The other day I was out for an early morning walk and I was listening to a podcast on VocalFri. This particular one, from April, featured voice scientist Christian Herbst, who was talking about the role of voice science in vocal pedagogy, and of all the tech-y, geeky, science-y things that that entails. But althoughContinue reading “Beyond a shadow of a doubt”
Category Archives: Expressivity
Avoiding FOBO
I can hear you know: “FOBO? Christine, don’t you mean FOMO?” Nope. Today I was puppy-walking and listening to a new podcast called Money Girl (which I may or may not listen to again because the host has a wicked case of vocal fry that makes my skin crawl – not to be confused withContinue reading “Avoiding FOBO”
What is curiously strong singing?
For the last two years, I’ve used “Curiously Strong Singing” as my tagline. In the past year, I’ve established a performance coaching series called “Curiously Strong Performing.” The content on my website and in other places reflects the use of that phrase. But other than the relationship between mezzoid and altoids, which is what triggeredContinue reading “What is curiously strong singing?”
What are you fighting for?
On Friday, July 17, Mezzoid Voice Studio held its first online masterclass featuring an outside clinician. Our guest was Lissa deGuzman, who was a former student of mine in Milwaukee, and has gone on to perform as Jasmine in the national tour of Aladdin, as Ann Darrow (cover) in the Broadway production of King Kong, andContinue reading “What are you fighting for?”
An American Anthem
On September 11, 2002, I participated in a commemoration of 9/11 at my undergraduate alma mater, Alverno College. I brought a piece to sing at the ceremony that I had heard a few years earlier as the title track on an album by baritone Nathan Gunn. It was also sung by mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves atContinue reading “An American Anthem”
A New Brain – A New Voice
This Friday, May 29 (5pm), I will host the final listening party (for the time being). We will be listening to William Finn’s A New Brain, which is a semi-autobiographical story about the composer’s personal experience with a genetic vascular disorder in his brain. WHAT? Another weird musical? Yes. Y’all can listen to Oklahoma orContinue reading “A New Brain – A New Voice”
Listening Party #3: Assassins
Stephen Sondheim certainly does like to write about varied subjects, doesn’t he? Here’s a few examples: A fake miracle, a corrupt mayor, and inmates from a local asylum called the Cookie Jar (Anyone can Whistle, 1964) A love story about two young people living in a department store with a subculture of residents who areContinue reading “Listening Party #3: Assassins”
Listening Party #2: The People Called it “Ragtime!”
My second favorite musical is Lynn Ahrens’ and Stephen Flaherty’s Ragtime, which premiered on Broadway in 1998. On Friday, May 8 at 3pm, we’ll be listening to the original cast recording, which features some of my favorite singers: Judy Kaye – Emma Goldman Lea Michele – Little Girl Marin Mazzie (RIP) – Mother Brian StokesContinue reading “Listening Party #2: The People Called it “Ragtime!””
Vulnerability vs. Oversharing, Part 3: Songs That Overshare (on purpose)
This is the last (for now) in this series of three blogposts about the difference between vulnerability and oversharing. Sometimes there are songs that do give a little more information than might seem necessary. Some of the ones that come to mind are: I’m not wearing underwear today, Avenue Q (well, probably 2/3 of the show qualifiesContinue reading “Vulnerability vs. Oversharing, Part 3: Songs That Overshare (on purpose)”
Vulnerability vs. Oversharing, Part 2
In Part 1 of this series, I talked about oversharing being the projection your emotions onto someone as opposed to being vulnerable and having those emotions resonate with them. This brings me to the topic of projection. People often ask me to teach them how to project (i.e., be louder), and I usually counter thatContinue reading “Vulnerability vs. Oversharing, Part 2”