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.

Too Much To Say

When you don't write in your blog for years (literally) and then suddenly decide it's time to share your thoughts with the world, the stuff comes pouring out like . . . well like polished pearls of wisdom or, I'm too much of a prude to actually write down the other word I am thinking of. Let's just say, "pea soup."

There have been so many things going on in terms of my education as a singer/actor/voice teacher that I have shared with my students and intimates, but just have not written down. I guess I forgot that I even had this blog or thought that it was a worthy place or something that people would be interested in. Now that I am becoming more of an activist in terms of building up my studio, I've decided that it's time to write more and publish more. So here goes.

Obviously, from the title I have too much to say, so I'm going to narrow this down. This one is hard. The subject is PATIENCE. A very difficult one for many, or should I say most of us in the arts. We want success, fame, brilliance, power over our instruments YESTERDAY. The media, and especially TV shows are certainly doing nothing to discourage the idea that you can have instant success and that you can pick up music, look at it once and sing it brilliantly (especially with "auto-tune" behind you). And don't get me started on Reality Television. I love it as much as the next person for a "guilty pleasure" but when kids pout that they have been working "all their lives" for this one chance I can't help but scream at the television "Go back to school where you belong!"

So . . . anyway now for some positive ranting. I have three students who have recently shown the value of patience (and persistence). Two are baritones (more about this in a later post) who have only recently come into their true voices. They have had a difficult in dealing with the whole "baritenor" phenomenon because their natural voices just don't fit into that "fach." But PATIENCE and persistence on both of their parts have led them to find their true and beautiful voices and they are both now singing as they should and as grown men look the part as well. My other student is a soprano who came to me with, shall I say "incorrect" training. It's really not my place to put another teacher down, but this young lady was a bundle of muscular tension in every part of her being, plus her idea of "singing" was a version of classical production I fondly refer to in my studio as "BAAAAD OPERA." We struggled at first, she and I. In the beginning much of the lesson was just spent on Alexander Technique, release of unnecessary tension, and the building of trust. Then gradually we found the system of vocalises that were right for her voice (not everyone responds to the same ones). I can now say that this young lady is one of my favorite students. She gives me chills when she sings and is on her way to having a truly beautiful and consistent voice. Why? Because both she and I have been PATIENT and persistent.

WHEW! "Have I said too much . . . there is nothing more I can think of to say to you."

OLD BROADWAY/NEW BROADWAY

Well, the Tony's are all passed out and the Broadway season is over.  How wonderful that the musical theatre awards went to singers with distinctive, unique voices.  Let's face it . . . when you hear Patti Lupone sing, whether you like her voice or not, you know it's her.  The same can be said for the lovely Laura Benanti, who I have known since she was 19 and Kelli O'Hara, both of whom are "New Broadway" stars but are equal in individuality to the ingenues and leading ladies of the past.  Unlike so many of the thousands of kids being ground out of MFA Musical Theatre programs all over the country designed to "fit" the current sound or the screechy little "Legally Blonde" wannabe's who you basically cannot tell apart.  This leads me to speak about a reading I did last week of a new musical based on the hilarious Susan Seidelman film, Boynton Beach Club.  It featured a cast of fifteen actors, most "of a certain age" (including Tony nominees and winners), each and every one  with a distinctive, unique,  voice.  No cookie cutter techniques, no "chorus girl/boy" sound, everybody was an individual and together we rocked the joint!  Of course, we had no microphones and sound mixers to mess with our beautiful sound, but, I'll tell you, when I heard those six guys sing "Dirty Old Men" in four-part harmony and when we "girls" did three-part girl group singing, I was in heaven.  To bring this back to teaching . . . this is the kind of teaching I believe in.  Finding your true voice.  Your most beautiful, healthy, free voice.  

"AH HA" Moments

Yesterday I worked with a new student, a lovely young man who unfortunately had to quit college in the middle of his studies to take care of his family.  There is no question that this is a gifted singer who has already had excellent training and should be singing professionally some day and/or passing on his love of music to young people.  His passion and joy are infectious and we had a blast at the lesson.  The high points of the lesson were definitely what I call "Ah Ha" moments.  Something clicked.  But not just in his head.  In his whole being.  He "got it."  Or to quote "Stranger in a Strange Land" he "grocked it."  Every part of his instrument lit up and he had to pause to absorb the fact that what had happened had truly worked as completely as he felt it had.  So we did it again.  When the "ah ha" moment can be duplicated I know that we are on the right track.  Often whatever breakthrough we achieved  or principle I was teaching was something another teacher had tried to communicate before but perhaps the method the teacher was using wasn't right for him or he hadn't been ready to absorb the information yet.  That has happened to me as a teacher many times before.  I've had students come back to me and say "You know that thing you were trying to teach me when I was fifteen?  Well, now that I'm twenty-five and I'm working with someone else, I finally realize what you were saying works."  I'm always delighted when I hear that they have gotten it.  No matter who they get it from, as long as they get it and it sticks!

"AH HA!"

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. 

REVELATION OF THE WEEK

This week's revelation is about hard work, sweat, and laughter.  "Is it hot in here?" is the typical question for a woman going through menopause.  It's also a question for a student really working well in the voice studio.  I find myself stripping off layers of clothing during every lesson.  (Don't worry . . . there is a limit to how far I'll go!)  This week my studio was a veritable strip tease/comedy club!  "I'm exhausted!"  "Is your voice exhausted?"  "No."  "I'm tired too but let's take off a layer and keep going for a little while longer."  Then when I sense that the student's muscles can't support the tone anymore and/or they are singing "from their throat" we stop.  We rest and drink water and breathe easily and let the muscles recover.  But those supporting muscles are getting stronger each week and the beautiful, tiny vocal folds are protected and no one walks out unable to speak or sing at the end of a lesson.  They may need to take a nap or a shower, but that's OK by me.  

I have to be real careful with my younger students and constantly ask myself "How much can they take?  How much can they give?"  But they constantly surprise me.  So I had some revelations this week with a 13 year-old who hung in there for an hour of pretty demanding singing and with a sparkle in her eyes managed to make it through a song she never would have been able to tackle just two weeks ago.  Once again, the power of music working with the human body and spirit constantly amaze me.

Musings on Singing When You are Under the Weather

Wow, has this been a crazy couple of weeks!  Not only have I been sick, but at least three of my students have called me with "HELP WHAT DO I DO ? I HAVE TO SING AND I'M SICK!" Questions.  All three of them had different issues and I'm going to share what I told them. 

 First of all was the issue of the baritone singer/actor who not only is performing in a show but had an audition where he had to sing and act a lyrical ballad.  I reminded him that he was not just a voice.  This young man, as we all are, is a three mode performer.  He is a very strong actor, who has a face, voice, and body that can communicate the truth of his song and his character if he trusts them.  Sometimes, we are not able to rely on "the voice" being there 100% so we have to ask more of the rest of our instrument to help us out in an audition or performance situation when there is no understudy or opportunity to change an appointment or canceling is not an option.  I also suggested he "take it easy" with both his audition song and his song in the show and see what happens.  My student took this advice to heart and got wonderful results in both situations.  

The other two students who were under the weather were doing recordings and I gave them different advice for very different reasons.  One I told to put off her recording, because it sounded like she had actually done some minor, temporary damage to her voice by talking too loudly too soon after being ill and she is a heavy-duty R&B singer at the beginning of a very promising career. The other student is the young soprano I mentioned in an earlier blog, who is at the finishing stages of recording her demo CD and had some "fixes" to do.  Just because she wasn't 100% it didn't seem like there was any reason to not try to go into the studio and listen to what we had and try to fix what we could.  Despite her fatigue and the fact that she was recovering from a cold, knowing that the "finish line" was in sight and hearing the inspiring sounds she had already made in the previous recording sessions, she managed to do some pretty incredible singing that evening.  

And what have I been doing for my cold?  Water, water, water, water, water.  Rest, rest, rest, rest.

Musinex, every twelve hours.  Chicken soup.   

Revelation of the Week

This week's "Revelation" happened to me.  I was working with three students, all of whom are  in their twenties and have been studying with me anywhere from eight months to two years .  All of them have gone through many vocal challenges but have been persistent in their studies and, despite the fact that they are not "blessed" with the most beautiful and mature natural voices, have hung in there with practicing and have kept a positive attitude.  Well, this week it seems that all three of them have not only made breakthroughs, but they are also able to consistently repeat their vocal improvements, make truly beautiful natural sounds and understand how they are doing what they are doing.  The only way this was able to happen was through "persistent, purposeful play" and trusting that Nature would, in Her own time, enable their voices to mature at the right time if we didn't interfere.  

A lot of young singers hear their "idols" on the radio, TV, Broadway or web and think "If so-and-so is only 17 and can sing like that, why can't I?"  They forget that "so-and-so" is amplified within an inch of her life and has a sound engineer tweaking notes to avoid any hint of "pitchiness," and that, most important of all, many of us do not find our  true voices until we are 18 or 20 or 27 or 32.  But we can and should keep on singing.

Revelation of the Week

A young soprano in my studio has been working on her demo CD for several months now.  After lots of detailed preparation both vocally and dramatically, she is ready to record a variety of songs from musical theatre to pop to rock.  This week for a change I decided to have her just sing her songs straight through . . . no breaks, no time to think, no time to evaluate how she did, no time to re-adjust her "technique" or her acting choices . . . just as if she were doing a cabaret show.  I had my back to her, so she could feel free to be as active as she wanted to be, but all I would hear was her voice as it would sound on the CD.  Well, what happened was pretty fabulous!

Her sound was more vibrant, exciting, and varied than it has ever been.  Her acting was thrilling and spontaneous.  And her reaction to the experience was overwhelming joy and excitement.  She said she found new things in each song that she'd never found before.  Try this exercise for your own audition and/or performance workout.  Take a bunch of songs you have accompaniment for and just SING THEM STRAIGHT THROUGH with no stopping, evaluating, or judging.  Let the music and your own impulses guide you on a journey of discovery.