https://youtube.com/shorts/rUSI04iwjeI?is=l2z1YFGpW8UKjgEj

Hold on to what is good
even if it is a handful of earth.
Hold on to what you believe
even when it is a tree
that stands by itself.
Hold on to what you must do
even when it is a long way from here.
Hold on to life
even when it is easier letting go.
Hold on to my hand
even when I have gone away from you.

• Pueblo –

So live your life that the fear of death
can never enter your heart.
Trouble no one about their religion;
respect others in their view, and
demand that they respect yours.
Love your life, perfect your life,
beautify all things in your life.
Seek to make your life long and
its purpose in the service of your people.
Prepare a noble death song for the day
when you go over the great divide.
Always give a word or a sign of salute
when meeting or passing a friend,
even a stranger, when in a lonely place.
When it comes your time to die,
be not like those whose hearts are filled
with the fear of death,
so that when their time comes they weep
and pray for a little more time
to live their lives over again in a different way.
Sing your death song and
die like a hero going home.

• Chief Tecumseh, Shawnee Nation, 1768-1813

Deep Peace to You
Deep peace of the running wave to you.
Deep peace of the flowing air to you.
Deep peace of the quiet earth to you.
Deep peace of the shining stars to you.
Deep peace of the infinite peace to you.

• Adapted from Ancient Gaelic Runes –

I arise today
Through the strength
Of heaven:
Light of sun,
Radiance of moon,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of wind,
Depth of sea,
Stability of earth
Firmness of rock.

Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing. Helen Keller

Highlights on this mid October day:

1. While watching Beethoven lives upstairs and witnessing him throw water on himself during a dysregulated mood, student remarks: Beethoven needs to throw some holy water on himself. He needs it. Kevin Campana
2. Not sure how Princess Kiwi Adelaide Perryner would feel about this title Elizabeth Honer but a student said they liked the picture of me with my pigeon. Lol Gianna Coccellato Hanna
3. My shoe was thrown in admiration at my Wagner student who did well on their Italian idol aria at their penultimate lesson today.
4. Tonight’s final voice student said “it didn’t feel like singing” when they got the vocal technique in their body. Music to my ears. Giddy up.

I had the privilege to work with Martina Arroyo during her operatic role preparation classes at the Liederkranz in NYC when I first moved to NY/NJ. She was gifted, warm, funny, personable, wise, and a tremendous life force. She gave so much to others and was so down to earth which was so refreshing from someone with her operatic legend stature.

I remember having the privilege to go to her home and being enamoured of her fabulous caftan. Elizabeth Honer and I were just getting together during one of her role classes and often were being too noisy flirting with each other. Martina separated us and then started chatting with Eliz. 😆 This pic is from a performance we did at the end of her class. What a heavenly choir it must be now.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martina_Arroyo

#restinpower #requiescatinpace

Ya know….I would have never have thunk as a youngster that vocal pedagogy would bring all the feels. I just love “nerding out” if you will and having robust exchanges about the principles and practices of the foundation of all singing; bel canto.

Today my vocal colleagues and I discussed the important balance of bel canto and clarity of enunciation. Both are necessary in vocal production and overall expression. They do not function well alone.

My wise peer Sergio Hernandez spoke about the image of the infinity symbol as it comes the approach of diction and core vocal production. We indeed speak in notes. The goal is to acquire a balanced seesaw of (in the words of esteemed pedagog Berton Coffin) entry of vowel to consonant and exit of consonant to vowel. My college voice teacher Jerry Daniels brought me to the land of Berton Coffin.

Regardless of genre, we most efficiently and authentically sing when we aren’t creating sound anaerobically and via throat led muscular action (which often takes years off of the voice). We love Freddy Mercury for a reason. His voice was a highly functioning bel canto sound.

Our ultimate goal is to phonate through a freely accessed, kinesthetic, and energetically delivered blended sound grounded in healthy duration.

Yeah. That’s hot. 😂

#akintsucrooner

You are steel the one for me. Happy 11th anniversary, Elizabeth Honer❤️❤️

#10315

EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE
E. Perryman 9.28.2026

Tonight when my voice student was able to access their free breath in challenging passaggio areas after finding body release through redirection, they said their breath flow felt “collected”. I haven’t heard it described in that way before. I found the unique vocabulary inspiring.

Fundamentals of breathing as a singer include but are not limited to:

• Low Expansion: The belly and lower ribs move outward and downward as the diaphragm lowers, maximizing lung capacity.
• No Shoulder Tension: Shoulders and the upper chest remain relaxed and still, avoiding unnecessary neck and larynx tension.
• Quiet and Controlled: Air is taken in silently and steadily rather than as a sharp, noisy gasp.
• Foundation for Support: It sets up the core engagement needed for breath control and steady exhalation during singing.

Efficient singing is indeed of collection of focus/placement, easeful directed breath energy, and balanced registers.

Well articulated, wise collegiate.

#akintsucrooner

BELTING
By E. Perryman 9.26.26

Belting as a singer is exciting, precarious, and fulfilling but can be risky business. I grew up in a classical household where bel canto was prescribed as the superior singing elixir. At the time, it was the world of high Annie belt so this was less than popular. I was discouraged from belting as too often the voice is eclipsed; sounds are created using too much chest voice with a tight body from head to toe.

In my singing journey, it was only when I solidified my vocal technique that I was able to produce a healthy belt with balanced registers on the breath. Now my belt is formidable when I choose to use it.

Today, my musical theater student asked specifically to work on belt in their lesson after we had worked half of the lesson on bel canto technique. I gave them specific belt exercises through stepwise and wider intervalic patterns. Along the way, we worked on releasing the body and connected the earlier “classical” approach to finding the belt especially around Bb4 B4 and C5. This usually quiet student found their healthy belt under these conditions and got so excited by how it “felt” saying “I’ve never been able to do this.”

At the end of the day, technique is often a practice in the “wax on wax off” approach. You build the proprioceptive muscle memory with basic fundamentals eg. vowel clarity, breath connection, and focus. As a result and regardless of vocal style, you’ll have a core foundation in which to flexibly use your voice. EAP

I am grateful to have had a chance to visit my mom on this three day weekend.

It became even clearer to me why I’m an opera singer (in addition to having a deeply musical family tribe.)

Yes, it’s true. In grand opera fashion, I first walked when my mom came home from a brief hospital visit. I was so happy to see her that when she came in the front door, I stumble walked to her in front of crying relatives.

This morning took the cake though.

I had to leave at the 🍑 of the AM to catch my flight. Almost drooling, I awoke from my slumber after my alarm failed to wake me. I had to quickly say goodbye to my mom as the cab was waiting.

Mom gave me tearful hugs and kisses. She stood in the picture window as we drove away. All we needed was an act 4 Puccini C-sharp minor chord to complete the scena. 😭😅😂

#operasinger #september #momma