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.

More about Singing When You Are Under the Weather

In response to a request from Erin C. for remedies, exercises, etc. for overworked voices or ideas for how to handle singing when you're sick, I'm going to share some more ideas from my experience as well as those of an expert.  Dr. Anthony Jahn, one of the most highly respected otolaryngologists in the country recommends zinc tablets or nasal swabs, saline nasal spray, a Neti pot (I use mine religiously), and vitamin C.  He says to avoid antihistamines if you are going to have to perform, because they tend to dry you out, and that is dangerous if you have to sing.  Better to use a decongestant (hence my love affair with Musinex).  The mucus gets looser but you won't get dried out. Remember that commercial for hand cream that used to show the dried up leaf vs. the beautiful green leaf?  I like to think of always keeping my vocal folds like the green leaf, moist and supple. 

When you have a cold, the chances are you are going to be affected in the upper parts of your voice and/or your passaggio. You may also be feeling physically weaker. Be very careful to not tire yourself out, because that's when you are in danger of really hurting your voice.  Eat well.  Rest well.  Cancel or re-schedule any engagements and auditions if you are able to.  And remember, a cold will pass, but if you over-sing on it, watch out!  You can do damage because you may be singing from an unsupported place and can cause harm to your voice, which will take more time to heal than just the week or ten days that it would have taken to nurse a cold or flu.

As far as overworked or overused voices are concerned, I am not a voice therapist, so I will send my students to an otolaryngologist when I sense that something is amiss that healthy nutrition, rest, good technique and conscientious practice seem to be doing nothing to conquer.  A couple of times the doctor has found a cyst, a polyp or even the dreaded "nodes" but I always feel it is better to be informed than to keep on beating your head against the wall wondering "Why can't I sing like I used to?"  Dr. Jahn's column in Classical Singer Magazine is enormously useful every month and can be found in the archives on their website. 

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.   

Musings on Independence

This has been a rough week for me, as I've been ill, and my students have been canceling a lot.  Spring Break, "Spring Fever." sudden breakouts of "forgetfulness," auditions and rehearsals for other projects popping up at the last minute, who knows?  Everyone has a legitimate excuse.    It's not easy being a private voice teacher.  I'm frequently last on people's priority list.  But I choose this life because I love the independence that it brings me.  I worked for an institution before and it just wasn't my style.  I hated the bureaucracy, game playing, and loss of freedom that was involved.  But with a private studio comes more personal responsibility for keeping track of the business side, not just the artistic, of being a voice teacher.  Hence, my website and this blog.  I am trying to find new ways to network, to reach out and find new ways to build my contacts, so that when a week like this one happens I can handle it with more serenity than I have in the past.  I'm grateful to any other independent contractors out there who read this who would care to respond.  

REVELATION OF THE WEEK

Thanks to my wonderful students and their parents asking me questions this week, I have something to share for all of us regarding studying singing.  Sometimes it is hard.  Sometimes it seems like there is no reward in sight.  Sometimes it seems boring or stupid or exhausting.  So I have to ask myself, "Do I have the time, discipline, and willingness to put up with doing what may seem like silly, embarrassing, even impossible things for a while in order to allow my instrument to grow?"  And you know what?  Sometimes I don't.   And that's OK  too.  You can take a break.  If you find yourself resenting every moment of practicing or hating your lessons, take a vacation from them.  If auditions are making you crazy with self-loathing or confusion, find another way to fulfill your creativity by writing or painting or just dancing in your living room.  Your creativity will find a way to express itself if you give it a chance.  And eventually you'll come back to singing if you are meant to.  Just ran into a student I hadn't seen in a long time who did a very creative thing . . . she had a baby!    

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/