June 2010 – All Articles

As we salute the favorite vocal coaches in our lives this month, read free advice from a host of other coaches—from a life coach, to an acting coach, to an allergy coach, and more.

Years ago a voice teacher shared a thought with me that made a lasting impression. “An amateur practices until he gets it right,” he said. “A professional practices until he

Villazón Returns in Triumph Mexican tenor Rolando Villazón returned to the stage at the Vienna State Opera on March 22, 2010. His Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore was as charming and

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While growing up in a small town in Colorado, Keith Miller pursued athletics with all his might. He saw it as his way out and up. Little did he know that a fateful night in a theater would not only open his eyes to a whole new world, but also change his life—and his career path—forever. Now this bass-baritone, who went from fullback to a career at the Met in 10 short years, shares how coaches both on and off the field have shaped his life and career. The former fullback may have switched coaches, but he hasn’t lost sight of the goal.

Before degrees in collaborative piano existed, a pianist and singer decided to pursue the career of vocal coach to merge her many loves. Read about her singular journey of learning a profession right in the trenches.

Find out how vocal coaches view themselves and singers, what they feel are the rewards and frustrations of their job, and why many would choose to do nothing else.

Join vocal coach Joseph Smith this month as he tries to make sense of a popular Neapolitan song with text clearly written from a female perspective that is most often sung by a man.

Many coaches play another critical, supportive role in singers’ lives—that of prompter. Find out what a prompter’s role is, exactly, and how a singer and prompter can best work together, as prompters from major houses share their insights as well as corrections on a few long-held misconceptions.

A reader’s inquiry about caffeine’s effect on his vocal cords inspires Dr. Jahn to wax eloquent on the topic.

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