This week I pondered over how unmusical my singing was sounding. I couldn’t understand what had gone so wrong… Then, it dawned on me. My tempi were wrong! Thus, this week, I have made the metronome a part of everything I do. This brings me to contrametric rubato. I came across an interview by aContinue reading “Contrametric Rubato”
Author Archives: Deborah Wai Kapohe
Fun Opera Warm Up of Three Octaves
Overall, the purpose of this website is to document three years (2020 – 2023) of my studies to become a singing teacher. My rationale is that if I can’t sing to an acceptable standard then I should not become a singing teacher. This post is a series of videos that demonstrate how I warmed theContinue reading “Fun Opera Warm Up of Three Octaves”
Adapting Denes Striny’s exercises
Exactly a year ago I read and followed Denes Striny’s ideas and exercises (see my resources page for details about his wonderful books). This began my journey back to the way I had been taught by my teachers’ Beatrice Webster and Isabel Cunningham. It also led to me creating a three year project for myselfContinue reading “Adapting Denes Striny’s exercises”
Learning advanced singing for free
Recently, I traced my singing lineage back to Niccola Antonia Porpora who lived from 1686-1766. The lineage goes like this. One of Porpora’s students was Giovanni Ansani. Ansani taught Manuel Garcia I. Garcia I taught Pauline Viardot. Viardot taught Anna Schoen-René. Schoen-René taught Lucie Manén. Manén taught my teacher, Beatrice Webster. Beatrice Webster also taughtContinue reading “Learning advanced singing for free”
Efficiency
Today’s post is written to mark the first turning point in my three year ‘Lilli Lehmann Project’. To reiterate, the Project is created to refresh my voice and engage with historical vocal pedagogy with the aim to become a responsible singing teacher. Today’s turning point, coming four months into the project, is to focus onContinue reading “Efficiency”
Isolation in Sydney – Opera House
If you have visited Australia you know what a drawcard this iconic Opera House is. I love this photo as it would normally be impossible to capture an… Isolation in Sydney – Opera House
High Notes
…there is almost no limit to the height that can be reached by the pure head tone without admixture of palatal resonance. Lilli Lehmann, How to Sing. …the whole secret of both [extension of the compass and equalization of the registers] consists in the proper raising and lowering of the soft palate, and the pillarsContinue reading “High Notes”
Tips for Cherubino’s Aria “Voi Che Sapete” – follow up
This is a follow up post to my earlier post on Cherubino’s aria. Here are three versions of Cherubino’s aria sung at 421HZ. The first version is too dark. I pressed down on the sound. It was tiring and uncomfortable. The second version isn’t as dark but I have another problem – you can seeContinue reading “Tips for Cherubino’s Aria “Voi Che Sapete” – follow up”
Gregorian Chant for Opera Singers
Wow, the closed Italian [u] – why Italian? – why did Gregorian chant, opera, and singing in a certain way seemingly start in Italy? Their language was the main reason, and of course, we must consider that because it started there, it started because of their language. Denes Striny, Great Singers, An Endangered Species, HowContinue reading “Gregorian Chant for Opera Singers”
Tips for Cherubino’s aria “Voi che sapete”
Here is the process I have followed today to locate a shiny sound for Cherubino’s aria. I would like Cherubino to sound youthful. Accordingly, I am looking for that old fashioned bright Italian sound. I will add to this post over the next month or so until the aria is complete. Voi Che Sapete –Continue reading “Tips for Cherubino’s aria “Voi che sapete””
Deborah Wai Kapohe 