2003 – Page 2

Whether we are singers, teachers, astronauts or scientists, sometimes it’s hard to keep our spirits up. Singers, in particular, rarely feel like bursting spontaneously into song at the prospect of

Rick doesn't have to pack like a diva, but CS thought it would be good to present the opposite viewpoint: pack light! Singers would need to add appropriate concert and rehearsal clothing ot the list.

Addiction. It’s a taboo topic, but substance abuse and addiction are lurking behind the curtain in the opera world, and as we see in this story, starting as early as high school. In one conservatory dorm in which the editor of CS spent a few nights, drugs were the norm, not the exception. And the problem doesn’t disappear after graduation. Some afflicted singers continue to self-medicate, instead of getting the help they need. Here is one singer’s candid tale. Share it with someone you care about.

Few singers today think they can work towards a sizeable singing career and stay in one place. Even a fairly modest career requires some traveling and planning. Here are some ideas to help you travel with less stress.

The healing power of music—in October we brought you some new research about what music can do. Here’s a story about music in action healing real lives. If you like what you read here, you can help. But you already are every time you open your mouth to sing…when you do it with the right intention.

Who can afford a lawyer? You can, thanks to this wonderful plan.

The singer’s New Year has just barely begun. How are your resolutions going? Here’s help to get you up and moving so you’ll enjoy a feeling of high energy and look terrific for holiday gigs and the current audition season. (By the way, daily exercise is not optional for serious singers. So pick your poison…I mean, passion!)

Many opera fans lament the passing of the “golden age” of singing. This golden age, according to these mavens, reached its pinnacle in some previous generation, whether that of Maria Callas and Giuseppe di Stefano, Kirsten Flagstad and Lauritz Melchior, Enrico Caruso and Rosa Ponselle, or even before the era of recorded sound.

With race and spirituals in mind, I wanted to explore the subject for solo singers in two parts: One — why we should sing solo spirituals, although largely we do not, and two —how to make spirituals part of our singing lives. As we learn to share the joys and sorrows of a nation still coming to grips with its racial legacy, African-American spirituals provide a positive means to those ends.

Whether you're a young artist, a seasoned pro or a teacher, it's important to know the trends in our field. Take a look.

What you don't know can hurt you. Make sure you have your students read this timely advice from Dr. Anthony Jahn as you go into the cold season

In my studio the Eleventh Commandment is, “Thou shalt not bore the audience!” Text is the main thing that distinguishes vocal music from instrumental music, so it is extremely important