Sing your story

I recently finished the most recent book of the “So You Want to Sing” series sponsored by the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) called So You Want to Sing Gospel: A Guide for Performers by Trineice Robinson-Martin.

Throughout the book—alongside information regarding vocal technique, stylistic considerations, and breaking down the subgenres that fall under the broad category of “gospel”—Dr. Robinson-Martin emphasizes the notion that gospel singing should ultimately be approached as a ministry rather than a performance. As such, authenticity in expression is paramount. She writes:

“When picking songs, it is important to acknowledge and sing your own story. You should start with the topics you can best articulate so that when singing a song, you can sing your own words from a personal place rather than the words of someone else. Stop and take time to understand the message of the song. Some singers will default to simply imitating verbatim what the singer on a recording does with the song, hoping to evoke the same response from the listener. As a result, his or her performance is merely an imitation of stylistic expression and serves primarily as entertainment rather than true ministry. Everyone has a story, and each person’s story is unique and worthy of telling.” [p.163]

Of course, oftentimes in lessons we choose songs because of the specific technical elements involved so they can be used as vehicles for vocal growth. And sometimes we choose songs with characters whose personal journeys are quite different from our own.

But the idea of developing your own authentically personal performance within the provided text, notes, and rhythms is a crucial part of our process as music theatre singers.

The last blog was concerned with honoring your own sound and singing with the voice you have. The next step is honoring your own story and unapologetically bringing that part of who you are to your performances. Again, in one or two or five years, you will have a greater wealth of personal experiences from which to draw as singing actors. But you’re not there yet, so draw from who you are now. You are not some barely-no-longer-teenager neophytes waiting to arrive in the real world so you can have real experiences. You are all adults with significant backgrounds, experiences, joys, tragedies, triumphs, and failures that have formed who you are. That is what you bring to your art.

Be a person. Honor your own story and listen intently and empathetically to the stories of others. Then sing about it.

Thank you for a wonderful school year; I’m so proud of the work you all have done. Enjoy telling your stories in juries and your class finals.

Now go practice. And have a wonderful summer.

Sing as you can

When I was growing up, at any given time there was a stack of books—7 or 8 high—next to my dad’s reading chair. Rather than finishing one book and moving on to a new one, he would have a constant rotation and each night would read the book that interested him the most at the time. 

I have inherited that same trait. Right now my stack includes two books on singing, two magazines, a novel, a book about the 2004 Cubs, and two books on spirituality. 

I’m always fascinated by books on religion and spirituality and the philosophies they espouse, not only for the guidance they bring to my own life but as a window into what guides others in their lives. I’ve collected a lot of these books over time and on our shelves at home you can find the Tao Te Ching next to the Koran next to the Book of Mormon next to The Gospel According to The Simpsons, all of which have provided insights in their own way. 

Another reason I like to read books about spirituality is for all of the applications I find between spiritual practice and the act and art of singing. One of the quotes I came across earlier this semester that has stuck with me was from the author and Roman Catholic priest Dom John Chapman, OSB, who once wrote, “Pray as you can. Don’t pray as you can’t.” To me, that seems to imply that we should not blindly accept someone else’s spiritual practice just because it is theirs. Rather, we should each find what works best for us. 

Paraphrasing this quote, I considered, “Sing as you can. Don’t sing as you can’t.” What seems obvious on a first reading is not so easy in application. 

Despite our best efforts, so often our vocal studies stray from discovering and cultivating our own unique voices and instead devolve into developing an expected sound or the sound of someone else whose voice we admire. While it is important to work to improve our vocal capabilities, accepting our unique voices is as important as accepting who we are. 

Much as I love spending an afternoon listening to Wagner opera (or a whole day, which it sometimes takes), my phone isn’t exactly ringing off the hook with offers to sing the Ring cycle. It would be just as ridiculous for me to try to become a Wagnerian tenor as it would for me to try to be 6’5”. It's just not who I am. 

I bring this up now because often in preparations for performances (like juries and class finals), I see students growing increasingly frustrated that their voices are not everything they want them to be. I wish the opposite would occur. Performance is exactly the time when you should be embracing your vocal capabilities and using those capabilities to tell stories to the best of your current abilities. Sure, in another year or two or five, you will have greater capabilities and can tell those same stories in different ways. But you’re not there now so there’s no sense bemoaning what you can’t do at this point.

So this can be one last element to add to your practice in this last month before finals. Sing as you can, because you all can. But don’t waste mental or emotional energy trying to sing as you can’t. 

Embrace who you are.

Now go practice.