Greetings, readers! I’m back from a long hiatus with some exciting news: the reason for my extended break from blogging is that I have been hard at work writing two books. Both are scheduled to be published by Rowman & Littlefield in early 2018.
It means a great deal to me to be working with Rowman & Littlefield. Many of the books that were crucial to my education as a singer and voice teacher were published by Scarecrow Press, now one of their imprints. Have a look at Rowman’s vocal instructional offerings, and you’ll understand why I am so proud to join the ranks of their distinguished authors.
Complete Vocal Fitness: A Singer’s Guide to Physical Training, Anatomy, and Biomechanics
As a singer, your body is your instrument. It is unique. It is also continually evolving and growing in response to every activity in which you engage and all your life experiences. Everything you do and feel shapes your individual language of movement, expanding and focusing the way your voice can channel your thoughts and emotions in song. Your body’s inherent malleability empowers you to optimize your alignment, stamina and balance in support of your singing. You can craft for yourself an instrument that is not only unique but also state-of-the-art.
Vocal Fitness: A Singer’s Guide to Physical Training, Anatomy, and Biomechanics is a primer on sport-specific training for vocal athletes. Elite athletes apply cutting-edge research in movement and physiology to customize fitness regimens that ensure peak performance. The principles of sports science that enable them to fine-tune strength, flexibility and dynamic stabilization to meet the requirements of a given sport are invaluable for preparing the body to meet the physical demands of singing. This book will teach you to:
- Optimize alignment by identifying and resolving postural distortions.
- Balance strength and flexibility throughout your torso to facilitate full breathing and promote coordinated breath management.
- Improve oxygen consumption to enhance your stamina and ability to sustain long phrases.
- Stabilize your spine and major joints in order to continue performing with solid technique while meeting the demands of stage movement.
Musicians of all kinds benefit from understanding the basics of how their instruments work. This book is also a guide to how the vocal instrument functions. You will find accessible descriptions of the fundamental components of vocal anatomy – laryngeal function, articulation and resonance – explaining their movements, their interaction with one another, and their integration with the anatomy of breathing and alignment. I will also cover techniques for optimizing the mind-body connection, improving nutrition, and maintaining vocal health.
The Singer’s Audition & Career Handbook
Classical singing requires the dedicated pursuit of vocal, musical, and dramatic prowess, as well as immersion in foreign language diction, performance practice, and ensemble skills. The multidisciplinary nature of singing makes it at once a deeply satisfying and extremely challenging study. Your success will be determined by the degree to which you are able to master and integrate the many and varied skills that lead to consummate vocal artistry.
The Singer’s Audition & Career Handbook is a comprehensive guide to the training, audition technique and professional development essential for launching and sustaining a career in classical singing. Conceived in collaboration with mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato and The Weill Music Institute at Carnegie Hall as an interactive educational resource, I am expanding and augmenting the original online content into a portable reference. I will draw on the expertise of prominent educators and opera industry professionals to provide resources for singers at every level of development.
Whether you are a young singer preparing conservatory auditions or an emerging opera singer, this book will help you take inventory of your skills and help you choose and chart the next stage in your journey to mastery and professional success.
Your support and suggestions are most welcome as I complete work on these projects, so please do not hesitate to email me with your ideas about how I can make these books as useful as possible to all members of our community!
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