Singing has been described as “a glorified cry”. Babies can cry for hours without getting vocal nodules or damaging their throats. They do, eventually, become exhausted. Why?

In 1974, Dr. Henry Heimlich published his guidelines to help choking victims with his abdominal thrust procedure. Why does it work? 

Dancers and athletes work from a tilted pelvis for strength and power. Why?

Fine singing is a beautiful combination of artistry, musicianship, expression, communication, and athleticism.  I believe that, while making sound is natural, demands of songs & arias are such that specific information needs to be imparted before attempting complex music with words.  I train from the body perspective because bodies contain the same parts but with subtle, individual differences.  Helping students to find the proper alignment for efficient use of their “instrument” is very important. Working with that alone usually makes a huge sound difference very fast.  It is rather like assembling a clarinet in the right order!

I find that often, in effort to blend in choir, singers cannot find a way to produce more vibrant sound. With basic diaphragmatic breathing, support, and resonance information, a full, ringing tone for choirs is very thrilling. I joke that, if one can sing Wagner, he/she can sing “The Water is Wide” or Mozart arias.

My experience as a singer and voice teacher has afforded me the opportunity to train many choral directors privately because I have done residencies in many high schools in Pennsylvania. The teachers, without fail, are excited by their progress as they fill in their own learning gaps and are eager to use their knowledge with their students. They say, “I didn’t know I could sing like that!” Over and over, I hear, “I have a Master’s Degree in voice and have never sounded like THIS”, “my elementary choir has never sounded so good” and “you should hear my senior chamber singers!”   

The basic technique work is natural upon the body and can work very quickly. If singers have past conflicting information, the muscle memory needs to be reset. When it all settles in, singers can sing whatever music about which they are passionate with ease, freedom, joy and beauty. That is when it is fun! But, when a young man first picks up a golf club, he does not immediately head for The Masters Tournament. So, the fundamentals make for perfect practice and fine singing.