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”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
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
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””
Equalization of the scale downwards
Let it here be noted that Lilli Lehmann’s was one of those voices known as a “soprano sfogato,” having in the head register a thin yet ethereal quality which she used to bring down into the medium as well, until it dropped naturally and often suddenly into the chest tone. This equalization of the scaleContinue reading “Equalization of the scale downwards”
Voice Characters
In previous blogs, I have demonstrated starting the note from the larynx mechanism, the pharynx, the nasal and the imposto. Here is a chance to put these ideas together to create three different voice characters. To achieve this, I have followed Lucie Manen’s book ‘The Art of Singing’ and recalled the teachings of the lateContinue reading “Voice Characters”
Messa di Voce on ‘u’
Today I made a sound file of messa di voce on my favourite vowel ‘u’. There are two attempts in this sound file. The first attempt was uneven and lacked in its intensity but the second attempt was ok. My iPhone compresses my recordings a lot, but I think it is still possible to hearContinue reading “Messa di Voce on ‘u’”
Vibrazione
Esther Salaman, in her book ‘Unlocking Your Voice’, reminds us that the Bel Canto school of singing is about quality over quantity. Ms Salaman says that Vibrazione is an exercise that develops the core of our vowels. In other words, it develops quality. Today I made a sound file of vibrazione. Vibrazione is a momentContinue reading “Vibrazione”
Deborah Wai Kapohe 