MY LIPS WANT TO TWITCH!

OK . . . maybe Jackie Evancho (the phenomenal little classical singer on "America's Got Talent") is coached to the "n'th degree." Maybe her every cute remark is just as rehearsed as her every passionate gesture and every rounded vowel and every breath in her magnificent, if somewhat eerie singing ("How is a ten year old making sounds like that?"). But every time she sings I get a thrill and sometimes when she speaks I know that unvarnished truth is coming out of this kid's mouth because she is speaking the feelings I had as a 10 year old and still feel today when I am singing from my heart and soul.

At last night's Finale, Jackie spoke of loving singing so much that when she sings sometimes she smiles so much lips wanted to twitch. That joy, that rapture just from the act of singing was clear from watching her performance, which was (and here I disagree with the "distinguished judges") far,far, far from perfect. Thank God! She's a little girl. She's just at the beginning of her journey and she's human. But please, if you didn't get to see and hear this performance, swallow some of your snobbery and pride and go on the "AGT" website. This is what I mean when I talk about singing for the pure joy of it.

By the way, there was some other pretty fabulous joyful performing at Broadway on Broadway as well, which I caught on the BroadwayWorld website. Loved Mandy Gonzales perfectly imperfect Elphaba and those proud Cagelles who must have been freezing their pride off.

But all of this is about LOVE and JOY. Loving singing. Loving acting. Loving what you do. I've recently returned to auditions myself and I'm having a ball. I look at each EPA as a chance to do what I love. Feel the power of the music flowing through me, sharing the moment with the accompanist and the auditors and then leaving it in the room. With love. Look, I know times are tough for all of us who do this thing for a living; old timers, new comers, aspiring students alike. But let's take a second to remind ourselves why we started to sing in the first place. I hope for a lot of you it was because it made you smile so much your lips twitched.

P.S. Day after the final votes have been tallied and the winner announced. Jackie did NOT WIN! and I am so happy. This little girl needs to be nurtured slowly; not have a Las Vegas act. She will have a long and fulfilling and (I hope I hope I hope) happy career.

Creative Vocalises for Young Male Singers

I work with several young students (below the age of 16) including a couple of boys.  Most of these kids are professional actors already.  This is a challenging age to study singing.  The voice is changing or just about to.  Attention spans vary widely in length.  Musicianship, or lack thereof, can be a big issue.  In addition, there is the age difference between us and the balancing act of respect and friendship that occurs in any private lesson situation.  Most of my young female students have done just fine with either the classic vowel exercises that adult students use or the "fun" vocalises devised for younger singers, like "koo-koo-koo-koo-clock!"  But for boys . . . well, the embarrassment issue raises its ugly head here.  Who wants to sing about "koo-koo-clocks?" when you are doing everything you can to appear cool and masculine at the ripe old age of 10 or 12?  So, today I asked one of my young male students to make up his own vocalise.  Just come up with 5 syllables that make up a sentence.  "All chimpanzees rock" was the result.  You know what?  At least it got him to sing out and use his full voice for the first time.  The resulting flow of energy led to more enthusiasm from him for the rest of the lesson and more creative teaching from me.  ("Magic energy belt" and other space-age props were added to help my young sky warrior).  He improved vastly from his last lesson.  I had fun.  I think he did too.  He stayed cool and masculine.  Win-win. 

Dancers CAN sing

I just got back from an exciting and challenging three days in Seattle, working for the Jerome Robbins Trust helping to cast the upcoming Pacific Northwest Ballet production of "West Side Story Suite."  Twenty-eight dancers, most of whom had not sung since they were in middle school chorus, if at all, were required to sing either "America" or "Cool" not only as a solo, but in front of a video camera!  Can you imagine if you were given a challenge like that in an art form you were almost totally unfamiliar with?  I had one and a half hour group lessons with each of four groups and then ten minutes with each individual to help them do the best job they could to portray Anita, Rosalia or Riff and tape the audition.  The group session proved a terrific way for everyone to learn with a feeling of comfort and playfulness and taught me how to teach them.  Then, when the individual auditions came, these magnificent artists, who amaze me with their physical genius and grace, came into the room with such vulnerability, terror, and insecurity all I could do was wonder at the strange and wonderful workings of Nature and the gifts of talent and courage.  As it turned out, many of the dancers actually could sing and act very well.  There wasn't a single one who could not sing at all.  One sweet girl had been kicked out of 6th grade chorus because her teacher said she couldn't sing.  There she stood at her audition, literally trembling; I put my arm around her and sang softly into her ear and she sang on pitch and in correct rhythm.  That dancer CAN sing!  They all could sing.  And most of them could act when given half a chance.  Let's all give ourselves a chance.  And give our kids a chance.  And when we are trembling, an arm around the shoulder and a sweet song in the ear couldn't hurt.

SING FOR YOUR LIFE (a post from my friend Kalila Borghini)

IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO SING (BY KALILA BORGHINI)

Ten years ago, when I was fifty-one, I sang for the first time since childhood.  I must have sung as a young child, although I don't remember doing so. I suppose at some point early on, I started to feel self-conscious.  I also don't remember anyone else in my home singing. Sadly, later in my childhood, and especially as a teenager, there didn't seem to be much to sing about.  This occurred despite there being lots of music around.  My father loved Ella Fitzgerald and Broadway show tunes as well as classical music.  He also listened to what I disparagingly referred to as "war music" - that great era of the big bands (which I now love as it turns out, along with spinach and sweet potatoes).  But no one sang or even sang along.  Actually, that's not entirely true.  My mother did totally embarrass me once in my early teens when she sang along at a musical we once attended together.  I think that was the last time I participated in that kind of activity with her. Otherwise, it was a singing-free household.  I grew up loving music as well as dance but as far as singing was concerned - that just wasn't something I did or more importantly, felt I was any good at.  I didn't think I could sing on pitch or even carry a tune.

That all changed in 1998 when I found the spiritual path I now follow - the African Traditional Religion known as Yoruba, which hails from Nigeria, made its way during the Middle Passage to Cuba and the islands, and then made its way here.  Don't ask what led me to that religion - that's another story and this blog is about singing.

Anyway, I was at a Bembe (a song and drumming celebration) for my Godmother Barbara Bey (Ibaye) and was standing next to one of my godbrothers.  Everyone was singing our tradition's songs, some of which I had been listening to on CD and to which I knew the words.  Except that I was humming.  This godbrother turned to me, and in a rather loud voice, said "SING!"  So I sang.  And I haven't stopped.

Going from someone who for the most of her life didn't even sing in the shower, I have become quite the songbird.  Since the Yoruba style of singing is Call and Response, I not only sing the Response but have taken it upon myself to learn the Call.  Not only do I sing with enthusiasm and joy at all spiritual functions as part of the chorus but, believe it or not I have actually sung the lead on one occasion in front of others.  In addition, I find myself often singing spontaneously throughout the day.

When I sing, my spirits are always lifted.  For me, song is communication with the divine and the spirits of my ancestors.  They let me know they have heard me by fulfilling my requests and accepting my thanks.  It is a truly magical process,facilitated by the earnestness of my voice and the sincerity of my prayers.  However, please don't totally typecast me.  I've also been heard singing all parts of an entire CD of Dells' greatest hits and harmonizing with Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway.  My husband, a professional singer (now isn't that ironic?) says that I have a good voice.  And although I'm grateful for his feedback, what's important is that I've been able to connect with the deepest part of myself and be moved to tears of joy.  To feel the vibration in the core of ones being is a spiritual connection - no matter what if any spiritual path you may be on.  So, I encourage all of you out there to overcome whatever resistance, embarrassment, perfectionism and shyness you have have and SING!  Sing as though your life depended upon it.  

The truth is -- your life does.

To learn more about Kalila Borghini who is a Psychotherapist and Ordained Yoruba Priest practicing in Manhattan, visit her website at http://www.childofthestones.com/