In honor of World Voice Day, we present two singer myths associated with what it takes to become a professional singer: perfect pitch and the complicated relationship between music theory and creativity.

by Ashley Eady

Myth #1: Perfect pitch is important for becoming a professional singer.

Alternatively known as “absolute pitch,” perfect pitch is the ability to instantly identify a musical note without an external reference. A person with perfect pitch can “pull a note out of the air”—meaning they can sing a pitch without having to hear it first—and/or correctly name any pitch they hear.

Perfect pitch is extremely rare. According to the journal Psychological Science, only one in 10,000 people has it. Some noteworthy singers who have/had it are Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder, and Mariah Carey.

But does a singer need to have perfect pitch to be successful? Many experts say “no.”

Dr. Michael Hanawalt, Director of Choral Activities at Wichita State University, believes that although having perfect pitch is helpful, it’s not essential. 

“Absolute pitch is, in most cases, a real asset to a singer,” he says. “But, it is not in any way necessary for a singer to have absolute pitch to be successful.”

Perfect pitch may seem foolproof, but it’s not. Singers with the ability sometimes struggle in areas their peers do not. For example, “If a piece is transposed to a different key than is written on a page, [singers with perfect pitch] may struggle to adapt to the new key, their brains being in conflict with what they see and what they hear,” Hanawalt explains.

According to Dr. Rachel Copeland, associate director of the School of Music at East Carolina University, “Having perfect pitch definitely makes ear training easier, however it is the ‘easy way out.’ Singers who practice and work really hard end up developing an excellent ‘relative’ pitch (or ear). That means the muscles used when singing automatically go to the right place to produce the right pitch.”

So how can a singer learn relative pitch? 

Copeland and Hanawalt note that knowledge and a good musical foundation are vital components to developing the skill.

“Having a solid musical foundation in sight-reading, theory and history is essential to being a successful singer,” says Hanawalt. “One must be able to learn music in an expedient amount of time, be sensitive to intonation, and, ultimately, have an instrument that people want to hear.”

As with any art form, singing requires hard work and practice. And with some effort, relative pitch is something singers can learn.

Myth #2: Music theory will stifle creativity.

Some singers believe learning the rules and parameters of music theory will stifle their creativity.

Copeland disagrees. “Learning all components of how music works helps create a better, well-rounded musician, which can only increase one’s creativity,” she says. “My assumption is that those who believe that music theory stunts creativity are only looking at theory through the standard Western European structure, which is not the totality of music theory. I think music theory needs to include the way that jazz and improvisation work to establish such creativity.”

Hanawalt also disagrees with the thought that theory drains singers’ creative impetus. He adds that how music theory is taught is equally important. “The best theory teachers I had taught me music theory as being the building blocks of musical language, not necessarily rules that had to be followed at all costs. I’m a firm believer that one must know these essential elements of what music is and what they are called. If taught in the right way, knowing this information opens up creative possibilities rather than restricting musical options.”

Ashley Eady is a music journalist based in Los Angeles. She studied Clarinet Performance at Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University and Arts Journalism at University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.

Becoming a college voice major is an important first step whether you want to be featured on an opera stage, sing in a professional chorus or belt out a ballad in a Broadway musical. What is the curriculum and experience of a typical voice major? And what’s the best way to prepare for this adventure?

By Marcus E. Turner

Let’s start at the very beginning…

1. Join choirs
Many students begin their vocal journeys singing in school choirs or extracurricular choruses. These performance opportunities are a wonderful starting point for discovering a healthy method of vocalizing and can lead to further intensive study.

2. Get a private voice teacher
Skills gained in an ensemble can be extremely valuable for study as a college voice major. However, many students also elect to take private voice lessons as well.

The human voice continues to change throughout the late teens and early twenties and a private voice teacher can be a valuable guide to students throughout this vocal development. San Francisco Conservatory of Music graduate student Alexandra Gilliam says, “I would recommend looking for teachers who are affiliated with NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing) – they are often classical vocalists or pedagogues themselves and can offer their students a wealth of experiential knowledge.”

A very good place to start…

1. Get out there and start singing solo
While singing in a chorus is a fulfilling musical experience, many vocalists will also want to explore the vast world of solo repertoire. From musical theatre to art songs to opera arias, a college voice major has a wide selection of pieces to absorb. One of the best ways to begin discovering your solo voice is to participate in school or extracurricular musical theatre productions, according to University of Michigan opera director, Robert Swedberg.

For more experience, training, and support consider signing up for summer voice programs designed for high school students.

2. Do your research
As your love of singing grows and you decide that you would like to sing in college, now is the time to do your research. Start with school websites. Once your decisions have been narrowed down, visiting schools that will allow you to learn about classes, professors, campus culture and much more (see “10 Considerations for Visiting Music Schools”).

3. Pre-screens
Some colleges require a recorded pre-screen before you are invited to campus for an in-person audition. Read requirements carefully and give yourself plenty of time to make a quality recording.

“In my case, I got ill the week before the (pre-screen) due date,” says Jack Canfield, a 2015 voice graduate from Lawrence University Conservatory of Music. “I am especially glad that I recorded early – I think if you plan to do your final recording at least a couple of weeks in advance, it gives you some time to tinker if it didn’t turn out exactly how you would like.”

4. Audition preparation
• Auditions vary incredibly from school to school. Everything from the number of songs you are required to prepare to acceptable genres will be completely different depending on where you choose to audition.

• A private voice teacher or chorus director is a great resource for helping you choose pieces that will present you in your best light. Audition requirements may include pieces in Italian, German, French and/or English. Check pronunciation and diction with your private teacher during lessons.

“It is common for a college voice major to have had at least some contact with classical vocal training,” says Alexandra Gilliam. “Though it is not expected for them to have complete mastery of their instrument quite yet. After all, that’s the whole point of getting a degree!”

• Professor Swedberg from the University of Michigan adds that audition selections should be “representative pieces that are good for your current level of development.” Like other voice professors who sit on audition committees, he says, “Simpler is better in my opinion.”

When you sing you begin with…

1. Your body
Performing music, especially singing, is a very physical act. Many muscle groups are active while you sing. It is important to take good care of your body – it is your instrument!

Before your audition, make sure you are well-hydrated and have become accustomed to the new environment. For example, if you are auditioning at a school 6,000 feet above sea level, it will feel very different than singing at a school right on the coast.

2. Take a deep breath
The best thing to remember at your audition is that the audition judges are on your side. “They want those who are auditioning to do well,” says Eastman School of Music voice major Daniela Camilleri. “They are hopeful and curious about what a singer has to offer the moment they enter the room.”

The level of technical preparation you bring to the audition is only one layer as well, Camilleri adds. “In addition to preparing vocally with a trusted voice teacher or coach, it is essential that the auditionee prepares well the language and diction of their pieces.” This, she says, will help you internalize the feeling of the character, bringing deeper meaning to your audition.

What happens next?

1. Your classes
Your curriculum as a voice major depends on a number of factors, including the degree you choose to get and the type of school you choose.

All music majors typically take classes in music theory, sight-singing/aural skills and music history. According to Rachel Copeland, professor of voice and diction and director for Graduate Studies at East Carolina University, “In addition to the ‘core’ courses for all music majors, voice students also study vocal pedagogy, languages and diction (French, German, Italian), song literature and opera history.” These academic classes are an essential part of the experience for a voice major.

The relationship with your private teacher is also exceptionally important. “Make sure you find a teacher who is as invested in YOU as you are,” adds Copeland. “Your teacher will be your primary source of growth for the first 4 years of your career – it has to be a relationship that is beneficial for you!”

Performance opportunities are also an important consideration for any voice student. Usually, voice students will be required to participate in a college chorus. Rehearsals are generally viewed as sacred and will be counted in your curricular load for the term.

Other performance opportunities for a college voice major include musical theatre productions, operas and Baroque choruses. For example, vocal studies majors at East Carolina University can choose from three distinct choruses as well as an undergraduate Opera Theatre Ensemble.

2. Career preparation
Whether you attend a conservatory, university or liberal arts college, your training as a voice major can prepare you for a variety of career options. “[While] a high rate of graduate level students from University of Michigan do have careers in opera,” says Robert Swedberg, “some also go into teaching, professional chorister work, arts administration, or music industry.”

For assistance in finding the right career fit, take advantage of the opportunities offered at college career centers.

3. Operatic aspirations
If your dream is to appear on a major opera stage, there are no shortcuts, says Professor Swedberg. Undergraduate studies are often the first step. Intensive summer programs provide an accelerated pace of learning and amplify everything learned at college.

It is important to do your research before committing to a costly summer experience, points out Alex Gilliam. “Odds are your private voice teacher will likely know someone who is involved with the program and may be able to give you the inside scoop about the possible things to be gained from each individual program or festival [you’re considering].”

Final thoughts

As your interest in singing develops, don’t be afraid to think outside the box. Opportunities to perform as a singer can arise in a number of interesting places. Whether on stage at your school, place of worship or any number of other traditional or unconventional venues, you can find many ways to stretch your singing muscles.

There is no surefire course to becoming the next Renee Fleming or Plácido Domingo. But the passion you bring to your performance is one of the keys to success. The technical training you receive will help to illuminate the performances that you give but in the end, “you get what you put in,” says Daniela Camilleri. All singers will surely echo this sentiment.

Musician and administrator Marcus Turner has worked with the Denver Young Artists Orchestra, University of Denver and University of Colorado Boulder College of Music. He holds degrees in Music Education and Musicology from VanderCook College of Music and the University of Colorado Boulder College of Music.

Photo Credits
Top photo: Margot Schulman, for University of Michigan
Text photo: Peter Smith, for University of Michigan

Founded in 1968, the Grammy-winning King’s Singers are still going strong. While the original members have slowly left and been replaced, the current group remains at six, with one bass, two baritones, a tenor and two countertenors. They continue to travel the world performing commissioned works and their own unique takes on everything from jazz standards and popular hits to madrigals. They’re recognized for their intonation, diction, vocal blend, and timing. They’re also highly regarded for their educational workshops and masterclasses for singers and a cappella groups.

This summer, The King’s Singers will hold their first-ever U.S. Summer School at DePauw University for singers and vocal ensembles of all abilities (ages 16 and up).

Current King’s Singer, baritone Christopher Bruerton, founding member and choral conductor Brian Kay, bass, and former member and choral director Nigel Perrin, countertenor, took time out of their busy schedules to share some thoughts to inspire vocalists of all levels.

MajoringInMusic.com: Most of The King’s Singers studied music on the college/university level. How has this helped their careers?

Christopher Bruerton: The importance of studying music at a tertiary (college) level is hugely important for those who choose to follow the path of a career in music. Music is a language, and a greater vocabulary and understanding of various genres and styles is imperative for being a consummate performer.

MM: What did the original King’s Singers do while still in school to lay the foundation for a singing group that’s lasted almost fifty years?

Nigel Perrin: The original King’s Singers all won choral scholarships to sing in the famous choir of King’s College Chapel while studying for an honours degree at University of Cambridge.

Brian Kay:  Nothing could have laid a deeper foundation for our subsequent life in music as a distinctly close harmony group.

It was our director of music – the late, great Sir David Willcocks – who instilled in us the building blocks on which we developed what became such a lasting ensemble. We were able and encouraged as choral scholars to take our combined talents outside the college chapel, to join and perform at the famous Footlights (comedy) Club, and generally to get used to performing together in public: a great training for us all.

We also enjoyed frequent visits to the local pub, and this helped hugely in building up the chemistry between us, which is such a vital ingredient of a tight-knit musical ensemble.

MM: Did the founders ever imagine their a cappella group would last half a century and counting?

Brian: Absolutely no way! None of us really knew what he wanted to do for the rest of his life, but we thought that it might be worth staying together for a couple of years in order to go on enjoying each other’s company and carrying on doing the thing we loved most: singing.

Nigel: In addition to singing ‘church’ music under the direction of Sir David Willcocks, there was a tradition for the choral scholars to sing light music arrangements. In 1966, they decided to make an LP of these arrangements. This proved very popular and sowed a seed which encouraged 6 (of the 7 original members) to continue singing together after they graduated.

But everyone had their own individual careers to pursue including working as double-bass players in the BBC Northern Orchestra, as freelance singers at venues including St Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey, and in teaching. It (The King’s Singers) was only perceived as extramural fun and there was no notion of it ever becoming a full-time commitment.

That was until a promoter came along and insisted on promoting them in a concert on London’s South Bank with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields chamber orchestra directed by Sir Neville Marriner. It then became a more serious affair. The group was invited to undertake a three-month tour of Australia and New Zealand. A recording and TV shows followed, and the rest, as they say, is history!

MM: How does listening relate to being a consummate performer, whether as a soloist or as a member of an ensemble?

Chris: Listening is the single most important feature of a good performer or ensemble. It links all facets of performing together. Any decision we make can be improved by determining what we are hearing and how we can adapt what we are doing based on what we are hearing.

MM: Your best tips for a successful audition?

Chris: Have confidence. An audition, believe it or not, is designed to find out what you can do. If there is an option to select your own repertoire, then choose something that shows you off in the best possible light.

Be yourself. It gives people a chance to see who they might be working with.

Be pragmatic. If you walk out of the audition knowing you’ve done the best you can, then be happy with that. The judging panel may be looking for something different, be it timbre, look, personality, or even something you haven’t thought of.

MM: Suggestions for someone who dreams of touring the world with a highly-regarded a cappella group?

Chris: Probably, aside from loving what you do, the most important tip we would pass on to a student or group is to find your own voice. Find what combination of voices and choice of repertoire makes you sound the best, that you enjoy performing the most, and that, in turn, the audience will appreciate hearing.

Barbra Weidlein is co-founder and director of MajoringInMusic.com. 

Photo Credit: Andy Staples

Do you love vocal jazz? Ever considered what it would take to turn your passion into a career? In this article, we look at what vocal jazz programs offer, what it takes to get accepted, and what you can do with your degree after you graduate. Acclaimed jazz vocalists who also teach college-level programs share information and candid thoughts to help you figure out whether this is the right path to pursue.

What to major in if singing jazz is your passion

You’re most apt to find jazz voice training in college music programs listed under Jazz Studies. Your instrument is your voice, so look for programs identified as Jazz Voice, Jazz Vocal Performance, or simply “Vocal Concentration.” If you’ve found a school you’re interested in but don’t see vocal jazz listed as a major, contact the school directly to see whether they offer what you want to study. Note that many schools offer classes in vocal jazz but not as a major. And at most schools, a vocal performance degree has a classical focus, not jazz.

Schools that offer a major in Vocal Jazz want students to get a well-rounded education. In addition to general education requirements and applied voice lessons and jazz vocal technique, you’ll also study vocal jazz history and analysis of styles, composing and arranging, and improvisation. Ensembles are also part of the curriculum. Some schools require classes in classical voice while others do not.

For future career opportunities, you’ll serve yourself well by taking any classes, programs or workshops offered that teach music majors how to think of themselves and market themselves in business terms (i.e., entrepreneurship training). Check the career services office if these types of classes aren’t clearly offered through the music school or department.

Who is a good candidate for this major?

Vocal jazz programs are all looking for students who are really passionate about jazz, have some kind of background in the language of jazz, and are ready, willing, and excited to learn more than they already know. Basic sight-reading skills are expected. Good tone and intonation are also important going into this major.

“Jazz is so much about community, hearing each other perform and jamming with each other,” says Rosana Eckert, senior lecturer who teaches in the Jazz Vocal Performance degree program housed in the Division of Jazz Studies at University of North Texas.

Those who don’t see themselves doing this work professionally should not attempt this major, says Elisabeth Lohninger, who teaches Voice and Ear Training at the School of Jazz at The New School. She also emphasizes the importance of a solid work ethic as essential for any vocal jazz major.

What can you do with a degree in vocal jazz?

“The world of the professional musician, especially the jazz musician, is constantly changing,” muses Greg Jasperse, assistant professor of Jazz Studies and director of Vocal Jazz at Western Michigan University School of Music. “This isn’t necessarily a bad thing but it does require flexibility and the ability to adapt. Luckily, that’s what jazz musicians do all the time.” He goes on to say, “There is no single job that all jazz vocal graduates do. In fact, in our community of professional jazz vocalists, not one of us has an identical life.”

Graduates of vocal jazz programs often work as:

• Solo artists
• Back-up vocalists
• Private studio and college-level teachers
• Studio singers on film & tv soundtracks and commercials
• Composers and arrangers
• Copyists
• Cruise ship performers
• Members and directors of professional jazz ensembles

While some of this work is not vocal jazz per se, the degree should provide the kind of solid musical training that allows graduates to find work in other music genres as well. “One of my last film score sessions in Los Angeles before moving to Michigan was [singing] for the film Oz, the Great and Powerful,” says Jasperse, who also directs the award-winning vocal jazz ensemble Gold Company. “It was an incredibly creative score by Danny Elfman. I looked around the choir and saw 3 other alums from Western Michigan University. We weren’t singing jazz but we were there for our ability to sight-read, our vocal versatility and our professionalism.”

What are schools looking for in an audition?

An audition demonstrating your current vocal jazz skills is required by most programs. Every school has its own audition repertoire requirements, so check them carefully. Following directions about the audition speaks volumes to college admission folks about the kind of student you’ll be if they admit you.

Schools want to see what you already know and how familiar you already are with jazz. They’ll likely assess your current ability to:

• Sight-read
• Improvise/scat
• Sing with good tone and intonation

Schools do not expect you to be advanced in these areas. Instead, they want to see that you’ve already begun to learn how to do these and that you show up as someone who is eager about and capable of learning more.

Your background in areas like jazz theory, aural skills (harmonic identification), melodic recall and piano skills is also likely to be assessed.

How to prepare for your audition?

First and foremost, follow this advice from Kate Reid, associate professor and program director of Jazz Vocal Performance at University of Miami Frost School of Music: “Listen, listen, listen – to the tradition – instrumental and vocal. Listen, listen, listen to what is happening today in jazz, contemporary and popular music styles.”

Your next step is to determine what music you love to perform will meet the audition requirements of each school you’re interested in. The music should demonstrate your current vocal skills and artistry, as well as your understanding of vocal jazz. Your private teacher should be able to help you figure this out. Greg Jasperse suggests: “Study the chord changes so you are prepared to improvise. Practice sight-reading regularly so you are as strong as you can possibly be at the time of your audition. Jazz keyboard skills are incredibly helpful when it comes to learning a song, practicing improvisation, and expanding your knowledge of jazz theory. And all along the way – LISTEN to jazz. Immerse yourself in this language and culture so when you have an opportunity to audition, you are as fluent as possible.”

Rosana Eckert at UNT adds, “Students can prepare for auditions by listening, transcribing, and imitating respected jazz vocalists and instrumentalists as a way of getting more jazz language, phrasing, and style in their ears.”

La Tanya Hall, who teaches Jazz Voice in the Jazz Studies Department at Oberlin Conservatory and School of Jazz at the New School suggests, “Ideally, to prepare, you should have at least three songs in your repertoire in varying styles that show your range and basic understanding of the genre. I would also suggest some scatting/improvisation on at least one tune.”

Note: Some schools require a pre-screen recording to determine whether to invite you to audition. Check each school to see if a pre-screen is required and if so, look carefully at the required repertoire, recording guidelines and deadline for submission (often December 1).

How about summer vocal jazz programs?

Summer jazz camps and programs throughout the U.S. and abroad provide the opportunity to dig deeply into vocal jazz without the burden of school, work, and time-consuming distractions. They also offer wonderful opportunities to network with professionals as well as other students passionate about singing jazz. You’re apt to find classes in jazz theory, improvisation, vocal technique, and keyboard skills along with solo and ensemble training and performance opportunities. If you’re getting ready for auditions, look for programs that will help you start preparing.

When is a graduate degree important?

Graduate school isn’t necessary for everyone who gets a degree in vocal jazz. According to Kate Reid at Frost School of Music, “The timeline for graduate school is different for everyone. Some students need to move directly into graduate work and others want and need to perform and explore their own solo career and experience extensive performing before returning to study again. There is no right or wrong answer there.”

But there are benefits. At most college-level programs, a graduate degree is required in order to teach. Graduate school is also appropriate if you want “extra time to hone your craft in a stimulating environment,” says Rosana Eckert at UNT. “It can also be a great opportunity to get teaching experience with a mentor to guide you.”

Final thought

“Vocal jazz is not an easy path by any means,” acknowledges Greg Jasperse. “And it’s not a mainstream art form. Jazz really has to feel like it’s in your DNA in order to pursue it professionally. If you’re interested in becoming a jazz vocalist, do some research about the professional lives of the jazz vocalists you admire and appreciate. You’ll find that most of these people eat, sleep and breathe jazz.”

University of Miami Frost School of Music top jazz vocal ensemble, Frost Extensions, performs at the Monterey Next Generation Jazz Festival.

About the contributors

• Rosana Eckert, senior lecturer in Jazz Vocal Performance at University of North Texas, is a live and studio vocalist, songwriter, and voice-over talent who has sung or spoken on hundreds of commercials, album projects, publishing demos, and radio IDs around the world. She has recorded four solo CDs and performs regularly throughout the U.S. and abroad. Eckert also serves on the faculty of the New York Voices Summer Vocal Jazz Camp and University of North Texas Vocal Jazz Camp.
• La Tanya Hall, teacher of Jazz Voice at Oberlin Conservatory and School of Jazz at the New School has collaborated and appeared with performers across many genres (including Harry Belafonte, Aretha Franklin, Quincy Jones, and Steely Dan) and has toured and recorded with Bobby McFerrin since 2002. She teaches master classes with the YoungArts Foundation and is also a session singer and actress. Hall has sung at international festivals and with several U.S. orchestras, and has an album out on Bridge Records.
• Greg Jasperse, assistant professor of Jazz Studies and director of Vocal Jazz at Western Michigan University School of Music, is a composer, arranger, clinician, adjudicator and guest conductor. He has sung on many film soundtracks as well as Red Hot Chili Pepper’s song Monarchy of Roses and Muse’s album The 2nd Law. He sang at the 85th Annual Oscars with Adele on her song Skyfall and arranged, produced and music-directed A Gallagher Family Christmas for William H. Macy and the cast of Showtime’s “Shameless.” Jasperse sings with Sixth Wave and Vertical Voices and spends summers teaching at New York Voices Vocal Jazz Camp, the University of North Texas Vocal Jazz Camp, and Showchoir Camps of America.
• Elisabeth Lohninger, teacher of Voice and Ear Training at the School of Jazz at The New School since 2002, has 11 albums to her name and and regularly tours Europe, Asia and the Middle East. In fact, she was touring in Germany while contributing to this article. She maintains a private voice studio in New York City, performs in four languages, and has had song placements on television.
• Kate Reid, associate professor and program director of Jazz Vocal Performance at University of Miami Frost School of Music, maintains a solo performing career in Miami and Los Angeles. She has several albums out and as a session singer, has lent her voice to film, television and artists’ albums including Planes, Star Trek Into Darkness, Epic and Men in Black III and albums for Josh Groban, X-Japan and Muse. Reid is a master class presenter and a clinician and adjudicator at jazz and choral festivals throughout the U.S. She also teaches at the summer Young Musician’s Camp at the University of Miami Frost School of Music.

Photo Credits

Top Photo: Western Michigan University/Photo by Mark Bugnaski Photography – vocal jazz student Christian Diaz performs with Delfeayo Marsalis

Inset Photo: Western Michigan University – Aimee Lopez, vocal jazz ensemble Gold Company

Today’s fast-paced and highly competitive professional music scene demands that aspiring opera singers become skilled at what I call “operapreneurship.”

by Alexandra Gilliam

It’s not enough to be amazing and engaging opera singers. Building a working knowledge of at least three different languages and parsing their dictional nuances – and delving within ourselves in order to convincingly bring characters to life onstage – is not enough.  Although we spend countless hours developing the chops necessary to flawlessly interpret music across multiple time periods, we need a corollary skill set in order to take our dreams from the practice room to the concert hall. We must become our own managers, tax professionals, press representatives, legal advocates, and biographers.

How do you become an operapreneur?

My collegiate and graduate work in opera, along with my work in two conservatory admissions offices and as a Professional Development career advisor at my current school lead me to suggest the following:

1. Seek as many opportunities as possible to expand your knowledge base, both inside and outside the music world.

Without becoming overtaxed or compromising your practice schedule, you’ll find this to be essential, as it is the relatable nature of the characters and intricate storylines that make opera as widely-performed and beloved an art form as it is.

Take advantage of liberal arts classes at universities and conservatories. If you do not expand your horizons and occasionally venture outside of the practice room and take active strides to challenge your innate beliefs and understand the human element, it is significantly harder to become a singing actor and to grasp the emotional depth of the characters you interpret.

2. Enroll in as many language and diction courses your school offers.

If the offerings are limited, look to summer festivals or local accredited colleges whose credits will transfer. Although excellent resources such as Nico Castel’s translations and John Moriarty’s diction books exist, they are intended as a reference to supplement the work you have already done through your own personal translation, character development, and research.

It is significantly easier to interpret nuanced characters when you understand the grammatical syntax of what they’re saying. Imagine a movie that takes place in the Deep South that casts lead actors with heavy German accents and little understanding of the English language –– they wouldn’t be nearly as believable as performers who studied the Southern American English language patterns.

Furthermore, new operas are constantly being composed. Many schools and Young Artist Programs offer opportunities for their students to workshop these new operas, which often have not been pre-translated.

Indeed, each and every one of my previous coaches agrees that to be successful, modern American opera singers need a thorough and comprehensive knowledge of the languages in which they will ultimately be required to sing.

3. Take advantage of the career services office at your school.

Whether you are writing a grant application, a long- or short-form artistic biography, or an administrative résumé, the career services office at your school is there to help you. Utilize these resources while you still have access to them on a regular basis.

Bring all of your materials to be proofread as many times and by as many trusted advocates as possible. By asking questions and gaining an understanding of the various forms and layouts of these critical documents early on in your education, you will set yourself up for success in the future.

4. Allow your authenticity to shine through.

Your career goals, much like your voice, are unique to you. Although it can be difficult to keep things in perspective when our Facebook feeds and YouTube homepages are full of successful peers and amazing artists baring their souls, remember that success is relative, and the biggest stars were once in your place. By living the most authentic form of yourself as possible, and by taking time to enjoy the art that you are creating, sustainable success is firmly within your reach.

Alexandra Gilliam, soprano, received her Master of Music degree at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where she worked for the Office of Admission and Professional Development and Engagement Center (PDEC).  She received her Bachelor of Music degree in 2015, graduating with honors from the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, MA.

Photo: Alexandra Gillliam performs the role of Lillas Pastia in San Francisco Conservatory of Music’s production of “La Tragédie de Carmen.”

In honor of World Voice Day, choral conductor Mary Louise Burke shares some of her favorite tips for efficient and effective vocal warm ups. Whether you sing in a choral group or lead or conduct a choir or chorus, we hope you’ll find this information useful for improving your sound.

Q: Why are warm ups so important?

One of my primary objectives in warm ups is to help singers “get out of their brains and get into their bodies.” Through a series of physical and vocal exercises, I strive to bring their attention to their bodies/vocal instruments.

A warm up does not need to be long but it does need to be efficient. It should always cover your full range and involve the various muscle groups needed for singing repertoire, i.e. a variety of tempos and articulations, from legato-sustained to faster exercises.

I don’t, as a rule, do “diction” exercises in the warm up; I concentrate on vowels and not on consonants.

Q: What does a good warm up include?

1. Alignment

If you’re not well aligned, you’re not ready to make optimal sound. So alignment (posture) comes first. I start with a few stretches, specifically focusing on spinal extension; rib cage expansion; proper head position; shoulder release; and even checking the position of the tongue (forward) and soft palate (raised uvula.)

I want singers to be aware and responsible for their own alignment 24/7. Constant awareness of spinal extension (no slouching!), proper head and shoulder position, etc. are integral parts of fine singing. And it takes constant practice.

2. Breathing

After stretches, I have singers do some breathing exercises, emphasizing the need for rib and lower body expansion along with reminders about efficient inhalation and exhalation.

3. Sound

I then introduce sirens in a variety of shapes and using a variety of vowels. I like sirens because they are non-pitched (so singers won’t worry about intonation or correctness). Sirens can emphasize several basic elements of technique: proper airflow; crescendo into the upper range; open mouth more for high range; mouth less open for lower range.

Once the sirens are energized, efficient, and natural-sounding, I will do some pitched exercises. I often use two vowels and one (simple) consonant.

Ex.: A descending  five-note exercise on “vee-vo.”

I might do about 3 or 4 vocalises in a warm up and then finish by using a phrase from the existing repertoire that might involve one of the elements that I emphasized in the warm up: octave leaps, sustained notes, controlled crescendo-decrescendo, etc.

Q: How long should a warm up last?

I usually warm up for 5-10 minutes, but during the course of the rehearsal, if needed, I will return to simple stretches, sirens, or a basic vocalise (singing a musical passage on a single vowel to develop flexibility and to control pitch and tone).

You can see and hear when singers are getting tired or tense, and need to just let loose with a good “singer sound” like a big, brave siren—to get the air flowing again and to get out of their heads and back into their bodies. Choral singers, in particular, have a lot of brain noise, especially during the initial rehearsals when they are sight reading and learning new repertoire.

Before a concert, I will do a longer warm up, perhaps 30-45 minutes. In addition to warm up vocalises, we will also review parts of the repertoire –– not to “fix” the repertoire but to remind singers of the variety of styles and articulations needed.

Mary Louise Burke, DMA, Vocal Performance and Pedagogy, University of Colorado Boulder College of Music, is associate director of the Colorado Children’s Chorale, associate director of the Colorado Symphony Chorus, and associate music director of Montview Presbyterian Church in Denver.

by Wendy LeBorgne, PhD –

As the college audition season approaches, staying healthy for vocal auditions is on the mind of every prospective voice major. Inevitably, the timing of auditions coincides with cold and flu season. You hear horror stories of friends who wake up with a sore throat or runny nose, or worst case scenario, laryngitis, at the worst possible moment. As a professional singer, this is also something that you may experience throughout your career.

The sooner you prepare yourself to prevent and minimize illnesses that can interfere at high stakes vocal demand times, the better off you’ll be.  Many of the following tips may be “things your mother told you,” but when they’re not coming from your mom, perhaps you will be more likely to take them to heart.

1. Get Enough Sleep

There is no substitute for sleep. You cannot “catch up” on sleep.  People who are sleep deprived generally have slightly depressed immune systems, which makes them more susceptible to illness. Everyone has slightly different sleep needs, but generally speaking, 18-22 year olds require 6-10 hours of sleep daily for optimal brain and body function.

Not only is adequate sleep important to keep your immune system functioning at optimal capacity, but you need to be well-rested to keep your brain mentally sharp. Mental sharpness is vital for remembering lyrics and focusing on being your best for the most important 2-10 minutes of your life.

2. Hydrate

In a 10-year retrospective study of incoming freshman musical theatre performers (Donahue, LeBorgne, Brehm, & Weinrich, “in review”), over 50% were significantly under-hydrated.

It takes at least 2-3 hours for the liquid you drink to filter through your body and help lubricate the vocal folds. Nothing you drink gets directly onto the vocal folds. Lack of adequate hydration is like not putting oil in a car: the gears don’t work as well, there’s increased heat and friction in the gears, and the oil that’s left tends to be gummy and thick.

The current rule for adequate oral hydration is to take your body weight, and divide it in half. That’s the number of ounces of water you should minimally be drinking (ex. 150 lbs. ÷ 2= 75 oz.). This formula does not take into consideration any activity such as singing or dancing.

Minimize whatever can be systemically drying, such as caffeine.  There are certain medications that also have mucosal drying effects. DO NOT discontinue any medication that you have been prescribed, but ensure that you are adequately balancing the drying properties. Besides caffeine, some of the most common and drying medications young adults take include: oral allergy medications (Allegra, Claritin, Zyrtec, Singular, Benedryl, etc.), oral decongestants (Sudafed, etc.); inhaled corticosteroids (Albuterol, etc.); oral acne medications (Accutane); ADD/ADHD medications (Adderall, Concerta, Ritalin); antidepressants (Wellbutrin, Zoloft, etc.).

Finally, beware of “overhydrating” (water intoxication). Over hydration can be a potentially medically dangerous condition. Typically, this only occurs in rare situations and generally results when someone consumes more than 2 gallons of water per day.

3. Don’t Overcommit

If you are auditioning for a career in vocal music, you are likely to be an accomplished and sought-after singer in your high school and community. Because of your talent, you are probably involved in choir, the school musical, private voice lessons, recitals, personal practice time, etc. This generally involves being “vocally overcommitted,” and can be detrimental to your ability to perform maximally at your auditions.

Think of an Olympic athlete who physically overtrains just before their event.  They are at increased risk of injury and poor performance, compared to the athlete who gradually builds stamina for a given event so that they “peak” in their performance at exactly the right time. This is your goal for a college audition. You have spent years training and you want to “peak” at your auditions. If you are involved in too many activities (vocal or otherwise), you cannot be in optimal vocal, mental, or physical form for your auditions.

Choose your activities wisely. Practice wisely. Remember that mental practice is highly beneficial –– you can memorize lyrics, rhythms, character choices, dynamic changes.

In addition to your vocal activities, the social activities that often occur throughout your high school senior year may expose you to late nights, loud talking –– even substance abuse. By all means it is important to celebrate your achievements, but as a “vocal athlete,” remember you are in “training” for your auditions, which will help prepare you for the rest of your career.

4. Wash Your Hands

The simple act of washing your hands can significantly reduce the spread of germs from person to person.  Think about all the places your hands have been and the things you touch that are shared with multiple others: door knobs, piano keys, cell phones, pencils, desks, computer keyboards, etc. For good hand washing hygiene, use warm, soapy water and sing (in your head or out loud) “Happy Birthday” while lathering up. Rinse with warm water and turn off the water with the back of your hand (or use a paper towel).  If you have no available water handy, carry hand sanitizer with you and remember: hand sanitizer must have 60%+ alcohol concentration to combat the spread of flu.

5. Eat Well and Take Your Vitamins

Your body is your instrument. You’ve heard it a thousand times before, but you are what you eat. For optimal performance of muscle and brain function, your body should be well-hydrated and well-nourished.  Good nutrition does not begin the day before your audition. Think of eating properly as part of the training process.

Fuel your body with nutritious, wholesome foods. Limit processed foods and sugar consumption. This includes sodas and sports drinks.

Wendy LeBorgne, PhD CCC-SLP (Voice Pathologist and Singing Voice Specialist) is the director of the Blaine Block Institute for Voice Analysis and Rehabilitation and the Professional Voice Center of Greater Cincinnati. She holds an adjunct Assistant Professor at Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music and the College of Allied Health. Her research includes the area of the Broadway “belt.” In addition to her duties as a voice pathologist, she continues to maintain an active professional performing career.

Musical theatre* training offered through music programs instead of theatre schools and departments provides unique opportunities for students. While theatre and dance are still major components of these programs, the emphasis is on music.

Students attending music school for musical theatre work to become “genuinely fluent in the music aspect of musical theatre,” says Dr. David Herendeen, director of Opera and Musical Theatre at Oklahoma City University Wanda L. Bass School of Music. Theory, aural skills, sight singing, music history, and musical theatre history are important elements of the curriculum. Scott Plate, chair of Music Theatre at Baldwin Wallace University Conservatory in Ohio, says, “With a more thorough grounding in music theory, a secondary instrument and ensemble, a student is more musically prepared for life as a music theatre professional.” Herendeen adds, “The music theatre market expects effective rendering of text and characterization in a variety of song forms and styles for a variety of consumers.” Students study this in great detail and depth.

The music point of entry into musical theatre typically prepares students for crossover work. Eryn LeCroy, a recent Oklahoma City University graduate in musical theatre/vocal performance, spent the summer advancing her training by participating in the young artist program at Seagle Music Colony in New York. She is now performing the role of Miss Carew, Jekyll’s fiancée, in the national tour of “Jekyll and Hyde: The Musical.” She says that musical theatre students are required to audition for the operas in addition to the musicals performed at their schools. “Musical theatre majors must learn how to prepare a classical audition package to add to their standard repertoire.”

* Some schools label their programs “musical theatre” while others call theirs “music theatre.”

Training Triple Threats – and More

Every musical theatre student is typically trained as a “triple threat” (singing, acting, dancing). But according to Herendeen, an internationally-recognized performer, director, and teacher, the threats need to go beyond those three to include “fluency in the language of music, knowledge of the American songbook and its styles and history, genuine knowledge of rehearsal/production protocol, the art of auditioning, how to market oneself, and the ecosystem of the industry in the city center in which you want to work – Chicago, New York City, L.A., Dallas, Miami all have different consumer demands.”

Ann Evans Watson, an actor/singer/dancer and musical theatre coach, emphasizes that students need to be trained in microphone use and “the science of sound.” In addition, she stresses the importance of body work practices such as Alexander Technique, Feldenkrais, and Laban, for fine-tuning one’s performance.

Allison Verhofstadt, currently a musical theatre major at Benjamin T. Rome School of Music at The Catholic University of America, recognizes the importance of the training she’s getting in how to audition. “The workshops we have really train you well to get used to auditioning, how to present yourself best, and how to act like a professional actor instead of seeming like an inexperienced student. These skills help secure internships and make auditioning much less intimidating…Plus, the faculty will give feedback. This helps you know where you went right or wrong in the audition and how to improve it. In the real world, you will rarely, if ever, get that kind of feedback, so it is extremely helpful to have that in school!

Jimmy Mavrikes, a recent graduate of The Catholic University of America now starring in “Fiddler on the Roof” at the Arena Stage in Washington, DC, credits his undergraduate training in musical theatre with preparing him to deal with rejection. “More times than not, you will have people telling you ‘no.’ At first this is really difficult, but in time you realize it is just the business.”

Preparing for College

Are you considering studying musical theatre at college? A realistic understanding of the competitiveness of the field is essential. According to Anne Evans Watson, whose studio focuses on Broadway-style singing, “There are about 10 spots in musical theatre programs for every 500 applicants. Most programs want confident, experienced young artists who sing well and have some good acting chops.”

Elise Morrow-Schap, a composer and triple threat performer herself, and Tom Pederson, singer, conductor, producer and head of the Music Theatre Division at The Catholic University of America, encourage students to “get help picking proper material that is age appropriate, vocally suitable and not beyond your capabilities.”

David Herendeen recommends that students get good coaching to prepare for auditions. Anne Evans Watson agrees, and adds that “Most of us can’t direct ourselves or choose and edit audition material for ourselves, so regular guidance and mentorship is imperative.”

By the same token, Scott Plate, an actor, director, and writer, warns that “Overly coached auditions are not usually successful.”

If Only I’d Known…

Working in musical theatre is “a hard working life that you have to love for the sake of the work, and not for the sake of ‘it’s fun’ or the thought of being ‘famous’ and ‘on Broadway,’” cautions Ann Evans Watson. David Herendeen adds: “Whether you end up working in straight theatre, musical theater, film/TV, or as a street mime, it will be as it always has been: a life that requires perseverance. This isn’t faith-based and has nothing to do with clicking your heels together three times and making a wish or praying. Instead, you have to build your reputation and place in life –– work at it and stick to it.”

What do current and recent students of musical theatre wish they’d known before entering their programs?

Alison Verhofstadt says she wishes she’d been better at time management. Figuring out how to balance classes, practice, and rehearsals with sleep and good self-care was tough. “Going into college with a really solid plan, complete with class schedules, homework and practice time, would have been a huge help.”

Jimmy Mavrikes wishes he’d taken dance and piano lessons when he was younger. “Catholic University definitely trained me well, but nothing is better than starting dance and piano when you are young. My parents wasted too much time and money driving me to baseball practice.”

Introductory music theory and aural skills taken before starting college would have helped Eryn McCoy prepare for what was ahead. With 20/20 hindsight she says, “Completing more general education requirements ahead of time would have given me more time to take extra acting and music classes.”

Audition Tips

• When you walk into the room, smile and make eye contact with every person in the room. It shows you are confident and at ease. Take a moment once you state your name and song title, before nodding to the accompanist. This is your audition and you shouldn’t feel rushed. Make sure you’re ready and comfortable before you start singing, take a breath and create your world before starting the song.

Jump in with two feet. Welcome criticism because it will make you stronger. Greet every day with optimism, learn from your classmates, support the people you perform with, and make good friends.

— Allison Verhofstadt, Musical Theatre major, Benjamin T. Rome School of Music at The Catholic University of America

• Be yourself  – listen to your mentors and assimilate what works for you and let the rest go. Have enough well-thought-out, well-rehearsed pieces so that you can stay interesting and relevant.

– Ann Evans Watson, Musical Theatre coach

• Find a song that fits your voice; put it in a good key. If it is uncomfortable to sing, it is uncomfortable for us to listen to. Sing your, and the composer’s, version of the song. Don’t imitate the recording. Many of the voices you hear [in the recording] are electronically mixed to the point where no human can really make that sound.

— Dr. David Herendeen, director of the Opera and Musical Theatre at Oklahoma City University

• Do not sing the most difficult song in your book! Bring a strong point of view to your material, tell the story and enjoy the time you have with us.

– Elise  Morrow-Schap, former enrollment coordinator, and Tom Pederson, Music Theatre department chair, Benjamin T. Rome School of Music at The Catholic University

• Breathe. Listen. Take your moment. Don’t be afraid of stillness. Set three goals for yourself before you walk into the audition room. Instead of focusing on trying to figure out what the people behind the table think of you, work on accomplishing those personal goals you set for yourself. Always be prepared and always be early to auditions!

– Eryn LeCroy, Oklahoma City University alum

• Come prepared with everything. So many times in auditions the people behind the table liked me, but didn’t necessarily like my material. They will ask you for something else. At one of my auditions last season I was asked to do 4 songs out of my book and 3 monologues.

– Jimmy Mavrikes, The Catholic University of America alum

• We want to see someone that wants to give their all, but is not the perfect dancer. Whether it’s through your song choice, your monologue, your dance – we’re looking for that spark. We can polish the rough edges if there are any. We’re there on your side. Be prepared to add contemporary urban music styles to your repertoire. Music theater styles are expanding to include rap, hip hop, and house music. Increased stylistic versatility is a must.

– Scott Plate, Music Theatre Department Chair, Baldwin Wallace Conservatory

Jack Canfield, Lawrence University Conservatory of Music voice major (’15), was one of 50 new grads whose dream recently came true. Jack is a national recipient of a 2015 Watson Fellowship. While other new grads are looking for jobs or trying to create them, Jack’s being paid $30,000 (plus the cost of health insurance) to spend his first year after graduation exploring the role of singing around the world.

“The plan is to visit communities that teach children to sing like we teach our children to talk,” he told MajoringInMusic.com. “Singing is a part of growing up and it provides an entirely separate expressive vocabulary to describe and engage with existence.” His interest in singing goes beyond his deep passion for and interest in music – he spent most of his five years at Lawrence as a voice and religious studies double major. To Jack, singing is a way to reveal the soul and precedes verbal expression.

From French Polynesia to Russia

French Polynesia, Republic of Congo, Zambia, Arctic Norway, Mongolia, and Russia are all on Jack’s itinerary. However, he realizes that “due to the nature of the (Watson) Fellowship, plans often change on a whim, and side trips to completely different countries are a regular occurrence!”

In just the first few weeks of his journey, Jack already found this to be true. The singing he’d expected to encounter and immerse himself in on the island of Tahiti was more elusive than anticipated. While he did find some “truly amazing” singing in a local Protestant church, and happened upon a singing/dancing competition and festival, there “wasn’t as much from the soul” as he hoped to find. He was already preparing to sail to Fiji aboard the boat of a couple he met while hanging out at the local marina, when we last caught up with him.

Evolving the Plan

Jack says his travel plans were based on “a combination of luck and hard work.” He says, “In some cases, I happened upon a particularly interesting recording and thought, ‘I have to go there. And in others, I was directed toward a particular singing tradition. Making visits a reality, however, has required a lot of cold-calling (or cold-emailing) and hoping that someone in Karasjok, Norway would take interest in my project and be willing to help. To this point, I have been very fortunate. However, I have also run into plenty of problems – namely with visas and travel logistics, etc.”

With a mission to know “what compels us to sing,” Jack is off on the adventure of a lifetime. He promises to check in with MajoringInMusic.com and provide our readers with observations and insights he discovers over the year. He’s already anticipating that he will find “great similarities and vast differences wherever I go.”

In honor of World Voice Day, April 16th, we asked speech pathologist and singing rehabilitation specialist Joanna Cazden for her thoughts on a common problem: dealing with throat tightness.

Here are reasons she thinks you may be experiencing throat tightness and dryness –– and her suggestions on what to do.

1. Sometimes the sensation of your throat feeling dry means that your throat IS dry! The cells at the surface of your throat have air moving past them all day long –– as the result of normal breathing. If the air around you (climate or indoor environment) is dry, your throat feels it.

When you sing, your mouth stays open longer than normal, and you take bigger “gulps” of air when you inhale between phrases. So any dryness you might feel gets even more intense. Drinking plenty of water helps, but using a humidifier, facial “steamer,” or just breathing the steamy vapor from a cup of tea may be a faster solution.

The quickest test is to sing in the bathroom when it’s steamy from a shower or bath. See if your throat feels better. If this kind of dryness is a constant problem, talk to your doctor about possible nasal congestion, and look for “oral dryness” products near the mouthwash and toothpaste section at your local pharmacy.

2. If a pinching and tight feeling is stronger than the sense of dryness, you may be straining your voice by singing too high, too loud, and/or too long.

Listen to your body, because it’s giving you a signal to back off! You can’t force your way past this kind of limit. Instead, give your voice some rest.

To prevent straining, work with a good teacher to improve the posture of your neck and jaw, and to manage your breathing more effectively.

3. Sometimes, throat tightness or a dry, irritated sensation is an indirect signal that your neck muscles are working too hard or are out of balance. This may be helped with massage, acupuncture, or physical therapy.

4. Tightness, dryness, or soreness in your throat can be related to chronic sinus infections, allergies, or acid reflux. It can also be a side effect of medications you’re taking. These are things to discuss with a throat doctor (laryngologist) who understands singers’ needs and problems.

Try the simple things first: humidity, neck relaxation, and less forcing when you sing. If these don’t solve your problem, see a doctor.

Joanna Cazden, MFA, MS-CCC, is a speech pathologist and singing rehabilitation specialist in Los Angeles, and the author of Everyday Voice Care: The Lifestyle Guide (Hal Leonard Books).

Photo Credit: World Voice Day

Are you noticing changes in your vocal range? Are you concerned about them?

by Joanna Cazden,
Speech pathologist, singing rehabilitation specialist

Every voice changes over time. Teenage boys, of course, experience the most dramatic change, but adolescent girls’ voices also gain strength and depth, and may lose a note or two from the very top end, compared to their childhood voices.

In the early 20s, a healthy voice — like the rest of the body — typically shows a thrilling combination of strength and flexibility. Sadly, this peak of range and agility typically declines slightly by the later 20s to early30s, when the voice is considered to be fully mature at a biological level. Note that this is about the same time that the brain’s frontal lobe completes its development, offering you more reliable, thoughtful good judgment than your teenage brain allowed.

As you move from high school to college and beyond, how can you tell whether changes in your vocal range are normal or unhealthy, temporary or permanent? And is it still possible to increase your range as you get older, adding high notes you didn’t have before?

1. Watch yourself sing in a mirror or on video and compare performances over time.

If you are lifting your chin, tightening your jaw, or otherwise straining a little to get notes that used to be effortless, your range may be changing. Maybe your voice is maturing—or maybe your vocal cords are slightly swollen or roughed-up from overuse, illness, or a combination.

Schedule a checkup with your throat doctor, and be super-careful for a few weeks. Avoid any feeling of strain or tension. Avoid overuse. Then re-evaluate.

2. Measure your range regularly every day or week at the same time, singing high and soft.

Track this in a journal to understand your typical variability, and jot down relevant notes about your fatigue, allergies, partying, etc.

Fluctuation of a half- or whole-step day to day, at the very top of your voice and/or the placement of your passagio, may be normal. Once you know how much variation is typical for you, it’s easier to recognize bigger, long-term changes.

3. Do you tend to “cheat” high notes with extra tension?

If so, do the above measurement (see #2) in a head-down position or lying on the floor. These positions tend to disconnect the neck and jaw compensations, so you’ll get a cleaner measurement. Again, singing softly is the most useful challenge.

4. Respect your limits! Note the following:

• Your genetic profile, including the size and shape of your vocal instrument, may not give you the range displayed by your favorite operatic or Broadway-style role model.
• Composers and producers will always push for more extreme performances, but their own bodies and voices are not at risk — yours are!
• Fame, wealth, and healthy singing don’t always go together, so be honest  with your teachers and career advisors, and exercise your maturing frontal lobe to choose your roles wisely.
• If you stop pushing and straining for high notes, you may be able to feel a deeper ability to relax and stretch the throat, and to fully anchor your breath support. Then, if higher notes show up, you’ll know they are yours to keep.

Joanna Cazden, MFA, MS-CCC, is a speech pathologist and singing rehabilitation specialist in Los Angeles, and the author of “Everyday Voice Care: The Lifestyle Guide” (Hal Leonard Books).

College a cappella groups offer music majors and non-majors alike the chance to share their love of singing along with hands-on experience in performing, arranging, promoting, fundraising, and much more. Most groups are close-knit communities where members find a welcome niche while traversing the highs and lows of college life.

Why join?

Jacob Koressel, a graduate of Indiana University, says he joined the all-male group “Straight No Chaser” (SNC) to get involved in a music ensemble “outside of the traditional choir experience. The group definitely changed my college a cappella experience for the better, both musically and socially,” he says. “The guys I was in SNC with are still some of my best friends.” Original members of SNC went on to record a contract with Atlanta Records in 2008, and the Indiana group changed its name to Another Round to avoid confusion. Koressel, who now teaches high school math, continues to attend the group’s annual winter and spring concerts and fill in for Another Round members on an as-needed basis.

Regardless of their major, members of a cappella groups learn to hone their musicianship, says Thomas J. West, who received his bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Penn State School of Music. West performs with the professional a cappella group KeyStone, teaches instrumental music at Pennsylvania Leadership Charter School, and is director of education at The A Cappella Project in Philadelphia..

College a cappella groups offer members “a chance to arrange, transcribe, and learn choral skills; the opportunity to put shows together; the experience of learning about the voice as an instrument; and the ability to perform,” he says. It also allows members to develop essential workforce skills. “A cappella requires you to be a team player and do what’s best for the group,” says West. “This is a skill that employers are always seeking.”

Social + Career Opportunities

“There are a lot of benefits from being part of In The Buff,” says Jack ‘GaGa’ Walker, a chemical engineering major and the business manager for the University of Colorado Boulder’s all-male a cappella group. “I think the most important one would definitely be the camaraderie. We spend so much time together as a group that we become really close. It’s really nice knowing that for two hours, three times a week I can forget about my problems, have fun, and sing with some of my closest friends.”

In The Buff alumni remain actively engaged with current members, come together for reunions, and assist one another in job searches.

Jack Strother-Blood, pre-Business, and Jasper Freedom, Music Composition, are both freshman at the University of Oregon. They are members of  UO’s all-male a cappella group On the Rocks (OTR). The group received national recognition through appearances on Seasons 2 and 3 of NBC’s “The Sing Off.”

The benefits Strother-Blood and Freedom have already seeing from being members of OTR are typical of what students gain by joining. “I had seen On The Rocks perform at my high school a few times and I enjoyed listening to them,” says Strother-Blood. “I thought it might be a good way to meet people. It turned out that I actually love it and I am so glad that I started as early as I did.”

With three a cappella groups to choose from at UO, students who want to sing are likely to find the right fit. The a cappella scene is “much more than just three groups singing every Friday at the EMU (Erb Memorial Union) on campus,” say Strother-Blood and Freedom. “It is a big family of people who, through singing together, become best friends.”

“Another opportunity both personal and professional,” Freedom adds, “is recording. OTR has the unique opportunity to work with alum and co-founder Peter Hollens on top quality recordings. Being a part of this process allows me to learn how it is done so I can apply it to my personal music, which will then help me with my career plans in music. I am also the new booking manager for OTR, so I get to make connections with professional people and represent OTR.”

Auditions

What are college a cappella groups looking for in new members?

Daniel Weidlein, a jazz performance graduate (2012) of the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music, performed on Season 3 of NBC’s “The Sing Off” and sang bass in USC’s all-male group, The Trojan Men. He says, “A cappella groups are kind of like vocal fraternities, so social skills end up being a huge part of the audition process.” He and his fellow members looked for the following in new recruits:

• Good voice
• Ability to sing solos well
• Ability to blend well with other voices
• Strong sense of pitch and rhythm
• Ability to read music
• Good aural skills (singing back what you hear)
• Good performance skills (body movement, facial expressions, enthusiasm, genuine enjoyment of what you’re doing)

Divya Maus, who graduated May, 2014 from USC Thornton School of Music as a music major with an emphasis in songwriting, was a member of USC’s co-ed a cappella group, Reverse Osmosis (RO). For RO, “The solo had to be interesting, both the choice of solo and how the person sang it. You can tell a lot about a person’s taste and musical ear based on that small solo.” She also emphasizes the need for prospective members to demonstrate “a readiness to try things and be open to our audition instructions. We loved the people who were shy about sight reading or not the most experienced musicians and were still totally willing to give it a shot. This showed that even if they weren’t trained musicians, they were eager to make the effort and learn. That eagerness was what made us take auditionees who weren’t as good at sight reading over other auditionees.”

As a musical theatre major, it’s essential that you understand and protect your voice for the long term. Professional singers are vocal athletes and it takes serious commitment and training to work in the field.

by Nadine Gomes and Rebecca Schorsch

If you are considering turning your passion for musical theatre into a career, here are some important things to consider.

1. Imitation and over-singing

When the Musical Theater bug bites, the fever it causes can result in belting out show tunes in your bedroom, kitchen and car for hours on end. Imitation and over-singing are two significant dangers for the young MT singer. Listening to Idina Menzel or your favorite Broadway star can be fun, but the young high school and college level voice is still developing. The seductive nature of imitation can prevent a young singer from discovering and mastering their own individual and genuine sound. Manipulating your own voice to sound like someone else’s can result in serious and limiting stress and strain. Learning to sing without tension is an essential principle, not only of vocal study but of a long-lasting professional career in Musical Theater.

2. Warning signs

Eight to ten shows a week is a reality for the professional Musical Theater singer. This requires serious training and deep understanding of your voice and body, its strengths and limitations.

Vocal fatigue is unfortunately common among young singers, and it is important to recognize the symptoms. Listen to your body and learn to recognize the important messages it is sending you when singing. Hoarseness, physical discomfort and pain are signs of vocal exhaustion.

Good singing should not hurt . A singer should never lose their voice unless seriously ill. Singing to the point of vocal weakness or strain must be avoided. Know when to stop! If you are experiencing drastic vocal weakness or changes that last longer than a week, it may be time to consult an otolaryngologist, or the voice specialist ENT in your area.

3. Finding the right mentor

First and foremost, someone else needs to be your ears. If you are considering a career as a singer in any style, you need to work with a vocal technique teacher who is an experienced singer. This person should be well-versed in Musical Theater style and performance practice, and understand the principles of good vocal health, including how the body works. They should also be able to help you sing healthily and assist you in choosing appropriate repertoire for study and auditions.

Good singing feels good, sounds good, and is consistently repeatable. It takes time, regular practice and commitment to understand your own voice, and you need a knowledgeable partner on this journey. You should feel comfortable with the teacher and feel that they are helping you take ownership of your own instrument and how it works.

4. Warming up

Vocal warm-ups in your voice lessons are meant to be duplicated on your own as a ritual before all singing. Find time to warm up your voice and body before every practice session, rehearsal and performance. Skipping this essential step is physically dangerous. Think of it this way: Would you run 5 miles without first warming up?

5. Staying healthy

Staying in top physical shape is mandatory for a lasting career in Musical Theater. Drinking plenty of water, eating well, staying physically active and getting sleep aren’t just good for you as a human, they are necessary for career survival as a singer. Learning to go home and sleep instead of staying out partying with friends is a hard but important lesson to learn. The voice is a delicate instrument and it is easier to harm it than you might think.

6. Continuing education

A professional singer’s education never ends. It takes dedication, patience, years of work and healthy life habits to be a successful performer. If this is where your passion lies, the joy needs to be in the journey itself. Staying in top vocal and physical condition makes that journey so much more enjoyable!

Rebecca Schorsch  and Nadine Gomes are both full-time lecturers in Studio Voice for the Theatre Conservatory at Chicago College of the Performing Arts (CCPA) at Roosevelt University.  Their students sing on Broadway, Chicago, National Tours and regional stages.

Your voice can withstand a certain amount of use without vocal fatigue, depending on the intensity of use and your level of vocal fitness. By singing too much, too loudly, or out of range, your vocal mechanism will begin to fatigue and your body will try and compensate.

by Wendy DeLeo LeBorgne, Ph.D.  CCC-SLP

Symptoms of vocal fatigue may include: hoarseness; change in laryngeal sensation (tightness, neck muscles aching); increased vocal effort to produce sound; loss of dynamic control (generally soft becomes more difficult); and vocal onsets become discoordinated. You may begin to experience physical compensation (jaw tightness, tongue tightness).

Over time, continuing to sing on a vocally fatigued mechanism may result in physical and vocal changes (and possible injury) that will alter the way that you perform as a singer.

How to minimize vocal fatigue?

There are several ways to minimize vocal fatigue. We turn to the athletic model of training to serve as an example:

1. Ensure adequate nutrition and hydration.

It takes approximately two hours for the liquids that you drink to become systemic (with the exception of alcohol and caffeine). Therefore, it is imperative singers begin drinking non-caffeinated, non-carbonated fluids several hours before and consistently throughout their singing day. The vocal folds require appropriate lubrication to vibrate efficiently. Vocal folds lacking appropriate lubrication result in a system at increased risk for injury because of increased heat and friction (imagine an engine that doesn’t have enough oil, gears heat up and don’t work well).

2. Practice and train in a cost-efficient manner.  

Training for a marathon takes place over a period of several months, with gradual increase in pace and stamina. There are also built-in periods of rest.

Think about what we often do as performers. We wait until the last minute to learn new music, we rehearse for several hours at a time “full out,” and the most intensive week vocally is often tech week (and then everyone is vocally exhausted for the show).

Consider training smarter. Train like an athlete and vary the intensity of your vocal workouts.  Pace your training schedule as well as during your practice sessions. For example, Weeks 1 to 3 can be vocal building weeks and Week 4 a recovery week. Then, Weeks 5 to 7 are increased vocal building, with Week 8 a recovery week.

Within your weekly practice sessions, balance your vocally intensive practice days with an easy vocal day the following day. Take a day of vocal rest each week for adequate recovery.

After practice sessions, be sure to cooldown your body, voice, and mind to return to “neutral.”  This is especially important when you are at vocal extremes during your practice session.

3. What to do if you are vocally fatigued?

Because singing involves the entire body and psyche, there will be times when vocal fatigue is unavoidable. Here are several tips to recover quickly from vocal fatigue:

• Modified (not complete) vocal rest. Consider minimizing your talking (both the amount of talking you do and the intensity/loudness).
• Decrease the length and intensity of your vocal practice sessions (i.e. practice for 15 minutes 3-4 times per day instead of one 45-60 minute session).
• Use vocal “unloading” exercises during practice sessions. Specifically, vocalize in the mid-range at a moderate vocal intensity. Use step-wise exercises (the larger the interval, the more vocally complex the exercise is). Vocalize on semi-occluded vocal tract exercises for singing –– lip buzz, tongue trill, straw in water (bubbles) –– to help unload the system.
• Hydrate!

Wendy LeBorgne, PhD CCC-SLP (Voice Pathologist and Singing Voice Specialist) is the director of the Blaine Block Institute for Voice Analysis and Rehabilitation and the Professional Voice Center of Greater Cincinnati. She holds an adjunct Assistant Professor at Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music and the College of Allied Health. Her research includes the area of the Broadway “belt.” In addition to her duties as a voice pathologist, she continues to maintain an active professional performing career.

Choral conducting is an exciting and deeply rewarding field. As a career, it offers the chance to serve others, a respectable salary range, and an opportunity for lifelong involvement and learning.

by Scott W. Dorsey

It can be argued that there are more choirs in the United States than any other type of ensemble. Given that there are no instruments or specialized equipment required, a chorus is easier and less expensive to develop than a band or orchestra. Additionally, singing is an innate capability in most humans. While the highest levels of a singing career require extensive training, it is possible for an amateur singer to perform well with only limited instruction.

Choral groups need qualified and dedicated leaders. There are a variety of environments where a choral conducting career can be established.

Education

The most obvious path for a choral conductor is a position in an educational institution. The vast majority of K-12 schools and colleges and universities offer students the chance to sing in various choirs.

There are numerous advantages to a job in education:

• Opportunity to encourage and influence young people in their critical formative years
• Frequent performances
• Diversity of available repertoire
• Geographical flexibility

Choral conductors serving in an educational institution have the opportunity to work with a wide variety of ensembles. From groups of fledgling singers learning the fundamentals, to doctoral candidates who rival the world’s best professional choirs, the work of choral teachers spans the entire educational horizon. And the variety of literature sung by choirs in our schools, colleges and universities covers the entire 1,500-year history of the choral spectrum, leaving no musical stone unturned.

Choral conductors serving in an educational environment work long hours, and do so with an altruistic zeal that verges on the evangelical. 75-hour weeks during the academic year are common. Off-campus performances, competitions, and additional rehearsals are expected. Most choral directors in educational environments invest time on the weekends, and do so willingly, because they know they are serving a much greater good through their efforts.

Houses of Worship

The choral art owes its very existence to the the realm of sacred music. Judaic and early Christian traditions used various forms of chant as a central part of the worship experience. Early chant repertoire constituted the seeds that eventually grew into the western choral art form.

Though sources disagree on exact numbers, most generally concur that there are well over a half million Christian and Judaic houses of worship in the U.S. alone. With virtually all of these offering some form of vocal music program, there are ample opportunities to serve in a paid capacity in a church or synagogue.

Relgious-based choral positions vary wildly, from the part-time choral conductor leading a small choir in a rural church, to the music director at a cathedral overseeing a large music staff and multiple ensembles.

The salary range in religious institutions is just as diverse. While the fledgling student conductor working their first job may earn only enough to cover the cost of gas, full-time salaries for the combined organist/choirmaster position in large churches reach into the six-figure range.

Obviously, a position in a house of worship will obligate the choral director to take part in scheduled weekend worship services. Those in full-time positions have an adjusted “weekend” during the week.

Symphonic Chorus

Most symphony orchestras include at least one concert each season that features a representative work from the choral-orchestral repertoire.

The music director will often seek a choral conductor to prepare the vocal ensemble.  Though this is not usually a steady job, it can provide the creative choral musician with an annual opportunity to conduct important literature. Many choral conductors who work part-time with symphony orchestras also serve as the orchestra’s associate conductor, complete with the opportunity to conduct an occasional subscription concert.

Community Chorus

In most communities in the U.S., adult choral ensembles come together on a regular basis simply to rehearse and share the joy of performance. Generally known as community choruses, they range from small groups in a local retirement villa, to large ensembles singing barbershop literature, to enormous community programs with multiple ensembles and full-time staffs.

Opera and Musical Theatre

Most operas and works in the musical theatre genre feature numerous choral selections. These “crowd scenes” are vital to the advancement of the plot, and are frequently the grand show-stoppers of the performance. Preparing the large chorus numbers in musical theatre requires a choral leader well-versed in the vocal pedagogy and in mechanics of ensemble singing. Due to the primacy of the voice in the form, the music director of such a production is often likely to be a choral conductor. This requires a combination of musicianship, vocal acumen, conducting skill, and a willingness to work collaboratively with other artists.

Theme Parks

Whether they are small, local amusement parks or the Disney megalopolis, most theme parks offer some form of live entertainment, often in the form of a musical review.  The vocal nature of these events necessitates the special skills of a choral conductor. In much the same way as a musical theatre production, the choral conductor will be called upon to coach individual singers, lead large choral production numbers, and work in a demanding environment of multiple daily performances under challenging conditions.

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Dr. Scott W. Dorsey was director of education at the American Choral Directors Association. His received his DMA in Choral Conducting from the University of Iowa, an MA in Choral Conducting from California State University-Stanislaus, and a BA in Voice from Nebraska Wesleyan University. Scott has led choral programs at several colleges and universities in the U.S.

Photo credit: Interlochen Center for the Arts

A young singer exploring college voice degrees will find a veritable alphabet soup of degree options including BM, BA, BME, BFA, and BMT. Knowing the differences  can help a high school singer choose the right degree for his or her career path.

by Cynthia Vaughn

BM (Bachelor of Music) in Vocal Performance

This is typically a degree in classical vocal performance with an emphasis on opera, oratorio, and art song. Several schools offer BM degrees in Vocal Jazz Studies and a few schools are now offering a BM in Popular Music (rock, pop, R&B, country) or Contemporary Commercial Music.

BA (Bachelor of Arts) in Music

With an emphasis in voice, the BA in music may offer liberal arts majors a secondary emphasis such as business, theater, or foreign language. The secondary track is more than a minor and less than a double major. In some states, such as California, a BA performance degree may be equivalent to a BM at other schools.

BME (Bachelor of Music Education)

This is a music degree for elementary or secondary vocal music teachers and choir directors.

BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts)

This is a degree offered in Music Theater and is usually housed in either the music or the theater department.

BMT (Bachelor of Music Therapy)

Voice majors in this degree often have music skills and an interest in the science and medicine. Future vocal music majors are often the top singers in their high schools. It is not unusual for talented teens to sing a variety of vocal styles  in high school. They sing in select school choirs, All State Choir, jazz  choirs, glee clubs and show choir. They play leading roles in school musicals; take private voice and piano lessons; compete in and win NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing) Student Auditions and local talent competitions. Many top high school singers are also excellent pianists, actors, and dancers, and may be in the school band and choirs. At the college level, however, undergraduate BM, BA, and BME vocal majors will most often study and perform classical and choral music. Smaller schools and liberal arts colleges may offer more opportunities for students to participate in a variety of vocal ensembles and vocal styles.

Some Questions to Ask As You Explore University Vocal Degree Programs:

• What kind of music will I study and perform? Can I sing classical and contemporary styles? Are freshmen allowed to audition for select choirs and stage shows?
• Who will be my voice teacher? Will I study with voice faculty or with a graduate student? Will I have 30-minute or hour lessons? Do I get to choose my voice teacher? (Usually not! Freshman are usually assigned to faculty.) In some large music schools, music education voice students are not considered voice “majors”, but rather voice emphasis.
• How large is the graduate program? The larger the graduate program, the fewer opportunities there may be for underclassmen to perform in the top ensembles or play leading roles in operas and musicals.
• How important are piano skills? Very! The smartest thing a potential voice major can do to ensure success as a music major is to take piano lessons and learn the basics of music theory.  Dance and acting skills are also critical for BFA music theater majors.
• What are the solo recital requirements for undergraduates? BM performance majors may be expected to prepare and perform a junior and senior recital or just a senior recital. Music Education majors may perform a solo senior recital, or no recital. BA majors may have an option of performing a recital or preparing a paper or presentation. Music Therapy majors may have vocal assessments as part of their practicum, but may not be required to perform a solo recital. At some schools BME , BMT, or BFA students have an option to pursue a concurrent Performers Certificate, which implies a level of classical vocal achievement expected of BM Vocal Performance majors.
• How long will it take to earn my degree? Many vocal performance and music education degrees require so many credits that it is nearly impossible to complete in four years without taking summer courses.
• What kind of job can I get with a voice degree? BME graduates are prepared to go right into classroom music teaching and secondary choral conducting. Jazz and contemporary music grads  can become free-lance performers and recording artists. Classical BM voice majors often go directly to graduate vocal performance degrees to build skills and allow their voices to mature for the opera stage. BFA Music Theater voice majors start auditioning as soon as they graduate and may be hired by regional theater companies, touring companies, cruise ships, theme parks,  and perhaps Broadway and Off-Broadway. Upon graduating, BMT voice majors often apply for internships at medical clinics and residential facilities. Music may not end up being your day job. Businesses of all types, including high tech firms, are increasingly hiring “creatives” with fine arts and liberal arts degrees. Music majors have the creativity, leadership, communication and people skills to excel in many outside fields.

Cynthia Vaughn (BA and MA in Music Vocal Performance) co-authored with Meribeth Dayme, PhD, THE SINGING BOOK, a leading college voice textbook and song anthology (3rd edition 2014, W.W. Norton). She taught voice at the university level for ten years (Colorado State University, Cedarville University) and prepares many young singers for college auditions. Vaughn is an active NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing) member who has performed across the country in professional classical and music theater productions, and studio recording. She is a frequent adjudicator for vocal competitions, teaches masterclasses, and is founder and director of Magnolia Music Studio in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Healthy belting is an extension of speech, so as voice students, if you do not have a strong, clear sound when you are speaking, particularly in your lower notes, you may not have a natural capacity to belt.

By Jeannette LoVetri

Healthy belting is also produced with a kind of trumpet-like intensity that makes the sound seem to be very powerful without causing vocal fatigue or stress. It takes a good amount of breath support generated by a strong, deliberate use of the abdominal muscles while singing, but it does not use air in the same way that a good classical sound does.

Belting may or may not have a vibrato (a steady fluctuation of the pitch being sung), and it may or may not extend to the very highest pitches in a singer’s range. Some singers belt only up to a specific pitch or pitch range, particularly if they also sing in other styles that are not belted. Those vocalists who also sing classically have to learn to “shift vocal gears” if they are to sing easily in both belting and classical sound, and that takes time (from months to years) to do well.

It is rare, but not impossible, to find teachers of belting who are not, themselves, belters at a high level, who also sing classical and other styles of repertoire, and who are experienced and effective singing teachers. Many who claim to teach belting are neither trained belters nor have any professional-level experience as belters. Students who want to learn to belt should be especially wary of such teachers.

Note that it is possible to learn to make the belt sound without training, through trial and error and through imitation.

What You Need to Know about Belting

• Many classically trained singers who now teach were taught that belting was automatically injurious to the vocal folds (cords). This is an old wives’ tale, based on a lack of accurate understanding and experience. Sadly, many vocal programs do not allow students to do any belting throughout their entire four years of undergraduate training, and will not accept any belted material from a student during an entrance audition.
• Any kind of squeezing, pushing, forcing, yelling, and extreme nasality in belting can lead to both musical and vocal health problems over time. The sound should be free, easy and comfortable, and the vocalist should also be able to sing softly in most pitches without undue effort.
• The face, neck, head and body should be in harmony and look comfortable in a belt sound, although the louder, higher sounds will require more activity on the part of the vocalist in order to be done correctly.
• General advice: if it feels good, and sounds good, and does the job over and over, it probably is good. If it feels bad and sounds good, be suspicious. If it feels good but sounds bad, something is not working correctly, and if it feels bad and sounds bad, it is bad and should be stopped. This is true in any style of music.
• If you study with a teacher who is not familiar with the belt sound, with repertoire that uses the sound, and who can’t answer your questions about how the sound is made, find another teacher! Knowledgeable teachers understand all these things and will happily explain them in a simple, clear manner.
• If your voice ever feels “bad” or “sounds funny” and doesn’t get better, find a good otolaryngologist (ENT or Ear, Nose and Throat specialist) and have your vocal folds examined. Serious vocal damage can sometimes be permanent and prevent you from singing professionally for the rest of your life.

Jeannette LoVetri  is the director of the Voice Workshop and has been teaching singing since 1972. Her students appear on Broadway, in concerts and recordings, and include rock, pop, jazz, classical, gospel and other styles. She is a voice researcher and author, and teaches at five nationally-recognized universities.

Sounds like an oxymoron, but World Voice Day gives us a chance to consider the benefits of silence. Your larynx is in constant motion.  Every time you breathe or swallow, your larynx moves, so unlike most other parts of the body, the larynx is never truly “at rest.”  Here are a few thoughts on maintaining vocal health through the acronym of SILENCE.

by Wendy LeBorgne, Ph.D,CCC-SLP

[intense_dropcap]S[/intense_dropcap] – Shhh!  Performers are generally vocally-enthusiastic folks.  Consider decreasing your vocal volume in conversation…but never whisper. Imagine you are always talking to someone about an arm’s length distance away from you.

[intense_dropcap]I[/intense_dropcap] – Injury.   Silence –– i.e., complete voice rest –– is often recommended for a period of time following vocal fold surgery to allow the laryngeal wound to heal appropriately.  Check with your surgeon regarding length of time for complete vocal rest. Complete voice rest means no laughing, talking, whispering, or coughing –– as those are all voiced behaviors.

[intense_dropcap]L[/intense_dropcap] – Less is more. Although we think of commercial or any non-classical music as often being loud and edgy, sometimes less is more.  Remember that almost all commercial music (e.g., jazz, pop, R&B, etc.) is amplified.  Use the full palette of dynamics and colors in your voice to make your performance interesting.  This technique will also help conserve your voice for those WOW moments.

[intense_dropcap]E[/intense_dropcap] – Enthusiasm at sporting events.  Find an alternative, such as an air horn or hand clapping, to cheer on your favorite sports team. Loud talking, shouting, and screaming require the vocal folds to move further away from midline and impact harder and longer.  Persistent voice use at increased vocal volumes results in trauma to the vocal fold tissue.  Repeated phonotrauma (abuse or misuse of the vocal folds) can result in vocal pathologies such as nodules and polyps.

[intense_dropcap]N[/intense_dropcap] – Naps.  Take a “vocal nap.”  Even 5 minutes of being quiet will serve you well.  Shut your mouth and give your voice a break for short intervals several times throughout the day.

[intense_dropcap]C[/intense_dropcap] – Cell phones.  Unlike landlines and headsets, most cell phones don’t have amplification in the earpiece, which means you talk louder than normal when you’re on them. And if you are talking in the car, your volume becomes even louder!

[intense_dropcap]E[/intense_dropcap] – Enjoy the peace of being quiet.  Use the time to center yourself and your voice. Or take this time to mentally practice your music.

Wendy LeBorgne, PhD CCC-SLP (Voice Pathologist and Singing Voice Specialist) is the director of the Blaine Block Institute for Voice Analysis and Rehabilitation and the Professional Voice Center of Greater Cincinnati. She holds an adjunct Assistant Professorship at Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music and the College of Allied Health. Her research includes the area of the Broadway “belt.” In addition to her duties as a voice pathologist, she continues to maintain an active professional performing career.