Hello comrades! Let’s talk about “growing pains”. Sometimes there is a season for something really cool in your professional life, and then a few years later, it’s not so sizzling anymore. I think this can be due to growth, and not to a fault of the thing that we were originally excited about. Examples from […]
Tag: change
I already know about that
Sometimes when I’m talking shop with colleagues they will tell me about a recent course, workshop, or book that they have learned from. Sometimes they may say, “You probably know all about that.” That is never true. If I have made the study of a topic my life’s work, my niche in the vocal world, […]
Inside, outside, upside down
People frequently say that when they hear their voice on a recording it is a little shocking. Singers have to learn to make peace with this. Listening to a recording of yourself can help you fix some things, but it also can confuse you if you’re not careful.
No voice stays the same forever
Nobody sounds exactly the same at 75 as they did at 25. This is not bad, it just is. I heard Leontyne Price in a recital around 1982 where she sounded quite rough. I heard her again in 1987, and it was wonderful. Retiring from opera in the early 1980s was the right step for […]
Midlife and the Artist’s Soul
I saw this fantastic documentary tonight: Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened. Lonny Price, who was in the original cast, directs the story of the Broadway premiere of “Merrily We Roll Along” in 1981. The show flopped and closed after 16 performances. The documentary uses film footage from the casting and rehearsal periods in 1980-1981, […]
When “voice science” seems overwhelming
If you are a singer or teacher who has been exposed to lots of the current research on voice science, you may find it fascinating or boring, useful or irrelevant, but I think we can agree that the quantity of it is increasing at a very fast rate. To quote Stephen Smith again, “Science is […]
Food for the voice teacher’s soul
If you teach, coach, or conduct singers, you probably inspire people to greater achievement and dedication to their art. What do you do to get inspiration and rejuvenation for yourself? Attending workshops, classes, concerts, and shows may be part of your refueling plan. Taking voice lessons and getting coaching on your own repertoire can keep […]
The difference between polishing biases and cross-referencing
Polishing biases: Looking for snippets of knowledge to support something already firmly believed. Discarding that which conflicts with your agenda. Building a case. Preference for received instruction versus independent study. “My teacher said…”
Failure is a fine option!
When guiding a student through an exercise, I sometimes take them to the point of failure. This may be a note that is too high, an ornament/riff that is too fast, or a phrase that is too long. We need to see where our limits are! We need to occasionally fail within a safe environment, […]
Technology and the reluctant voice teacher
“I don’t like Skype.” “You have to see it in person to understand it.” “You can’t learn how to sing from a video.” “People won’t understand what I’m doing if I teach on a video, or stream a lesson or class.” I will agree that for the singer, the best experience is going to be […]
Getting off the train
Sometimes you just need a break. Don’t feel bad about that. It can be restorative to take a week or two off from your musical routine. As a music major in college, it is ground into us that we must work, work, work. More is better and there’s never “enough” or “too much” in such […]
The Private Voice Studio Association – Stay or Go?
People come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. When you figure out which it is, you know exactly what to do. (author unknown) Private voice lessons are a special opportunity for teacher and student. They can offer much learning and growth, or a pleasant diversion from the rest of life, […]