Face to face

Dec 1, 2023 | Singing and Self Blog

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...

Barber Studio Singers come up big at NATS Showcase

Nov 25, 2023 | Teaching

Kimberly with Sibyl Bonnardel at the NATS Ontario Vocal Showcase at Queen’s University, November 18, 2023 This year’s NATS Ontario Vocal Showcase was held at the Isabel Bader Centre for the Arts at Queen’s University, and though Laurier numbers were...

Chemistry is change

Nov 24, 2023 | Singing and Self Blog

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

Nov 17, 2023 | Singing and Self Blog

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

Nov 10, 2023 | Singing and Self Blog

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...