Category: Blog

Gosh, I realise that I haven’t posted anything on my blog since 2016. Perhaps its because I had my daughter in the interim, and there never seems to be much time any more?! Still, I must do better, and with the launch of my new website it seems appropriate to make an effort to post something more recent. Perhaps unsurprisingly the current global situation seems a rather apt subject.

Back in the early months of the year I would have been totally amazed at the idea of teaching online, and would have sworn it couldn’t be done (along with the vast majority of my colleagues). Whilst my sister regularly teaches English online to students across the globe, it is much less common to have offered music lessons online – at least until March 2020…

As the inevitability of lockdown loomed large, I was fortunate that the school where I work ensured we were equipped with the necessary technology and resources to enable us to teach online. I was also able to maintain my private teaching practice online. All well and good in theory, but then lockdown came into force and the hypothetical became a reality. Admittedly the first week was more challenging than I think either I or my students had anticipated. Early issues with webcams not working left me literally teaching blind for a day, and I quickly realised how much I rely on my ability to see my students to assess what they are doing and what they need to work on! The limitations of technology also meant that I was unable to accompany my students as normal, as computers on both ends just couldn’t cope with audio input and output simultaneously. It was a certainly a steep learning curve, and frustrations with poor sound quality and technology ‘blips’ in the middle of lessons left everyone feeling pretty exhausted. Choral rehearsals seemed an impossibility, and whilst the idea of ‘virtual concerts’ was floated this also seemed a pipe dream!

Fortunately the Easter holidays gave us an opportunity to regroup and plan for the summer term, and it quickly became apparent that lockdown was going to continue for a good while yet.

So, what has changed?
I found that some aspects of my teaching could continue as normal, and in fact the limitations of teaching online forced me to focus on some areas of learning which I struggle to find time for when everyone is constantly preparing for performances and examinations. My personal interest in the Kodàly Method came to the fore, and all students spent some of their lessons working on these skills which are so valuable for all round musical development. I was delighted that all students responded positively to this focus, and many admitted to enjoying the time spent on musicianship each week, despite generally panicking if asked to spend time on sight singing in an average lesson!
In order to work on song repertoire I had to rely on recording backing tracks of the accompaniments. Obviously this impacted on my own time, and much more forethought and planning was necessary for each individual lesson. Backing tracks are no substitute for ‘live’ accompaniment, but students have generally adapted well to this and have gained an alternative but useful skill for their futures.
It was an unpleasant revelation to me to discover that some of my students struggled to stay in tune without accompaniment even in basic warm up exercises, and this led me to a natural desire to encourage them to learn and work on some unaccompanied repertoire. Each student sourced a folk song with guidance, and then learned and recorded themselves singing it. Of course traditional ABRSM singing examinations require students to perform an unaccompanied song, and whilst many of them have now got a folk song ready for their next exam, I actually wanted them to appreciate how beautiful this repertoire is, and to gain confidence in singing without accompaniment, regardless of any examination intention. It was really lovely to see so many of them embrace this opportunity and to include several of these performances in our virtual Singers’ Concert in May.
Concerts are not quite what they used to be, and have thrown up their own challenges and opportunities. School opted to transfer our planned programme of concerts to the online platform, and so my colleagues and I all had to learn to edit and collate pre recorded performances for these events. Learning to use editing software has been useful for me, but even though I am relatively ‘tech-savvy’ I still needed help and advice whilst I got to grips with it (thanks, Alice!) I was delighted to be able to include so many of the department’s singers in our virtual concert, and to share another 30 or so performances via Twitter in the weeks following. The option of lengthening concerts, knowing that the audience can dip in and out, or watch it in stages was really lovely, and nearly 75% of the department singers took part in some form or other. Our usual format would normally only allow about 20% of singers to take part, and the inclusivity of the online concert was a real bonus. It has also opened up the audiences to the concerts, and I was delighted to know that far flung Grandparents, or parents who often miss their students’ performances due to work commitments were able to watch the concerts in their own time.
The area of my teaching I have missed most is that of the ensembles. Whilst I asked my choirs to learn repertoire which I sent them, and record their individual parts which I could then edit together for concerts, this is not what being part of a choir is about! I miss the interaction of the girls as they work together and learn to listen, breathe and feel the music as a single entity. They too have missed that experience, and I know that they and I all benefit from the social interaction that the rehearsals provide.
Many of my students have been preparing for a performance of staged opera scenes. These rehearsals which would normally have been focused on ensemble singing and acting skills have all been transferred online, and instead of ensemble rehearsals everyone has been learning their parts in isolation. This has been a very bizarre experience, and I can’t wait to get the girls together and be able to work on these scenes properly…

So, what’s next? Well, who knows! Singing is still considered to be pretty ‘dangerous’ in the current climate, and I fear that it will be some time before ensemble singing can take place again. I very much hope that I can find a more meaningful way to work with my ensembles until singing in the same room becomes a viable option, and that it won’t be too long before we can work together on the opera scenes and choral repertoire.

There have been some positive things to come out of the situation though, and I want to try and take some things forward, even when I am able to start teaching in person again. These include continuing to include musicianship work into every lesson with every student, and making a concerted effort to encourage working on unaccompanied repertoire even when students aren’t working towards exams which require it. I am also keen to continue to try and broadcast performances online in some format so that distant friends and relations can also enjoy the music which is made by the students.

One thing is certain: none of us will take working with students in person, or the joy of making music together for granted again. I can’t wait to have that opportunity as soon as is safe, and I will be so delighted to hear and see my students ‘live’ again!

Another new term has started, and once again I realise that it has been ages since I posted anything on the blog…

As part of my own professional development I am always looking for new ways to motivate and inspire my students, and to help them achieve the highest possible standards in their singing.  There are of course many different approaches to singing, and as a teacher I try to find ways of communicating ideas about the techniques I believe to be most helpful to each of my students in a way which works best for them.  Despite a plethora of delivery methods, the content of my lessons boils down to pretty similar basic ideas: the essential singing skills!

So, what are these skills? I hope that all my students could name some of them, but  just in case, here are things I hold to be extremely important in terms of developing a sound and safe singing technique.

1. Breathing.  If you don’t breathe correctly, all other aspects of your singing will suffer.  Getting students to breathe from their diaphragm is usually one of the hardest things when they start lessons with me – despite the fact that we all do it as babies!  Those who persevere with learning to support their sound in this way always appreciate the benefits as their voices develop and mature.
2. Posture and relaxed muscles.  In order for you to make the best sound when singing, your jaw, head and neck all need to be correctly aligned and free from tension.  If your legs aren’t firmly planted on the floor, your diaphragm will be too busy stopping you from falling over (it’s also a postural muscle) to help you to breathe, and you will be holding tension throughout your body.  Your spine needs to be lengthened, but not tense, and your head must be correctly balanced.  Once all this is in place, your jaw should fall open freely (not too wide – otherwise you’ll be tense in another direction!) and you will have enough resonance space to create the best possible tone.  If your mouth is closed, the sound gets stuck at the back of your throat and becomes strangled – especially if you’re trying to sing high notes.
3. Legato line.  Sound travels on the vowel, and is punctuated by consonants.  Vowel sounds should be open, free and warm, and then sustained for as long as possible before placing the consonant.  This way you can maintain ‘bel canto’ (literally, beautiful singing) line which will always sound pleasing.  All the exercises my students sing with me are based on vowel sounds.  To give them a helping hand, each exercise starts with a consonant before the vowel.  This helps them to start the sound cleanly and confidently before the focus is shifted to the vowel.  As they become more confident, I introduce other exercises formed without the consonant sound.
4. Clear consonants.  Whilst the sound we listen to is made by the vowels, they are pretty meaningless without consonants to give sense to the words!  Consonants should be crisp and clear, so that words are easily understood.  Because there is nearly always ‘background noise’ when one is singing (necessary and wonderful though a piano or instrumental accompaniment is!), and you are nearly always singing to an audience in a bigger venue than the one in which you practise, you have to work harder than even when doing some form of public speaking in order to be understood, and for the audience to appreciate textual nuance.
5. Communication.  As singers, we have the unique gift amongst musicians of a text.  Nearly everything we sing has a story, meaning, thought, or concept which has been carefully set to music by a composer.  Our job as singers is to communicate that thought to our audience, as if it were our own.  Obviously, clear words and a beautiful tone, thoughtful phrasing, and other technical elements all help this to occur, but on top of this, we have to understand the meaning of the text, make it our own, and tell the story or express the mood through our bodies, facial expression and eyes, in order to make it come alive.  To do this, we must be present, or in the moment – fully engaged and meaning everything we sing, whilst not losing a hold on our technique (for more on this idea, click here).

I often joke to my pupils that I could have a cardboard cut-out of me in my teaching room, and merely add a few choice words onto a cardboard speech bubble so they could teach themselves, so often do I come back to these basic principals…. Whilst perhaps this is true to an extent, the most useful thing a teacher can do is to hold a mirror up to each student, to help them see what steps they need to take, and to offer direction when they are unsure what needs doing next.  

In my own teaching, I try to do this by suggesting repertoire that they may enjoy singing, and that will help them develop their skills further. I am their ‘external ears’, sitting at a distance and able to hear what they cannot – both good and bad – and offering honest, but also encouraging feedback.  Over time I hope that they learn to trust what I say, knowing that I will always demand the best from them, but never ask more than is possible.  Most of my students are very young by singing standards, and they need help to learn how to be critical in a good way, rather than by defaulting to a negative standpoint on their own performances.  

Instilling these five basic skills in young singers is one of the most positive things I can do at this crucial stage in their vocal journeys.  Most of all though, I hope that they learn to love singing, both as individuals and in ensembles – a skill that can bring them pleasure for the rest of their lives.

Once again we have passed the point in the school year where it is time to bid some of the older students a fond farewell as they leave school and head out into the wider world. 

For me, this year was a particularly poignant one.  The seven girls leaving this year have been stalwart members of the vocal department from the very beginning of their school careers, and I have taught several of them for their whole time at the school.  

I consider it a huge privilege of my job to be able to watch my students grow from slightly nervous but excited young girls into the talented, and confident young women who take the lead in all aspects of school life.  It is therefore always with a mixture of huge pride, and a little sadness that I prepare for their departure each July.  Whilst every year touches me, there are inevitably some who have a greater impact than others, and leave a bigger void in their wake.  I know that this year group will be much missed by the whole school community, and not just the musicians!

As has become tradition, I took these girls, along with a number of other singers from year 11 upwards to perform at my old University College, St Peter’s on the final day of term.  I am lucky to have students who are passionate enough about their singing to agree to give up precious holiday time to rehearse and perform in these concerts, especially as the end of the school term is always fraught and filled with other events!

As I had such a significant cohort of upper sixth it seemed appropriate to send them off in style.  Whilst searching for something which allowed me to sum up all I wanted to say to them, I looked back at old concert programmes from their time at the school.  We talked about some options for ‘favourite finishers’, including ‘Homeward Bound’, but in the end they chose to sing a celtic song ‘The Parting Glass’.  This had been selected by me as the final song in a number of concerts in previous years, but none of the girls had sung it for a while.  I learned it from an American group called ‘The Wailin’ Jennys.’  It was such a joy to me that it meant so much to them that they wanted to ‘resurrect it’ and to make it the final thing that the whole group would all sing together.  

Meanwhile, my husband had been listening to an album which we recently purchased and suggested another song which might be suitably poignant for the leavers to sing.  Initially I considered singing it to them at the concert, but in the end decided to arrange it for these seven girls to sing together.  The song was originally written by Scott Murray, a musician who worked with a group of homeless men who had found shelter in a hostel together.  Scott formed a choir to help the men improve their self esteem and give them a sense of belonging.  Most importantly, he gave them a voice.  The recording I used was made by Roy Bailey, and I felt the message was appropriate for these girls as they go out into the world too.  

The girls sang magnificently, and held back the tears until the very end of the Parting Glass.  It was lovely to see them supported by the girls who will still be at the school next year, and the camaraderie between all the girls as they sang together.

After the concert the leavers, their parents, and I went for a meal together to celebrate the end of their school singing careers.  Whilst we ate, the girls reminisced about their memories of singing at SHSK, and I was struck not only by the wealth and variety of achievements they had between them, but also by the common bonds which held this group together.  It was particularly touching to hear one of them comment that without singing, she may well never have got to know the girls who have become her closest friends.  

What an amazing power music has: to draw us together into common experiences, to allow us to express our deepest emotions, to give us strength and hope, and to leave indelible marks on our lives.

I have no doubt that this year’s leavers will go on to great and wonderful things, and I hope that the experiences which they have shared through singing so far continue to be a source of happy memories for them.  I very much look forward to hearing of their future successes, and hope that music will always bring them a sense of community and happiness.  What more could a teacher ask for?

The text for both songs is below:

The Parting Glass:

Oh all the money that e’er I spent,
I spent it in good company.
And all the harm that e’er I’ve done,
Alas it was to none but me.
And all I’ve done, for want of witTo memory now I can’t recall,
So fill to me the Parting Glass,
Good night and joy be with you all.

Oh, all the comrades that e’er I’ve had
Are sorry for my going away
And all the sweethearts that e’er I’ve had
Would wish me one more day to stay.
But since it falls unto my lot
That I should rise, and you should not,
I’ll gently rise, and I’ll softly call
“Good night, and joy be with you all”.

I Thought I Had no Voice (Fellowship in Song)

We’ve had good times together, 
We’ve shared a song or two,
In warmer days of summer,
And winter’s days of snow.
We know that life’s not easy,
The road is hard and long
But music aye can cheer us,
We’re better for a song.
I thought I had no voice,
Now listen to my song
The fellowship of music,
A place where I belong.
We raise our voice in song,
In ev’ry verse and chorus,
Many songs behind us now,
As many waiting for us.
Our time is nearly over,
These days are nearly done,
The tunes we will remember,
The songs will still be sung.
I hope the sun shines for you,
And that we’ll meet again,
For there’s a bond between us,
A bond that has no end.
I thought I had no voice,
Now listen to my song
The fellowship of music,
A place where I belong.
We raise our voice in song,
In ev’ry verse and chorus,
Many songs behind us now,
As many waiting for us.

It was with a sense of incredulity that I read the words above on my twitter feed, whilst in Paris on tour with three of our senior choirs last week!

My immediate response on twitter was to declare that there is no such problem at SHSK – and I’m jolly grateful that this is the case.  It seems desperately sad (and very infuriating) that the headmaster of Marlborough College has deemed it necessary to bemoan the ‘death of the art of choral singing’ in the National Press.  Whilst educational reforms are doubtless leading to the decline of singing in primary schools it seems defeatist to claim that the whole art of choral singing is in jeopardy.  

Doubtless, the lack of expertise in music among primary school teachers, and the limitations on the curriculum and resources has had a huge impact on music education.  Having said this, there are many organisations trying to redress the balance and make music accessible to primary students.  When the budget for instruments is non-existent, surely singing is the obvious solution? Everyone has a voice – and everyone should be encouraged to use it.  Organisations like ‘Sing Up’ even provide all the resources for schools to get involved, and include songs which link to other areas of the curriculum, so that every school can use singing as part of the daily lifeblood of teaching.  Whilst these resources are not free, they are available at reasonable cost, and are accessible to everyone, no matter how little previous musical experience they have.  

There are numerous articles about the benefits of musical education to all round academic skills, and how music influences personality traits, improves concentration, team work and basic listening skills – even in those with little obvious musical ‘talent’.  Music is also hugely enjoyable, and a great social leveller – as long as the ‘teacher’ doesn’t make assumptions that certain social groups won’t cope with, or wont enjoy specific musical genres.  Anyone watching the TV programmes made by James Rhodes on just this subject a few months ago will know how excited young children are when they are exposed to all sorts of music.

I am well aware that I work in a privileged environment as a music teacher.  There are nearly 500 music lessons a week happening in the department where I work, over 100 of these are girls receiving individual weekly singing lessons.  There are ten separate choirs and vocal ensembles which cover all age groups and abilities.  Music is a weekly part of the academic curriculum in years 7 and 8 and many students continue with academic music into GCSE and A level.  Of those who continue to A level a high percentage choose to read music at University.  There are 30 visiting music teachers, 2 academic teachers and a wealth of other music clubs and groups to support music education at the school.  There are even supporting clubs for aural skills, sight singing and music theory.  Each year there are joint musical productions with the drama department, a Music Theatre concert, and in recent years concerts of Opera Scenes, and a fully staged production of Dido and Aeneas. Last year there were 45 different concerts across the school year. There really is no limit to the opportunities open to these girls, and they grasp them with both hands.  More often than not we are limiting the number of choirs they can sing in, rather than forcing them unwilling into rehearsals!

Colleagues and friends who work in less well funded schools across the country are also proud of their choral traditions and the musical opportunities offered to their students.  Many have used choral singing as the basis for igniting a musical passion in their schools – and have been exceedingly successful in so doing.  

So why is music at SHSK so successful? For me the answer is simple (whilst multi-faceted):

1. Freedom. It starts with a Head of Department who allows the staff to be creative, and to get involved.  When the staff are given freedom and encouraged to take part, they are naturally more inclined to give of their time and energy to run a wide variety of activities.  
2. Music is infectious.  Girls coming in to the school see their peers, friends, and role models taking part in music.  They see that it’s fun, and that there really is an activity for everyone.  They are rewarded for turning up to weekly rehearsals by a sense of community, and pride in their success when they perform in concerts or competitions.  
3. Aspiration and accessibility.  There is a hierarchy of activities, with some only open to musicians who have reached the highest standards of musicianship.  This drives the girls forward, as they want to earn their place in these elite groups and become role models themselves.  However, none of the ‘elite’ musicians is on a pedestal.  They also participate in the groups which are open to all-comers, and with a breadth of musical talent established in every year group, there are no ‘divas’.  Certainly, there are individuals who stand out from the rest, and achieve many accolades, but it is rare for there to be one single musician who takes all the glory.  As the girls reach sixth form they may well have confidence in their abilities, but they are aware of other talented individuals who they meet at national and local competitions.  They never become complacent, and they care about the music which is so central to their weekly experience.  Music forms friendships which last well beyond school, shared community and rest-bite from academic pressures.  
4. Resources.  The music staff have such freedom as they also have access to the resources to support them.  Without this, I am certain that some activities would continue to thrive, but it certainly helps when there is financial backing for the ‘showstopping’ extras which have the greatest impact.
5. Parental support. I have no doubt that this also has a significant impact on the level of music making at school.  If parents didn’t collect their daughters after weekly rehearsals after school, continue to come to many concerts, and ask the simple questions like ‘how was your singing lesson today?’ then the standard of music making would decline rapidly.  With the parents also understanding the benefits of a musical education, it is so much easier to inspire students to push themselves through a plateau in their learning, or to keep on attending rehearsals.

There has been a strong choral tradition for many years at SHSK.  When I started at the school back in 2004 there were only 20 or so girls having singing lessons, but the standard of the Chapel Choir was excellent, and there were opportunities for choral singing across the whole school community.  Those opportunities have expanded a great deal, and I hope that we will always be looking for new experiences to offer our students. Last week in Paris the girls sang at Euro Disney in front of the Princess’ Castle, followed by recitals at Notre Dame Cathedral and La Madeleine.  Needless to say they performed a wide variety of repertoire in these disparate locations, but all emphasised that they had enjoyed each as much as the others.  There was great envy among those too young to come on tour this time, and much excitement already for the next music tour – and for concert opportunities in the coming year.  The girls made friendships across year groups and bonded over these experiences which I know will stay with them for many years to come.  

I’m very happy to report that the art of choral singing is certainly alive and kicking in this corner of Oxfordshire, and I’m confident that it can be so EVERYWHERE with a little encouragement from those in a position of influence!  Perhaps Marlborough College just needs an injection of enthusiasm from somewhere.  Fingers crossed they get it soon!

For reference the original article can be read here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/11736981/Why-is-no-longer-cool-to-join-the-school-choir.html

It has been a busy start to the term and I feel that I have hardly stopped.  It has become quite normal for me to collapse in a heap when I return from school, and my (already fairly early) bedtime is moving even earlier!

There is much excitement however as the ‘Night at the Opera’ concert looms on the horizon.  Last term at the Junior Academy all the first study singers collaborated to perform a staged version of the whole of Act 1 of Gilbert & Sullivan’s ‘Pirates of Penzance’.  After the stress of trying to rehearse these singers over the course of a whole term, I should have known that tackling four different scenes, with four different casts in half a term was likely to be somewhat stressful!

Having said that, the girls are rising magnificently to the challenge, and I leave almost every rehearsal buzzing with inspiration and pride at their achievements.

Nearly half way through the rehearsal period, we have completed large sections of the blocking, have planned the sets and costumes and are well on the way to having all the music learned by heart.   The girls have started to appreciate why I asked them to learn the notes over the summer holidays.  Standing still and singing is all very well and good, but it’s amazing how much harder it is to move AND sing simultaneously!  Some of the scenes require less movement, making it somewhat easier for the cast on a physical level, but all members are required to interact with others, respond to the action on stage and be involved in a much more significant way than when singing solo.  The music is demanding and they have to use all their knowledge of technique as a primary concern, but this must not come at the cost of their dramatic engagement. 

Part of the reason for doing this concert at all was to allow some of the more advanced singers in the school the opportunity to experience these challenges for the first time, so that they are prepared for the demands that are made on performers in the ‘real world’.  Many of the girls perform regularly in the Musical Theatre Productions, as well as soloists, but have learned that the Opera requires another set of skills, in addition to those already ‘mastered’.  

It’s great fun working with such a talented group, who are all so committed and excited by the project.  The concert should provide real variety, and so there really is something for everyone – especially for people who don’t know much about opera, or think they don’t like it!  

I certainly don’t want to wish my rehearsal time away (still lots to do!), but I am really looking forward to the end result of all this hard work.  I think it’s going to be another fantastic night of music and drama.

I know it’s been a while since I last posted, but of course, it has been the summer holidays for all my students – and for me too!  This week saw the return to work, and this is always a hugely exciting time for me.  Naturally there is interest in meeting my new students for the first time, assessing their potential and starting them on their singing journey, but there is also great reward in hearing ‘old’ students after the summer break.

I always encourage my pupils to rest their voices during the holidays.  Whilst I don’t really want them to forget all their technique, and lose muscle tone, I firmly believe that the young voices in my care need time to relax and recuperate after the busy term.  For musicians and singers the end of term is inevitably jammed with concerts and productions, and the students are physically as well as mentally and emotionally exhausted by the time they get to the holidays.

So, one might expect that the return to the start of term is full of bad breath control, croaky voices and frustration for the students, and for me.  Actually usually the reverse is true.

After a long period of R&R, it is fascinating to hear the relaxed and free sounds of the voices.  The girls are often very surprised that they haven’t forgotten how to sing – and in fact seem to have made progress by doing nothing!  Of course, in voices this age two months can see a huge change in sound quality.  The younger students with small but perfectly formed voices can suddenly quadruple their sound with very little effort.  Older students voices may have shifted in range, and those who were in the middle ‘comfort zone’ can suddenly plummet to hitherto unknown depths, or reach for stratospheric soprano notes.

This shift can be quite alarming to students who have been very used to a particular sound, and I have to spend quite some time convincing them that this is a normal and natural phenomenon.  Female voices break, just as male, but the change is usually far less dramatic, and is therefore easy to miss if you’re not listening for it.  The trick is to be constantly aware of where each individual voice is ‘comfortable’ and work within these remits.  Sometimes this means having a song to work on in a number of different keys, so that the student can work on a piece wherever the voice is comfortable ‘on the day’.  Usually it’s not so changeable, but shifts gently over a series of songs to rest in a new tonal area.  

It’s so wonderful to have given a student a piece to look at at the end of the summer, and for them to return able to achieve new levels of technical security and tonal colour.  Sometimes I am quite astounded by the changes I hear!  Despite the stresses of organising a timetable and the inevitable paperwork which has to be done at the start of term, it is definitely one of my favourite times of the year,  Welcome back, everyone!

Some of you may have been aware of the recent furore in the press regarding the Critics’ Reviews of Glyndebourne Festival Opera’s production of Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier. For those who haven’t followed the issue, several of the Press reviews of the new production chose to concentrate upon the physical appearance of one of the lead singers, Tara Erraught, describing her as – among other things – ‘a chubby bundle of puppy-fat’ (Andrew Clark writing in the FT).  This sparked a huge amount of debate on blog sites, social media, radio interviews, and magazine articles as to whether the physical appearance of a singer is relevant, or a matter which should be even discussed in reviews.  Many well known singers and performers have waded in with their own opinion on this issue (if you want to see more on this, try googling ‘Tara Erraught Rosenkavalier reviews’!) 

Obviously for Tara Erraught herself this kind of personal attack on her appearance is likely to be one which affects her own self esteem and for most who are outraged about these comments made in the public sphere, the focus has been on how terrible the whole thing is for her, placing the blame for her appearance with the costume department and the possibly the casting panel.

Until now I did not want to pass comment, other than tweeting links to articles on the subject as I had not seen the production for myself.  I wanted to be able to make my own judgements and offer a considered opinion, and fortunately with Glyndebourne offering a live stream of the production to cinemas all over the country (and on the internet) I had just the chance to form my own ideas last night.

Der Rosenkavalier is a comedy with cross dressing, mistaken identity and issues of class and social ambition at its centre.  There is also a tragic love triangle between the Marschallin, a lonely older aristocrat, her young lover Octavian, and his new love, the young Sophie, the daughter of a merchant who has recently elevated to the nobility.  The role of Octavian is a ‘trouser-role’ and is played by a mezzo soprano (woman) who dresses as a boy (this is a common practice in opera, for those who don’t know!)  Octavian is played in this production by Tara Erraught.

The critics’ issues with the casting appear to have focused largely on the fact that Tara is ‘too large’ and ‘too short’ to be believable as a young nubile 17yr old, who can attract the love of two women with any success.  There are several problems with these objections, many of which have already been considered by others who have written in response to the reviews and some of which I discuss below.  

As a basic starting point there should be no assumption that slightly larger people cannot be deemed attractive by the opposite sex!  Originally set in the mid 19th Century, Tara almost perfectly fits the physical images of young boys from this time.  Tara is by no means fat – in fact she fits into the ‘average’ size of British women in the 21st Century.  In her performance as Octavian, Tara is beguiling, entrancing, adolescently enthusiastic and innocent – in short, perfect for a young boy who cannot believe his luck when he is loved by an older woman from the highest classes, and who is also able to capture the heart of a young modest Sophie, at the same time falling deeply and passionately for her, enough to forget his earlier love for the Marschallin.  Some reviewers also claimed that she was ‘too short’ to be a believable lover.  Again, why should there be an assumption that all successful male lovers are tall?!

I take issue with this presumption that someone’s weight or height should be a matter for the reviewers, unless they are placing the blame with the Casting Director.  It is up to this person to ensure that the whole cast work together to create a performance which allows the audience to enter the suspension of disbelief (I’ll be coming back to this!) and enjoy the music.  The casting team’s first consideration should be the vocal talent of those in front of them – and I firmly believe that on this occasion the casting team selected a fabulous group of lead singers to produce a wonderful production of one of the most moving operas ever composed.  IF there is an issue of physical mismatching (which I do not believe to be the case here) then the fault is with the casting director alone.

The other party to take blame (if there is any) should lie with the costume department.  In discussion with the Director, it is up to the costumiers to create clothing which fits in with the concept of the opera, but also makes the singers feel confident on stage.  If Tara Erraught really looked too fat on stage, this is the fault of the costumiers, not the singer!  For my own part, I didn’t think that the costumes did anything other than support Tara to perform as one would expect.  Her wig and sideburns with slight shadowing on her face allowed her to appear ‘boyish’ and her costumes were appropriate for the role she was playing at any given time.  To be fair to the critics, I believe that the costume department have made a few alterations to her outfits in the wake of the criticism offered, and so perhaps these helped with last nights’ performance.

As a member of the audience at any piece of theatre, you are required to enter into the performance space and suspend your disbelief.  All sorts of things happen all the time in theatre which are not remotely possible in ‘the real world’.  It is a part of the reason that we all love the theatre: it allows us to move in time in ways we cannot really experience, and explore emotions and ideas which cannot happen in real time.  Opera, of all the types of theatre has often required the greatest acceptance of this premiss – the plots are usually totally ridiculous, and not many of us live our entire lives in song… (think of Mimi in Puccini’s La Boheme, or Violetta in La Traviata, who have to sing HUGE arias, featuring many excessively high notes, whilst dying of consumption – a disease which leaves you unable to breathe, thin as a rake, and coughing up blood!)  These roles were often tackled by larger ladies, who were far from ‘consumptive’ in their appearance.  Opera audiences have happily accepted for many many years that singers are cast in operas for their ability to sing, rather than their physical suitability for the role.  Think of the celebrated Pavarotti, who for many years played the roles of young nubile lovers whilst weighing upwards of 30 stone – no-one complained that he was not believable in the role….!

It is perhaps this final point which riled so many singers and teachers when they read the reviews of Der Rosenkavalier.  In a world where physical appearance has become such a focus that everywhere young girls and boys are developing alarming body image issues at ever younger ages, Opera has been the one remaining bastion of the idea that talent counts for more than appearance.  Whilst there has been a move in recent years to at least have a sense of credibility when casting singers, and certainly there is now a requirement that singers have some acting skills as well as a fabulous voice, no-one has ever expected singers to look like super models as well.  

Back in 2003, the well known singer Deborah Voigt was sacked by the Royal Opera House for being too fat.  Again this story received much media attention.  People were truly shocked that such a renowned singer had been sacked over her appearance.  Ms Voigt went on to have gastric band surgery and has since performed at the ROH a number of times, as part of her glittering international career. She claims that she did not have the surgery as a result of being fired, but admits that as Covent Garden still had to honour her contract, she used the fees from the work she never did to pay for the operation.

In the Opera world at least, this unpleasant new focus also appears to be focused on the women.  No doubt, it will be followed in due course by a requirement that all but the most vile of characters (such as the Baron von Ochs in Rosenkavalier) be portrayed by the most handsome of young men. However, the sexism of male critics openly discussing their opinion of the physical appearance of a young woman which smacks of beauty-contest type prejudice is not balanced by equally disparaging views of the male singers who could do with shedding a few pounds.  

Of course there are now many glamorous and attractive opera singers of both genders who are carving successful performance careers across the world which is fine, and has certainly helped to convince younger audiences that opera isn’t all about stereotypical ‘fat lady singing with horns on her head’.  However, it is deeply saddening to think that as well as spending years of effort and money on singing lessons, acting coaching, language coaching, movement coaching and of course hours and hours of practice, singers must now all miraculously look marvellous at all times too.  

Tara Erraught’s performance as Octavian is vocally fabulous.  She covers the wide vocal range demanded by Strauss with ease and grace.  Her sound blends beautifully in the finale with the other two soprano voices, and yet is unique enough to be identified when the large ensembles are on stage.  She is a consummate actress, balancing the adolescent enthusiasm and vigour with indignant rage towards Baron von Ochs, is tender, earnest, flighty and all that this role requires in turn.  The entire cast is stellar, and Kate Royal as the Marschallin, Teodora Gheorghiu as Sophie make a perfect trio with Tara Erraught in the finale.  My favourite performance was given by the inestimable Lars Woldt as Baron von Ochs – disgusting, lecherous and slimy in the most perfect manner… Don’t take my word for it however!  You can watch it online until 15th June here and form your own opinion.

Hopefully the backlash from readers, singers and those involved in the performance arena will make the critics think next time about where they place the blame if they dislike something about the performance.  Singers have a hard enough time in their careers, and it is something of which I have always been proud that the Classical music fraternity were always more interested in substance over style.  I hope that this reverts back to being the case, and thank the casting director of Glyndebourne for selecting such an exciting group of singers for the production, as well as the singers for creating a memorable and musically satisfying performance which will doubtless be remembered for long after the issues over Tara Erraught’s vital statistics are forgotten.

In recent weeks most of my students have been involved in some form of performance or other.  For some, this was their first foray into public performance, and for others one of a long list of recital opportunities they have experienced.  

I am a firm believer that performance is a huge part of learning to be a musician, and consequently encourage all my pupils to participate in the opportunities for singing in public which are available to them – even if they are reticent to do so!  I am fortunate that in both places where I work there are a wide range of performing opportunities open to my students ‘on the doorstep’, but I also make an effort to provide them with other ways to develop their skills when and where appropriate by encouraging them to participate in music festivals, competitions, external concerts and masterclasses.

The art of ‘performance’ is so much more than singing (or playing!) a piece of music in front of people – and it really is an Art.  Whilst I took part in many school concerts when I was younger, and considered myself an ‘experienced’ performer, it was not until I was at University and studying singing with more focus that I began to really understand how many things contribute towards a polished and poised performance.

Of course, the piece of music – and one’s rendition of it – is central to the success of any performance.  It is this which is the focus of lessons and practice time for the person on stage, and what the audience turn up for.  Without a piece which is well prepared, all the ‘fripperies’ of stagecraft (or how to perform well) are almost pointless – which is why so few teachers concern themselves with the ‘extras’ until much further into the learning process.  Having learned the hard way how important these other things are, I have made a concerted effort to educate my students from their very first performance so that they learn the basics initially, and then develop them along with their technique.  Naturally my expectations increase along with the technical demands of their repertoire, and thus performance confidence grows alongside the technique.

So, what are the extras which might need taking into consideration?  The way you look (how you dress – not the need for a crash diet or Botox!), the way you walk on stage, the manner in which you introduce your performance, how you interact with the accompanist(s)/ orchestra / conductor, the way you cope with ‘blips’ in the performance, how you acknowledge appreciation, and the way in which you leave your stage are all included in what we loosely term as ‘Stagecraft’.  

And how do I teach these things?  Naturally much of this is taught as I discuss a performance in the weeks leading up to it during lessons.  My students practise their introductions before singing their pieces, we discuss what they will wear, and they rehearse with their pianists so we can iron out any problems.  We also discuss how to deal with things that might go wrong, and develop coping mechanisms.  After a performance we de-brief, talking about how that particular performance went, and what the student can learn for the next time.  

The students at school also have an annual Performance Class.  This is taken by one of the vocal teachers in the department, and is organised in small groups of students by year group.  The girls meet with the teacher and allocate one lesson slot to a discussion of these issues, consolidated by the opportunity to put what they have talked about into practice in front of the rest of the group.  This is an excellent forum for all students and teachers.  The students are in a relaxed environment where they can practise the skills they are developing, and gain instant feedback on how well they achieved their objectives.  Ideas instigated in lessons are the object of specific focus, and the students leave the session better prepared for the next time these skills are required.  For the staff it gives the opportunity to see other students of other teachers, gain new ideas, think about good teaching practice, and encourages discussion within the department about development of students.  It also allows the teachers to observe students in a different way – taking a step back and seeing them afresh.

There are many studies and articles written by academics about the benefits of musical education on all aspects of academic life.  The Stagecraft skills practised by my students naturally adapt to any form of public speaking or dramatic performance, as well as developing confidence and awareness of interacting and working with others, the importance of appearance when in formal situations, and the simple ability to stand in front of others and present.  What a fantastic skill set to establish in any person! 

Apologies for the radio silence – things were somewhat manic at the end of term, and then there was a holiday… still, I promise to try and post more regularly!

Many of my students get exceedingly bored by me constantly talking about the words in their songs.  Of course, text is something which is totally unique to singers amongst musicians, and something which instrumentalists rarely, if ever, have to consider when preparing their pieces.  Whilst my students must often despair as I once again ask: ‘So, what’s this song about?’ it is vital to any singer to have this thought at the centre of all they do with their song.

Back in March at the Audrey Hyland Masterclass at the Academy, as well as confronting the singers with ‘WHY?’ (see earlier post) she talked about the idea of a ‘tree of words’.  Whenever a lyricist, librettist, or poet sets out to compose their text they have an infinite number of words to choose from to convey their ideas.  One of the wonderful things about language is simply the vast range of options available to us, each of which has its own subtle nuance from other possible synonyms.   Audrey suggested that to remain fully connected to the text at all times, the singer should put themselves in the place of the poet, and reach out and choose each word they sing, as though selecting it from a ‘tree of possibilities’ for the very first time.  When singers really do this, the audience is totally convinced that they are feeling these emotions personally and ‘in the moment’, rather than a performance having a sense of having been learned and prepared (although of course, any performance has indeed been very carefully thought through beforehand!).

As well as considering the immediate text in front of them, the singer must also research the context of their song.  If it comes from an opera or oratorio, it is part of a narrative, and thus to be fully convincing, they must be aware of the ‘backstory’ and of what happens as a consequence of their song or aria.  

If the song is in a foreign language, singers must hunt down an accurate translation (not just relying on a florid English translation which fits the music!) so that they understand every word and nuance as if the piece were in their native tongue.  This certainly requires much effort, but is essential if you wish to sing your piece with connection and understanding.

It is often with pieces in English that we are most lazy however.  We assume an understanding without analysis of the text, and it is often some weeks into the process of learning a new piece that my students finally stop to consider what it is they are actually singing.  The assumption that we know how to pronounce all the words is particularly dangerous; we are careless in our attention to detail, and words frequently get lost because we are lazy in our enunciation of each syllable.  

I am a stickler for word clarity (much to the irritation of every one of my students!) and firmly believe that if the words cannot be heard clearly, then there is no point in singing anything other than a vowel.  I myself was trained with this thought, and cannot (nor would I wish to!) un-think it, or take it as anything other than central to good singing technique.

Achieving word clarity is simple: you have to work the lips, teeth and tongue as if trying to make words intelligible to a deaf old lady sitting at the back of your performance space.  If you can be lip-read from a distance, you are probably working hard enough!

This weekend at the Abingdon Festival I was delighted to have my students adjudicated by Ann Lampard.  She cares hugely about words being projected correctly and that students should understand the context of what they are singing – as well as singing repertoire with text appropriate for their age and maturity!  Ann discussed these issues at length with some students in their Masterclasses, and quoted none other than Dame Janet Baker, who once said to her:

‘There is absolutely no point in being able to sing sixteen bars of music in one breath, if you have nothing meaningful to say’.

What a wonderful thought for all of those students out there who don’t see the point of caring about the words!

Last weekend one of my students took part in a Masterclass with Audrey Hyland at the Junior Royal Academy of Music.  This was a fantastic opportunity for the students to get new and alternative insights into singing and learn from observing each other.  It was also an opportunity for the singing teachers to sit back and listen objectively to the performances given, and see their students react to new and different approaches.  The whole afternoon was a real pleasure, and Audrey had a couple of very useful thoughts to do with preparing for performance, and I have been discussing them with some of my St Helen’s pupils this week.

Audrey talked a lot about the preparation for performance, something which many of the singers at my school will be considering in basic terms in their Performance Classes this year.  Beyond the basic stage craft issues (perhaps more on this another time!), Audrey encouraged each student to approach every song they are singing with the question ‘WHY’? : Why has the composer chosen to set this text? Why have they written the introduction in they way they have? Why is it in that key? Why is there a rest in that phrase? Why does the melody move in that direction at that point? Why does it speed up or slow down there? Why are the dynamics marked as they are?…  

There are two significant benefits of approaching a song in this way:  The first is that this kind of thought leads to a naturally heightened sense of observation and retention of musical detail.  If the singer is observing performance markings, phrasing, musical line and other details in the score immediately, they will get a much more accurate idea of the shape and feel of the song – even if they have yet to sing it.  When they come to reading it through for the first few times they are more likely to think about the piece musically – and consequently it will still sound musical, even if the odd note or rhythm is a little uncertain.

Secondly, if a song is approached in this fashion it is much easier for the singer to get to the ‘nitty-gritty’ of what the song is about, and to understand the mood they are trying to create quickly.  I always try and encourage my students to think about what their song is about as soon as they are given the music, and despite me discussing this with each of them every time we approach a new piece, it is amazing how few of them consider the words before prompted to do so.  If a singer has not engaged with the text in an analytical manner, and reached conclusions about the emotional journey of the text and the mood of the piece then they will never be able to convince an audience that they are singing with true emotional connection.

As someone who works primarily with young singers (under the age of 25ish) I am only too aware of the negative effects of endless practical work on the voice.  For young voices, much practice could and should be done away from the piano, without making any sound.  Singers who analyse and absorb the musical map of the score and internalise the text will find that practice in a more traditional sense becomes more speedy and far more effective.  They will also be able to sing with a real emotional connection in performance, confident that the text is burned into their brain and their technique is solid.  At this point they can let go, and concentrate on the present emotion, meaning every word as if it has just come to them that moment.  It is these performances which take the breath away!