February 2014

Dramatic Voice, Lyrical Life: : A Talk with Bass-Baritone Greer Grimsley

In a multi-decade career that has spanned genres from Mozart to Wagner, bass-baritone Greer Grimsley has sung in opera houses the world over. Long admired for his acting chops, he is now known as one of the foremost Wagnerian singers of the day. In this Classical Singer exclusive, he shares how he projects to the back of the large San Francisco Opera hall, how he makes family life work with a wife and daughter who are also singers, and why he considers singing a spiritual thing.

The Doctor Is In : The Older Singer

Consider the effects of aging on the voice and how, with a little thought and care, you can sing well into your older years.

Ask Erda : The Worship of Mediocrity

Amateur vs. professional. Raw talent vs. trained. These distinctions are becoming lost in the current reality TV and Internet culture where anyone can pretend to be an “expert” at anything. And those who do label things as good, better, and best are in turn labeled as snobs. But this writer is entirely OK with that.

Musings on Mechanics : Let Your Breathing Be an Inspiration!

Breathing is the foundation of healthy, beautiful singing. Find out how to improve your
breathing by examining your past and current habits.

The Entrepreneurial Career : Tried and Found Wanting

Awareness and careful planning can help you avoid one of the pitfalls of an artist-led endeavor: Founder’s Syndrome.

From The Editor : Turn It Upside Down

My two-year-old daughter, while searching for a toy, couldn’t see it because it was face down on the floor. “It’s right there,” I told her, pointing at it. “It’s upside

Bulletin Board : News, Tidbits, Musings, and more

New Research Shows That Learning Music Improves Cognition Educators have known for many years that music students do well in school, but it has been difficult to discover whether good students

Stage Rage: : Coping with Demonstrations of Anger during Rehearsals and Performances

The stress of putting a show together combined with artistic sensibilities can sometimes lead to less-than-ideal
behavior from directors and performers. Learn how to cope when anger erupts—in either yourself or a colleague.

Will & Anthony Nunziata : Entertainers, Entrepreneurs, Educators

Twin brothers are leading careers as both duo and solo singers. Find out how they started performing together and how their business savvy is paying big dividends for themselves and the students they work with in their original outreach program.

Opera Moms

Singers who are mothers weigh in on the challenges and rewards of doing both.