How many singers do you like to coach in a day?
For me, six is a great number. Seven is also good, if I can have a break in the middle.
How do you keep your focus for each one? Doesn’t it get to be like too much perfume?
I really have never had any problem with that. Each person comes with their own energy, personality and repertoire, and it keeps it very interesting for me. I’ve often said I could coach Quando m’en vo all day long, provided every hour involved a different singer.
Where did you get your language training?
I studied French in high school and college, German at the Deutsches Haus here in New York, and Italian in Florence. Since I’ve been teaching at SUNY [State University of New York] Purchase the last four years, I have been teaching both French and Italian diction, so I feel especially confident coaching those languages.
Do you have any suggestions for singers struggling with language acquisition?
It seems to me that, for American singers, linguistic ability is often the weakest part of their overall package, and yet sometimes it gets the least focus and attention. I encourage singers to get as familiar and comfortable as possible with whatever language they are singing. The more detailed they can be in preparing the diction and the translation, the better. The confidence gained by such preliminary work will greatly influence the overall impact of their performance or audition.
If someone has not had the opportunity for good, basic language training in a conservatory or college, I recommend focusing on one language at a time for a year or so. Otherwise, it’s a little overwhelming and confusing. Obviously, the most ideal situation is to live in the actual country, speaking the language, hearing the natives, and soaking up the general atmosphere. The singers I have worked with who have had that opportunity always seem more secure and confident in their performances.
What’s your favorite repertoire?
That’s a tough question. I really love most recital repertoire for the musical and poetic content, but opera is what I spend most of my time coaching. All the basic repertoire, starting with Handel and going on through 20th century opera, is where my passion lies. Monteverdi and Rameau I love listening to, but they are not my favorites to coach. Also, Russian and Czech are languages I have yet to study, so that repertoire is not my forte. Of course, if the singer you are working with is really good, you tend to like something much more. Just when I think I need a break from The Barber of Seville, someone will come over and sing a spectacular Rosina or Figaro, and I get excited about it all over again!
When singers come to you, what level of preparedness do you expect them to have?
Of course, the more prepared the singer, the easier my job. I find that if a singer can play the piano, they generally can help themselves learn something much easier than those who can’t. However, I am very willing to help someone figure out how best to go about learning a new score and will gladly put a new role or aria on tape with the accompaniment so they can grasp it faster. Naturally, the stronger someone’s sight-singing, rhythmic, and linguistic ability is, the faster things move along and we can get to the fun part: interpretation!
Is there anything about singers that drives you crazy?
Actually, singers really turn me on. I find them to be among the most warm, wonderful, caring, and fun people on earth. The occasional story you hear about someone’s rudeness or arrogance is always disappointing, and I believe is the exception in this business. There is one thing that drives me crazy: music in PLASTIC SLEEVES!
What was it like working with Cecilia Bartoli?
I played some Mostly Mozart rehearsals with her way back when she was new to New York. She sang a Mozart concert aria (Ch’io mi scordi di te?) and several arias, including Come Scoglio. The thing I was most impressed with was how every chord change seemed to have a visceral effect on her. She was and is so musical.
I will never forget sitting in Avery Fisher that night. She was new to this audience and they were electrified! They went wild! They loved her and she loved them right back. A little while later, her managers wanted to hear her sing some other opera arias in a big space, so we went to Carnegie Hall and she sang five or six arias, including [arias from] Carmen. She was studying flamenco dancing at the time, and she danced all over the stage. She had so much enthusiasm and energy and was a lot of fun to play for.
What are some of the magical moments you’ve had accompanying?
The “magic moments” I have had occurred during recitals where I have really liked the piano, the singer was in good voice and knew the music solidly, and I could really focus on the music and text.
I’m not sure the time I played “The Clarinet Polka” in a community concert for an audience of 2,000-plus in Saginaw, Mich. constitutes a “magic moment.” However, when they all started clapping in rhythm while I was playing, it was definitely a “memorable moment”! Actually, many “magic moments” occur right here in my living room, while I’m coaching. The singer is relaxed and sometimes does [his or her] best work—and I’m the only witness!
How old were you when you started playing?
I was 6 when I first started piano lessons.
Why did you choose to be an accompanist?
All through high school, college and graduate school, I was always playing for everyone’s recital, jury, etc. I just loved working with other people, especially rehearsing one-on-one. However, the majority of the musicians were instrumentalists, not singers. It was when I moved to New York after graduate school that I realized it was singers that needed my services on a much more regular basis, so I started playing for voice lessons, and things quickly developed from there.
How many hours of preparation do you figure to prepare for an average recital?
That totally depends on the singer. If they come from out-of-town with a recital already prepared and just need an accompanist, it is up to me to prepare my part and be totally ready for the two or three rehearsals we will have. Depending on how many pieces are new to me, I will need more or less practice time. More frequently though, singers will be learning new pieces for their recital and will want to coach each song in depth and have a chance to test their memory. Sometimes we will rehearse for three or four months on a weekly basis.
Where do you get most of your referrals for recitals?
Like most referrals in this business, it’s word-of-mouth from one singer to another. Occasionally, someone will be in the audience and will approach me afterwards about playing for them. However, the majority of my recitals are with the people that I have coached.
Do your hands ever get tired?
No, never. Many years ago, Madeleine Bruser (author of The Art Of Practicing) suggested to me that I should sit a lot higher. I had two private lessons with her, and ever since then, I have had no back, shoulder or forearm problems. Hallelujah!
What do you do when you have a serious artistic disagreement with an artist?
It has almost never happened to me. If I don’t like someone’s cadenza in a Handel aria, for example, I will tell them why and suggest something else. People tend to be very open to new suggestions, but sometimes, because of time constraints, they cannot change at the last minute. If someone’s Mozart style is too sloppy and not elegant enough, I will be more adamant about fixing it than if, for example, someone tends to hold a high note a little too long in a Puccini aria.
I have learned so much from singers over the years. Sometimes I am the one that changes my mind!
Do you ever make technical suggestions to a singer?
Yes, but I try to be careful and tell them what element I think is missing from the sound (breath support, more ring, focus, etc.). Then they have to figure out how to fix it. If they want, I can make some suggestions, but I make it very clear I am not a voice teacher and if anything I say works, fine. If not, throw it out immediately and try something else!
You have a really large music library. How long did it take you to acquire that?
I have bought scores throughout the years like most people—as I needed them. There was a time in the ‘80s when I just bought a lot of the Puccini, Verdi, Mozart, and Donizetti scores, because I knew I would eventually need them. I also have a lot of recital music that I have played over the years, including many photocopies. People who know me know what a minimalist I am. I don’t hold on to many things for sentimental reasons. However, it takes a lot for me to throw away even a photocopy of a piece of music. I always think I will need it in the future.
What are some things you recommend to singers that will help them?
One of the most inspiring articles I have read recently was “Getting from Here to There” by Joan Dornemann, in the January issue of this magazine. If anyone has not read it, they need to immediately. She really covers all the aspects necessary for this career. I especially loved it when she said most of us worry more than we work. It really is a lot of work, but singers tell me it is the greatest feeling in the world when it all comes together.
Pianist Joan Krueger has accompanied such artists as Cecilia Bartoli, Sumi Jo and Vinson Cole, through her association with New York’s Mostly Mozart Festival. She has also been seen on A&Es Breakfast with the Arts, accompanying soprano Carol Vaness. Ms. Krueger has performed collaborative recitals in Avery Fisher Hall, the Donnell Library, and numerous other venues in the New York City area. She has also been a guest artist at many U.S. universities and conservatories. Ms. Krueger has been an Assistant Conductor for the Sarasota Opera, Music Director for NYU’s Opera Workshop and on the faculty of the summer festival Intermezzo. Currently on the faculty of the State University of New York at Purchase, Ms. Krueger earned her Bachelor’s at Michigan State University and her Master’s at the University of Michigan. Ms Krueger is also the pianist for several major vocal competitions and maintains a private coaching studio in New York City.
