Today after a 9 hour hibernation following a highly spirited week at school; I arose on Saturday March 19th refreshed and ready to teach 2 voice students.
I very much enjoyed guiding my analytical and left brain inclined baritone into the world of of singing that is a civilized scream. Thanks Dr. Anderson! It is not a tool for everyone but for this lad after his laughter ceased, it helped him access breath engaged registers and overall release. He also enjoyed meeting Harold the skull (thank you Ruth Falcon) when we worked on unlearning “drop the jaw”; well intentioned advice of the past not helpful for the big picture.
My other student had her first lesson. Her love and ease for singing was so evident. It was inspiring. Outside of introductory vowel work and vocabulary connections, we explored some of the “right tight” ways she’s been taught. Since I worked with performance craft master Patricia O’Neill at LSU, my teaching is more of an inside out approach. The student is the muse who discovers by proprioception, balanced sound on the breath. I’m the handyman ready to provide the tools as we evolve. Tears came from us both as we connected about sharing our music because of the need to say something and not out of fear.
I do love teaching one on one but I don’t extend myself too thin with too many students because at the end of the day, voice lessons involve so much. It’s all about individual and evolving technical application, peeling back of protective bandaids, unlearning misguided absolutes, and a whole lot of inside discovery.
Giddy up.
#akintsucrooner
akintsucrooner 