Face to face

Estruscan tomb (Kimberly Barber, Volterra, Italy, 2014) The impetus for me to begin blogging about Singing and Self was the desire to explore the interconnection between voice and identity. This exploration particularly pertained to the singing voice; both my own...

Chemistry is change

Quote from Bonnie Garmus’s Lessons in Chemistry (sourced on QuoteFancy.com, Nov. 24, 2023) We live in tumultuous times. So much is changing: systems are tumbling, expectations are upended, parameters are shifting. It can feel overwhelming at times, and we want...

Je ne regrette rien

Visionaries, queens, rulers, women. (sourced on Snappa.com, Nov. 16, 2023) Yesterday I went to hear a former student of mine sing a concert of all Edith Piaf songs–the music of my heart. I had a feeling that I would be in for a treat, but when Keiko opened her...

The Power of Vulnerability

Vulnerability=Power (sourced on Snappa.com, Nov. 9, 2023) Singing is scary. The emotional exposure it involves requires great personal courage. Just showing up at a singing lesson can test your ability to exercise bravery. Case in point: one of my students arrived at...

this old dog’s got new tricks

Riffing in an improv session at the Shenandoah CCM Vocal Pedagogy Institute, July 2023 (photo LD Brown Arts) My blogging has been sporadic: forgive me, dear readers. I have been up to all kinds of new tricks, including riffing, death metal growls, jazz stylings and...