Q: What do you call a person who hangs out with a group of musicians?
A: A singer!
We like to make fun of each other, and of ourselves, and when done in moderation and with respect, it can be good for us. A post on Opera-L recently reminded me, though, that perhaps there is some truth to this one-liner. Perhaps we need to ask ourselves, sans tongue in cheek, if indeed we are both singers and musicians.
A manager who places singers in their first professional opera jobs commented recently on the lack of musicianship that marks many young singers. Yes, their singing often was superb, he says—but he observed an inability to read pitches and rhythms accurately, a consistent drop in tempo when approaching the upper register, and such narrow focus on making beautiful sounds that the singers left dramatic and musical elements by the wayside. When the conductor asked a singer to speak or sing the part in strict rhythm, the singer would refuse, saying that the part was col canto and rubato. This manager pointed out that rubato only makes sense within a strict rhythmic structure, of which the singer must have a complete understanding.
“Sadly, too many singers,” he concluded, “can indeed roughly be divided into the Voice or Musician camps.”
Unlike a piano or a violin, the voice—the singer’s instrument—resides within the body, and the body needs time to develop and mature before serious classical singing and training should begin. For this reason, singers often do not begin lessons until ages 15-17, sometimes even later.
I began private voice lessons at age 16—but my violinist and pianist friends started lessons at ages 3 and 4! For those with such an obvious head start, the musical language is as much a fabric of who they are as the language they speak. Perhaps this is the reason singers sometimes lack musicality. Of course, singing in a children’s choir and/or studying piano or another instrument while the voice matures are excellent remedies for this.
For most of us, however, it is too late to turn back the hands of time and take those piano lessons or join a children’s choir—but there are always things we can do to become better musicians. In this issue, read what Renée Fleming has to say about being a continual student and always learning new things to make you better at what you do. Examine what Patricia Wise says about the American School of singing—are you listening to recordings, both of great artists now and the great artists of the past? Find those who were truly singers and musicians. Listen to them; discover what made them both.
Take a dance class to improve your rhythm, physical fitness, and grace of movement on stage. Not sure how to begin? Catherine Tully tells you how.
Take to heart the observations of two of this year’s AudComps judges. Both noted that when singers were asked to present a Bel Canto selection, their musicianship was left bare for all to see, for better or for worse!
For high school students who are reading this issue’s university section, there is no better time to evaluate your own musicianship. As you stand on the threshold of higher education, choose the school that will help you become both a singer and a musician. Evaluate your strengths and weaknesses and select a school that will play to your strengths and help you overcome your weaknesses. Use Cindy Sadler’s checklist as a guide as you investigate music programs. Examine all possibilities, including small schools you haven’t heard of, or even Canadian schools. Prepare well for your upcoming entrance audition by reading Jean del Santo’s advice on the matter. And don’t forget to mark May 2006 on your calendar for next year’s College Expo and High School Vocal Competition.
Whether you’re in high school, a college student, a young artist, an emerging professional, or a professional singer, the next time you hear one of the following one-liners:
“Where is a tenor’s resonance? Where his brain should be.” Or: “How do you know when a singer is at the door? They either can’t find the key or don’t know when to come in.” Or last but not least: “How do you put a sparkle in a soprano’s eye? Shine a flashlight in her ear,” frown, chuckle, guffaw, or let out a hearty laugh, depending on how it tickles your funny bone—but in the back of your mind, reevaluate your own progress on the path to being both the best singer and musician you can be.
