When To Take Things to Heart

Last Thursday, I wrote about Taking Things Personally, and how you needed to accept that rejection in an audition doesn’t mean it’s a rejection of you. (And I just realized now that I had written a blogpost with that exact title back in November. Oops. Although that blogpost was a little emotionally naked than lastContinue reading “When To Take Things to Heart”

College Audition Panel Discussion: Meet the Panel (Part 3)

Before we meet the panel, an important announcement: Now that we’re done with that….  As promised, it’s time to meet the student panelists on our June 30 panel discussion. Coming to us from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Lauren Manna. Lauren Manna is a musical theatre student from Minneapolis, MN. She studies voice with [my Speakeasy Cooperative colleague]Continue reading “College Audition Panel Discussion: Meet the Panel (Part 3)”

College Audition Panel Discussion: Meet the Panel (Part 2)

(I couldn’t wait till Tuesday.) As promised, it’s time to meet the musical theater teachers on our June 30 panel discussion who teach in musical theater programs. First up – Karla Hughes from Viterbo University in LaCrosse, Wisconsin (named one of the top 30 musical theater programs in the country). Karla Hughes heads the Music TheatreContinue reading “College Audition Panel Discussion: Meet the Panel (Part 2)”

College Audition Panel Discussion: Meet the Panel (Part 1)

Today I would like to introduce the teachers on our June 30 panel discussion who teach in classical/opera programs. Our first panelist is American soprano Elizabeth Futral, who comes to us from my alma mater, Peabody Conservatory. Elizabeth Futral has established herself as one of the world’s leading sopranos. She is currently a Professor inContinue reading “College Audition Panel Discussion: Meet the Panel (Part 1)”

Pay Attention to the Tension

(FYI: I know the end of this post will tick some people off but yeah well) Yesterday, I was giving a lesson to one of my favorite people in the world, Sasha Kostakis, and we were talking about a little bit of tightness in her jaw that was getting in the way for her highContinue reading “Pay Attention to the Tension”

Re-Petition rather than Repetition

I am currently reading a book by Eric Maisel called The Power of Daily Practice: How Creative and Performing Artists (and Everyone Else) Can Finally Meet Their Goals. He offers a very specific approach to establishing a routine that is regular and rewarding, and can apply to various ways of self-improvement, career, personal, etc. TheContinue reading “Re-Petition rather than Repetition”

Curiosity Killed the …

Nothing. It kills nothing.  Curiosity is a good thing. According to Seth Godin (who I haven’t quoted for a while), curiosity is one of the three foundations of art: Curiosity Generosity Connection These three components allow us to create and to make art, which “is a tool that gives us the ability to make thingsContinue reading “Curiosity Killed the …”

My First Webinar!

This past Saturday, I hosted a webinar on the topic of singing the Schubert Ave Maria. Each attendee received a handout afterwards covering: The history of the piece (spoiler alert: Schubert did not write the Ave Maria – at least that wasn’t the name of the song, it wasn’t in Latin, nor was it intended as a settingContinue reading “My First Webinar!”

Summer Singers Society for Students 8-11

I have always said that I’m not a teacher of small children. It’s not that I don’t believe that young children should take lessons. I do. I just haven’t been sure that I’ve been the one to teach them. So I’ve focused on reaching students 11 and up. But I did some thinking and realizedContinue reading “Summer Singers Society for Students 8-11”

So YOU want to sing Schubert’s Ave Maria …. correctly?

When I was a little kid, the organist at my parents’ church played the same songs every Sunday as the processional and recessional hymns: Praise to the Lord, the Almighty  Holy God, we praise thy name OR Holy, Holy, Holy Being a little kid, I thought that was how it was supposed to be, and when thereContinue reading “So YOU want to sing Schubert’s Ave Maria …. correctly?”

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