Tag Archives: Classical Singing

Buying a voice

Over the last six months, I have observed a number of young singers learning from two singing teachers at once. Often, without the singing teachers agreeing to this or, even worse, being told! This trend is understandable if the teachers complement each other and work together. For example, one teacher is a classical teacher andContinue reading “Buying a voice”

Adding to the vocal tool kit – musical theatre

Today’s post discusses and demonstrates some of the singing techniques required when including musical theatre pieces, from the golden age until the present day, in a concert. I am focussing on the singing techniques here. However, to make the transition truly authentic, the singer will need to spend time on accent. The correct accent willContinue reading “Adding to the vocal tool kit – musical theatre”

Sticking your neck out (literally)

The attitude of the pupil, in singing, should be as natural and easy as possible. Mathilde Marchesi, Bel Canto: A theoretical & practical vocal method. Dover Publications, Inc., New York. The image above says it all. Here are two audio examples to demonstrate the importance of the neck position for singing. Example one demonstrates aContinue reading “Sticking your neck out (literally)”

Recommended Reading and Listening: Bel Canto/The Old Italian School of Singing

I have found the following books, manuals and listening to be a ‘pathway’ to studying a way of singing that some refer to as ‘Bel Canto’. Others may refer to it as the ‘Old Italian School of Singing’. Others may describe it as the ‘Italian School of Singing’. (For me, the last description is unreliableContinue reading “Recommended Reading and Listening: Bel Canto/The Old Italian School of Singing”

‘Legit’

Musical Theatre refers to singing in a classical style as ‘legit’. However, it has bothered me for a long time that the classification is too broad. Therefore, I was pleased to read the following in the library today: Legit can be further divided into traditional legit and contemporary legit. Robert Edwin, A Broader Broadway, NATSContinue reading “‘Legit’”

Appoggio

A month ago, I completed the mandatory New Zealand Managed Isolation Quarantine (“MIQ”). (New Zealand does not have Covid-19 in the community. Therefore, the country sets about quarantining every person who arrives in New Zealand from overseas, in isolation, for two weeks). Naturally, during my time in MIQ, I could not vocalize. Therefore, I setContinue reading “Appoggio”

Jeanne Jomelli

What a find on You Tube this morning! Dutch Soprano Jomelli (1879-1932), student of Mathilde Marchesi, singing an exercise from Herman Klein’s ‘Phono – Vocal’ method. This singing is informative on many levels. The onset, gentle vibrato, the lightness of production, delicate use of messa di voce, the sound of chiaroscuro, portamento, legato and more.Continue reading “Jeanne Jomelli”

Contrametric Rubato

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”