Dear Editor: I feel compelled to respond to the letter that Ms. Chilcote wrote to Classical Singer [Nov. 2007] regarding Dickson Titus. Everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion. However, it appears that Ms. Chilcote has held on to such hard feelings that the mere mention of a voice teacher who has served a world-famous singer so well would cause her to write such a negative response.
Ms. Chilcote would have to agree that voice teachers grow, learn, and change over a period of years. I would hope that she isn’t the same teacher today that she was in the mid-1980s. When Ruth Ann Swenson and I began studying with Mr. Titus, it was almost 20 years after Ms. Chilcote’s experience. No teacher is right for every student, but our experience was an exceptional one that caused both of us to continue to work with him for 19 years.
My personal feeling was that I had finally found a true teacher, not just a coach. He was a person who insisted on the fundamentals of good singing before moving on to advanced vocalism. He could speak of the anatomy of the vocal instrument with complete fluency and still inspire a musical and artistic emission. He was one of the most musical people I have ever known, and I certainly have known a lot of very famous musical people.
I will close by quoting a well-known phrase: “The proof is in the pudding.” For not only did Ruth Ann Swenson benefit greatly from his instruction, but many other internationally known singers did as well. I’m sure Ms. Chilcote is a dedicated voice teacher. I just think she should embrace the differences within our art form and let bygones be bygones.
Sincerely,
David Burnakus
