Partner Warm-Up #5

This piece is the fifth in a series of warm-ups. It is a partner song, which means that each part is sung separately at first, then combined for harmony. This warm-up focuses on breath support mostly. Breath marks are indicated to enforce breathing patterns. Students learn to stagger breathe if necessary, keeping the phrases sounding homogenous. Even when staccato notes appear at the end of phrases, breaths should not be taken (or at least not heard). This will force the use of the diaphragm to push out the staccato words.

This warm-up also works with enunciation (demanding the constant use of the mouth muscles), as well as use of the head voice, interval movement, and dynamics. Be sure students recognize by sight both the decrescendo and the pianissimo marking at the end.

You may have noticed that the word "wallabee" is not spelled the same way as the real word, "wallaby." This was done on purpose to emphasize the "ee" and encourage full use of correct mouth shape at the ends of phrases. The visual of the two e's should help with this.

Notably, a wallaby, which is similar to a kangaroo but smaller, is found in Australia. Our groove includes didjeridus, which are instruments originally created/played by the Aboriginal people of Australia. We thought it was a neat, albeit subtle, connection. (We did not actually have a didjeridu in F for this song. So our bass trombonist Jared played an F Boomwhacker® instead. It actually worked!)