Dear Editor: I love your articles and your style! You obviously care about your readers—your articles are frank, informative, and your advice compassionate and nurturing. Please continue printing more articles about older, “nontraditional” singers (singers over 30) and alternative career paths.
—Name Withheld,
Lindenhurst, N.Y.
Dear Editor: I would appreciate fewer articles about pay-to-sing programs that advertise in your magazine. Articles about and by more well-known professionals in the field who really “earn” their financial living through music would be more practical (rather than paying through the nose to be heard by audiences).
—Name Withheld,
New York, N.Y.
Editor’s note: Pay-to-sing programs provide needed continuing education opportunities for singers—but not all pay-to-sing programs are created equal, so we feel it is important to provide our readers with details to help them make informed decisions. We plan each issue to benefit a wide variety of our readers, and we will continue striving to meet your needs as well as the needs of many other singers.
Dear Editor: In the near future would it be possible to do an article on singers who have had lung cancer? I had lung cancer and had part of a lobe removed. (By the way, I never smoked. However, I was exposed to second-hand smoke.) Will a person ever regain the lung capacity they once had? I’m on a vigorous exercise program to try and regain it. Thank you.
—Name Withheld,
Caldwell, N.J.
Editor’s note: We have brought your question to the attention of Dr. Anthony Jahn. Watch for a future column about this issue, and best wishes for a full recovery. Kudos for your courage as a cancer fighter and survivor.
Dear Editor: Best resource available for singers young and old. Keep up the good work.
— Dr. Scott Root, Director of Vocal Studies,
Christopher Newport University, Hampton, Va.
Dear Editor: I appreciate much in the magazine. Two things I could do without: 1) A page on which we again and again hear how wonderful the magazine is, and 2) The often late arrival of the magazine, which does not make it possible to take advantage of the hard work you have done letting us know of auditions.
—Name Withheld,
Brooklyn, N.Y.
Editor’s note: While we’re selective in printing the letters we receive, we feel it’s important to include a wide variety of responses, including those less favorable. We ship the magazine as late as possible, so we can include as much late-breaking audition information as possible. We work with the U.S. Postal Service to choose a shipping date they assure us is early enough for the magazine to be delivered by the first of the month—although that unfortunately doesn’t always happen. We will continue to make every effort to achieve a timely delivery of the magazine.
Dear Editor: Classical Singer is the only publication devoted to creating a community of dedicated professionals and lovers of singers. The range of topics is truly amazing and inspiring to singers of all ages and levels of accomplishments.
— Nitza Niemann,
Los Angeles, Calif.
Dear Editor: Thank you for a superb publication. I often share articles with my students and pedagogy classes at Westminster. The issues are available in our Resource Center.
—Marvin Keenze,
Westminster Choir College, Princeton, N.J.
