Vocal Pedagogy and the Alexander Technique: a reflection

This article is a reflection about the role of the Alexander Technique and its application and influence in vocal pedagogy. It is based on more than seventeen years of active teaching as a qualified Alexander Technique Teacher and as a professional singer, working alongside vocal pedagogues, teachers, students and professionals. Its objective is to reflect upon the role of body awareness, psychophysical and emotional consciousness, and wellbeing in the realms of vocal pedagogy and singing.

Introduction

The Introduction positions the history of girl and young woman singers in the 1960s in the context of broader histories of vocal training; ideas about voice, respectability, and expressivity; and the models of youthful femininity that were emergent in 1960s Britain. It opens with discussion of vocal discipline in magazines and books produced for young women. This is followed by reflections on the concept of voice as sound and voice as expression, how ideas about the use of voice are tied to gender, and how they have been used by feminist thinkers and scholars in the field of Voice Studies. Then, the introduction provides historical background on vocal pedagogy and histories of accent and vocal discipline in the UK, tying this history to the 1960s and notions of modernity that emerged at the time. It reflects on what voice and freedom of expression signified during the youth and musical movements of the “Swinging Sixties,” and, in particular, on how ideas about voice affected girls and young women in this period. Finally, it provides an overview of the book’s chapters provides an overview of the book’s chapters.

Zwischenfach: Paradox or Paradigm?

<p>Singers within the operatic world are expected to conform to the strict limits and dictates of the Fachsystem. Casting directors and opera companies prefer to be informed of which particular ‘Fach-box’ you tick when auditioning and it is becoming increasingly important for career advancement and name recognition to remain within that box. Yet what happens when your voice does not operate strictly within the predetermined requirements of a particular box? Or if the vocal category you supposedly assume is already ambiguous and contentious? Jennifer Allen’s DMA thesis, An Analysis and Discussion of Zwischenfach Voices, provides invaluable critical insight surrounding this enigmatic concept of voice categorisation. Allen argues that despite advances within vocal pedagogy, there remains a ‘gray area’ within the discussion. This elusiveness, to which Allen refers, pertains directly to the Zwischenfach voice type. Translated literally from German, the word Zwischen means ‘between’ and ‘Fach’ refers specifically to vocal specialisation as a way of categorising singers according to the weight, range and colour of their voices. Thus, in its most basic form, a Zwischenfach voice denotes a voice that lies between the vocal categories of soprano and mezzo-soprano. However, whilst Dr Rudolf Kloiber’s Handbuch der Oper (a staple for the operatic world) provides a definitive guide to vocal categorisation and continues to influence casting throughout Germany and Europe, the corresponding American Boldrey Guide acknowledges Zwischenfach as a voice that cannot be classified precisely in one particular Fach or another. This lack of uniform approach highlights not only the potential flexibility of this voice, but also the paradoxical nature of attempting to define a voice that defies standard classification. Indeed, as a young singer currently singing high mezzo-soprano repertoire, I have found the Zwischenfach labelling to be a paradox, for the upper extension of my voice also enables me potentially to sing some soprano roles. Therefore, is it conceivable to postulate that this term is a misnomer and merely highlights the issues associated with being constrained within the Fachsystem? In order to come to terms with these issues, then, my analysis of Zwischenfach labelling requires a separation of voice categorisation and the Fachsystem and an ongoing critique of these systems throughout my exegesis. In an attempt to determine its practicalities, the limits that it can impose, and how its boundaries have not always functioned so neatly, my critique focuses on elements such as convenience, marketability and professional development and life. An exploration of the relevance of aspects such as range, tessitura, passaggi, timbre, agility, physical characteristics, pitch of the speaking voice, and scientific tests is also necessary. Once a definition of Zwischenfach is established, I consider the “in between” nature of this vocal category as I investigate roles that develop out of this into the realm of the heavier, more dramatic voice. Finally, I explore the implications of switching between Fächer and divulge how I incorporate the contradictions within this category with the successful management of the label. The piecing together of existing scholarship surrounding this field of research and the practical application to my own expanding repertoire is invaluable in facilitating the expansion of my knowledge in regard to my own progression through Zwischenfach repertoire and roles.</p>

Zwischenfach: Paradox or Paradigm?

<p>Singers within the operatic world are expected to conform to the strict limits and dictates of the Fachsystem. Casting directors and opera companies prefer to be informed of which particular ‘Fach-box’ you tick when auditioning and it is becoming increasingly important for career advancement and name recognition to remain within that box. Yet what happens when your voice does not operate strictly within the predetermined requirements of a particular box? Or if the vocal category you supposedly assume is already ambiguous and contentious? Jennifer Allen’s DMA thesis, An Analysis and Discussion of Zwischenfach Voices, provides invaluable critical insight surrounding this enigmatic concept of voice categorisation. Allen argues that despite advances within vocal pedagogy, there remains a ‘gray area’ within the discussion. This elusiveness, to which Allen refers, pertains directly to the Zwischenfach voice type. Translated literally from German, the word Zwischen means ‘between’ and ‘Fach’ refers specifically to vocal specialisation as a way of categorising singers according to the weight, range and colour of their voices. Thus, in its most basic form, a Zwischenfach voice denotes a voice that lies between the vocal categories of soprano and mezzo-soprano. However, whilst Dr Rudolf Kloiber’s Handbuch der Oper (a staple for the operatic world) provides a definitive guide to vocal categorisation and continues to influence casting throughout Germany and Europe, the corresponding American Boldrey Guide acknowledges Zwischenfach as a voice that cannot be classified precisely in one particular Fach or another. This lack of uniform approach highlights not only the potential flexibility of this voice, but also the paradoxical nature of attempting to define a voice that defies standard classification. Indeed, as a young singer currently singing high mezzo-soprano repertoire, I have found the Zwischenfach labelling to be a paradox, for the upper extension of my voice also enables me potentially to sing some soprano roles. Therefore, is it conceivable to postulate that this term is a misnomer and merely highlights the issues associated with being constrained within the Fachsystem? In order to come to terms with these issues, then, my analysis of Zwischenfach labelling requires a separation of voice categorisation and the Fachsystem and an ongoing critique of these systems throughout my exegesis. In an attempt to determine its practicalities, the limits that it can impose, and how its boundaries have not always functioned so neatly, my critique focuses on elements such as convenience, marketability and professional development and life. An exploration of the relevance of aspects such as range, tessitura, passaggi, timbre, agility, physical characteristics, pitch of the speaking voice, and scientific tests is also necessary. Once a definition of Zwischenfach is established, I consider the “in between” nature of this vocal category as I investigate roles that develop out of this into the realm of the heavier, more dramatic voice. Finally, I explore the implications of switching between Fächer and divulge how I incorporate the contradictions within this category with the successful management of the label. The piecing together of existing scholarship surrounding this field of research and the practical application to my own expanding repertoire is invaluable in facilitating the expansion of my knowledge in regard to my own progression through Zwischenfach repertoire and roles.</p>

Creative principles of Mykola Manoilo’s vocal pedagogy

Statement of the problem. The article is devoted to the outstanding figure of vocal art of Slobozhanshchyna Mykola Fedorovych Manoilo (1927–1998), the opera singer, who was awarded the title of “People’s Artist of the USSR” (1976) for impeccable performance of baritone parts of the classical repertoire on the stage of Kharkiv Theatre of Opera and Ballet, as well as of the chamber repertoire compiled of Ukrainian folk songs and works by Ukrainian composers. Based on his own experience of studying in the class of solo singing of M. Manoilo (1988), the author of the article offers the experience of scientific and methodological generalization of creative principles of vocal pedagogy of the teacher, while emphasizing the role of Manoilo as a unique singer. The relevance of the topic and its practical significance are stipulated by the urgent need of vocal pedagogy to form a tradition of scientific reflection on the specialization of the vocalist, the representation of classical guidelines and methods in the modern dimension, establishing creative contacts of different generations. The purpose of the article is to reveal the pedagogical principles by M. Manoilo as an outstanding representative of the Kharkiv vocal school, genealogy and dominant features of his performing creative work. Analysis of recent research and publications. The creative figure of M. Manoilo has not yet received serious coverage in the domestic musicology yet. Existing sources are brief biographic descriptions in reference books and encyclopaedias, the anthology “Ukrainian singers in the memoirs of contemporaries, compiler I. Lysenko (2003), or mentions of his name in books on the artistic life of Kharkiv (O. Chepalov, 2012; Tsurkan, 2013). The methodology contains a number of interrelated approaches to the study of the phenomenon of the singer’s artistic personality: historiographical, biographical, performing, and phenomenological. Presentation of basic research material. M. Manoilo inherited the principles of vocal pedagogy from P. Golubev, who taught at the Kharkiv Conservatory (1930–1953) and was the successor of the classical school of Italian bel canto singing, as a student of F. Bugamelli, which was involved by I. Slatin in teaching vocals at the Kharkiv Music College (1901–1918). The creative principles of the artist-interpreter M. Manoilo are a compendium of his mastery: &#9679; orientation on the generally accepted standard of sounding of a voice (bel canto); &#9679; persistent search for individual reading of the role on the path of constant musical and intellectual self-growth; &#9679; word culture; &#9679; unity of sound-forming technology and artistic and aesthetic principles of a musical work, due to its genre and stylistic nature; &#9679; psychological authenticity (own experience of “entering” the image and its “living-through”) and the singer’s ability for self-analysis; &#9679; mental and psychological signs of artistic personality – great persistence and strength of character, the desire to reach the highest point (acme) of creative self-representation. The “denominator” of M. Manoilo’s performing skills is the style – the performer’s orientation for the accuracy of the composer’s text. The results obtained. The principles of M. Manoilo’s vocal pedagogy were based on the basis of generalization of own scenic experience as a system of generally acquired and personality-oriented principles: – sound culture (uniformity of construction of the singing range; flexibility, strength, flight of voice, use of mixed register, rounding, covering); sound word culture; attention to diction; – author-centrism of the singer’s interpretation of the vocal-stage image; – high artistic taste, which is formed through the education of musicality, diverse repertoire, and a sense of performance drama; – high artistic taste, which is formed through the education of musicality, diverse repertoire, and a sense of performance drama; – trust in intuition, which the singer should constantly “check” with his/her own intellect according to the composer’s text. Conclusions. As the heir of the Italian tradition of singing, in all genres of performance M. Manoilo represented such qualities as: proper breathing (free passage of all resonator zones), beautifully designed, high-quality singing tone, theatrical voice, which was overlapping the sound of the orchestra, sonority, flight, equality of the whole range. From the domestic singing paradigm one should add to Manoilo’s artistic portfolio the following: &#9679; recitative-speech cut of vocal intonation (melodic nature of singing is enriched by the relief of declamatory vocalization); &#9679; clear diction of the word being sung to reach the minds and hearts of listeners and establish a dialogue with the author; &#9679; cordocentrism – a particularly intense intra-emotional tone of performance as a personification of the Ukrainian “philosophy of the heart” (Н. Skovoroda); &#9679; integrative type of performing thinking – the unity of poetic-intonation and stage-artistic image of the singer. If a super-goal of music is, according to Aristotle, the entelechy, then singing technique is a way to achieve it. Such was the universal basis of M. Manoilo’s requirements of to himself, as well as to the students of his solo singing class

Celebrating TGE Singers in Choral Classrooms

Trans and gender-expansive (TGE) singers experience music-making challenges specific to their vocal instruments. This chapter is devoted solely to choirs and the TGE students who sing in them. A brief opening discussion contextualizes how vocal music can be a gendered art form. Challenges and potential solutions are described for singers participating in single-gender choirs. The middle section of the chapter focuses on inclusive vocal pedagogy, including discussions of congruence of voice identity and gender identity, voice part identification, and the application of Universal Design for Learning to choral classrooms. Voice masculinization and voice feminization are described, with a focus on how they might impact singers’ voices. Healthy group vocal technique exercises are discussed, with examples provided in Appendix D. Additional suggestions for inclusive choral techniques include ideas for standing and seating rehearsal arrangements and working with heteronormative and cisnormative texts.

PRACTICAL WORK ON VOICE TRAINING, PART V. WORK ON A WORK OF ART

The article examines the General provisions of vocal pedagogy: the relevance of the issue, principles, goals, objectives and methods of teaching singing; the criteria, methods of selection and basic skills necessary for those wishing to learn vocal art.

METHODOLOGICAL AND THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS FOR TRAINING VOCAL TEACHERS OF RUSSIA

Currently, vocal pedagogy is undergoing a crisis, since it does not have objective criteria and indicators for preserving the traditions of Russian vocal performance. The article presents the necessary methodological and theoretical information for the training of vocal teachers at the modern stage of the development of Russian education.

PRACTICAL WORK ON VOICE TRAINING, PART IV. WORKING ON VIRTUOSITY

The article examines the General provisions of vocal pedagogy: the relevance of the issue, principles, goals, objectives and methods of teaching singing; the criteria, methods of selection and basic skills necessary for those wishing to learn vocal art.

Teach them to be expressive: an application of communication accommodation theory to vocal pedagogy.

There is a large amount of overlap between the disciplines of singing and communication, particularly in the area of expression. Recent science based pedagogy written by Richard Miller is considered foundational knowledge in the vocal community, however, there are concerns that this anatomically focused pedagogy prevents the development of creative and expressive singers. A thematic analysis of two of Miller’s pedagogical texts was used to collect excerpts focused on the topic of expression. A second phase intention analysis revealed that the discussion of expression was largely uninstructive, providing teachers with minimal methodology. There is evidence that Miller addresses the importance of expression in vocal performance, however, his style of pedagogy does not allow for an in depth exploration of the tactics necessary for its instruction. Applying concepts from communication accommodation theory to the pedagogy will allow for the expansion of existing techniques such as modeling, convergence and divergence into the area of expression aiding vocal instructors in teaching the art of musical expression.