Show and tell

Those of you who have taken the MTP Vocal Pedagogy course are familiar with Clifton Ware's book Basics of Vocal Pedagogy: The Foundations and Process of Singing. Even though my brother used to study with Dr. Ware—and I took a lesson from him years ago—I had never read his book until last month. Despite its publication date of 1998, I was pleasantly surprised at how up-to-date it read and how it was aligned with many pedagogical practices I had only learned about in the last several years. Clearly, I would have been better served to have read the book sooner.

One of the sections that intrigued me was called The Teacher/Student Relationship, which is tucked away in Chapter 13: Teaching Singing. Dr. Ware breaks this relationship down into "Teachers' responsibilities" and "Students' responsibilities," and says, "In order for the relationship to be mutually supportive, both teacher and student have specific roles to play."

In the "Teachers' responsibilities" he writes:

"[...] effective teachers guide students in setting realistic goals and expectations, offer regular constructive feedback, stay attuned to students' personal problems, focus on students' needs during lessons, and provide environments for learning that are healthy, clean, and attractive." -Basics of Vocal Pedagogy, p.259

Although I wouldn't exactly call FAW "attractive," these are still good reminders to me. I know I mention goals a lot at the beginning of the semester and here on the blog but I don't often mention them in lessons. Now that we are post-spring break, it might be a good goal of mine to check in with all of you more regularly on your progress toward your goals. Also, while it may seem too personal for him to advise that teachers "...stay attuned to students' personal problems," we all know that personal problems can sometimes interfere with your ability to perform vocally. Of course, you are never required to share your personal problems with me, but you should also know that you are free to share this information and it will be received without judgement. I like to think of my studio as a free speech zone and I hope all of you feel that way as well.

Regarding the "Students' responsibilities," this quote stood out to me the most:

"[...] rather than simply responding to instruction, students are expected to take initiative in the learning process by stating personal goals, offering pertinent background information, demonstrating problems, raising questions, and requesting help when needed. Ideally, lessons become 'show and tell' opportunities for students to demonstrate what they learned the preceding week." -Basics of Vocal Pedagogy, p.259

I really love the idea of lessons becoming 'show and tell' sessions. When you are getting your 300 weekly required minutes of vocal practice (according to the MTP handbook), inevitably, you will run into issues. Questions will arise, triumphs will occur, and you will run into some brick walls. That's what I want to hear about at your lessons. In fact, there is no clearer signal to me that you have been logging your hours of mindful practice than when you come to your lessons with a list of questions that came up during your practicing.

As we head into the last stretch of the semester (it's just more than a month until juries!), let's see how attentive you can be to your practicing. There is still plenty of time for technical improvements and refinement of your expressive and performance skills.

So, whatever happens, let's begin!

Now go practice.

Goat get your goals!

High efficiency

We're going to be replacing our furnace pretty soon. Generally, furnaces last about 15-20 years and ours will turn 20 this year. (Yes, my furnace is older than some of you. *sigh*)

In the interest of being responsible consumers, and as people who try to be environmentally minded, we may buy a "high-efficiency" furnace this time. Although they cost more money, they can heat a house while using less energy than a standard furnace, which may save us money in the long run. In essence, high-efficiency furnaces get more output (heat) with less input (energy burned).

When we break it down, a primary purpose of voice training is to turn our voices into high-efficiency machines.

One of the greatest inhibitors of efficient singing is unnecessary tension. Of course, singing is not a lazy or completely relaxed activity—there must be a dynamic balance of tensions in order to make sound. But too much tension in the wrong places can lead to problems.

In the book Singing with Your Whole Self: A Singer's Guide to Feldenkrais Awareness through Movement, authors Samuel H. Nelson and Elizabeth L. Blades explain that when we unnecessarily tighten a muscle (or a group of muscles), it takes more effort and force to complete tasks (like singing). This extra effort leads to three things:

1. We get tired faster.
2. We're more likely to get injured.
3. Our voices sound strained. 

The authors describe this further:

"As fatigue is a function of energy expended versus energy available, obviously, for any given task, the less energy used, the less tired we will be. With extra effort, injuries are more likely both because the extra effort itself leads to added strain and wear and tear and because as we tire injuries are more likely. As more effort is made, a tense quality envelops the musculature. Since the sound we produce is a product of our entire self, this tense quality colors our sound."  -Singing with Your Whole Self, p.28

One of the Awareness Through Movement (ATM) exercises they encourage in the book is similar to the head-and-neck exercise I have had all of you do at one point or another. Moving your head back and forth a few inches encourages a sense of looseness at the upper shoulders, neck, jaw, tongue, face, etc., which can release unnecessary tensions and increase vocal efficiency before you even start to make sound.

Sure, no one comes out of a performance and says, "Wow, that was some really efficient singing up there!" But when our singing is more efficient, our voices will last longer and we will be able to place more of our effort and attention on the expressive elements of our musical storytelling.

And, just like a high-efficiency furnace, the more bang (or belting) for your buck, the better off you'll be.

How has your singing been this week? How can you bring more efficiency into your singing?

Now go practice.

Our cat (Claude) knows that although the fire on the TV is more impressive,
the actual gas fireplace is more efficient at getting him warm.

I guess that's why they call it the [winter] blues

I saw this tweet the other day and it spoke to me on a profound level. 

Winter has never been my favorite season. I mean, I love the festivities of the holidays. I like to ski and snowshoe. And, because I am apparently an old woman in a Hallmark movie, I love to sit by the fireplace while the snow gently falls outside the window, sipping tea with a book in my hand and a cat on my lap.

But once January 2nd hits, I'm ready for spring. I'm ready for sunshine, I'm ready to stop being cold, and I'm ready for some energy and motivation.

This doesn't jive well with the discipline needed to improve in a craft that requires regular work and attention. If we spend all winter hibernating—as delightful as that sometimes sounds—we risk stagnating and falling behind.

I try to remind myself during this time of year that motivation thrives on momentum. Small steps in the right direction can "snowball" into major accomplishments. It's like those days when you tell yourself you're going to get up early and go to the gym. Then the alarm goes off and you consider just staying in bed. But then you think, OK, I'll get up but I'll only work out for 20 minutes instead of for an hour. So you drag your butt out of bed, get to the gym, and start your workout. And then a few minutes into your workout you don't feel as awful as you did when the alarm went off. Twenty minutes go by and you think, OK, I'll get to a half hour. Then a half hour passes and you are in the zone and end up going for the full hour.

That is one of the main reasons I encourage you to set up your vocal practice time in short increments. There will always be days when you don't feel motivated to practice, especially if you're staring at a 60-minute session ahead of you. But if you can get yourself to do just 10 or 15 minutes, you may build enough momentum to carry you up to a half hour or more. And even if you quit after 15 minutes, that's still a lot better than zero minutes.

Winter can be grey, bleak, and blah. We all feel it. But one step can lead to another and another and another. Just put yourself in motion and remember the words of Polish poet Czeslaw Milosz:

day draws near

another one

do what you can 

How do you stay motivated during the winter doldrums? How has your practicing been?

Now go practice.

The sun'll come out...tomorrow.

Recruiting

January is a packed month with the start of 2nd semester and with a series of festivals, conferences, and auditions.

We're not even one month into 2019 but I've already attended three festivals in three different states. First I gave a lecture for the Utah Theatre Association at Weber State University, then I gave a lecture and did some vocal adjudication in Reno, NV, for the Cal-Western Regional Conference of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, and I just got back from Boise, ID, where I gave additional lectures and did more adjudicating at the Idaho Thespian Festival.

Of course, at each of those events, I was also talking to lots of people about the Department of Theatre at the U of U. Technically, I guess those conversations would be classified as "recruiting," though I've never liked that word. I've seen lots of people recruit by bragging incessantly about their programs. I've seen other people recruit by disparaging every program but their own. I don't like to do either of those things.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE to talk about our programs, our faculty, and especially our students. I'm both proud and humbled to be part of this department, so it's the easiest thing in the world to talk about it. But I don't think it's my job to convince people that they should want to join our program. Instead, I try to give potential students an honest, realistic picture of what we do and how we do it. Then, they can make an informed decision about whether what we have to offer is what they are looking for.

Although we're not a perfect program (no program is), I believe strongly in what we do and I am convinced that we do it well. I also believe that—despite being a good program—we are not the right program for everyone. And when we are not the right fit for students, I am the first to encourage them to choose a different school—and I wish them great success in that decision.

In my opinion, students should choose to attend a school where they will be challenged but supported, nurtured but not coddled, and encouraged to take risks without being unnecessarily overwhelmed. I also believe they should choose a school that will support and encourage their development into mature, kind, compassionate human beings.

At the U, sometimes we meet these ideals and sometimes we fall short. But recruiting season is always a good reminder to me to keep working to provide the education you all deserve. After all, when our students receive a quality education that prepares them for both a career as well as the challenges of life, that is the best advertisement and recruiting tool we have.

How has your singing been this week? One month in, do you have to make any adjustments to your goals or your practice schedule?

Now go practice.

Lesson plans

Happy 2019!

A couple of years ago, I reviewed a book called Voice Secrets: 100 Performance Strategies for the Advanced Singer by Matthew Hoch and Linda Lister. The book is made up of short essays designed to provide guidance to singers on a variety of subjects. Although I believe most of the advice reflects common sense rather than “secrets,” the essays are good reminders of how to organize our time and efforts in ways that support growing as singers and musicians. (And who says common sense is all that common, anyway?)

One of the essays is titled, “Be an active participant—go to your lesson with a plan.” In it, Hoch and Lister offer four techniques that will help you get the most out of your weekly lesson.

1. “Go to your lesson with a plan!” The authors suggest making a short list of goals for each lesson, which may include working on specific songs, identifying certain technical issues that come up in those songs, or asking questions that have arisen during your previous week of practice. Even if the list has more items than can be addressed in one lesson, it can serve as a guide for your next week of practice. 
2. “Come to your lesson with the attitude and realization that you have done everything you can possibly do on your own.” Here they discuss how it is a waste of your lesson time (and your tuition dollars) to have notes and rhythms plunked out when that could (and should!) be done on your own, especially if a practice recording has already been provided. As they say, “This behavior stifles learning, makes your teacher grouchy, and impedes your improvement.” I agree on all three points. 
3. “Record your lesson and refer to it throughout the week.” Again, this helps you make the most of your lesson time when you can frequently review that lesson via a recording. If a correction is made during your lesson, your job during the week is to implement that correction to make sure the same mistakes don’t happen over and over. 
4. “Arrive ready to sing. This means arriving warmed up, fed (if you don’t sing well on an empty stomach), hydrated, and well rested.” Of course, this is an ideal (Well rested? Ha!) but one for which we should still strive. At a minimum, it is helpful if you have already done some vocalizing before you show up for your lesson. That way we can skip the “warm-ups” and jump right into voice-building exercises and technical work. 

Remember that you spend way more time with your voice each week than I do. I am better able to provide guidance if you have done your part by working hard throughout the week to implement what is addressed in your lessons. That way, we can maximize our limited time together and help you achieve the next stage of learning and development more quickly.

What are your goals for this week of singing? What are your goals for the semester?

Now go practice.

My lesson plan? Head up to the mountains to clear my mind and my lungs!

Transcending the imperfect

In an earlier blog this semester, I quoted Claudia Friedlander's recent book Complete Vocal Fitness. Even though much of that book deals with anatomy, physiology, and biomechanics, there are also some important words related to performance that I think pertain particularly well to our upcoming end-of-semester juries and class finals:

"[...] the voice never lies—everything you are thinking and feeling will come through in your singing. If you fully immerse yourself in the experiences and emotions of the character you are embodying, you will communicate them incisively to your listeners; likewise, if you become consumed with a need to micromanage your technique or wrestle with stage fright, those activities will color your performance, because the voice is physiologically wired to respond to and communicate all your thoughts and feelings in real time." (p.78)

It may be a little daunting to see it spelled out this way but it makes sense that if our mental and emotional energies are focused on something other than the character of our songs, that focus will be reflected in our performances. Of course, technique is a crucial part of the creative process. But, ideally, that is not what we want to be thinking about when we are performing. It's ironic, then, that singing without thinking about technique is something we have to practice.

Friedlander goes on to explain why our focus should not be on technique when we perform:

"The more vulnerable, passionate, and sincere your intentions, the more impactful your singing will be. A singer with a flawed technique can deliver a compelling performance because dramatic and musical commitment sometimes transcends imperfect coordination. Yet a singer who has little to say can deliver an impeccable performance but leave listeners cold, because virtuosity for its own sake cannot compare with raw passion." (p.78)

Once again (for the people in the back), dramatic and musical commitment transcends imperfect coordination. This is not an excuse to neglect your technical development—we still have to do all we can in that area. But we have to remember that audiences are moved more by the communication of ideas than by flawless technique.

I sometimes ask students not to perform in a way that forces me to focus on their voices. By simply telling a story through the unique medium of your voice, you are offering audiences something that no one else can.

Thanks for a great semester. Keep working and let's finish strong!

Now go practice.

A resume of failures

There was a recent thread on one of the voice teacher Facebook groups I follow that caught my attention. One of the moderators posted about how most successful performers often only achieve success after a series of failures and rejections. But we usually aren't aware of this because we only know them because of their successes. He then asked if any of us would be willing to share some of the failures we've encountered over the years.

He offered his own experiences first by describing disastrous auditions, being rejected by agents, not getting re-hired by companies he had previously performed for, and on and on. He is currently a voice teacher at a leading U.S. conservatory after having an international singing career, but he still has a long litany of failures that occurred before, during, and after his successes.

Another person in the group posted about how difficult it was to stay afloat financially when she was trying to start her career, considering how much money she was spending on voice lessons, coachings, audition wear, headshots, etc. She said she went on so many auditions "[...] in which the only positive was that my backpack was lighter due to emptying my wallet." She later went on to an 18-year career singing at the Metropolitan Opera and is now a voice professor at a major university in the Midwest.

Lots of others were jumping in with their own lists of failures, so I posted as well.

Ever since I was a freshman in high school, I knew that I wanted to have a career that involved singing and teaching music. When I was in college, I realized that my dream was to teach voice at the university level. After lots of years of twists and turns, I finally felt ready to start applying for college teaching positions.

I had to go back and count but, as it turns out, I applied for more than 100 university positions over the years. I was named a finalist for ten of those jobs. This means I made it past the resume rounds, made it past the phone interviews, and was invited to campus for interviews, recitals, and teaching demonstrations. These 10 interviews resulted in exactly ZERO job offers. In a few cases they hired an internal candidate who was already teaching at the school. In at least one case, they canceled the search due to the funding being pulled. In two other cases, they didn’t hire any of the finalists and reopened the searches.

The set of circumstances that eventually led to the job I have now was circuitous, to say the least, but that's a story for another blog. :) Suffice it to say, it took a long time, but I come to work everyday knowing that I'm doing something I've wanted to do since I was 14 years old.

It’s funny that whenever any of us achieve any degree of success there is an unspoken rule that we are supposed to hide all of our previous failures. I’ve never understood that. I think it's really important that we talk about our failures without shame or fear since they are an inevitable part of this business. 

Of course, each of my own rejections was difficult to take at the time (ranging from upsetting to devastating). But I know that each of those experiences led me to the work I am doing now in the place where I am doing it.

And I'm pretty happy with that!

How has your singing been? How has failure impacted your journey?

Now go practice.