My choir director at the Cathedral of Mary our Queen is a new daddy, and he’s been reading a lot about parenting. He just read about an author who has written a book called How to Raise Successful People: Simple Lessons for Radical Results, and the author boils her methods down to the acronym TRICK, which standsContinue reading “Success – is it a TRICK?”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Who takes voice lessons?
My mother never understood how I had so many students. She would say, “So many people want to be professional singers?” and I’d say, “No, mom, some want to be professional performers, but some just want to get into the musical at school, or into a special ensemble in choir, or some just want toContinue reading “Who takes voice lessons?”
Make a healthy choice to use your voice
“Every single thing you do with your voice is a choice, not a default.” Someone said this the other day, and for the life of me, I can’t figure out where I heard it. When I figure it out, I’ll update this and give her credit. As singers, we have to make to choices thatContinue reading “Make a healthy choice to use your voice”
“Breath is welcome here”
A few months ago, I was talking to one of my students, Erin McManus, about allowing the abdominal muscles to release on inhalation to receive the breath, and I believe that I used the term “welcome the breath.” Erin then smiled beatifically, as she is wont to do, and indicated her abdominal area with aContinue reading ““Breath is welcome here””
“Tools, not Rules”
I follow a fashion blogger whose site is called une femme d’un certain âge and recently, she had her colors and style done and it turned out she was wearing all the wrong colors and styles for her “type.” (I have to admit that the company who did her analysis was right – her clothes areContinue reading ““Tools, not Rules””
“From Shrill to Potato-y”: How I Got Back on the Chiaroscuro Trail
Nearly 8 years ago, I gave my first classical recital in a long time. I was in Milwaukee and teaching at Carroll University in Waukesha, and I had the opportunity to do a recital. So I prepared a full program, hired a fabulous pianist, and started taking lessons with Connie Haas again, after not havingContinue reading ““From Shrill to Potato-y”: How I Got Back on the Chiaroscuro Trail”
Sumer is i-goin’-out….
And fall is coming in (well, technically not until later in September, but when school starts, summer is over). Exciting things happening… Moving to a tuition-based program to allow more flexibility for everyone. Eliminating 24 hour notice (or even 12 hour notice) if you’re in one of those packages! (Because the flu doesn’t always haveContinue reading “Sumer is i-goin’-out….”
“Her voice was broken, so I sing aloud”
I work every day to make her proud Her voice was broken So I sing aloud. —Emma Langford I went to Milwaukee Irish Fest this year and heard some really top-notch Irish music by a lot of young artists who may be using traditional Irish instruments, but are singing about contemporary and deeply personal themes.Continue reading ““Her voice was broken, so I sing aloud””
It’s die-dee-die-dee-time!
Yes, it is time for my semi-annual (sometimes annual) pilgrimage to Milwaukee Irish Fest to dance jigs, drink beer (none of which will be green), listen to Celtic punk and traditional (die-dee-die-dee) music, eat deep-fried food, and celebrate what is not my heritage, but what speaks to me much more than anything in which IContinue reading “It’s die-dee-die-dee-time!”
Is your child READY for voice lessons?
Originally, I had this as “Is your child ready to sing?” but then my business mentor, the great and powerful Michelle Markwardt Deveaux (although she’s more authentic than the Wizard of Oz), pointed out that all children are ready to sing. Whether they’re ready for lessons is another story. I don’t usually teach students underContinue reading “Is your child READY for voice lessons?”