To: vocalist
Date sent: Thu, 6 Jan 2000 13:16:39 +0000
Subject: Re: Fear of singing
Send reply to: VOCALIST <vocalist>

A thought occurred to me when I was at home last night: singing can
be seen as an activity separate from one's normal day-to-day
business. As my teacher keeps reminding me, singing is sustained
speech. Wagner said that it is refined speech. If one thought
about what was involved in speech, its various components, then one
would probably not be able to. Oftentimes I have found myself
complicating what is, and should be, natural. When one thinks that
one is in singing mode then things go a-wry. Instead of: is my
posture right? Have I dropped my jaw? Am I breathing through the nose
and mouth? Have I raised the soft palate? Has my diaphragm stiffened?
Is it not better just to breathe deeply and sing? As I admitted
before, I am still learning. The components of singing are
important, but it is possible to get bogged down by it all.

One of my heroes is Bruce Lee, the martial artist. He was reading
for a PhD in Philosophy at Washington State University. Many do not
realise that there was more to him than his kung-fu. What he said is
that one first has instinctive reactions, through training these are
refined, so that that the schooled action becomes instinctive.

What I am trying to say is that it is important to see singing as an
organic part of one's expression as a human being. Because the
body is one's instrument singing impacts, and involves, everything
of oneself. By developing as a singer one develops as a human
being (a very Zen thing).

I don't believe that being overly concerned with Do's and Don'ts
is beneficial, because one could become reclusive, neurotic, and
create a prison for oneself. Singing is passionate, it is about
life. Love life, do not fear it.

Stewart, basso serioso