The Dumbing-Down of Classical Singing
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The Bach to Rock Connection The Dumbing-Down of Classical Singing finitions, standards, and expecta- the highly refined skills and sub- tions need to be especially clear for tleties of the top operatic artists may teachers of singing and their career- be overlooked. minded classical student singers, if It is clear that much of the gener- those student singers are to be com- al public and the media have em- petitive in their chosen field. braced the dumbing-down of classical My concern with the first item singing. Public Service Broadcasting is simple: Mr. Bocelli and Ms. Bright- (PBS), once the bastion of excellence man are not particularly good classi- and education, encourages and sup- cal singers. The listening public may ports the dumbing-down process perceive them to be at the top of the with faux classical programming fea- opera food chain because they are en- turing singers such as the Flemish tertaining, popular, and successful; tenor and former Elvis imperson- Robert Edwin however, they can not compete with ator, Helmut Lotti; "little Helmut," the Marcello Giordanis and Renée Michael; and the ubiquitous Mr. B ITEM #1—According to The Flemings of the world who labor un- and Ms. B. Philadelphia Inquirer newspaper, of der much more demanding critical PBS's motivation is clear. Rat- the top ten classical albums in the re- standards. Andrea Bocelli and Sarah ings and income drive most televi- gion during the first week of July Brightman are fine entertainers wor- sion corporations. PBS puts on Bo- 2001, two belonged to Andrea Bocel- thy of praise and adulation, but they cdli, the money flows in. PBS puts li, and two belonged to Sarah Bright- are to opera what McDonalds is to on the Met opera broadcasts, less man. A fifth album by various artists gourmet cuisine. money flows in. Bocelli or the Met? Perhaps classical music critic took its title, Time To Say Goodbye, When given a choice, some local sta- Peter Dobrin put it best when he from a song popularized by Mr. Bo- tions have pulled the plug on the wrote about Bocelli in the March 27, celli and Ms. Brightman. Met. They defend such a move by 2001 Philadelphia Inquirer: "It's not ITEM #2—Quoting from the claiming that the extra revenues they that he's a bad opera singer; he's just cover letter announcing a local will raise will allow them to do more NATS chapter's annual student au- a really good wedding singer. If you quality programming. It has an emp- ditions: "A MAJOR CHANGE has think of him in those terms, the ap- ty ring to it, given the direction in been made in repertoire require- peal is obvious. He has that Acme which they have been heading in re- ments. Any student, except one do-it-yourself tenor sound—like an cent years. Another PBS rationale singing in the ADVANCED cate- overzealous voice in a church choir. for "classical-lite" programming is gories (11,12), MAY choose to sing Add to that the mop of hair, his one music theater selection. This scruffy beard, and there's an Every- that Bocelli et al. will eventually lead piece may be used to fulfill any re- man quality, an untrained quaint- audiences to "real" opera. Such rea- quirement. Substitution is at the dis- ness to the voice. And if millions of soning is as suspect as the belief that cretion of the teacher." people are enjoying it, what's wrong "pops" orchestras serve as a bridge We are living in musically am- with that?" that will lead people to "real" sym- biguous times as lines between vocal What is potentially wrong with phonies. It usually and sadly does not styles continue to blur. This teacher, "that" is the danger that opera may happen. for one, is troubled by the blurring, come to be defined by the broad and While the redefining of classical and feels quality classical singing often clumsy vocal strokes of singers music concerns me, I am even more maybe victimized in the process. De- like Bocelli and Brightman, while concerned by the consequences of J444.4 q JJF4, 2002 253 S9, N 3, 2c3-2c4 2002 N,4 4 ,( Robert Edwin the second item. In an effort to be few of the vocal techniques that chal- the Voice Foundation's Annual Sympo- more inclusive, this NATS local lenge music theater singers who at- sium on Care of the Professional Voice. chapter, like PBS, risks long-term tempt classical literature. Those are From 1996 to 1999, he was a contributing negative consequences from short- just "legit" singer issues. Belters try- editor for VocalEase magazine. Recently term policy changes. Their action is ing to sing classically face a very dif- elected to the American Academy of Teachers of Singing, he has led master not the same as creating a separate ferent challenge. classes and workshops throughout the music theater category at the student Mixing classical and music the- United States, as well as in Canada and auditions, a subject I addressed in my ater repertoire in student auditions Australia. May 1996 column, "Nonclassical invites confusion on the part of both In addition to writing "The Bach to Rock Pedagogy? Yes! Nonclassical Student singer and teacher of singing, while Connection" column, he has served NATS Auditions? No!" Their latest deci- even further blurring the aforemen- as president of the New Jersey Chapter, sion is an across-the-board (save for tioned lines. Let us keep our heroes and as a presenter/clinician at NA TS Na- the advanced categories) invitation and role models separate and dis- tional Conventions, Summer Workshops, to mix classical and music theater vo- tinct. Andrea Bocelli, Marcello Gior- and regional and chapter events. He can cal styles within the majority of cate- dani, and Michael Bolton are three be contacted at 1509 Glenview Drive, Cin- gories, high school to adult. tenors who sing classical vocal litera- naminson, NJ 08077-2156. Phone: (856) Perhaps my colleagues did not ture. We in NATS need to define and 829-0770. Fax: (856) 829-4829. e-mail: consider that the time and effort de- affirm who does what well. We can edwinsing©aol.com voted to vocal technique and reper- enjoy the "classical-lite" singers, and toire to produce authentic and artis- even the rock singers' attempts at tic classical singing, especially on the Puccini, but when it comes to classi- collegiate level, might not translate cal vocal technique and performance, into authentic and artistic music the- we should enable and encourage our d 7au i Cfnâta ater singing. Conversely, those with students to emulate the critically ac- SUMMER PROGRAM for Opera Singers and Coaches excellent music theater skills may claimed singers who have distin- in residence at SUNY/New Paltz not do justice to the classical litera- guished themselves as outstanding June 3 - June 22, 2002 ture. Franz Schubert demands entire- classical artists. To immerse participants in style and traditions in 19th & 20th Century Italian ly different singing skills and sounds opera, Italian language and culture. than Jerry Herman. This studio and Coaches others that deal with a variety of Robert Edwin, baritone, has sung Bach Millard Altman Metropolitan Opera (retired) singing styles have case histories on cantatas in cathedrals and rock songs in Gildo Di Nunzio nonclassical singers who put much Greenwich Village coffeehouses. He has Metropolitan Opera (retired) time and effort into developing com- performed in New York City's Carnegie Dennis Giaucque petitive classical technique and Hall and Town Hall, toured throughout Metropoltan Opera repertoire. Similar are the case histo- the U.S.A. and abroad, recorded for Avant Jane Bakken Kiaviter Garde and Fortress Records, and pub- Metropolitan Opera ries on classical singers who have Gareth Morell had to spend comparable time and lished as an ASCAP lyricist and composer Metropolitan Opera His diverse performing career has been Robert Myers energy developing different vocal Metropolitan Opera paralleled by an equally diverse teaching techniques and repertoire in order to Guest lecturers to include compete successfully in music the- career. A leading authority on nonclassi- Gildo Di Nunzio, Mark Elyn, ater venues. cal and child vocal pedagogy, he practices Jane Bakken Klaviter, Joseph Rescigno what he preaches at his private studio in For an application, write to Simply put, being a good music Cinnaminson, New jersey. Mr. Edwin has Bel Canto Institute theater singer may make one, by de- 210 West 70th Street, Suite 1107 served on the voice faculty of the New Jer- New York, NY 10023 fault, a poor classical singer. Vibrato sey School of the Arts, the adjunct voice (212) 580-9382 [email protected] Application deadline February 18, 2002 from the onset of tone, vertical vow- faculties of Burlington and Camden In memory of Luig, Ricci els, and formal language are but a County Colleges, and on the faculty of the 254 J.4.