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Aloha Friends,
* to teach or not to teach? ....
Over the years I have been approached by colleagues, chorus members and conservatory students asking if I gave coachings and-or voice lessons. Generally I have thanked the person
for the complement, but said no. My reasoning was, more or
less, that all of my great voice teachers were really "verbal
types" - they spoke and explained terrifically - at least well
enough for me to understand and apply their ideas (as I felt
appropriate.) Since I am not a big talker, I figured others were
better suited.
* vocal security: after the breath is sorted, it's all about the Passaggio ...
I believe the reason I have been so
often asked has to do with the security of my technic. I began at
university as a baritone. After completing school I learned to manage
the difficult transitional notes in my range - what we singers call
the Passaggio - very successfully. The upper tones then came without effort. The whole secret was the Passaggio. Once sorted out, my voice was secure bottom to top - completely dependable. That may sound boastful, but it is
simply so. I worked extensively first with a Del Monico schooled
teacher; then spent more than two years working very closely with
Carlo Bergonzi. By the time I was working professionally as a tenor, my
voice was entirely dependable. I could sing through most ailments;
and was never bothered by the nerve crises common to singers -
especially those tenors who rely alone on naturally attractive voices. My
range encompasses the low B flat on through D above high C - which I
sang in Vespri and Guillaume Tell. After more than two decades I still sing the high C on stage - last year I added D-flat in Masnadieri. Plus, at the advice of Bergonzi, I have always mixed bel canto repertoire comfortably with
Italian spinto and French dramatic roles. In every case, with the breath solidly low, it has been
my facility with the passaggio that has ensured my success, confidence
and - most importantly, my pleasure in singing.
* in sickness and in health: a voice you can LIVE with ...
More than that, I can eat, sleep and live like a normal person. I don't need to go through life afraid that the smallest change in temperature might impair my voice. I can sing in hot climates and cold ones. I am not captive to a capricious, undependable technic. I am not sure I would even want to be a singer if it meant denying myself LIFE. Within reasonable limits, I can eat, drink or do whatever activities I want to. By contrast, I have known colleagues who live like monks - in terror of drafts, invisible germs, wheat products and-or air conditioning. I frankly worry about their technics. More than that, if their sensitive vocal condition leads them to withdraw from life, how can they ever portray normal, living human beings on the stage or in song? With no life experience, what can they draw upon? - and how can they relate with the ordinary folks for whom they perform? I can't imagine ...
* Free to move on to musicianship and artistry vs. the ugly alternative ...
From the professional standpoint, my vocal security frees me to concentrate on text and accurate musicianship: in short, I am free to move on from being a mere "vocalist," to become a musician and artist - even a teacher . For, once in a while throughout the years, when pressed, I have
given coachings and lessons. And, to my increasing surprise, I really
enjoy doing it. And, more pleasing still, my hands on, demonstrative
approach, seems to work for a number of young singers. The great
thing is: I can see they are having the same fun singing that I do.
With a solid, dependable technic we are truly free to enjoy the
music, sing it accurately, convey the meanings of the texts and genuinely
listen to our colleagues.
The alternative is not pretty. In my
experience, singers who are poor musicians, who are constantly "behind the beat,"
and-or find their voices covered by orchestras, generally have
technical defects in their singing. These folks invariably, and
embarrassingly blame the conductor or colleagues for their inability
to sing accurately; they'd have us believe their "schlepping" is born of
"emotional truth." Bull! Their schlepping is because their
flawed, imperfect technics disallow clean attacks, accurate pitch and textual
clarity.
A quick way to identify a singer with poor
technic at the opera: He or She is the one who can be seen "setting
up their vocal position" while their duet colleagues are
singing. They are waiting, preparing - and never listening to their
colleagues, never free to let a new idea arise on stage.
By contrast,
great singers in a duet create the illusion that the vocal line flows
back and forth between themselves and the orchestra - all seamless
and living. But, put in a non-technically prepared "natural singer"
and the stop, start, jerking of tempos and vocal coloration is
dreadful. And no fun - for the singers or the audience.
* Fun at last - doing what you love, and loving what you are doing ....
So, even though the development of a
secure mastery of breath and registration comes only as the result of hard work, the
result is pure pleasure. And, it turns out: the hard work of vocal
training is fun too. And for me as an active performer, working in the studio with students is a constant check on my own technic. I learn as I teach. The fact is: Any singer worth listening to is a vocal student for life.
* My philosophy - sharing some "tricks" & spreading the fun around ...
For over 20 years I have worked with the industry's greatest singers, on the stages of it greatest opera companies, and conducted by many of its greatest conductors. My repertoire is basically the great Romantic French and Italian works. Taking Verdi alone: I have sung the leading tenor roles in 19 of his operas, alongside such legendary singers as Ghiaurov, Bruson, Nucci, Milnes, Ramey and Cappuccilli. I've sung bel canto alongside Gruberova, Swenson, Baltsa, Aliberti & Co. I've been conducted by Kleiber, DeWaart, Viotti, Rudel, Muti and Mehta. I've watched and learned through the years from Coelho, Tichy, Patchell, Rowland and Grundheber - not to mention Domingo, Kraus, Pavarotti, Shicoff and Carreras, with all of whom I have alternated performances. I don't think you can have been around as much as I have without picking up a few tricks here and there!
And, as it turns out, it is great fun to share my store of experience with capable young singers and colleagues moving into the repertoire I know. So, I have decided to accept a position
as a vocal instructor at the International Opera Academy in Bad
Schwalbach, Germany. Bad Schwalbach is near Wiesbaden. And though I remain an active performer myself, I am often available for both longer term weekly or bi-weekly lessons, or for shorter term intensive lessons and coachings. I've also done a number of masterclasses in Europe and the States over the years. Theses too seem to be fun for all involved. Organizations interested in such a program are encouraged to contact me.
* interested? Let's talk! ...
Persons interested in setting an informal meeting may either
i) send me a short note, complete with your contact information, in care
of the "Contact" / "Contact Form" sections of this website, ii) email me at:
This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it
; or,iii) send me a message on my facebook page. We can meet, talk and perhaps, sing a bit. Then, if we have fun, we can talk about how we might work together. For more general information about the International Opera Academy, Bad Schwalbach, check out their homepage: http://www.l-operapiccola.de/
My best to you,
Keith Ikaia-Purdy Bad Schwalbach, Germany 7 January 2011
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