January 2016

Stephanie Blythe: : With a Song in Her Heart

Mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe has sung on the major operatic stages the world over during the last two decades. When examining the scope and breadth of her work, one word best describes her: versatile. Not only has she mastered the operatic repertoire from early to classic to modern, she has also successfully forayed into art song, popular song, and musical theatre. With a performance career that spans from Semele to Samson et Dalila to Sweeney Todd, Blythe now seeks to impart a love of American art song in young singers at the Fall Island Vocal Arts Seminar.

The Doctor Is In: : Fear of Nodules— A Guide to Prevention

The word “nodules” certainly conjures up every singer’s worst nightmare. Learning the warning signs of nodules can help you avoid them altogether.

Ask Erda : When They Say You Aren’t and You Can’t and You Are and You Should

What do you do when someone you love tells you you’re a failure because you’ve chosen a path they don’t see as worthwhile or because they don’t think you’re successful? Learn how to honestly evaluate their words and then set appropriate and healthy boundaries.

From the Editor : The Agony and the Ecstasy

I have two conflicting passions: cookies and running. My life pursuit seems to be trying to find the appropriate balance of the two—both for my waistline and my health. So,

Continuing Education to the Nth Degree

What kind of educational background do those hiring singers look for? And what kind of education should singers seek out? Administrators and singers share their experiences to answer these questions and more.

The Art Song Festival: : Thirty Years of Art Song in Ohio

Read what this 30-year-old program has in store for 2016, including advice from one of the special guest artists on bringing art song to life.

The Singer’s Library : Singing in Greek

A new guide to lyric diction explores the sounds and songs of Greek culture.

COSI: Nothing ‘So-So’ About It

The Centre for Opera Studies in Italy trains 50 to 60 singers each summer. Read about the offerings of this comprehensive training program in an ancient Italian city.

The Hills Are Alive with the Sound of Musiktheater

Musiktheater Bavaria trains singers in both musical theatre and opera during four weeks each summer in beautiful southeastern Germany.

Teaching, Artistry, and Communication : A Conversation with Stephanie Blythe and Alan Smith

Longtime collaborators Stephanie Blythe and Alan Smith sit down with auditors of their Fall Island Vocal Arts Seminar to discuss the importance of the positive in teaching, the value of reciting text—both in the practice room and the recital hall—and the appropriate 21st-century repertoire for the young singer.

The Music Major Minute : Secrets for Semester Success

The semester is just beginning. If you haven’t been as successful as you hoped in the past, implement these words of wisdom for starting and finishing strong.

Musings on Mechanics : The Pressures of Breathing

With so many schools of thought around proper breathing for singing—from the Italian Bel Canto to the Germanic approach and everything in between—finding what works for you can be a challenge.