
When I first began this blog in 2019, it was my intention to delve into the connection of a singer to themselves. Over many years of guiding singers on their path, while travelling my own journey alongside them, I increasingly recognized the intimate exchange between these two aspects of the art and craft of singing: the singer and their voice was inextricably linked to their sense of self. Selfhood and voice were both metaphorically and practically linked. To find authenticity and deep artistry as a singer is to plumb the depths of self. Who I am at the core of my being is inseparable from the voice that emanates from me. If I try to censor or curate this self, I will inevitably block my truest, most beautiful voice. Voice=Self.
Over the last 4 years, I have explored multiple facets of this theme, and I’m nowhere near done. Each week (barring a few hiatuses), I discover some new element, some new insight, often inspired by the students I work with, my own personal experiences, or the stories I hear from singer colleagues. I am also in a continuing quest for understanding the intersections of so many disparate things (perhaps of all things?), whether they be scientific, artistic, political, natural, supernatural, spiritual, physical or metaphysical, and how they interact with the singing voice. What does it mean to sing? How is voice an expression of self? Where does song come from? Why do we want/need to do it? Why does it also cause us pain and grief? How does it, when done well (meaning: profoundly, thoughtfully, bravely) lead to deeper expression and understanding of self?
At present (it’s the time of year, after all, for reflection), I’m focused on the journey inward. What can emerge in our singing if we attend to the internal yearnings, tragedies, ecstasies and imaginings of our secret self? What happens if, warrior-like, we courageously brave the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune (aka the fear of being fully seen and therefore, judged) and dare to face the deepest truths about ourselves? What if, instead of resisting the inward journey, and the ultimate exposure, we abandon ourselves to it? Surrender?
What if our still, small voice is the one that charts a new territory, that unlocks some awesome potential for amazingness and awe? What if in our inwardness, we can send our voice outward and be a catalyst for healing in this troubled world? What might happen then?