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VOCALIST-Digest Monday, August 2 1999 Volume 07 : Number 012



In this issue:
==============

Re: Choir Woes [bethwalk-at-internet1.net]
Re: Impressionist Composers and French music in general ["Bill Halsey" RE: off-topic: Frozen Custard [Michele Shelton RE: RE: off-topic: Frozen Custard [Ernie Valenzuela ]
Looking for Carol Burkhardt ["Jessica Lardin" ]
Don Quichotte a Dulcinee [Ernie Valenzuela ]
Re: Fw: Where will my voice go? / Am I alone? ["Craig Mann" Looking for Alain ["Jessica Lardin" ]
Re: Anatomy, physiology and singing... [BBALL63786-at-aol.com]
Re: Am I alone? [LYNDA313-at-aol.com]
Voice lessons/vocal coach in Houston ["Jonathan Pearl Music" Marko-setting up chat times ["Jessica Lardin" ]
Marko-setting up chat times ["Jessica Lardin" ]
Re: Fw: Where will my voice go? / Am I alone? [Axwell-at-aol.com]
Re:False cords [Barry Bounous ]
Re: Source of Sound Was (Re: Vowel on the upper lip) [Barry Bounous Re: off-topic: frozen custard [Dr Colin D Reed Don Quichotte a Dulcinee [Ernie Valenzuela ]
Re: HIGH C and multiple registers disorder ["Bill Halsey" Re: are you okay now? can you help me? ["Lesley Swann" Re: Childrens Voice Lessons - Barbara and Laura ["Laura Sharp" Re: Fw: Where will my voice go? ["Jean-Ronald LaFond" ]

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Mon, 02 Aug 1999 11:20:08 -0400
From: bethwalk-at-internet1.net
Subject: Re: Choir Woes

Nicola,
Thanks for your comments. I actually get very few "go getters". Most of
my students need tons of encouragement, and they do very well that way.
Many of the kids in my area who come from "theater" backgrounds have a
real disadvantage. One of the very successful highschool drama teachers
in the area teaches by the "humiliation/retribution" method.
Kids are used to being yelled at, told they are nothing, etc. If the
kids or parents complain, the kids don't get cast anymore. I had the
opportunity to work with some of these incredibly talented kids this
summer and they were amazed that there was no screaming or yelling. I
finally told one parent that it was a choice I made to be a nice person-
I didn't want to make people work in an envirionment I wouldn't want to
work in as a singer/actor.I get great results from the "treat people
with respect" method.

Elizabeth Walker
Battle Creek, Michigan

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 02 Aug 1999 08:23:57 PDT
From: "Bill Halsey"
Subject: Re: Impressionist Composers and French music in general

This is something that the debate on impressionism made me thing of:

French music is a much misunderstood but very rich area for singers to work
on. Even just in the 19th century it goes from Boieldieu and the early opera
comique (Adam and Auber), Spontini, Cherubini, Rossini's French operas and
French reworkings like Moise) Meyerbeer, to the midcentury classics like
Gounod and Bizet to Massenet (who had a great influence on Puccini) Reyer
(the French Wagner) and there is also a "realist" composer who was sort of a
musical Zola.

Meyerbeer is one of the central figures in this world. He influenced Verdi,
Wagner and Puccini. In some senses he was the first "verismo" composers; in
another he was one of the first neo-classical composers.

A lot of this music is not done today because it is so difficult. Check out
any of Adam's coloratura arias: they make Gilda or even Mozart's Abduction
look like a walk in the park.

German musicology (which influenced English and American grad schools)
largely ignores this music, but it is well worth study and there is a wide
variety of parts for different voice types.

Bill Halsey
http://members.tripod.com/~marcellasembrich


_______________________________________________________________
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------------------------------

Date: Mon, 2 Aug 1999 11:06:07 -0400
From: Michele Shelton
Subject: RE: off-topic: Frozen Custard

This is beloved topic to me...as I now live in Southwest Florida, I
don't find much of an opportunity to indulge.

Frozen custard has the concistency of frozen jogurt, but it is much,
much, much richer and smoother. In shops, they ooze out of a machine
that freezes (I guess) the liquid and, generally (and THIS is what makes
it to die for) as it comes out of the machine, various toppings are
folded into the custard. Each store makes up its own flavor of the
day...and they are truly creative (and delicious).

Custard shops are a midwestern delight...for the most part. Milwaukee is
home to MANY shops and are a hot spot in the spring, summer and fall
months. Truly, frozen custard is a treat - a delicious treat.

Enough...I am getting depressed just thinking about it! ;-)

If you ever find yourself in Wisconsin....indulge...and then tell us
about your discovery.

Michele

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 2 Aug 1999 10:43:57 -0500
From: Ernie Valenzuela
Subject: RE: RE: off-topic: Frozen Custard

I did! You may have deleted my post - but don't be alarmed!
I do it too!

KOPP's & Culver's are going real strong!

As a matter of fact - Culver's has made inroads to
the western suburbs of Chicagoland: Schaumburg, IL.
This is a good thing! As the Coneheads are apt to say,
"Mass quantities will be consumed"!
Frozen Custard is made with mass quantities of eggs & milk
& other things that are good for you!

ps: if you go to ALTAVISTA.COM & search "frozen custard"
you'll get 1031 web pages of delicious info.

- ----Original Message-----
>From: Michele Shelton
>Subject: RE: off-topic: Frozen Custard
>Date: Monday, August 02, 1999 10:25 AM
>
>This is beloved topic to me...as I now live in Southwest Florida, I
>don't find much of an opportunity to indulge.
>
>Custard shops are a midwestern delight...for the most part. Milwaukee is
>home to MANY shops and are a hot spot in the spring, summer and fall
>months. Truly, frozen custard is a treat - a delicious treat.
>
>If you ever find yourself in Wisconsin....indulge...and then tell us
>about your discovery.
>

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 02 Aug 1999 11:51:51 EDT
From: "Jessica Lardin"
Subject: Looking for Carol Burkhardt

Hi,

Carol if you are still on this list, I have a question for you and would
like to email you. PLease reply with your email address. Thanks!

Jessica Lardin
jessoprano-at-hotmail.com
Director of Music Ministries
Grace U.M.C.
Indiana, PA

http://homepages.msn.com/stagest/jessoprano


_______________________________________________________________
Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 2 Aug 1999 11:24:17 -0500
From: Ernie Valenzuela
Subject: Don Quichotte a Dulcinee

Dear list,
I've been assigned the pleasure of learning the
the above-mentioned three song cycle.
Fortunately - I have the set which was given to me
by my former voice teacher in NYC. How he & his wife
came upon the set - I know not. But I'm sure they were
doing some "spring cleaning" at the time when it was
decided to send it to me...this is a beautiful thing!

This set was printed in France the copyright indicates:
"Tous droits d'execution reserves.
Copyright by Durand & Cie 1934"

My set - unfortunately - is vocally categorized as follows:
1. Chanson Romanesque - voix moyennes
2. Chanson Epique - voix elevees
3. Chanson a Boire - voix elevees

By reading the music - I find chanson 2 & 3 to be a challenge;
high tessitura & a few As. Chanson 1 - I read it to be more in
line with the tessitura I can handle.

But I wonder - before going any further - should I just "chuck"
(throw away) the idea of simply doing the set as I have it?
Should I go out and purchase a set in my voice (lyric baritone)?
Durand indicates a category: baryton - is anyone familiar with this
setting & its range?

Before contacting Glendower Jones - I'd like to know what you
might suggest.

Thanks.

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 2 Aug 1999 18:21:04 +0200
From: "Craig Mann"
Subject: Re: Fw: Where will my voice go? / Am I alone?

Bill Halsey writes:

One of the most important jobs of a
>teacher is deciding what kind of voice you have and teaching you to live
>within certain boundaries -- to know thyself.

Am I alone on this list in thinking that Mother Nature has already decided
what our voice is and it is the responsibility of the teacher to aid the
student in finding (and not "deciding") that natural voice?

>Even with no technique, or technique that is only 51 percent right, if you
>are singing the right repertoire you will get better.

Am I alone on this list in thinking this is irresponsible advice to give a
student?

>In addition, if you have a choice between two voice types, in most cases
the >higher type is better to sing in.

Am I alone on this list in thinking that every voice/human being should be
treated individually, thus obviating the above statement?

>Better a tenor with problems than a superficialy easy but lackluster
>baritone!


Am I alone on the list in thinking that both the choices Mr. Halsey
describes are not options for good singing or sound vocal pedagogy?

With regard to male voices however, I don't think people realize
>how much work it is to conquer that tessatura if you are not born with
it --
>but all good things in life should be earned.


Am I alone on this list in thinking that we are well made and do not have to
improve what nature endowed us with and that willfully tampering with the
range of our voices, once we have cleared away the ballast and unnatural
ideas about our voices and ourselves, can only lead to a further distortion
of our voices?

In contemplating this latest posting by Mr. Halsey I am reminded of Pogo's
saying: "We have met the enemy and they are us."
Best wishes to ALL,
Craig

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 02 Aug 1999 10:17:15 EDT
From: "Jessica Lardin"
Subject: Looking for Alain

Alain,

I would like to download the smaller version of my photo that appears on
your page, however I misplaced the address. Could you reply with the
address of your updated page? Also, I went to www.vocalist.org and I see
that the photos on that page have not been updated (mine does not
appear)...is this a different page? Thanks a lot! :)


Jessica
- ------------------
J.E. Lardin
Director of Music Ministries
Grace U.M.C., Indiana, PA
http://homepages.msn.com/stagest/jessoprano


_______________________________________________________________
Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 2 Aug 1999 12:33:42 EDT
From: BBALL63786-at-aol.com
Subject: Re: Anatomy, physiology and singing...

In a message dated 8/2/99 3:56:10 AM Central Daylight Time, mjo-at-ph.ed.ac.uk
writes:

<< what, in your opinion, are questions that the
average singer would like to have answered in this
area? >>

I would imagine most voice teachers or singers would appreciate to know the
breath mechanism anatomical terms, possibly providing a chart of some sort,
and the main muscles in the larynx, and possibly some mention of the
epiglottis. I think it's important not to boggle the mind with details and
specifics, like all the cartileges or bones, but just to explain what is
indeed happening during vocal production. It's also important for some
scientific terms to be explained like phonation, resonance, and formants.
Any way of making that exciting would be very beneficial to your listeners
for all the knowledge they would gain.

If we know what's going on in singing, then perhaps after considerable
thought the teacher and student can find out what's NOT going in their own
voice. Just knowing the correct anatomical terms makes it easy for the
anatomical lingos to give advice. And knowing how the voice works will
produce more effective imagery. Best Wishes Martyn.

Tim DMA *Professor of Voice Pedagogy*

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 2 Aug 1999 12:47:48 EDT
From: LYNDA313-at-aol.com
Subject: Re: Am I alone?

In a message dated 8/2/99 11:28:42 AM, craig.mann-at-tic.ch writes:

<<
Am I alone on this list in thinking that we are well made and do not have to
improve what nature endowed us with and that willfully tampering with the
range of our voices, once we have cleared away the ballast and unnatural
ideas about our voices and ourselves, can only lead to a further distortion
of our voices? >>

Craig, I wanted to quote all of your thoughtful response to the original
poster, but decided that the above question was enough and so pertinent. You
are NOT ALONE. We aren't God. To "decide" what voice a student has ,
instead of to "discover" it seems somehow unnatural and tampering with
nature, not enhancing what we have. In addition, you stated generally that
you felt it is our job always to find the way to deal with each individual
student and voice in the best way possible. I think that has always been our
mission. Unfortunately, many teachers, and therefore, many students, have
somehow begun to think they can mold or be molded into singers, like choosing
"dramatic soprano" from a catalogue and putting certain guidelines into
practice which will assure the result. The best teachers are those who know
their students and help them achieve all that they can in a healthy way,
based upon the natural abilities and aptitudes of the singers. Thanks again
for your post.

Sincerely,
Lynda Lacy
Jackson, MS
LYNDA313-at-aol.com

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 2 Aug 1999 10:54:09 -0600
From: "Jonathan Pearl Music"
Subject: Voice lessons/vocal coach in Houston

Mike,

By all means, call Rice University. You didn't mention your level of
singing, but I suggest two options. The faculty there (there are three voice
teachers, and about the same number of FINE coaches) are very good. As well,
there are around 30 graduate voice students, many of whom have years of
teaching experience. I am certain that by contacting the Shepherd School of
Music there, they could direct you to an appropriate teacher, who could
possibly teach you where you like. The phone number for the school of music
is:(713) 527-4854. One of the most helpful people there on the staff is
Cynthia McCaffety (if she is still there), the Graduate Secretary, or some
such title. Ask for her, if noone else seems helpful. Or ask directly for
Dr. Joyce Farwell, Mr. William Murray, or Thomas Jaber. The first two are
voice faculty (Dr. Farwell is chair), the latter a wonderful coach, and
director of the choruses. You can tell any of them that I referred you, and
wish them well for me. I received my Master's degree there.

Enjoy,

JONATHAN GEOFFREY SECORA PEARL
Lecturer in Music
Arapahoe Community College
Littleton, Colorado, USA
Email: music-at-datawest.net

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 02 Aug 1999 11:00:04 EDT
From: "Jessica Lardin"
Subject: Marko-setting up chat times

I think it would be wonderful if several of us could agree to "chat" at the
same time. It would be even better if we could agree upon a topic prior to
the chat.

Thanks, Marko, for setting the chat up; I think it is absolutely a wonderful
thing with plenty of potential.



Jessica
- --------------
J.E. Lardin
Director of Music Ministries
Grace U.M.C., Indiana, PA
http://homepages.msn.com/stagest/jessoprano


_______________________________________________________________
Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 02 Aug 1999 11:00:00 EDT
From: "Jessica Lardin"
Subject: Marko-setting up chat times

I think it would be wonderful if several of us could agree to "chat" at the
same time. It would be even better if we could agree upon a topic prior to
the chat.

Thanks, Marko, for setting the chat up; I think it is absolutely a wonderful
thing with plenty of potential.



Jessica
- --------------
J.E. Lardin
Director of Music Ministries
Grace U.M.C., Indiana, PA
http://homepages.msn.com/stagest/jessoprano


_______________________________________________________________
Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 2 Aug 1999 13:06:52 EDT
From: Axwell-at-aol.com
Subject: Re: Fw: Where will my voice go? / Am I alone?

In a message dated 8/2/99 9:28:42 AM Pacific Daylight Time, craig.mann-at-tic.ch
writes:

<< Am I alone on this list >>

No, indeed not. Agreement in all you pose.

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 02 Aug 1999 11:08:50 -0600
From: Barry Bounous
Subject: Re:False cords

There are False vocal folds but they are above the true folds and have
no phonation function. Falsetto is just a different muscular adjustment
of the true folds.

cheers,

- --
Dr. Barry Bounous
Brigham Young University
School of Music
bounousb-at-itsnet.com

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 02 Aug 1999 11:12:28 -0600
From: Barry Bounous
Subject: Re: Source of Sound Was (Re: Vowel on the upper lip)

If it were true that the vocal folds vibrate by them selves then
Christopher Reeves would not need to wait for his respirator to recharge
his lungs in order to speak. He has air in his throat (certainly not a
vacume) but he doesn't have adequate sub-glottal air pressure to make
sound.

- --
Dr. Barry Bounous
Brigham Young University
School of Music
bounousb-at-itsnet.com

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 02 Aug 1999 18:23:16 +0100
From: Dr Colin D Reed
Subject: Re: off-topic: frozen custard

Dale Gillespie wrote:


> ================
>
> Hello Ernie and Listers,
> I guess I am naive, or maybe it is because I am Canadian and we don't have it here. What is Frozen Custard? I mean I know it is frozen custard - but what is it? I know Ice Cream, Soft Ice Cream, Ice Milk (Dairy Queen) and Frozen Yogurt. But what is Frozen Custard? Is it something uniquely
American and something that I will forever have to miss out on because I had the misfortune of being born Canadian. I know this is off topic but I must know.
> - ---
> Dale Gillespie - Tenor
> bigtenordale-at-angelfire.com
> Coquitlam, BC
> Canada
>
Surely, real dairy ice-cream IS frozen custard. A real custard, or
"creme anglaise" to the French, consists of cream infused with vanilla,
added to beaten eggs and sugar It is then cooked until it starts to
thicken (but not curdle). To make real dairy vanilla ice-cream, you
would take this and freeze it!

- --
Colin Reed, Tenor
Newark, Nottinghamshire, UK
Tel +44 1636 706158
Mobile +44 973 952447

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 2 Aug 1999 10:13:43 -0500
From: Ernie Valenzuela
Subject: Don Quichotte a Dulcinee

Dear list,
I've been assigned the pleasure of learning the
the above-mentioned three song cycle.
Fortunately - I have the set which was given to me
by my former voice teacher in NYC. How he & his wife
came upon the set - I know not. But I'm sure they were
doing some "spring cleaning" at the time when it was
decided to send it to me...this is a beautiful thing!

This set was printed in France the copyright indicates:
"Tous droits d'execution reserves.
Copyright by Durand & Cie 1934"

My set - unfortunately - is vocally categorized as follows:
1. Chanson Romanesque - voix moyennes
2. Chanson Epique - voix elevees
3. Chanson a Boire - voix elevees

By reading the music - I find chanson 2 & 3 to be a challenge;
high tessitura & a few As. Chanson 1 - I read it to be more in
line with the tessitura I can handle.

But I wonder - before going any further - should I just "chuck"
(throw away) the idea of simply doing the set as I have it?
Should I go out and purchase a set in my voice (lyric baritone)?
Durand indicates a category: baryton - is anyone familiar with this
setting & its range?

Before contacting Glendower Jones - I'd like to know what you
might suggest.

Thanks.

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 02 Aug 1999 08:10:42 PDT
From: "Bill Halsey"
Subject: Re: HIGH C and multiple registers disorder

>I have a question about this--might I be able to tell what voice type I am
>by
>studying where these so called "register breaks" are in my voice?

>From one Bill to another:

Often that is true, although in male voices there's really only one
passagio. Usually if you are a baritone it is about at F or F#, tenor is G
or G#, and super-tenor is A to B, as a rule of thumb.

However, this will change as you study, many people have no sensation of a
shift, and it is somewhat unreliable. It usually leads to a lot of dramatic
tenors singing as baritones, because they may start to shift around the time
a true baritone finishes shifting.

I am a baritone, and I never had a sensation of shifting until relatively
recently, I never had head-voice.

I think there are really four male voice types : Super-tenor (the usual
person singing as a so-called natural tenor) tenor, baritone, and bass. The
bass and true tenor usually have more natural head-voice; the baritone and
super-tenor usually push and shove their high notes out.

I know some of you think that every singer should be using falsetto or head
voice by their first lesson -- I think this is absolutely wrong. Some
people are born with natural headvoice, and I think that is very rare for
baritones. Fischer-Dieskau is one of the few I can think of. What is more
important is to be forward -- a lot of singers with good head voice sing
"high notes" but without being forward they do not project.

Bill Halsey
http://members.tripod.com/~marcellasembrich


_______________________________________________________________
Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 2 Aug 1999 11:10:59 -0400
From: "Lesley Swann"
Subject: Re: are you okay now? can you help me?

Trish, you need to get to another doctor quickly for a second opinion. If
it was an infection, antibiotics should've cleared it up long before now.
This doctor sounds like a real idiot, try another one or go to an emergency
room at a local hospital ASAP.

- ----- Original Message -----
From: Michael Consul
To:
Sent: Wednesday, July 28, 1999 1:40 PM
Subject: are you okay now? can you help me?


> Hi i'm Trish. for the last 2 weeks i've been feeling nausiated
>
> sleepy, stuffy nose and ear ache. the doctor said that it might be an
> inner ear infection. i don't like the fact that he wasn't certain. my
> head feels like it's swollen at some parts and i feel a little bit of
> pressure at the jaws. did you experience any of this by any chance?
>
> I'm worried cuz it's been already almost 3 weeks... don't know what to
> do next. is there any way to find out really if someone has an inner
> ear infection? Please help me.
>

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 02 Aug 1999 08:38:44 PDT
From: "Laura Sharp"
Subject: Re: Childrens Voice Lessons - Barbara and Laura

Laura and Barbara:

Very interesting thread here! I have always been of Barbara's school of
thought, through my own training and discovery as I worked with young
voices. But I don't think the two philophophies are incompatible. I would be
surprised if what Laura is teaching is regimented voice training with
demanding voalises which might be harmful to tender instruments.

I too have recommended piano, music play and singing in choirs for students
who were not actively auditioning and performing and therefore, in my
opinion, could use guidance and coaching so that they could avoid hurting
themselves. But I have felt uncomfortable about what youth and high school
choir experiences can do to a young, particularly female, voice.

In my region (Albany, upstate NY), there is not a choir in town, from
elementary to professional adults, that allows an opportunity to sing with a
full natural female voice. Almost without exception, every teenaged girl I
get as a student, reads well, has a lovely range, but is white as a ghost
with that "hooty" Cambridge Singers sound and cannot bring a supported sound
up through even an octave from Midlde C. In their school choir, a sound that
isn't exactly like all the rest is discouraged, and singled out. Girls who
are shy about reaching the top are relegated to Alto where they have little
chance to exercise their upper range and are encouraged to push their low
notes to balance out against the sheer number of sopranos. Yes, they're
still getting a musical experience but not one that will serve them well as
solo singers until they can undo all the bad habits. Let me reiterate, this
is not a generalized attack against school choirs - just a statement of very
clear regional musical preferences in female choir singing.

Personally, I am starting to believe that girls should be switched back and
forth between alto and soprano in choirs so that they can explore and
exercise their ranges. It's good for sight reading too. Or, maybe what Laura
is doing with her children could give them a foundation that might insulate
them against pitfalls of otherwise valuable choir experiences.

Laura, I would be grateful if you would ahsre some of your sources so I can
see what you're doing.

Thank you.

Laura Sharp
Albany NY
>From: Delphigaia-at-aol.com
>Reply-To: VOCALIST <vocalist>
>To: vocalist
>Subject: Re: Childrens Voice Lessons (Help!)
>Date: Sun, 1 Aug 1999 18:37:00 EDT
>
>In a message dated 8/1/99 1:29:53 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
>VANNDJ-at-mail.snc.edu writes:
>
><< Her mother is very adament on her
> getting "voice" lessons and not piano lessons or picking up an
>instrument.
> I'm lost for ideas! >>
>
>Re: 8year old taking voice lessons....whoa....who is the teacher here? You
>do not have to go along with this mother in her ill-advised pursuit of
>voice
>lessons for this child. Unless you truly feel you can do this young person
>a
>service by working with her, then you shouldn't attempt it. Perhaps the
>best
>thing you could do would suggest to the mother that voice lessons are
>inappropriate for one so young. And state in NO uncertain terms, that the
>best thing she could do for her daughter's voice at this time would be to
>have her study piano or flute. As teachers we always have the option (and
>responsibility) to help inform the public re: what is and is not
>appropriate
>for students. When I explain to mom's who call wanting me to take their
>"very advanced for her age" young child, I calmy inform them that just as
>in
>reputable ballet studios, they no longer put young children "on point" for
>fear of damaging their feet and doing more harm than good, we voice
>teachers
>must take care with young voices and not start vocal training too young.
>Generally speaking, (meaning I know their are exceptions to this rule of
>thumb), I find students are better prepared and make better progress if
>they
>have studied an instrument in their pre-puberty years, and wait for vocal
>lessons until they have gone through puberty. I encourage them to join
>children's choirs, or sing in the kid's choir at church, but formal study
>can
>wait for most students, with no harm (& indeed better results). I will
>often
>agree to a "consult" to meet with the mother & child, listen to the
>youngster
>sing, and explain why it might be better to wait for a few years. This
>seems
>to satisfy the mother & the student. I encourage them to study piano or
>flute or violin and work on their musicianship, or to take acting classes
>for
>young children to work on stagecraft, but until the voice has matured
>somewhat, I find voice lessons for youngsters to be inadvisable in most
>cases. (On occassion, one will run into an extremely talented & precocious
>young performer...who needs expert guidance with someone who knows what to
>do
>with the very young voice..but this is the exception that proves the rule,
>not the other way around!) Sincerely, Barbara


_______________________________________________________________
Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 2 Aug 1999 11:55:21 -0400
From: "Jean-Ronald LaFond"
Subject: Re: Fw: Where will my voice go?

- -----Original Message-----
From: Bill Halsey
To: vocalist <vocalist>
Date: Monday, August 02, 1999 11:00 AM
Subject: Re: Fw: Where will my voice go?


>
>Dear Singers out there in cyberland:
>
>Don't listen to any "touchy-feely" advice about waiting till your voice
>tells you what kind of voice you have. One of the most important jobs of a
>teacher is deciding what kind of voice you have and teaching you to live
>within certain boundaries -- to know thyself.

This is only partly true. The teacher must guide the student to their true
voice. There must come a time when the student discovers his own voice.
The person who wrote the original post has made an important discovery about
the nature of his own instrument. This is an important first step. The
student must learn to develop his ears and all other sensory mechanisms to
become better acquainted with his total voice. This takes time, patience
and self-study.

>
>Even with no technique, or technique that is only 51 percent right, if you
>are singing the right repertoire you will get better. No one can judge
this
>for themselves; you need to be guided by a competent teacher.


In an ideal world, the sensitive student should have some level of input
into his repertoire. For one thing, a student should not be forced to sing
songs that they do not like. The student with little experience would
certainly have less input. But it is good to have the student play a part.
They become more responsible at an early age.

>
>In addition, if you have a choice between two voice types, in most cases
the
>higher type is better to sing in.

Too sweeping a statement. It can be damaging to force a student to sing in
a tessitura that they are not ready to sing in.


>Better a tenor with problems than a superficialy easy but lackluster
>baritone!

The switch from baritone to tenor, or any fach change for that matter,
involves a
psychological component. This must be done with care. With a young tenor
who has sung as a baritone, there is no harm in finding transitional
repertoire that gets them to make the switch gradually. Some may be able to
make the switch more readily, but that is more the exception than the rule.

>
>The one exception to this is certain female voices, especially the dramatic
>mezzo who, in head voice, is sometimes mistaken for a soprano (e.g. Marilyn
>Horne).

I would not call Ms. Horne a dramatic Mezzo. It was obviously a smart
choice for her to become a mezzo. She began as a soprano. At best, she
would be classified as a lyric mezzo. Most of her rep focused on reviving
music of he bel canto. Lots of Handel and Lots of Rossini. She was never a
Wagnerian or even truly a Verdian mezzo. Hers is a small voice with a lot
of carrying power. I heard only a few years ago in the small recital hall
at the University of Michigan. Definitely not a large voice.

With regard to male voices however, I don't think people realize
>how much work it is to conquer that tessatura if you are not born with
it --

We are all born with our natural voices. I believe that most of us stray
from it as we grow, and eventually have to rediscover it as the young man
who made the original post. We cannot create what we were not born with.
We can only learn to give in to what we have, which is always more
extraordinary than what we want to manifacture.


Cheers,

JRL.

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End of VOCALIST-Digest V7 #12
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