SEPTEMBER 2010
TOOLS OF THE TRADE
When a mechanic,
plumber, electrician,
etc. ... shows up at a
job-site, he/she is
usually resplendent in
suitable work-garb with
a label over the left
breast-pocket with name
and title thereto
affixed and an
appropriate tool box in
hand. When a singer
arrives at an audition,
suitably attired and
coifed, the “tool-box”
of choice is generally a
briefcase wherein is
contained pictures of
self, a resume’ of some
consequence–with a few
notices to substantiate
same–and a selection of
music representative of
the singer’s vocal
prowess and achievement.
Repertoire ... and ones
command of same, is that
instrument necessary to
elicit respect and at
least stimulate
curiosity to set one
above the throng, the
body of pieces known or
regularly performed by
the performer, to
perhaps grease the slide
a tad on an initial
interview of audition.
Since my particular
teaching technique
routinely raises the
vocal levels of my
professionals/students
exponentially in a
dramatically shorter
time than they usually
have experienced with
their previous teachers
... one truth becomes
painfully evident; their
respective vocal
abilities quickly begin
to far out-distance
their current
repertoire!
A case in point ...
yesterday, I had a
meeting with a baritone
I worked with at
USC-University of
Southern California–ten
years ago. He was a
baritone with a
beautiful sound, but no
useable high notes
beyond a shaky high F.
In our first session, I
showed him how to sing a
solid high A flat. At
the time, he had not
even signed up for the
“opera” chorus. Three
months later, he was
given the role of John
Proctor, the baritone
lead, in the school’s
production of The
Crucible.
Subsequently, he sang
the baritone leads in
the school’s next four
operatic productions,
which included the
challenging role of
Gianni Schicchi in
the opera of the same
name, one that I
included in my days as
principle baritone of
the New York City Opera.
Then, for a while, he
chose another route
vocally, that steered
him down a crooked path
for a time. A year ago
February ... I
straightened out that
path and he bounded
forth with newly found
confidence ... only to
have his enthusiasm
dampened by the economic
downturn. He began
working on his high–high
voice and is now quite
comfortable with C’s and
D’s. Our conversation
turned to repertoire and
he allowed he only had
been working on arias
... and had not added
even one role in the
tenor repertoire to his
resume’ ... So, all
dressed up for the dance
... and no orchestra!
But–never waste a
teaching
opportunity–what of the
most important benefit
garnered in the learning
of an operatic role,
assuming that is your
choice for your career?
What might that be, you
rightly and readily ask?
When one
only learns the arias,
the “show/show-off
songs” in an opera, one
can easily become a
slave to the pursuit of
perfection while singing
of the piece ... and
lose the “tree” ...
within the forest. The
beauty of learning the
whole opera is that most
of the music is
essentially dialogue
most often written to
further the plot and,
set to great music, is
arguably some of the
best vocal music ever
written. Take my
favorite opera.
La Bohème,
by Giacomo Puccini,
for instance. There’s
not a badly written
phrase in the whole
magnificent work. And
... much of it is
“conversation on pitch!”
... exquisitely written
but not delineated, as
are the arias, as the
much anticipated
“piece(s) de
resistance!” While the
lines are still soaring
and beautifully written
and encourage the best
that you have to sing
them ... they are in the
main ... just dialogue
to further the plot of
the story--to encourage
a spot of perspective
here.
For some thoughts on how
to make the best use of
your time in
accomplishing this
wonderful process ...
I’ll continue in next
months segment.
I apologize for the
tardiness of this
month’s piece ... With
the surprise of finding
the big ol’ cancer in my
upper left lobe, the
removal of same and the
continuing radiation
therapy ...
January 2016
-
JOHNNY CARSON Part 2
JULY 10
-
JOIN
A CHORUS
JUNE 10 -
HI THERE SINGERS!