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VOICEPrints Volume 15, Number 3 JOURNAL OF THE NEW YORK SINGING TEACHERS’ ASSOCIATION January--February 2018

TABLE OF CONTENTS Winter Online Event: Jennifer Hamady—Singing Onstage and in the Recording Studio...... 48 ON-DEMAND LEARNING On-Demand Learning: Vocal Health for Voice Professionals...... 48 Study 24/7 at your convenience. Start anytime and receive four months of access. President’s and Editor’s Messages...... 49-51 NYSTA’s Oren Lathrop Brown Professional 2018 Events Calendar...... 52 Development Program presents America Sings Together on Martin Luther King Day 2018...... 53 Archive Reprint: The New York Singing Teachers Association: VOCAL HEALTH FOR A Brief History by Daniel James Shigo and Dora Ohrenstein...54-57 Feature Article: The Importance of Mindset, Relationships, and VOICE PROFESSIONALS Technology in Recording and Performing by Jennifer Hamady.....58-61 A detailed exploration of issues New PDP Graduate Ben Caston...... 62 relevant to singers and teachers of singing. Faculty lectures cover Book Review: Janice L. Chapman’s Singing and Teaching vocal fold injury and the Singing: A Holistic Approach to Classical Voice, 3rd edition mechanisms of voice pathologies, by Dean Southern...... 63-65 their diagnosis, and treatment. This course provides information that will enable both new and established teachers to advise students on vocal hygiene, recognize the necessity of—and the appropriate time to WINTER ONLINE EVENT seek—medical intervention, to be familiar with commonly-used drugs Jennifer Hamady—Singing Onstage and in the for performers, and to be able to Recording Studio: Understanding the Relevant participate as part of the treatment team in the rehabilitation of the Psychology, Relationships, and Technology singing voice.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2018 8:00 PM EDT Register through NYSTA website. Do you or your students want to be more free, joyful, and expressive in performance? Or improve the use of studio headphones and stage monitors, or know how to effectively communicate with your producers and engineers? Join Jennifer Hamady, the author of Hal Leonard’s The Art of Singing series, Dr. Peak Woo for a conversation on critical issues in the Register at WWW.NYST.ORG Jennifer Hamady vocal performance realm. She will also answer For information, contact NYSTA’s Profes- live and pre-submitted questions. sional Development Program Director Felix Graham at [email protected].

48 Vol. 15, no. 3, January--February 2018 © NYSTA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Professional Organizations: Their Purpose, Our Identity, and a Saturation Point?

Founded in 1906, the New York Singing Teachers Association (NYSTA) is the oldest organization for singing teachers in the world. 1 Back then, NYSTA was truly a one-of-a-kind enterprise. For most of the twentieth century, not a lot of other professional organizations for teachers of singing existed. The National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) was founded in 1944, distinguishing itself from NYSTA as a much bigger operation and drawing its members on a national scale. For most of the twentieth century, I think it would be 1 For a more detailed history of fair to say that NATS was primarily a national organization for uni- the founding of NYSTA, please versity academics (an examination of the long list of NATS presidents read “The New York Singing and their respective affiliations largely confirms this), whereas NYSTA Teachers Association: A Brief committed itself to local outreach and live events in Manhattan. History” by Daniel James Shigo NYSTA was primarily a resource for the private studio teachers of and Dora Ohrenstein, which was New York City, and thus it lived in harmony with NATS because it originally published in the May- offered completely different resources and served a completely June 2006 issue of VOICEPrints different clientele. (Vol. 3, No. 5), and is reprinted in Times have certainly changed! Over the past two decades, NATS has this issue. made major strides in reaching out to the private studio teachers of the United States (and beyond), and NYSTA now has more academics 2 I would have never dreamed at in its ranks. NYSTA has also most certainly “gone national” since the that time that—a decade later—I Oren Lathrop Brown Professional Development Program went online would also become NYSTA’s first- in 2007. As a very young professor with a teaching job in Georgia, I ever non-NYC-based president, enrolled in these inaugural online webinars even though I was not but that is a story (and a chal- lenge… and an irony) that is living in New York—an activity that soon led me to be the first-ever probably best saved for a future “at large” NYSTA board member one year later. 2 letter. The increasing shift toward online events over the next decade has shifted NYSTA’s historic mission and purpose. Are we still a local organization for the private teachers of New York City, or have we become more of an online professional development resource? And if we have gone (inter)national, have we then lost our identity? Perhaps not entirely, but we have at least confused it and muddied the waters considerably. Another shift that has occurred over the past several decades is that we are no longer a “two-organization profession.” The Voice Foun- dation, which was founded in 1969 but has gained tremendous steam among singing teachers—including many NATS and NYSTA members—since Robert T. Sataloff took the helm in 1989, now commands considerable attention as the premier interdisciplinary organization of our profession, bringing together singing teachers, speech-language pathologists, otolaryngologists, surgeons, and voice scientists at its annual “Care of the Professional Voice” symposium in Philadelphia.

49 Vol. 15, no. 3, January--February 2018 © NYSTA In 2014, the Pan-American Vocology Association (PAVA) was founded 3 Vocology is defined by Titze as as an organization for vocologists, with Ingo Titze—the father of “the science and practice of voice vocology—as its first elected president. 3 habilitation.” Habilitators are professionals who “train up” And that is just the beginning. We now also have the Musical Theatre voice users to specific tasks and Educators Alliance (MTEA), Association for Popular Music Education exceptional vocal skills, such (APME), International Voice Teachers of Mix (IVToM), Institute for singing teachers, acting voice Vocal Advancement (IVA), and Vocology in Practice (VIP), to name teachers, and speech coaches. only a few of the many newer groups that have sprung up over the past several decades. There are also many other kinds of organizations that singing teachers join, such as those associated with particular methods like Estill™ or Somatic Voicework™, and there are still other professional development opportunities, like summer workshops and certifications, that consume our calendars and energy. Those of us who straddle other professions have even more organizations to join. As a part-time choirmaster at an Episcopal church, I am also a member of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), American Guild of Organists (AGO), Association of Anglican Musi- cians (AAM), and the Hymn Society of the United States and Canada. It is almost impossible to stay on top of my journal reading, let alone attend all of the respective conferences offered by these organizations. With so many options, professionals cannot become fully immersed in every single organization of which they are a part. There simply aren’t enough hours in the day. That makes all of these organizations—like it or not—in competition with one another, vying for their members’ attention and involvement. Busy professionals must pick and choose where they will spend their time and money, and they will gravitate to the organizations that serve their needs best and most effectively. Where does NYSTA fit in to this vast network? This is a profoundly important question to ask moving forward. Should we fully embrace our newfound identity as an online professional development “hub,” or should we get back to our historic roots as local organization with more live events, one that serves the NYC-based private studio teacher first and foremost? In an attempt to answer these questions and develop a strategic plan moving forward, I am pleased to announce that the NYSTA board of directors has recently formed a “rebranding” committee which will be chaired by NYSTA past-president David Sabella-Mills. The committee will also include Josephine Mongiardo (NYSTA past-president, 2004– 2008), Felix Graham (PDP director), Diane Aragona (social media chair), and me as ex-officio. If you have any thoughts on this extremely important matter, please share your ideas with us as soon as possible. Remember that NYSTA is your organization, so please do not hesitate to contact me ([email protected]) with any questions, concerns, or ideas that you may have pertaining to anything NYSTA-related. I invite your help and input as we work toward an exciting pedagogic future.

Sincerely, Matthew Hoch, DMA President, New York Singing Teachers Association (NYSTA) 50 Vol. 15, no. 3, January--February 2018 © NYSTA EDITOR’S MESSAGE

Dear colleagues, For voice teachers, December is often a whirlwind—preparing our students (and ourselves) for a myriad of holiday performances, wrapping up year-end studio business and, for those in academia, grading juries and final assignments, not to men- tion celebrations, family commitments, travel, and cold and flu season. For many of us, the early days of January offer a brief respite before the busy-ness of the new year take over. It’s a time to reflect on the previous year—both accomplishments and challenges—and plan for the coming spring. I hope you will take some time to add NYSTA’s upcoming events to your calendar, particularly an online conversation with Jennifer Hamady on February 4. This issue’s feature article, by Hamady, offers a preview of some of the topics to be addressed at the event: psychology, relationships, and technology in stage and studio singing. These are issues about which few resources for singers and teachers exist. Also in this issue: a reprinting of a 2006 History of NYSTA by Dora Ohrenstein and Daniel James Shigo; a review by Dr. Dean Southern of the third edition of Janice Chapman’s book Singing and Teaching Singing: A Holistic Approach to Classical Voice. Dr. Southern, as my voice teacher during my doctoral studies, first introduced me to Chapman’s book, and it been a staple in my personal library as a young teacher. The new edition features new information, updates, and online resources.

Please send questions, comments, or article submissions to me directly at [email protected]. As always, archives of past issues VOICEPrints are available on the NYSTA website. Volume 15, No. 3 Anna Hersey, DMA Dr. Anna Hersey Editor-in-Chief Editor-in-Chief

Dr. Loralee Songer Associate Editor

Dr. Ian Howell Associate Editor

John Ostendorf Designer

51 Vol. 15, no. 3, January--February 2018 © NYSTA EVENTS CALENDAR 2018

Winter Online Event JENNIFER HAMADY—Singing Onstage and in the Recording Studio: Understanding the Relevant Psychology, Relationships, and Technology

Sunday, February 4, 2018 8:00 PM EST Register through NYSTA website. Join Jennifer Hamady, the author of Hal Leonard’s The Art of Singing series, for a conversation on critical issues in the vocal performance realm.

Spring Event Body Mapping Workshop with Jan Prokop

Sunday, April 22, 2018 3:00--4:30 PM EDT (2:30--3:00 check-in) Pearl Studios Room 412, 500 Eighth Avenue, NYC Free for NYSTA members, students, and guests. Donations welcome. Body Mapping is the conscious correcting and refining of one’s body map to produce efficient, graceful, and coordinated movement. Andover Edu- cator® specialist Jan Prokop will guide the participants to discover the freedom of movement with their instruments through lecture, discussions, and exercises that help develop kinesthetic awareness and release muscle tension.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM CALENDAR 2018 January 2018 ON-DEMAND Vocal Health for Voice Professionals

March 2018 ON-DEMAND Singers’ Developmental Repertoire March 18, 2018 6:00 PM, EDT Video Chat with Dr. Ingo Titze A discussion of PAVA, vocology, and the need for habilitative training for singing teachers, including certification and recognition.

May 2018 ON-DEMAND Dr. Ingo Titze Comparative Pedagogy

52 Vol. 15, no. 3, January--February 2018 © NYSTA America Sings Together on Martin Luther King Day 2018

At 11:00 AM in each time zone on Martin Luther King Day (Monday, January 15, 2018), we invite you, your families, your co-workers, your church groups, and your school choirs to stop and sing “Amazing Grace” with the people around you. The four verses of John Newton’s longer poem that we will all sing are printed below. The intent of this nationwide effort is to honor Dr. King’s legacy and to spread a sense of community in the Americas. Please spread the word through social media. We want to have the whole nation singing together at that time! Share the link for this event on Facebook, which can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/events/383929255378975/ A PSA video can be found at: https://youtu.be/R6o4gn2oLmo. Use the hashtag #AmericaSingsTogetherMLKDay2018 when you post on social media. Consider joining Singing for a New World: Raising Voices in the Americas, our larger effort to promote more singing in our society! Visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/359629271044884/ to learn more. Here are the words we will use:

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found; Was blind, but now I see.

’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, And grace my fears relieved; How precious did that grace appear The hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come; ’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home.

When we’ve been there ten thousand years, Bright shining as the sun, We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise Than when we’d first begun.

53 Vol. 15, no. 3, January--February 2018 © NYSTA The New York Singing Teachers Association: A Brief History by Daniel James Shigo and Dora Ohrenstein

The New York Singing Teachers Association was founded and incorporated one hundred years ago in 1906 and was the first association of singing teachers in the United States. First named the National Associ- ation of Teachers of Singing, the organization acquired its current name officially in 1917.* * The organization that utilizes NYSTA’s NYSTA’s origins are firmly grounded in the teachings of the Italian original name, School. The original 10-member Board of Directors numbered five NATS, was formed known exponents of Manuel Garcia, Pauline Viardot-Garcia or one of in 1944. their students: Anna Lankow, Katherine Evans von Klenner, Oscar Saenger, Herbert Wilber Greene and Hermann Klein. Dr. Arthur de Guichard, who founded the organization along with Anna E. Ziegler, studied with Francesco Lamperti. In the second year of incorporation, the organization concerned itself with examinations and certification, holding public meetings to foster discussion and debate. This effort to establish standards was directed under the leadership of the first chair- man, Herman Klein. A prodigious author, editor and voice teacher, Klein had the imprimatur of Manuel Garcia who remarked in a published letter: “It is gratifying to me to know that the great American people appreciate the sound theories of the old school, and they will assuredly find in you one among its few capable exponents.” Though the organization had the support of many illustrious artists of the operatic stage who were given honorary membership—among them Enrico Caruso, Emma Eames, Geraldine Farrar, Mary Garden, Ernestine Schumann-Heink, Antonio Scotti, Marcella Sembrich, Luisa Tetrazzini and David Bispham—Klein faced implacable opposition to certification from one key board member, Herbert Wilber Greene, an influential figure Herman Klein in music education, who proposed the establishment of a school. Klein resigned from the organization in 1909 and returned to England, his mission unfulfilled. Speaking to an audience in London about his experience in New York he remarked: “Strange to say, the National Associ- ation did accomplish this remarkable feat (the establishment of agreed upon principles) and the rock upon which we split was not a matter of mechanism but a question of policy.” The esteemed voice teacher, Oscar Saenger, a student of Jacques Bouhy (and the first Escamillo), led the organization into its second decade wherein a period of reorganization of purpose brought about the 1917 change of name. NYSTA established a code of ethics in 1924 and published a retrospective work: Twenty Years of the New York Singing Teachers Association, Incorporated; a Record of Agreement on Essentials, in 1928. The Red Book, as it is now known, reveals a vibrant organization concerned with all manner of subjects relating to singing and presages the 1930’s, when all things scientific (one might say “electrical”) came to the fore.

54 Vol. 15, no. 3, January--February 2018 © NYSTA Discussion group meetings continued as they had from the start, where papers were presented on breathing, diction, tone production, interpretation, ethics, and acting for singers. Meetings moved uptown from old Steinway Hall on 14th Street to Aeolian Hall on 42nd and eventually even further north to the Salle des Artists on 67th. Members were presented with new technology, the “Constant Control System,” which replicated the sound of the voice on radio, the “Mirror Voice,” an early spectrographic device and the “Resonoscope” which measured pitch and vibrato. In 1931, Douglas Stanley’s The Science of Voice was vigorously debated: “Nearly everyone spoke, often at once!” New technology also brought new concern: members wary of the “crooning” that was becoming popular in radio and film postulated that it would harm the profession irrevocably. Members also saw the vocal folds in high-speed mo- tion picture format for the first time in 1939. Many artists and teachers were featured speakers during this era: Edmund J. Myers, Yeatman Griffith, Frederick Haywood, Estelle Leibling, George Meader, Lawrence Tibbett, Ruth St. Denis, Gladys Swarthout, Madame Marguerite d’Alva- rez, Mary Garden, Richard Bonelli, Mario Chamlee, Lotte Lehmann, and David Mannes. By 1940, active membership equaled associate membership, which grew to 200. That same year, NYSTA began printing its Bulletin, though pub- lication was frequently interrupted because of paper and labor shortages. And what had been a small close-knit community of 100 or so during the 1920’s now mushroomed to 350 by the end of 1945. Members sup- ported the war effort with donations to the Red Cross and bought war bonds. Marshall Bartholomew, Edith de Lys, Franz Proschowski, Francis Rogers, Paul Althouse, Bernard Taylor, Dr. Victor Alexander Fields, Reginald Warrenrath and others became involved in the organization, representing a second generation that had its roots in the 19th Century. The construction of Lincoln Center in the early 1960’s signaled a change in the artistic life of the City and was mirrored within NYSTA with the revision of its Constitution and Code of Ethics in 1964. If the founders emphasized the teaching methods of the Old School (Klein and de Guichard both remarked at a meeting in 1907 that they refrained from using “scientific logic” with a student), members were now exposed to an ever-increasing amount of scientific information. Bulletins of this period reflect an intense curiosity with advances in science as repre- sented in the work of William Vennard (1967) and others as well as a renewed appreciation for historic teaching methods. General meetings were still held where an outstanding musical person- ality was invited to speak, a musical program presented or an award given to an American-trained singer. These events featured many esteemed artists, scientists and educators, among them: Roland Hayes, Eleanor Steber, Walter Cassel, Risë Stevens, Leontyne Price, Robert Merrill, Eileen Farrell, James McCracken, Regina Resnik, George Shirley, Marilyn Horne, Benita Valente, Norman Triegle, Phyllis Curtin, Helen Jepson, Charlotte Ordassy, Shirley Verrett, Evelyn Lear, Roberta Peters, Kitty Carlisle Hart, Anna Hamlin, Lisa Roma, Rose Bampton, Gordon Myers, Madeline Marshall, Bernard Kwartin and Samuel Margolis.

55 Vol. 15, no. 3, January--February 2018 © NYSTA NYSTA further updated its Constitution in 2003 and today defines its mission as follows: ■ To establish and maintain a standard of vocal production and voice instruction based on scientific principles. ■ To encourage the highest standards of musicianship and artistic singing. ■ To promote American vocal music and the craft of singing in English. ■ To uphold a code of ethics governing the relationship of voice teachers to each other, their students, and the public. NYSTA has worked hard in recent years to provide teachers with the tools and inspiration needed for an increasingly informed and creative pedagogy. Immense advances in voice science, neurology, psychology, education theory, medicine, and mind/body healing offer new information and techniques from which voice teachers can draw. By making these resources accessible to members, NYSTA fosters a pedagogy rooted in the great traditions of the past while incorporating the new knowledge of our time. With these goals in mind, the Bulletin was renamed VOICEPrints—the Bulletin of the New York Singing Teachers in 2003 and is printed bimonthly, that is, five times a year between September and June. NYSTA also launched its own website that same year: www.nyst.org. One of its features, a “Find A Teacher” directory, has become an important resource for connecting voice students with well- qualified teachers and coaches. Over the years, NYSTA has played an important role in breaking down barriers among teachers and between teachers and those in related disciplines by encouraging a free exchange of ideas about the principles of good singing and the practices of good teaching. Leading figures in vocal performance, interpretation, pedagogy and health were presented in recent years, such as international artists Regina Resnik, Teresa Stratas and Elly Ameling; master teachers Oren Brown, Cornelius Reid, and Ruth Falcon, Dr. Peak Woo of the Grabscheid Voice Center, Anat Keidar, Ph.D., CCC-SLP of the Department of Otolaryngolgoy at St.Luke’s/ Roosevelt [now Mt. Sinai] Hospital, and Dr. R. J. Baken, Director of Laryngology Research at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary. NYSTA events may include debate, but always within the context of mutual respect and high ethical standards. This atmosphere in turn enhances the standing of voice teachers among other professions, as attested by the recent invitation to NYSTA to co-sponsor a panel at the prestigious Dora Ohrenstein teaches singing Voice Foundation Symposium, the nation’s leading forum for oto- at Wagner College in Staten Island laryngologists, speech pathologists and voice scientists. and in her private studio on the While NYSTA’s efforts towards certification for all voice teachers by the Upper Westside. She served as New York State Government during the 1920’s and 30’s was never NYSTA President of NYSTA from implemented, this intent came to fruition six years ago with the estab- 2002 to 2004. As a singer she was lishment of the Oren Lathrop Brown Professional Development Program noted for her work in contemporary (PDP), spearheaded by Past-President, Janet Pranschke. The program music, premiering and recording offers a series of outstanding courses in Anatomy and Physiology, many new works, and for ten years Acoustics, Vocal Health, Repertoire and Pedagogy, taught by leaders in she was the solo vocalist of the each field. Those who successfully complete all five courses earn the Phillip Glass Ensemble. designation Distinguished Voice Professional.

56 Vol. 15, no. 3, January--February 2018 © NYSTA NYSTA has always encouraged youthful talent with the many recital awards that it has organized. The New York Debut Recital Award (formerly The Town Hall Recital Award), The Shull Bequest Recital Award, and The Young Artists Concert Award were prominent competitions (primarily annual competitions). These awards and other prize monies were given through the Gaeumann Competition and the Musical Theater Competition, and more recently, through the David Adams Art Song Competition, established in 2004, in honor of the much-beloved NYSTA president who died in 2003. Now in its Centennial year, NYSTA still provides many of these programs in an updated fashion, as well as new ones, to service the growing and changing demands of singing and teaching. Daniel James Shigo is a voice teacher, Singers and teachers face an environment much changed by author, and scholar of historical vocal technology as evidenced by the greater emphasis placed on pedagogy. The founding editor of amplification in the theater as well as efforts to replace the VOICEPrints, he served on NYSTA’s teacher’s ear with computerized acoustic measures. Economic board of directors from 2003–2008. He has trends have also had a significant effect: the full-time private appeared in more than seventy productions voice teacher is becoming a rarity now that the majority of with the New York City Opera and vocal instruction takes place in educational institutions. Metropolitan Opera, and on Broadway in Further, with greater demand for training from singers in the Lady in the Dark with City Center theater and popular music, teachers must adapt what they do Encores! He is the author of Hidden in to serve these new constituents. These challenges will require Plain Sight: The Hermann Klein thoughtful and creative responses, as well as strong leadership, Phono-Vocal Method Based upon the from NYSTA in the years to come. Famous School of Manuel Garcia (Voice-Talk Publications, 2013), which brought to light rare Janet Spencer contralto recordings, and blogs at VoiceTalk: Historical Perspectives on the Art of Singing, which now has more than 300,000 readers.

57 Vol. 15, no. 3, January--February 2018 © NYSTA The Importance of Mindset, Relationships, and Technology in Recording and Performing by Jennifer Hamady

On one level, singers are master preparers. We spend a tremendous amount of time training, learning material, auditioning, and—for many recording artists—writing songs as well. In fact, most vocalists I know work on their craft non-stop, whether or not any performances or recording dates are on the imminent horizon. That said, another kind of preparation is all too often neglected, and that is with the technology that makes recording and performing possible. Indeed, for all of our rehearsing and plan- ning, many singers rarely take the time to proactively work with the technology that facilitates both. There are a number of reasons for this, including access and money. Not everyone has friends who work in recording studios or have Pro Tools rigs at home. Even fewer people can afford to book studio or stage time to practice, much less to record or perform. Singers often assume that when the time for recording comes, one can simply show up and everything will work out… that we simply need to perform the way we’ve always practiced, and that the technology and those running it will meet us where we are and ensure that things turn out perfectly. It doesn’t work this way, in singing or anywhere else. The hope of using an entirely new set of tools competently, much less expertly, without any experience or knowledge of how they work is folly. It’s like expecting to ride or swim perfectly the first time you get on a bike or into a pool; practice and patience are not only to be expected, they are required to achieve mastery. We teachers are somewhat responsible for these unrealistic expectations. Focusing on technique and performance, we often assume that the studio and stage-specific aspects of our students’ careers are in their own hands, or someone else’s— perhaps those of an agent, producer, director, or record com- pany executive. This is particularly true in the classical and musical theater realms, where acoustics and projection, rather than amplification, are most heavily relied upon. Yet these vocalists find themselves equally challenged when commercial performance and recording opportunities arise, as they do for virtually every aspiring singer today. Thankfully, access to studios, friends in high places, and deep pockets aren’t necessary for our students–and for us–to gain and teach the skills required for effective stage and studio singing. With a pair of inexpensive headphones, a handheld

58 Vol. 15, no. 3, January--February 2018 © NYSTA microphone, and an average laptop with free recording software, vocalists can learn the practical basics of studio hearing and singing. The same microphone and a decent amp or pair of speakers allows us to practice balancing listening and performing in a live setting. Many producers are more than happy to exchange studio experience for a bit of free vocal work on their demos. And of course, most cities have open mic nights, piano bars, and other live performance options. Both should be taken advantage of as often as possible. For many creative people, forays into the technological realm can be intimidating. Yet in the case of recording and performance technology, a bit of education–along with practice, patience, and persistence–are all that is required. In my latest book for Hal Leonard, The Art of Singing Onstage and in the Studio, 1 I give a comprehensive overview of the myriad tools and skills involved in both recording and live performance. Of course, technology is always changing, often rendering today’s resources obsolete tomorrow. Yet the form and function of microphones, headphones, in-ear monitors, and wedges—as well as acoustics, amplification, and microphone technique—remain the same, and I go into these specifics at length. Happily, one big change in music technology is that it has become increasingly simplified. We’re no longer in the DOS age; those of us with even a bit of computer savvy know that once-compli- cated, cumbersome programs and software—website design platforms and office suites, for example—are now almost as 1 simple to navigate as posting on Facebook or placing an Amazon Jennifer Hamady, The Art of order. Recording software today is equally user friendly. This is Singing Onstage and in the Studio great news, as singers lacking an interest in hands-on production (Milwaukee: Hal Leonard, 2016). still need a basic knowledge of how these programs work in order to optimally participate in the process. If you can use Word and Excel, you’re more than capable of comprehending the performer-side essentials of most production and mixing applications. Working with a recorded vocal or musical line involves cutting, pasting, copying, and editing, just like when writing an email. And the more music-specific aspects of production—cross- fading, comping, stacking, and flying material, for example— function in the same way. Encouraging our students to educate themselves and to take advantage of all possible recording and performance opportunities not only helps them to hone their chops and learn how to interact with the relevant technology, but how to communicate about their experiences with technical personnel as well—a form of communication that has its own specific learning curve. Given the common differences between the creative and technical mind- sets of singers and recording engineers, producers, and others, communication onstage and in the studio can require something akin to an act of translation. Familiarity with the technology isn’t enough; you have to be willing to reach across the experiential

59 Vol. 15, no. 3, January--February 2018 © NYSTA divide—in high-stress performing and recording situations, no less—and accurately articulate what you hear and what you need, as well as to be open to coaching, counsel, and a shift in communication style and perspective. Some may be wondering whether I’m exaggerating the com- plexities of stage and studio communication. After all, how can the dynamics be that different or more challenging than in other areas of our lives? In my career, I’ve watched many phenomenal singers struggle because they can’t figure out how to deliver when using studio headphones and stage monitors. Yet I’ve seen even more singers stagnate professionally and even leave the business because of their inability to effectively communicate about their challenges and needs with producers, directors, and engineers. 2 Of course, a key component in communicating onstage and in Jennifer Hamady, The Art of the studio is ensuring that you have a solid foundation of inter- Singing: Discovering and Developing personal skills to begin with. We talk and connect with others Your True Voice (Milwaukee: Hal every day, but often we don’t realize our limitations—and we Leonard, 2009). all have them—until we enter into new, high stress and high stakes situations. Before delving into the specifics of stage and studio communication, in the new book, I therefore spend a good bit of the communication section empowering us all to become aware of and release the bad habits that have kept us from being both vulnerable and empowered. Those of you familiar with my work know how fundamental I believe these and other psychological skills to be. As singers and teachers of singing, we are all aware of how intimately interwoven our voices, and the voices of our students are with our emotions. In fact, this connection is so powerful that even the most seemingly technical vocal concerns are often caused or exacerbated by psychological ones (my first book, The Art of Singing 2, is dedicated to this topic). By exploring and resolving these issues–within ourselves and in our relationships–we are then free as singers, and people, to fully and joyfully express ourselves. And this freedom is so important when we move Jennifer Hamady is a voice coach and from the practice room onto the stage and into the studio, as board-certified therapist specializing in the pressures of performance, career demands and expec- technical and emotional issues that tations, and the anxieties that come with both often compound interfere with self-expression. Her any unresolved emotional issues we may have. clients include winners of Grammy, One’s psychological fortitude and interpersonal skills may American Music, and Country Music seem tangentially related to vocal development and success. Awards, performers in Emmy and And to an extent, this is true; the quality of one’s character and Tony award-winning productions, and his or her emotional wellbeing aren’t under a microscope in an corporate and creative clients across an Equity audition or at a showcase. That said, being grounded, array of industries. open-minded, and patient are important traits in today’s music industry. Sure, there are a few badly behaved apples in every Hamady began her career singing and genre. Yet more often than not, there is a correlation between recording with artists including Stevie talent, maturity, and kindness, which increase in direct Wonder, Christina Aguilera, Patti proportion the higher up the ladder of success one climbs. LaBelle, Wyclef Jean, Delta Goodrem,

60 Vol. 15, no. 3, January--February 2018 © NYSTA In order to help our students cultivate these important skills, we and Def Leppard, as well as performing as teachers today are tasked with more than sharing our love as a lead singer with Cirque du Soleil and knowledge of singing. We must holistically nurture and and as a backup vocalist on American support our students as they develop their crafts, and them- Idol. Her first book, The Art of Sing- selves. This includes encouraging curiosity and an enjoyment of ing: Discovering and Developing learning that leads to mastery of the technology involved with Your True Voice, has been heralded as stage and studio singing, as well as the ability—and the hu- mility—to communicate about it effectively. a breakthrough in the psychology of musical and personal performance and remains a top seller in the field. Her most recent release, also by Hal Leonard Publishing, The Art of Singing Onstage and in the Studio explores the psychology, relationships, and technology involved with performing and recording—the first book on the market to do so. Hamady holds undergraduate (magna cum laude) and graduate (AFTRA/Heller Memorial Fellowship Scholarship) degrees in vocal performance and psychology, respec- tively, and is a nationally board certified counselor, as well as a member of The American Counseling Association, Actors’ Equity Association, The Amer- ican Federation of Television and Radio Artists, The American Society of Com- posers, Authors, and Publishers, The National Association of Teachers of Singing, The Authors Guild, and NYSTA. In addition to writing regularly for The Huffington Post, American Songwriter, and Psychology Today, Hamady frequently conducts workshops and master classes on matters of creative and vocal expression. She is currently working on her fourth book. www.FindingYourVoice.com

61 Vol. 15, no. 3, January--February 2018 © NYSTA New PDP Graduate A native of Liberty, Mississippi, Ben Caston is a graduate of William Carey University in Hattiesburg, MS, and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, where he earned master of music and doctor of musical arts degrees, both with an emphasis in church music and voice. He has completed additional graduate coursework in choral conducting through Westminster Choir College. Caston serves as associate professor of voice and associate dean of the undergraduate programs of music at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he teaches applied voice and directs the Southwestern Singers, an auditioned touring choral ensemble. His oratorio performance experience includes Mozart’s Mass in C Minor, Mozart’s Requiem, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, Orff’s Carmina Burana, Schubert’s Mass in G, Handel’s Messiah, Honneger’s King David, Saint-Saëns’ Christmas Oratorio, and Vaughan Williams’ Serenade to Music with various choral societies, symphony orchestras, and colleges in Texas, Georgia, and South Carolina. In 2015 and 2017, Caston performed Messiah in Fort Worth’s Bass Hall with the Fort Worth Symphony. Prior to his arrival at Southwestern, he was the director of choral studies and chair of the music and fine arts division at Truett- McConnell University in Cleveland, Georgia where he conducted Mozart’s Requiem, Handel’s Messiah, Vivaldi’s Gloria, Haydn’s Te Deum, Mendelssohn’s Hear My Prayer, and Rutter’s Magnificat and Requiem. Since 1994, Caston has served Baptist churches in Mississippi, Louisiana, Georgia, and Texas in music ministry. He is an active member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, American Choral Directors Association, and The Baptist Church Music Conference. He and his wife Rebecca have two children, Clay and Sydney, and they live in Fort Worth.

62 Vol. 15, no. 3, January--February 2018 © NYSTA BOOK REVIEW: Janice L. Chapman’s Singing and Teaching Singing: A Holistic Approach to Classical Voice, 3rd edition by Dean Southern In 2007, late in the fall semester, I received a desk copy of Singing and Teaching Singing: A Holistic Approach to Classical Voice by Janice L. Chapman. At the time I was searching for a new text to use in my voice pedagogy practicum class, which is offered in the spring semester, so I put it in my carry-on bag and took it with me on my winter break travels. I began reading the book on the first leg of my flight and practically didn’t put it down until I finished it.

Now it its third edition, Singing and Teaching Singing: A Holistic Approach to Classical Voice has had a constant, prominent place on my voice pedagogy practicum syllabus ever since. I can attest to the consistently enthusiastic response it has received from my students, who are drawn to Chapman’s personal and engaging style of writing, which gives useful insight into how she thinks as a teacher. It is an essential companion to texts that focus primarily on physiology and acoustics. Chapman’s writing is grounded in voice science, but I find particular value in the way she invites readers to adopt a consciously multidisciplinary approach to the teaching of singing.

The book’s first chapter, “Pedagogical Philosophy,” had an enor- mous impact on my own teaching ten years ago in how it guided me to systematize the information I was trying to impart in the voice studio. In the chapter, Chapman describes her own philosophy of teaching—one that is holistic, physiological, and incremental—and how she arrived at it. For Chapman, holistic singing “involves the whole person (i.e., body, mind, spirit, emotion, and voice)” and “can be achieved when the performer is able to attain a state of urself-conscious focus.” Physiological teaching “is based on the laws of anatomy, muscular function, and the effects of muscular interactions.” She uses incremental “to mean that Janice L. Chapman singing can be broken down into manageable components and that these components have a natural hierarchy of effect.”

The chapter ends with a discussion of the various components of singing and how she organizes them into a teaching model. She designates primal sound, postural alignment, and breathing and support as “core components,” which “form the nucleus of the model.” Phonation and speaking voice, resonance, articulation, and artist and performance are “satellites” in Chapman’s model. She expounds upon these core components and satellites in sub- sequent chapters, four of which were written with Ron Morris.

63 Vol. 15, no. 3, January--February 2018 © NYSTA Primal sound is used by Chapman to “awaken connections to his or her emotional motor system, which can be trained into appropriate abdominal support and natural breathing for singing.” She explains that it is “not necessarily the end product of vocal quality but it can be used as a means of ‘connecting up’ the singer.” She offers pedagogical implications, training issues, and exercises related to the primal sound and its importance, which she states “provides the singer with immediate connection to the support system and to phonation that is efficient and safe.”

The chapter on “Postural Alignment” is straightforward and offers Chapman’s perspectives on this critical element of singing, Dean Southern, DMA, teaches voice including the benefits of good singing posture and some common and vocal pedagogy at the Cleveland Institute of Music, where he serves as faults related to it. Head of the Voice and Opera Division. In “Breathing and Support,” Chapman gives the reader particu- He has performed in opera, oratorio larly useful tools for application in his or her own teaching. She and recital throughout the United is forthright in her discussion of appoggio and how it has been States and Europe, including Carnegie interpreted by recent pedagogues, and her acronym SPLAT Hall’s Weill Recital Hall in New York, Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., (Singers Please Loosen Abdominal Tension) is a quick reminder and the Festival dei Due Mondi in of a significant element in voice technique. Additionally, she Spoleto, Italy. draws attention to the active muscle junctions, which “form a large diamond-shaped area where support can be recognized in He regularly gives master classes at well-trained singers.” Chapman’s application of the Accent universities and conservatories in the US and abroad, including the Central Method as a method for corrective breath training is indicative Conservatory of Music, China Conser- of her advocacy for incorporating information from areas outside vatory of Music, and the People’s Uni- the traditional voice teaching sphere. versity of China in Beijing (China), the Throughout the book, Chapman inserts case studies throughout Kungliga Musikhögskolan (Royal Col- lege of Music) in Stockholm (Sweden), the book to illustrate multi-disciplinary applications of the topics the Conservatorio Profesional de Músi- being addressed. In fact, the book itself is a lesson in multi- ca in Valencia (Spain), and the Inter- disciplinary teaching, drawing upon the expertise of authorities lochen Arts Academy (Michigan). in adjacent fields by the inclusion of several chapters written by His students have been accepted to contributing authors. These chapters—such as “Voice and the prestigious young artist programs Brain” by Pamela Davis, “Teachers as Learners” by Marilyn and graduate schools and awarded the McCarthy, and “Hearing and Singing” by Adrian Fourcin—are Fulbright grant, and they have gone on concisely written and offer additional perspective. “Manual to successful careers as performers and Therapy in the Management of Voice Disorders,” an interview voice teachers. with Chapman by Jacob Lieberman, is a welcomed addition in Dr. Southern has been a frequent the third edition. contributor to Classical Singer magazine, including his “Distant For those familiar with previous editions of Singing and Teaching Voices” column, the articles “Breaking Singing: A Holistic Approach to Classical Voice, a notable addition Barriers: Four Pioneering African- with the third edition is access to five videos, which show American Singers in Opera,” “Practi- Chapman working with students demonstrating the concepts cing 101: Ten Tips for Making the Most described in the book. After an introduction, the videos address of Your Time between Lessons,” “Prac- primal sound, abdominal support, the “Basic In-Breath,” and ticing with your Mouth Shut,” and “Dial-a-Vowel.” As the saying goes, “a picture is worth a thou- his interview with legendary mezzo- sand words,” and so it is with these brief videos. soprano Christa Ludwig.

64 Vol. 15, no. 3, January--February 2018 © NYSTA I first became acquainted with Janice Chapman through her book After graduating from Luther Col- in 2007, and this year, ten years later, I had the joyous opportunity lege in Decorah, Iowa, he earned to meet and speak with her at the International Congress of Voice master’s degrees in piano perform- Teachers (ICVT) in Stockholm, Sweden. I am happy to report that ance from the University of Missouri she was as delightful as she comes across in her book, and it was and in voice performance from the richly rewarding to see her put her principles into practice in the University of Akron. He holds the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in master class she gave. voice performance at the Cleveland Singing and Teaching Singing: A Holistic Approach to Classical Voice Institute of Music. has, for ten years, been an important book for me in the studio He is the Immediate Past President and in the classroom, and I recommend it to any voice teacher of the Ohio Chapter of NATS and looking to expand his or her range of learning. currently serves as Executive Di- rector of the Art Song Festival at the Cleveland Institute of Music. After eleven years on the faculty of the American Institute of Musical Stu- dies (AIMS) in Graz, Austria, he now teaches in the summers at La Musica Lirica in Novafeltria, Italy. Prior to his appointment at the Cleveland Institute of Music, he taught voice and was stage director of opera at the University of Miami Frost School of Music in Coral Gables.