Listen to this blog above. Ingo Titze lists the messa di voce as one of his 5 favorite warm ups for the voice. In his research, he has found the messa di voce does the following: Engages the layers of vocal fold tissue gradually in vibration, medial to lateral; Helps the singer match tension in [...]
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How Teaching Singing is Like Gardening
"Teaching singing has much in common with the art of gardening. In many ways, one cultivates the garden of vocalism just as one approaches the flower garden: prepare the soil, plant firmly, water, fertilize, weed, and mulch, then enjoy the bloom. These responsibilities are equally rewarding. Careful soil preparation is an essential first step for [...]
Technique is a Delivery System for Meaning
The title of this blog post is taken from an expression that I learned from director Jon Jory. A recent Instagram post of Daniel Barenboim inspired some lively discussion on the role of technique in artistry. It's very common today to see many discussion boards replete with information on technique and technical maneuvers. Barenboim's quote [...]
There Have ALWAYS Been Bad Teachers
The idea that the teaching of the Old Italian School was always an infallible one is simply not true. Poor teaching has always gone hand in glove with our profession since the balmy days of the old bel canto. No one was assured success in singing, even then. We sometimes believe that every singer trained [...]
The Abt Collection
Many fine vocalization books have been published since the 18th and 19th century. In general, these books follow the same format of beginning with simple vocal concepts and gradually building more and more complex musical skills. While many teachers readily grab a copy of the Marchesi book, or the often utilized Vaccai, there is another [...]