At approx 7:45pm this evening, my jugendlich-dramatischer coloratura soprano @miriam.lupu_ set off my Apple Watch noise alert as she wafted heroically above the staff. Well done, young padawan! 🤣 ❤️ 👏 #voiceteaching

THE ROAD TO THE VOWEL

(ISO of Bel Canto)

By E. Perryman

2.7.2026 #akintsucrooner

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” R. Frost

OR MY VOCAL VERSION:

“Two vocal folds vibrating, and I-I phonated these twin bands with core balance and efficient breath and that has made all the difference.” E. Perryman

Today, two of my naturally gifted voice students Lorinda Walker & Allyson Carvajal worked with me to adapt their most efficient vocal technique on specific repertoire. One thing stood out as we cleared the path for uninhibited and balanced singing. Yes, we as singers regardless of genre, need to find our most effective bel canto sound. However, we have to figure out how to contend with the forest brush so to speak as we navigate the trail through musical repertoire. In today’s case, singing consonants below the pitch brought up unhelpful weight and eclipsed the sound. Audiating directly on the pitch especially when we sing in the passaggio creates the most healthy conditions of singing and increases our singing stamina.

In layman’s language, be diligent about singing the initial consonant of the text on the pitch especially while you are building muscle memory. Elaine Rinaldi coached me to sing Oo before W, Patricia O’Neill showed me how to audiate consonants sans NG crutch on pitch, and Mark Thomsen worked with me to make sure to give consonants careful attention as we do our Italianate vowels. These essential object lessons have stayed with me. Thank you, vocal village.

Grateful for Sunday Funday with momma.

Favorite Janet Perryman quotes on this visit:

Mom when we drove to church: We are off like a cloud of peanut butter. 🥰

Mom when we ordered a donut: Its so pretty that I don’t want to eat it. I should take a picture of it. (I am her child. The apple doesnt fall far or in this case a donut.)

Mom to Elizabeth Honer: Thanks for letting me have Elizabeth this weekend. We were missing you though.

#mom #chicago

Grateful for a delightful visit with dear childhood friends Jennifer Marie Diane Knigge Donnelly. It has been a wild, unpredictable, and great trip since the 80s. #friendship

A friend is someone who understands your past, believes in your future, and accepts you just the way you are.” – Unknown

Flying The “Friendly Skies” Landing Edition:

1. By golly, I WILL visit with Janet this weekend regardless of a 6 hour delay, changed terminal, tarmac obstruction, pilot riding the bumper while taxiing, uber/lyft price gauging, and Chicago cab driver who drives as if it’s midtown Manhattan. This journey began at 4:30pm EST and will hopefully soon be completed by 2am CST.
2. One of these is NOT like the other. The folks traveling tonight at a very busy late night O’hare airport are not the usual suspects on my winter, spring, or summer middle aged suburban teacher break.
3. Maybe one of the WORST innocuous sounds on the planet is: (and it sure seemed intentional) the aimless, automatic pilot crinkling of a potato chip bag. And to add insult to injury, the fussy finger fellow traveler just HAD to crinkle a bit more for funsies so that their empty bag was perfectly folded. 😤 🤣
4. Fixed airport table and chairs at Newark terminals allow MUCH less room for the non flat stomach contingent. Chicago is much kinder to my apple shape tribe.
5. Time to cut myself OFF from this stream of conscious purge. Nite nite.

#writingmakesitbetter #January2026 #friendlyskies

January 30 “friendly” sky observations:

1. PSA: When a basic economy traveler passes by a first class passenger picking their nose, we can still see the nose picking.
2. On this late and delayed friday night flight to the Windy City, the median age is quite young, the sassiness is rampant, the airport/flight staff is exceptionally crabby with pursed lips aplenty, and my middle seat is delightfully empty.

#akintsucrooner #quippingvibes #flying

January 2020 post from my 2nd week as voice teacher at Wagner college. I would teach in person only 4 more weeks before the Covid ravaged the east coast. #covidmemories

Grateful for tonight’s rejuvenating spring semester day one at Wagner college. As always, the students are a hoot and keep me on my toes. They did an awesome job with an abacus system I implemented this semester to explore social emotional status and its impact on vocal production.

Other highlights:

Me: what percentage is your voice today?
Student: about 6 7 Jennifer 🤣

Student: my teacher asked us to be cautious how much AI we use; we don’t want to reduce ourselves to being a meat suit.

Huh.

#voiceteacher #wagnercollege

Kathleen Morris boas were shed, laughs were aplenty, and songs were sung with great gusto. Annie 2026 was an epic undertaking. And yes, I did indeed add a viking Annie to the set dressing…;-D The kids rose and gave 2 great shows (even with a snow day and performing on the high school stage tonight for the first time at their performance. ) NGL, my Chicagoan giggled at the lovely but meager NJ snow accumulation lol. It is always so fun to see the youngsters really enjoy themselves on stage and come alive after they’ve worked so hard on their parts. #annie2026 #juddschool #northbrunswicknj #ElementaryTeacher