When I was growing up, I would not have described my dad as athletic. He preferred to avoid fitness activities of any kind, with the exception of the occasional ski vacation. Like me, he’d had little interest in sports as a child. When he was 42, his doctor admonished
Hi Claudia, I read your article on the hyoglossus, and, since muscles can only contract, not push, I don’t see how it can depress the larynx. Other muscles would have to contribute to the downward movement. As Miller says, “the tongue/hyoid bone/larynx complex is actually a functional
Today, I lend the keys to my blog to bass David Salsbery Fry. In an earlier post, I tackled the question of what opera is and what it does. What follows is David’s stab at answering the question, “Who is opera for?” He posits that, while opera isn’t
Mastering vocal technique involves accessing and training the individual parts of your anatomy that govern breathing, phonation, articulation and resonance, as well as coordinating them so that they respond collectively to your communicative and musical impulses. A big part of this involves uncovering areas of resistance and learning to resolve
Through practice, we can develop what may be one of the two or three most fundamental skills that any human being can acquire, which I call Skill at Feeling. It’s a skill that they not only did not teach you in school, they never talked about it. But once
New York City Opera recently ended a 70-year run after failing to raise adequate support from its donors and fan base. In July, BBC Hard Talk presenter Sarah Montague called opera "one of the least watched art forms in the world". Copywriter Marc Sherman still proudly showcases
My favorite X-Files episode involves no paranormal phenomena. "Hell Money" relates an all-too-human parable. (Before you keep reading, spend a little time and $1.99 to watch it on amazon.com and enjoy cameos by the young Lucy Liu and B.D. Wong) In "
The NYIOP International Auditions, or the NYIOPs, were born out of the frustration facing aspiring international opera singers in their desire to audition for European, Domestic and International opera houses. The concept behind the NYIOPs reverses the traditional understanding of international opera auditions: The opera companies travel to hear the
get discovered as opera singer
One does not simply get discovered as an opera singer.
Professor David Ley's phone has not stopped ringing since redOrbit ran an article about his research on vibrators and vocal production. I was therefore very grateful to him for carving out some time to share his work with me over Skype last week. A Professor in the Drama
At some point in their training, most singers inevitably encounter the stereotypical possessive voice teacher. Their comments about their colleagues range from dismissive to scathing. Their methods are shrouded in mystique, to be revealed gradually only to the most loyal. It's whispered around the opera department that if
A friend recently observed that "Life may be considered as a dichotomy: Either one can set one's goals moderately and strive for them effectively, or one can set many lofty goals and flail between them like a moth in a chandelier." He wasn't talking