Vocalist.org archive


From:  Craig Tompkins <craigtompkins@t...>
Craig Tompkins <craigtompkins@t...>
Date:  Sat Dec 2, 2000  10:14 pm
Subject:  Re: [vocalist-temporary] Problematic choir teachers....HELP!


Lana Mountford wrote:

> Oh boy, does this raise my hackles!

> I've had the great good fortune of singing with some very fine choral
directors,
> who believed that the only way to get a vibrant rich choral sound was to allow
> the singers to sing with their own voices, and rely precision in diction and
> rhythm (and careful audition scrutiny) to achieve "blend." I LOVE singing in
a
> chorus -- there's nothing like the "high" a singer can get when singing with
an
> ensemble where the harmony is "locked in" and the sound seems to transcend the
> combined voices. The choral repertoire contains some of the most beautiful
music
> ever written for voice.

Lana, what you say is so true. The elusive "blend" is best achieved by unity of
diction (everyone singing the same vowel) unity of rhythm (everyone agreeing on
cut-offs and consonant placement as well as precise singing of the notated
rhythms),
everyone singing with their own voice (produced as freely and as healthily as
their
current development allows), and everyone balancing the amount of sound
produced (no
one voice sticks out because it is too loud) as well as careful audition
scrutiny.
And that audition scrutiny is probably the most important aspect! Why do
conductors
choose singers that don't fit with their ideals of a choral sound and then
spend so
much time trying to get them to produce that sound, when rehearsals could be
better
spent on interpretive matters?!

> I've also had the terrible misfortune to sing with a choral director who
believed
> that the only good soprano was a "boy" soprano, and that the only way to
achieve
> "blend" was to make every singer try to manipulate his/her voice into some
flat
> "medium" hooty sound. The manipulations I was forced to employ to achieve the
sound
>
> this director wanted were having a severe negative impact on my vocal health,
> enough that my teacher noticed.

Stay away from this type of conductor! Occasional use of the boy treble sound
for
some English Cathedral music is appropriate, I suppose, and most singers with a
healthy technique can modify their sound on these occasions. But for a steady
diet
of straight tone -- not safe.

> It almost sounds as if this guy has it out for you. I'm not sure there's
> anything you can say to him, except perhaps to explain your vocal
"philosophy" --
> that you teach your students to sing with a healthy relaxed technique that
will
> form the foundation for their ability to be soloists. If that conflicts with
his
> "philosophy," then it might be better for him if your students refrain from
> singing in his choirs. Your students can look for a good community or church
> choral program if they want to sing in a choir.

What is this conductors background? Does he have any knowledge of vocal
pedagogy?
Would he be open to a workshop with his choir on healthy singing?

That's my 1.2 cents (Canadian -- very bad exchange rate today) worth!

Good luck Mary Beth,
Cheers
Craig, Burnaby BC




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