Party—whether you plan to share a pre-recorded performance or sing live on Zoom. Through daily prompts, singers will refine their repertoire, build consistency, and develop confidence in recording and performing.

The focus is on clear preparation, repetition with intention, and readiness, so you can show up feeling grounded and prepared.


WEEK 1: SOLIDIFYING THE PIECE

(February 2–7)

Day 1 – February 2 | Choose & Commit

Prompt:
Choose the piece or excerpt you will sing for the recital (30–90 seconds).
Write:

  • Why you chose it

  • Whether you plan to record or sing live

Commit to this piece for the challenge.


Day 2 – February 3 | Text & Intention

Prompt:
Speak the text aloud slowly.
Write 2–3 sentences describing:

  • The emotional intention

  • Who you’re singing to

  • What you want the listener to understand


Day 3 – February 4 | Technical Check-In

Prompt:
Identify one technical focus that will help this piece feel more secure (breath, onset, registration, pacing, etc.).
Sing the piece once with that focus in mind.


Day 4 – February 5 | Slow Practice

Prompt:
Sing through the piece at a slower tempo or in sections.
Notice:

  • Where you rush

  • Where support or clarity drops

Write one observation.


Day 5 – February 6 | First Practice Recording

Prompt:
Record a private run-through (you don’t need to post it).
Listen back and note:

  • One strength

  • One area to refine


Day 6 – February 7 | Confidence Through Repetition

Prompt:
Sing the piece twice in a row without stopping.
Notice what improves the second time.

Write one sentence about what helped.


WEEK 2: PERFORMANCE READINESS

(February 8–13)

Day 7 – February 8 | Performance Mindset

Prompt:
Write a short statement you can return to before performing:

“When I sing this piece, I am focusing on
”

Sing once with that mindset.


Day 8 – February 9 | Recording Practice

Prompt:
Set up your recording space or Zoom setup.
Do one full take as if it were the final performance.

No fixing—just sing.


Day 9 – February 10 | Review & Adjust

Prompt:
Listen back to yesterday’s take.
Identify:

  • One thing that worked

  • One small adjustment to try today


Day 10 – February 11 | Mock Performance

Prompt:
Do a mock performance:

  • Stand/sit as you will for the recital

  • Begin and end intentionally

  • Take a pause before and after singing

Reflect briefly on how it felt.


Day 11 – February 12 | Share or Final Record

Prompt:
Record the version you’re most proud of so far.
If you’re planning to post a video, this may become your submission.
If singing live, treat this as your dress rehearsal.


Day 12 – February 13 | Ready to Share

Prompt:
Post in the forum:

  • That you’re ready to perform

  • Whether you’ll post a video or sing live

  • One thing you’re proud of from this process


đŸŽ¶ Closing Note

This challenge isn’t about perfection—it’s about preparation, presence, and confidence. By showing up consistently for your piece over two weeks, you’ll arrive at the recital knowing your voice, your music, and your intention.

27 replies

null
    • tonebase_user.19
    • 1 mth ago
    • Reported - view

    Hi all- greetings from Cowbridge, Wales.  I plan to perform Ich Grolle Nicht from Schumann.  I chose this as I am working on German Lieder songs now and getting more into German diction.  I plan to record it because of the time difference. 

    • Michelle
    • 1 mth ago
    • Reported - view

    Day 1: I plan to sing Schubert's Du bist die ruh. I chose this because a German lied is next on my list to learn, and this one is both simple and beautiful. I plan to sing live, though it is a bit early in the day!

    • Michelle
    • 1 mth ago
    • Reported - view

    Day 2: This is being sung to one's love, the one within whom safety and peace reside, and the one in whom the beloved trusts that joy, pain, peace, longing can all be fulfilled within. Their should be an understanding of the love between  two souls, where the beloved(s) can rest and feel the fullness of the other.

    • Michelle
    • 1 mth ago
    • Reported - view

    Day 3: Breath ... the tempo marking is langsam, and I want to maintain a smooth and connected feel to the phrases. Finding natural places to breathe, and keeping the breath steady and supported will aid this.

    • Michelle
    • 1 mth ago
    • Reported - view

    Day 4: if I remember to support at the beginning of each phrase, staying solid to the end is much easier!

    • Michelle
    • 1 mth ago
    • Reported - view

    Day 5: 

    Strength - sostenuto

    Refine - my "u's"; I find these very challenging in German

      • Coffee-drinking soprano, trainer of voices and tonebase voice content lead
      • Heidi_Vass
      • 1 mth ago
      • Reported - view

       You are cruising along with this. I can't wait to see how all of these micro-goals add up :) 

      • Michelle
      • 1 mth ago
      • Reported - view

       Thanks, Heidi. We've all been busy, so I haven't had a lesson on this piece yet - nor have I worked with my pianist!! 

      • Coffee-drinking soprano, trainer of voices and tonebase voice content lead
      • Heidi_Vass
      • 1 mth ago
      • Reported - view

       your pianist ;) 

    • Michelle
    • 1 mth ago
    • Reported - view

    Day 6 Phrasing improved on the second time; I also noticed one spot where I made the same mistake both times - I don't always notice this with single run throughs or smaller practice sections, so it seems that that second run through also helped troubleshoot!

    • Michelle
    • 1 mth ago
    • Reported - view

    Day 7: When I sing this piece I am focusing on the beauty of the music (and bringing that beauty to life).

    • tonebase_user.19
    • 1 mth ago
    • Reported - view

    Hi All

     

    Sorry for not being in the chats lately, I am studying to take my UK solicitor's license, busy doing the application and test prep.   Here is Ich Grolle Nicht by Schumann.  I am getting better in my German diction and happy to reach that high note at the end of the piece. Here is my video submission.

     

    https://youtube.com/shorts/d8per3KINQY?si=DJc7Uuw8gIztCS4b

      • Michelle
      • 1 mth ago
      • Reported - view

       Mike! This was wonderful. Beautiful work!

      Good luck on your UK solicitor's license. I hope your move was uneventful and that you are fairly well settled in now. 

      • tonebase_user.19
      • 1 mth ago
      • Reported - view

       Thanks!!!

      • Coffee-drinking soprano, trainer of voices and tonebase voice content lead
      • Heidi_Vass
      • 1 mth ago
      • Reported - view

       Great to see and hear you .. Wales seems to suit you well and your voice sounds fantastic! This might be my favorite of your work. Excellent control on that vibrato on the holds :)

    • Michelle
    • 1 mth ago
    • Reported - view

    I'm ready to perform, and will sing live. If I have a chance to record and post, I'll do that Monday or Tuesday, but still plan to sing live. I'm most proud of remembering to focus on the beauty of singing rather than all the technical aspects (which support the beauty, but aren't the beauty!).

    *P.S. Thurmond plans to sing live as well (pretty sure his piece is from The Magic Flute; I'll encourage him AGAIN to sign up).

      • Coffee-drinking soprano, trainer of voices and tonebase voice content lead
      • Heidi_Vass
      • 1 mth ago
      • Reported - view

       Yay!! We get a 2for :)

    • Michelle
    • 1 mth ago
    • Reported - view

    Here's my day *11* video, which is super-in-process! I often record myself, but don't save as I work through the process of learning a new piece of repertoire. I listen primarily for what needs improvement, because that is the purpose of recording at this stage (for me). I heard many German diction slips, some intonation and pitch/interval challenges (which are automatically better when I have an accompanying track), and some spots where I need to support my breath more and follow my breathing plan. 

    https://youtu.be/WBOu4hAh2Z8

    See you Wednesday!

      • Coffee-drinking soprano, trainer of voices and tonebase voice content lead
      • Heidi_Vass
      • 1 mth ago
      • Reported - view

       This is coming along nicely .. I love seeing your progress on this. Looking forward to hearing it tomorrow :) 

      • Michelle
      • 1 mth ago
      • Reported - view

       Thanks, Heidi. I'm glad I've gotten through the discomfort of hearing myself on a recording, because it is an incredibly helpful tool! Sometimes I'll think I've done something a certain way, but then hear on the recording that I didn't or that it wasn't clear. Looking forward to singing tomorrow (which will be a good warm-up since I was just asked to sing for Mass on Ash Wednesday...). 

      • Coffee-drinking soprano, trainer of voices and tonebase voice content lead
      • Heidi_Vass
      • 1 mth ago
      • Reported - view

       It really is! Such a valuable resource. We rarely do what we think we are doing when we sing đŸ˜‚

    • Mayreni
    • 1 mth ago
    • Reported - view

    Just practiced and recorded mine at the last minute đŸ˜…. Glad this recital forced me to record myself singing as there's lots to observe upon watching my video. Usually I record only audio to track progress, but the video is another dimension (literally!). 

    Here's me singing Se Tu M'ami by Alessandro Parisotti. Enjoy! https://youtube.com/shorts/Hh0qN2uVwdo?feature=share

    • tonebase_user.19
    • 1 mth ago
    • Reported - view

    what time is the recital today?

      • Coffee-drinking soprano, trainer of voices and tonebase voice content lead
      • Heidi_Vass
      • 1 mth ago
      • Reported - view

      9amPST

    • tonebase_user.19
    • 1 mth ago
    • Reported - view

    photos of my new choral digs.

Content aside

  • 2 Likes
  • 1 mth agoLast active
  • 27Replies
  • 67Views
  • 5 Following