Diversity in choral repertoire, like the repertoire for solo singers, is a constantly evolving canon. For voice teachers and choral conductors alike, adjustments to curriculum and programming broaden not just the repertoire itself, but historical understanding of compositional techniques.
Crossover artists must balance the expectations and requirements for acting in both opera and musical theater. Training differs for singers in each genre because each prioritizes expression differently.
I’m not the kind of person who looks back at a year and lists milestones, or stresses how hard I've worked. I try to live in the moment and just get on with it. But this year, I was going over some financial statements and decided to take a statistical look at the second (!) pandemic year.
Anyone who uses google translate knows that it takes nuance, experience, and patience to fully grasp the deeper meaning of a different language. In the twenty-first century, singers have multiple tools at their disposal for language learning. For hundreds of years before the era of language apps, students of opera had to sit down with a dictionary and painstakingly look up each foreign word for translation. Through careful study and work with a polyglot coach, singers could grasp the meaning of an opera libretto not written in one’s native language.
The explosion of social media has caused an upheaval in the entertainment industry, granting unprecedented access for fans to peek behind the curtain and see their favorite performers raw and (sometimes) unfiltered. How should singers harness technology in a way that enhances their artistry? What are best practices for promoting projects? How much should opera performers separate the personal from the professional?
To continue learning over the course of a lifetime requires acknowledgment that there is much that we do not understand. A couple of years ago, I came across a New
Dr. Joseph Strauss discusses disability and the bodily experience of listening to and making music. He describes the ways our culture excludes people with disabilities from music, and advocacy for greater representation in artistic expression.
SongHelix, a digital database created by Seth Keeton, DMA, is a valuable tool for singers and voice teachers in recital and concert planning, featuring a uniquely organized catalog with search parameters that help build thematic programming.
As the academic year ramps back up, managing responsibilities, practice time, wellness, and communication becomes a major component of student success. Read on to learn ways to better manage your schedule.
Preparing a musical theatre college audition package requires organization, understanding of the requirements, and careful preparation. Read on to find tips and tricks to streamline the process of preparation.
Kofi Hayford has never been one to follow a traditional path – particularly when it comes to making music. While many budding vocalists find early footing in youth choirs or even youth theater programs, he spent his formative years immersed in the cultures of other countries. In fact, music didn’t even come on to the radar of the Ghanaian-American bass until he was a teenager.
The pandemic exacerbated existing financial struggles for many singers and provided many singers with opportunities to lean in to other career areas. Learn more about how dual careers allow these singers to be financially stable and more confident in their artistic endeavors.
