VOICEPrintsMarch--April 2013JOURNAL OF THE NEW YORK SINGING TEACHERS’ ASSOCIATION

TABLE OF CONTENTS:FEATURED EVENT and COURSE............................................................................................................. .........Page 1Message from President David Sabella-Mills................................................................................................ ....Page 2Message from Editor Matthew Hoch.............................................................................................................. Page 2NYSTA 2013 Calendar of Events................................................................................................................. .Page 3FEATURE ARTICLE: BROADWAY BOUND—Teaching Young Musical Theater Singers in a College Training Program, by NYSTA Member Mary Saunders Barton...........................................................Pages 4--5

FEATURE ARTICLE: What to Look For When Choosing a Doctor by NYSTA Member Michelle Yagoda, MD............................................................................................Page 6

TESTIMONIAL: Long-Distance Learning, by NYSTA Member Henry Moore......................................................Page 6NYSTA New Members................................................................................................................................... .Page 7WORLD VOICE DAY.........................................................................................................................................Page 8

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JOSEPHINE MONGIARDO GREAT COACHES SERIES

MARTIN KATZ Master ClassMarch 27, 2013, Wednesday, 7:00--9:00 PMLOCATION: Room 179 Grace Dodge Hall, Teachers College, Columbia University,West 120th Street, between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue, NYC.NYSTA is deeply honored to present legendary pianist, conductor, and educatorMartin Katz in a master class for five singer-pianist duos.

Martin Katz has been dubbed “the goldstandard of accompanists” by the New YorkTimes. His 40-year career has taken him to fivecontinents, collaborating with the world’s mostcelebrated singers in recital and recording.Marilyn Horne, Frederica von Stade, KathleenBattle, David Daniels, Karita Mattila, and JoséCarreras are among his regular partners, and hehas recorded for RCA, CBS, BMG, EMI andDecca labels.

A member of the faculty at the Universityof Michigan in Ann Arbor for more than two decades, he has chaired theprogram in collaborative piano and coached vocal repertoire for singers andpianists alike. Also active as a conductor and editor, Mr. Katz has led operaproductions for San Francisco’s Merola program, the BBC, Tokyo’s NHK, andinnumerable performances in Ann Arbor, and his editions of baroque and belcanto operas have been performed in Houston, Ottawa, and at the Metropoli-tan Opera. Mr. Katz’s first opus, The Complete Collaborator, has been publishedby Oxford University Press.

FEATURED EVENT:OREN LATHROP BROWN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

FEATURED COURSE:

Call for Singers and Pianists!Singer-pianist duos with a history of musical partnership in the art song genre arewelcome to apply to perform in the Martin Katz Master Class.Applicants must send a minimum of two songs in .MP3 format (or via an onlinelink) along with .JPG photos and resumes (or bios) of the singer and pianist.Please submit entries to Elizabeth Saunders at events@nyst.org.DEADLINE IS WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6.

SINGER’S Developmental RepertoireApril 13--14, 2013, Saturday and SundayON-SITE LOCATION: Room 435 Horace Mann, Teachers College, ColumbiaUniversity, West 120th Street, between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue, NYC.

Instructors: Jeannette LoVetri (on demand only), Christopher Arneson,Judith Nicosia and David Sabella-Mills.

SATURDAY, APRIL 139:30 AM-1:30 PM Christopher Arneson: The Male Classical Voice3:00 PM-7:00 PM Judith Nicosia: The Female Classical VoiceSUNDAY, APRIL 1410:00 AM-1:00 PM David Sabella-Mills: Contemporary Musical Theater, Part One2:30 PM-5:30 PM David Sabella-Mills: Contemporary Musical Theater, Part TwoRegistration includes BOTH on-site attendance and 24/7 on demand viewing forfour months.

This groundbreaking course establishes methods and criteria for selectingrepertoire appropriate to different voice types at various stages of devel-opment. All vocal categories (SATB) in both classical voice and musical theatervoice will be discussed. The Music Theater section will also include a detailedexamination of contemporary Pop/Rock shows and the vocal demands theymake on the singer, and will address choosing appropriate characterdriven audition material.

Jeannette LoVetri Christopher Arneson Judith Nicosia David Sabella-Mills

MESSAGE from the President

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It’s a Business...An old adage among working professionals in theater isthe term “in ‘show business,’ the word ‘business’ is longerthan the word ‘show.’” This reminds us that during aneight-show-a-week schedule, there will be times yousimply will not want to go out on stage, but it is your job.It’s your business! “The show must go on.” This workethic has defined many a great performer and is thestandard by which we all (on Broadway) strive to live.

It occurs to me that among voice teachers (bothinstitutional and independent) the work ethic is the same.We teach all those who walk through our door, helpingall those we can—not just the ones we want to—to reachtheir vocal and or performance goals. As independentteachers, we acknowledge that we work for the client,we are in service to them. In the case of universityteachers, we commit ourselves to the curriculum andstandards of the institution we work for.

We are a very professional lot, at least when it comesto our CRAFT. For some of us, however, our BUSINESSsavvy may need a little boost. I am in contact withhundreds of independent voice teachers, many of whomoften ask my advice on propagating their business; theyrelate (especially during the past recession) that their“business” is faltering. They need help. Universityprofessors have been spared (a bit) from the brunt of therecession. But those who have been adjuncts have cer-tainly wondered about job security. As we are remindedeach week, It’s not over! Perhaps you are still feeling thiscrunch in your studio? If so, here are some suggestionssuccessfully employed by our business-minded colleagues.

ADVERTISE. Too often voice teachers rely on “word ofmouth” for referrals and new clients. But there are manyother cost effective options to consider.■ Get a Website. Many teachers now have a website.It’s the standard. Mine is practically my personal assistant,accepting appointments, processing payments, and mostof all being the virtual face of my business. If you don’thave a website, GET ONE. It’s your lifeline to the outsideworld. There are many options.

Our friends at www.thrivingwebsolutions.com whichbuilt and administrates both my and the NYSTA websitewould be happy to help you place your business into thevirtual marketplace. As a NYSTA member, you will receivea discount for their services. Another option iswww.godaddy.com. With both companies the templatesare easy to use. GoDaddy is a self-service site where youbuild your own website (either you can do it, or perhapsbarter with a client who is more tech-savvy). ThrivingWeb Solutions has the same self-service platform, or ourrepresentative there, Joe Abraham, will also be glad tobuild your site for you.

Another great option specifically for our profession iswww.musicteachershelper.com, a “one-stop shop” for allyour needs. Your studio receives a dedicated web-pageand tools to help with everything from schedulingappointments and payment processing to rememberingwho borrowed what music and needs to return it.

I’d be remiss if I did not mention our own Find aTeacher Profile Pages. NYSTA offers a dedicated web pageon which you can place all relevant information, photos,calendar widget, and payment processing buttons. Andthe URL address is unique to you, so you can use it todirect prospects to YOUR PAGE first. At only $70 per year,this is by far the most cost-effective option.■ Google Ad Words and Ad Words Express. Fora monthly fee that you determine, you can set up yourown ad to enhance your visibility on internet searches.You create your ad (very easy), set the budget that youcan spend per month, and click! And, if you do not havea website (or NYSTA Profile) to direct clients to, you cancreate a Google Places page with your listing includingphotos of your studio, reviews and relevant information.■ Social Media. Social Media is the new advertisingand publicity mode and standard. Even Fortune 500companies who bought time to advertise during theSuper Bowl amortize the success of that ad upon the

number of “hits” it receives on YouTube. Do you have aYouTube channel featuring performances of your clientsand yourself? A Facebook page for your studio? Are you“LinkedIn”? These are just three of the many social mediaoutlets that you can use to enhance your visibility andattract prospective clients.■ Chat rooms. Your clients (especially theyoung ones) are sure to visit internet chat rooms forperformers. Backstage.com, Playbill.com, andTalkinBroadway.com are just three of the many that areavailable for Music Theater and I am sure there are manyfor Classical music as well. Although self-posting an adfor your studio is not permitted, one can certainly askclients to post an endorsement of your studio next timethey are online. This is the new “word of mouth.”■ Dedicated Resources. Do you have a dedicatedphone line for your business? With it you will alwaysknow when a client or prospective client is calling and youcan answer the phone professionally “Good afternoon,so-and-so studios. May I help you?”A small thing, but itsets your business as a priority, separate from your perso-nal life (and phone line). Don’t want to carry around twophones? You can get a dedicated PHONE NUMBER fromGoogle that will automatically forward to your existingphone, with its own distinct ring so you will know whenit’s a business call.

Do you have a dedicated email address (oraddresses) for your business? Again, using a dedicatedaddress sets your business email apart from your personalemail. You can get a forwarding email address fromGoogle. (It must be obvious by now that I am a PC guy.For all our MAC users out there, I am sure there areequivalents, I am just not familiar with them. Sorry.)

Is your studio set up with standardized office equip-ment (Printer/Scanner, Computer, etc)? Being able toprovide the client with the necessary resources, eitheronline or in print, on the spot, is a valuable asset.

STAY CONNECTED. As a member of NYSTA you arecommitted to the ongoing learning our craft requires. I’mhonored to have so many regular attendees at our sea-sonal events. Yet I wonder how much benefit might begained by others of our membership who do not regularlycome to these insightful and creative events. Like ALLBUSINESSES, there are seminars and workshops (andconventions) to attend, to be sure that one is operatingunder the latest and best practices guidelines. Voiceteachers are no different in this regard. I encourage youto participate fully in not only ours, but also thewonderful events offered by our sister organization NATS.■ Formalize and standardize your businessprotocols . Do you have a standardized intake formor vocal assessment for the first session? Do you keepwritten records on each client, and assign concise“homework” that the client understands? I try to starteach session with establishment of goals for the hour,and assign specific homework tasks for the coming week.

These are just a few strategies that have inspired meover the years. I hope they may be of use to you and Iwelcome the opportunity to hear more of your ownbusiness strategies and success stories. As tax time rollsaround this year and you are filling in the proper tax codefor your profession, take a little time to remember that inthe eyes of Uncle Sam…”It’s a Business.”

Sincerely,

David Sabella-MillsPresident, NYSTA

Dear Colleagues,Spring is already upon us, and March and April may

indeed be NYSTA’s busiest months of the entire 2012–2013 calendar. And this issue of VOICEPrints is loadedwith information about these events. In addition to theMartin Katz Great Coaches Master Class (on March 27)and the Singer’s Developmental Repertoire PDP course(which was rescheduled from last fall to April 13 and 14),NYSTA will celebrate World Voice Day during the week ofApril 15–19. Please see page eight for more informationabout the physicians who are offering free screenings toNYSTA members.

Dr. Michelle Yagoda, one of the three participatingdoctors, has also contributed an article to this issue ofVOICEPrints, which serves as an ideal complement to ourannual World Voice Day issue.

I am grateful to musical theater pedagogue andNATS member Mary Saunders Barton for contributingan insightful article on training young musical theatersingers. I know that all of our readers who teach this stylewill recognize the challenges that she presents and will

appreciate her practical advice and creative solutions.NYSTA Member Henry Moore, the newest graduate

of the five-course Oren Lathrop Brown ProfessionalDevelopment Program, also offers a testimonial on thethrills and frustrations of earning his Distinguished VoiceProfessional certificate from the far reaches of Indonesia. Ifind it exciting and inspiring to hear stories like this, asthey indicate to me that NYSTA is truly living up to itstagline: “Educating Voice Professionals Worldwide.”

Happy Easter, Passover, and Vernal Equinox from all ofus at NYSTA. As always, VOICEPrints is YOUR publication,so please send all questions, comments, and suggestionsfor future articles to me at voiceprints@nyst.org.

Sincerely,

Dr. Matthew HochEditor-in-Chief, VOICEPrints

MESSAGE from the Editor

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JOSEPHINE MONGIARDO GREAT COACHES SERIES:

MARTIN KATZ Master ClassMarch 27, 2013, Wednesday, 7:00--9:00 PMRoom 179 Grace Dodge Hall, Teachers College, Columbia University, West 120th Street between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue, NYC.NYSTA is deeply honored to present legendary pianist, conductor, and educator Martin Katz in a master class for five singer-pianist duos.Martin Katz has been dubbed “the gold standard of accompanists” by the New York Times. His 40-year career has taken him to 5 continents,collaborating with the world’s most celebrated singers in recital and recording. Marilyn Horne, Frederica von Stade, Kathleen Battle, DavidDaniels, Karita Mattila, and José Carreras are among his regular partners, and he has recorded for RCA, CBS, BMG, EMI and Decca labels.A member of the faculty at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor for more than two decades, he has chaired the program in collaborativepiano and coached vocal repertoire for singers and pianists alike. Also active as a conductor and editor, Mr. Katz has led opera produc-

tions for San Francisco’s Merola program, the BBC, Tokyo’s NHK, and innumerable performances in Ann Arbor, and his editions of baroque and bel canto operas have beenperformed in Houston, Ottawa, and at the Metropolitan Opera. Mr. Katz’s first opus, The Complete Collaborator, has been published by Oxford University Press.

OREN LATHROP BROWN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM *

SINGER’S Developmental RepertoireApril 13 and April 14, 2013, Saturday and SundayOn Site Location: Room 435 Horace Mann, Teachers College, Columbia University, West 120th Street, between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue, NYC.Instructors: Jeannette LoVetri (on demand only), Christopher Arneson, Judith Nicosia and David Sabella-Mills.SATURDAY, APRIL 139:30 AM-1:30 PM Christopher Arneson: The Male Classical Voice3:00 PM-7:00 PM Judith Nicosia: The Female Classical VoiceSUNDAY, APRIL 1410:00 AM-1:00 PM David Sabella-Mills: Contemporary Musical Theater, Part One2:30 PM-5:30 PM David Sabella-Mills: Contemporary Musical Theater, Part TwoRegistration includes both on-site attendance and 24/7 on demand viewing for four months.This groundbreaking course establishes methods and criteria for selecting repertoire appropriate to different voice types at various stages of development. All vocalcategories (SATB) in both classical voice and musical theater voice will be discussed. The musical theater section will also include a detailed examination of contemporaryPop/Rock shows and the vocal demands they make on the singer, and will address choosing appropriate character driven audition material.

NYSTA CELEBRATES World Voice DayApril 15--19, 2013 LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT NYC AND NJ

In an effort to raise awareness of vocal health issues, NYSTA has coordinated with several renowned New York metropolitan area physiciansin care of the professional voice who are offering FREE vocal health screenings to all NYSTA members, their students, and members of theActors Equity Association (AEA performers union). These screenings will take place on specific days during the week of April 15–19. Thedoctors have chosen the days on which their office can participate, and the specific times and number of clients/patients they can see onthose days and times. Doctors participating in this event are listed below. (Physician participation is subject to change.)

Dr. Michael J. Pitman: Offering free screenings to 40 singers on April 19 from 12:30–5:30 PM with MusiCares,11 West 42nd Street, 27th Floor, NYC. All singers will needto contact Jennifer Leff at MusiCares (212.245.7840) to be screened for eligibility. Eligible singers need at least five years of singing credits and must be financially eligible (noinsurance, etc.).

Dr. Michelle R. Yagoda: Offering a limited number of comprehensive voice evaluations in honor of World Voice Day on April 15 from 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM. Dr. Yagodawill assess your life-style, diet, allergies, social and sleep habits, medical history, speaking and singing habits, and their combined effect on your voice. The visit will also includea full ENT examination including video endoscopy, photos, a complimentary copy of her brochure, The Professional Voice: Steps Toward Good Vocal Health, and an integrativecare plan to help you achieve and maintain optimal vocal health. Visits are by appointment only at her office across from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, at 5 East 83rdStreet, Ground Floor, NYC. Contact: 212.434.1210 or info@dryagoda.com.

Dr. Jared Wasserman: Offering free voice screenings by appointment only on Wednesday, April 17 from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM at the Hackensack office, 385 ProspectAvenue, 2nd Floor, Hackensack, NJ 07601. Please contact the office at 201.883.1062 and ask for Alyssa or Mayleni to make an appointment.

OREN LATHROP BROWN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM *

COMPARATIVE VOICE PEDAGOGY Weekend 2013June 8 and 9, 2013, Saturday and SundayOn Site Location: Room 435 Horace Mann, Teachers College, Columbia University, West 120th Street, between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue, NYC.June 8 Instructors: Jeanne Goffi-Fynn, Matthew Hoch, and Cynthia Munzer.June 9 Instructors: Jan Prokop, Melissa Cross, and Margaret Lattimore. During this course, six master teachers will present teaching demonstrations aftercase histories of students have been discussed. Concrete links will be made between various teaching strategies and the scientific and medical information covered in othercourses of the PDP program. Specific topics and schedules TBA.

WORLD VOICE DAYApril 16th

All PDP courses are $250 ($220 for NYSTA members) and can be registered and paid for online at www.nyst.org. One graduate credit per course is available from Westminster Choir College for an additional $150. To obtain a form or for more information, please contact Katherine Hoffman, PDP Director, at pdpdirector@nyst.org.*

NYSTA CALENDAR 2013

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BROADWAY BOUND: Teaching Young Musical Theater Singers in a CollegeTraining Programby NYSTA Member Mary Saunders Barton

I am on my way to a conference of the NationalAssociation of Teachers of Singing (NATS) when mytelephone starts flooding with excited texts. One ofour recent graduates has been told to suit up for thematinee performance as Elphaba in Wicked on Broad-way! I sit back and smile thinking of this young girl asa freshman and of how much skill, poise, and confi-dence she has acquired in a few short years. Then Ithink, what a wonderful job I have.

It is March 2012 and Penn State has just comple-ted the last of its auditions for admission to its BFA inmusical theater program. Approximately five hundredhigh school seniors have been seen on campus, inNew York, Chicago, Houston, and Los Angeles forfourteen slots in the incoming freshman class. Everyyear since I arrived on campus in 1999, the prepar-ation and training needed to qualify for acceptancehas continued to rise. The skills required to compete inmusical theater are worlds removed from what wasexpected 20 years ago. The current young musicaltheater professional needs to be proficient in acting,singing, and dancing. My young student coveringElphaba had to dance her way into the ensemble first.Then she had to be prepared to sing and act an ex-ceptionally challenging role at a moment’s notice. Ifand when she is asked to take over the role on apermanent basis, she will have to have the vocal stam-ina to perform it eight times a week without fatigue.

All of us who teach singing for musical theaterknow we are training vocal athletes in the same waywe would train a runner or a football player. Endur-ance and healthy technique are paramount. The ap-proach we have taken at Penn State is to train “bothsides of the voice.” Over the years, I have come torecognize the value of balancing classical vocal tech-nique with the techniques specific to musical theatersinging and contemporary commercial music (CCM),an approach I affectionately refer to as “Bel CantoCan Belto.” Our students are required to sing twoclassical songs every semester, one in a foreign lan-guage. Someone walking down the musical theaterhallway might be as likely to hear Schumann’s “Wid-mung,” Gluck’s “O Del Mio Dolce Ardor,” or Floyd’s“The Trees on the Mountain” from Susannah as “Takea Chance on Me” from Little Women or “Gimme,Gimme” from Thoroughly Modern Millie.

First-year students begin with a group class tohelp them assimilate some basic information aboutsinging and get used to each other. Creating a safeenvironment is one of our key responsibilities. Theywill learn how to support each other and how to giveand receive helpful criticism. A few weeks into theirfreshman year, these students will add private voicestudio lessons to their schedule.

TECHNICAL TRAINING THEORYOur goal at Penn State is to train versatile singers.

Every student begins with the same fundamentaltechniques appropriate to classical singing. Breathmanagement, legato, vibrancy, clean onset andrelease, and ease of production, for example, are allskills every musical theater singer needs. Based on thekind of training students have had prior to their

admission, technical work will be tailored to theirindividual levels. And our students sing a lot. We areengaged from the very beginning in building vocalendurance. Every lesson is an opportunity to “workout” a young voice and to tire it in a good way.

The approach taken with young men and womenis essentially the same; the only difference is that theprimary register transition for males is higher in theirrange, so that they spend more time in chest or modalvoice. The repertoire chosen for each semester ad-dresses areas of weakness in the individual student. Agirl who has primarily performed in a contemporarybelt and belt/mix might have six soprano songs fromdifferent eras, including two in the classical style. If thesoprano is strong and the middle voice already well-established, the repertoire can begin to include a wi-der range of styles, including an extended belt range.A male singer who has sung only pop/rock juvenileroles might have songs for “golden age” leading menand classical songs which invite a more “vertical”vowel production and a classical approach to passag-gio. The issue of extending the singer’s range beginsright away for both men and women. It is importantto initiate the process of stretching and opening theseyoung voices early on. In only eight short semesters,students graduating from a BFA training program willneed to be ready to meet the vocal challenges await-ing them in the profession.

Musical theater singing is speech-based, so thefirst thing I evaluate in any student is his or her speak-ing voice. How freely does the singer express himself,how much range is readily accessible in speech, andhow authentic is the “emotional voice” of this youngperson? Speaking exercises, calling out, delivering aShakespeare monologue, are all ways to assess theflexibility of the speaking voice. There should be nofeeling of “adjusting” in order to sing because thespeaking voice should be flexible enough to mix inmany different colors, high and low, to express differ-ent emotions. I think voice teachers and speech-lan-guage specialists would agree that the most commoncause of vocal pathology in young singers is misuseand abuse of the speaking voice. Musical theater per-formers are usually a pretty enthusiastic, high-energybunch, and it can be difficult to get their full attentionon this matter until trouble has started. Teachers needto be vigilant about encouraging healthy speech, andhave a good understanding of the importance ofregister balancing to prevent erosion of the instrument.

TRAINING THE MALE SINGERI have found that the easiest way to ascertain male

range is again with speech exercises. A young mancalling out energetically on an open vowel, as in“Hey!” will land on or around his register transition.The location of the passaggio in the male voice ispretty much a question of career or no career: Aregister break around D4 that seems immutable isgoing to make it virtually impossible to sing musicaltheater. There are simply hardly any roles in such lowkeys. There are tricks of register “matching” that verylow-voiced men can learn, but without the ability tomix chest above F#4 (which is where the magic

happens in contemporary musical theater), these menwill encounter frustration.

A true bass, however, is a rare phenomenon. Thevast majority of men fall into the very workable groupcalled “lyric baritone” which is by far the most flexiblevoice type because it can encompass a wide variety ofcharacters from juvenile to leading man and “grows”with the actor through his career.

Once the potential range of the young male singeris determined, the goal is always to build a strong“core” in the middle out of which the extended rangeblossoms. The metaphor of a tree with strong roots ismy favorite. Leaves and branches can’t survive withouta trunk and roots. The approach I use for developing acore to a male voice is virtually identical to that of myclassical colleagues. At the register transition betweenE4 and G4 (for most of these young men), I begin aprocess of register balancing (which is exactly what Iwill use for girls at the E4 to G4 transition into themiddle voice). Exercises I find invaluable for youngmen include a combination of speaking and singingphrases I compare to “barre work” for the vocalmuscles.

Open vowels above the passaggio can, as withwomen, become the male belt. Young men need to beable to identify the sung pitch from the spoken one.The following speaking exercises move from closed toopen vowels:SPOKEN EXAMPLE:“Hey guys!” (open)This exercise should be practiced incorporating rangeabove the passaggio at F4 or F-sharp 4. The two vowelsshould be of extended duration and floated, not yelled.SUNG EXAMPLE:“Hey guys!” (open)Should mirror the top pitch range of the spoken call,descending a fifth from G4 or A-flat 4.

By far the majority of young male singers come tome with the tendency to open all vowels above thepassaggio. The next step is to introduce closed vowelphrases in speech and singing.SPOKEN EXAMPLE:“You do!” (closed)This is usually more difficult to speak with ease abovethe passaggio and will feel pinched. It is critical todevelop the ability to release and lighten the highclosed vowels in musical theatre singing.SUNG EXAMPLE:“You do!” (closed)Same as above. Should mirror top pitch of the spokenexercise over a descending five note slur.

There are an infinite number of combinations ofvowels that help students develop facility in movingeasily through sung phrases. Here are several of myfavorites:SPOKEN OR SUNG EXAMPLE:“Oh, no you don’t!” Apex of phrase is “No.”Ascending-descending five note slur starting at B4.SPOKEN OR SUNG EXAMPLE:“How dare you!” Apex of phrase is “dare.” Can bepracticed same as above.

What makes these phrases useful is that thedramatic intention is so clear.

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The next exercise involves moving from closed toopen vowels in sequence, including falsetto bookends.If the falsetto is weak, it needs to be exercised andcarried down as low as it will go. ”ooh”—”you”—”ah”—”ooh” (falsetto)—(closed in speech)—(openin speech)—(falsetto). All sung on one note: E4–G4.

The above exercise can be unbelievably challeng-ing for a beginning male singer. Most of our studentscome to us with quite a bit of training and grab ontothis pretty fast. The only difference between theclosed “you” and the open “ah” is acoustic. The openvowel has the option to become a belt above the F4passaggio as it does for women. It is important tokeep working the extended range in order to accom-plish a seamless transition between these qualities.

The right repertoire can work magic in minutes,solidifying these concepts in a young male singer.Several examples of using repertoire to teach acousticflexibility: “At the Fountain” from Sweet Smell ofSuccess. The last bars of the song, “it’s time now tosoar,” traverse the male passaggio and provide anopportunity to practice a closed and belted (open)quality on the word “soar” which can be veryinstructive. “Black Is the Color of My True Love’s Hair”by John Jacob Niles, key of G minor: each verse pro-vides an opportunity to lighten the voice above thepassaggio and to practice a classical “head voice”quality.

Men have an easier time in musical theater thantheir female counterparts because they do not have tomanage register balancing to the same degree onevery note they sing.

TRAINING THE FEMALE SINGERFor women singing musical theater, register bal-

ancing is a primary consideration. Young womencome into a training program with a variety of vocalhabits and predilections. Some have been emulatingthe wrong role models. Some are infatuated with thecontemporary pop sound to the exclusion of all else.Some have spent so much time in choirs and classicalvoice training they are concerned they will damagetheir voices if they belt.

So, first and foremost, we have to try to gain theirtrust. They have to believe that the best singer is themost flexible singer. Even more critical than with menis where a girl’s speaking voice is centered. If a youngwoman is unable to speak comfortably above herprimary passaggio (at around F4), then singing in aspeaking quality and belting in that range will beimpossible. Most women have difficulty releasingspeech habits that define them socially, but musicaltheater students are a breed apart and can usually beencouraged to relinquish any behavior not in theinterest of their growth as artists.

The life, beauty and buoyancy of a woman’svoice in musical theater depends on the coordinationof her middle voice. From an opulent classical timbreto Adelaide’s lamenting, women need to have com-plete acoustical control of their instrument, speakingand singing.

If the head voice is weaker than the chest voice, Iwill always start there and work on building a bridgebetween the upper and lower registers. The head-dominant mix is usually the most difficult quality foryoung women to achieve because the chest will tendto overpower it. The best songs for developing a head-dominant mix in women would invariably include the“golden age” repertoire of Rodgers and Hammerstein,Lerner and Loewe, and their ilk. “Show Me” from My

Fair Lady will challenge girls because they need to re-tain a speech-like quality in their head mix at a break-neck pace! If this proves too difficult, I would back upto slower songs like “My Ship” from Lady in the Dark,“Mr. Snow” from Carousel or “Many a New Day”from Oklahoma! I find classical Italian songs to bevery helpful in opening up the head voice in womenwho are often more willing to enter a new vocal worldwhen they are singing in a foreign language. Classicalsongs ultimately thrill them.

Once the head mix is stabilized and coordinateswell with the chest voice, girls can begin moving tomore chest-dominant singing and belting. I approachthe process of developing the mixed voice in womenvery much as I do for the men. Like men, women canbegin to move from speaking phrases to sung phrasesto reduce the transition break and to develop aneffortless belt. Laryngeal and acoustical flexibility areessential characteristics of musical theater singing.Palatal control (isolation of the soft palate from themovement of the larynx) is a key element in acquiringtechnical proficiency. Panting like a dog, thinking ofthe incipient yawn or sneeze, can intro-duce sensoryawareness of the soft palate tissue.

Speech and speech-to-singing exercises can helptrain the muscles of the vocal tract and larynx muchmore effectively than diagrams or anatomical models.

Here are a few of my favorite speaking exercisesfor a mixed quality in women. These exercises shouldcover the middle voice range and extend down tomiddle C and up to E-flat 5:

“Never, never no!” (great for balancing themiddle voice)

“Where are you going?” (accusatory)“Oh, no you don’t!”“Damn cat!” (don’t be offended, I love cats!)“No way!”

The above exercises can be sung in the same range.The results can be impressive in terms of establishing alight and buoyant mix. Start high and descend a fifthor so for the best effect. Eventually you can move herfrom low to high.

Here is a speaking exercise to practice chest-to-head transitions:

“Yah hoo!” (“yah” in chest quality, “hoo” in head)As with male singers, women can move from closed toopen vowels in the middle voice and the belt will gen-erally “pop “ out naturally on the open vowel, as in:“ooh”—”you”—”ah”—”ooh” (head voice)—(speech)— (belt)—(head voice)It is important to make the biggest possible contrastbetween these sounds.

As with male singers, some young women will findthis incredibly challenging, but if they stick with it, be-fore you know it they will glide through these changeson every pitch! Then, they should practice the sameexercise using head voice on all the vowels, then so-prano mix, and finally speech mix (with no belt). Theywill begin to recognize the belt as an optional color.

Belting exercises are just plain fun. Stay in theupper middle range and move up from there. Anyenergetic call will do:

“Hello!” (sarcastic lilt, “duh!”)“Phone call!”“Yikes!”“Holy cow!”This brings us to the woman’s “high belt”—cur-

rently a huge trend in CCM and musical theater (and avery exciting sound indeed). I have found it best to ap-proach E-flat 5 and up in speech to begin to feel the

“tenor” quality women achieve in this range. Toomuch squeezing and pressing can be a trap for eithergender. The vowels are all closed in quality in a highbelt range and if the balance is right, there is really noceiling to this quality as it is a very balanced, highlyenergetic form of calling.

Any vowels will work in this range (E-flat and up):“Why not?” (spoken and sung in a descending slur)“No way!”“Taxi!”Students entering Penn State’s musical theater

program have fought hard to get there. They are hun-gry to learn and that is one of the reasons teachingthem is so rewarding. The voice studio is an excitingplace to be! I have come to believe that for mosteighteen-year-olds dreaming of a Broadway career, afour-year training program after high school is thebest plan for them. They need time to grow up. Thesefour years provide an opportunity for personal andartistic growth that can be very difficult to achieveunder the constant pressure to audition and perform.The support and supervision provided in a university orconservatory setting builds confidence, character anda sense of community these young performers carryinto the profession.

Mary Saunders Barton is head of voice instruc-tion for Penn State's BFA in musical theater. She has anMA degree from Middlebury College and the Sorbonne,Paris in French language and literature, studied Frenchart song with Pierre Bernac and received a diploma fromthe École Normale de Musique. She also earned a BAcum laude/Phi Beta Kappa in French /music from MountHolyoke College.

An active performer with Broadway, off-Broadway,film, and television credits, Saunders Barton has recentlyconcentrated on the creation and performance of one-woman cabaret shows, the first of which, Stop, Time,played to sold-out houses in New York City. Shemaintains a studio in Manhattan for professional singers.In this and recent seasons her students have been seenon Broadway in: Wicked, Hairspray, Rent, Mamma Mia,The Lion King, Ragtime, West Side Story, How toSucceed in Business, Nice Work if You Can Get It,Newsies and Book of Mormon.

In 2007, she published a video tutorial “Bel Canto/Can Belto: Teaching Women to Sing Musical Theater,”which has been well received by the professionalcommunity. She is frequently invited to presentworkshops and seminars on musical theater vocaltechnique for convocations of singers and teachers ofsinging in the United States and Europe.

In 2009, Mary was inducted into the AmericanAcademy of Teachers of Singing in New York City. Inthe fall of 2011 she launched a new MFA in the ped-agogy of musical theater singing at Penn State, thefirst ever of its kind.

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WHAT TO LOOK FOR When Choosing a DoctorBy NYSTA Member Michelle Yagoda, MD

The voice is an unusual area of the body, in that itscomplicated anatomy and physiology can be respon-sible for one’s vocation and livelihood. As a result, thevoice should be treated with a comprehensive, teamapproach so that the ENT/voice doctor, vocal coach,singing teacher and even a speech pathologist canwork together to provide the ultimate in knowledgeand care.

When choosing a voice doctor, remember thatwhom you pick may be even more important thanwhom you select as your agent. The best way to finda good doctor is through word of mouth, but thereare also many other important aspects to consider.Answer the following questions before selecting yourvoice doctor:

YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH THEPHYSICIAN’S STAFF:✧ Does the staff answer calls promptly and courteously?✧ Are emergency appointments available?✧ Are routine appointment wait times reasonable in

relation to the nature of your problem?✧ Are calls returned promptly? Do email and voicemail

messages get callbacks within one business day?✧ Does the staff know when to forward your medical

questions to the doctor? Or does the staff “practicemedicine” itself?

✧ Are insurance-related issues handled appropriately?✧ Are all fees explained in advance to avoid surprises?✧ Is a payment plan policy offered for those with

financial hardship?✧ Are billing reductions offered for uninsured and

under-insured?✧ Is the doctor or a covering physician available for

nights, weekends, and holidays?

✧ Is there prompt follow-up on lab tests andoutstanding results?

YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH THE PHYSICIAN:✧ Does the doctor give you enough time during your

visit for you to ask questions without feelingrushed?

✧ Does the doctor takes a full medical and socialhistory, even on areas other than those of concern,in order to address the whole you?

✧ Does the doctor ask detailed questions about yourlifestyle, including diet, sleep, smoking, alcohol,drugs, sex, and psychological history?

✧ Does the doctor liaise with your singing teacher,voice coach, and speech pathologist to keep theminformed of his/her findings and to offer explan-ation and even suggestions for your care?

✧ Does the doctor discuss an entire range of treat-ment options with you, including natural/alter-native, herbal/complementary/holistic, non-surgical,laser and surgical procedures?

✧ Are the waiting area, office and exam rooms clean?✧ Is the equipment in the exam room up to date?✧ Does the doctor explain to you why all tests will be

performed? Does the doctor seem to order un-necessary diagnostic tests?

✧ Does the doctor explain things in a way that youcan understand?

✧ Are you given the chance to ask questions? Arethose questions answered to your satisfaction?

YOUR PHYSICIAN’S CREDENTIALS:✧ Does the doctor have appropriate training from

nationally recognized experts in voice care?✧ Has he/she been recognized by peers, including

voice and singing teachers as a vocal expert?✧ Has he/she been quoted as a source in national and

international journals?✧ Does he/she have experience and practice in every

area of your concern?✧ Can he/she give you a recommendation if you

choose to get a second opinion?✧ Does he/she know what to recommend for alter-

native therapies, herbal complementary and holistictherapies, as well as the most up-to-date medical,laser and surgical options?

✧ Does he/she have hospital privileges, which ensurevalidation of expertise by peers, diagnostic skill,surgical competence, and updated licensure; andwhich verify no significant history of malpractice,substance abuse or other legal problems? Does he/she participate in continuing medical education andongoing training?

If the answers to any of these questions raiseconcerns, you may want to reconsider your choice ofvoice doctor. Make sure that you are getting the bestpossible care by asking questions, paying attention tothe details, and following your gut instincts.

TESTIMONIAL: Long-Distance Learningby NYSTA Member Henry Moore

We like to joke that although we do not live at the end of the world, we can seeit from where we are: the easternmost province of Indonesia. Our town hangs at theedge of a vast interior of mountains, rainforests, and meandering rivers. Internet isavailable where we live, but is either limited in bandwidth or prohibitively expensive.So, how did I complete the Oren Lathrop Brown Professional Development Program,doing much of it from so close to the end of the world?

The first obstacle was simply getting the textbook, Scott McCoy’s Your Voice: AnInside View. In some places in the world it is not possible to place an order and haveitems shipped directly to you. I had the book mailed to a US address and then foundsomeone to hand-carry it to me in Indonesia. It then took time to set up an Indone-sian PayPal account, but once that was accomplished I could register and start look-ing for enough bandwidth to view the lectures.

It was not practical to try to do the courses from my home with our limitedInternet access. But at the hangar where I am an avionics technician, I was able toattain the requisite bandwidth via satellite. And even that slowed down during theday, since we share the satellite bandwidth with a number of other customers. Aftersome trial and error, I found a personal schedule that worked. Fortunately, I did nothave to do it in the middle of the night: I got in the habit of rising early, viewing thelectures at 5:30 in the morning.

After viewing Vocal Anatomy and Physiology and Vocal Acoustics and Reso-nance, I returned to the US for a six-month furlough. I signed up for the Vocal Healthfor Voice Professionals and Singer’s Developmental Repertory. Here there were nobandwidth issues. The furlough quickly passed and it was soon time to return toIndonesia. I had to go to Singapore to complete my visa process. The two weeksthere turned out to be ideal for viewing the final course. At a local seminary I found

good bandwidth available and was able to view Comparative Vocal Pedagogy. Sincemy password for Singer’s Developmental Repertory was still valid, I reviewed thatcourse as well. Two weeks later, back in Indonesia. I returned to my 5:30 AM viewingtime. I still needed to listen to some songs from Singer’s Developmental Repertoire.Although it was still rather slow, wireless Internet had become available, and Idownloaded the files from home during the early morning hours. I bought thenecessary wireless device and worked diligently until I completed my finals. I felt asense of great accomplishment when I was able to mail those in.

We have heard that next year a fiber optic cable will reach us. That will certainlysimplify life for other people who want to do distance learning, but I will never re-gret the early morning bike rides to my place of work and never forget the joy ofreceiving my certificate in the mail. I am very thankful to those who have made theonline PDP courses available. The “on demand” feature makes distance learningpractical—even half a world away in Indonesia! I was also pleased to find that myelectronics background gave me a head start in understanding spectrograms,resonance, and tuning. I recommend the NYSTA program without reservation to all,

wherever you may be. What a gift you have given, especiallythose of us who live in remote regions of the world.

Henry Moore holds a BA in psychology from LouisianaTech University. He is currently a support worker with WycliffeBible Translators. Mr. Moore often sings in local concertssponsored by the International School of Indonesia. Inaddition to his involvement with NYSTA, Mr. Moore is also anassociate member of NATS.

Dr. Michelle Yagodareceived her medical degreemagna cum laude from thesix-year combined BA-MDprogram at Boston University.She completed two years ofgeneral surgical training atLenox Hill Hospital in New YorkCity. Her subsequent four-yearresidency included two years as

Chief Resident and six months as Fellow in Otolaryngol-ogy, Head, and Neck Surgery and Facial Plastic andReconstructive Surgery at Manhattan Eye, Ear and ThroatHospital, New York Hospital-Cornell University MedicalCenter, Lenox Hill Hospital, and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Currently, she is on staff asAssociate Adjunct Attending and Clinical Instructor atLenox Hill Hospital, New York Eye and Ear Infirmary, andManhattan Eye, Ear, and Throat Hospital.

7

Nancy Bos lives and teaches in Bellevue, Washington, a suburb of Seattle. She is the author of Singing 101 and VocalWorkout: Strength and Flexibility, a vocal instruction and exercise CD set built on pop, rock, and the blues. She has been teachingsince 1995 as an independent teacher and briefly as adjunct faculty at Cornish College of the Arts. Nancy serves as a voiceclinician for international singer/songwriter workshops and music theater master classes. She is associate editor for the Journal ofSinging, a member of the NATS Membership Committee, secretary for the Northwest Chapter of the Voice Foundation, andtreasurer for the Eastside Vocal Federated Music Club. Nancy is an active professional performer in music theater, rock, andclassical music, and has participated in several solo and group recordings. She is an appreciator of all singing genres, and enjoysstretching her voice and having performing experiences that she hopes her students will enjoy.

Kenneth Bryson, tenor, maintains a full private vocal studio in New Jersey and serves on the adjunct faculty of the PingrySchool in Martinsville, New Jersey. He is a full and active member of NATS and was a participant in the 2010 NATS InternProgram. Mr. Bryson received his BM degree from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and went on to earn an MMdegree at The Juilliard School. Mr. Bryson is also an active soloist and recitalist with 100 recitals to his credit. He has sung theroles of Normanno in Lucia di Lammermoor, Macduff in Macbeth, Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus, and John Adams in The Motherof Us All, as well as the title roles in Oedipus Rex and La clemenza di Tito. Additionally, Mr. Bryson is the founder of Singing for aCure, an annual vocal music concert series now in its eighth year whose proceeds have benefited ALS and cancer research andtreatment.

Russian-born soprano Nika Leoni has been an active performer, teacher, and producer for over ten years. Her performancecredits span from Europe to the United States. She appeared on opera stages in the Czech Republic, Germany, and Austria, andperformed concerts at Carnegie Hall and with the Munich Philharmonie, Berlin Philharmonie, Walbrzych Filharmonia Sudecka(Poland), One World Symphony (New York), as well as recorded with Prague Stern Orchestra in the Czech Republic. She was aRegional Finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in San Francisco and a recipient of first prizes and otherawards from several prestigious singing competitions. Currently, Ms. Leoni is a faculty member at the 92nd Street Y Music Schoolwhere she teaches vocal technique, repertoire, lyric diction and acting for singers, and coaches chamber groups. She is thefounder, producer and artistic/musical director of an international performance company, Classical Presentations, for which shealso writes and co-directs various educational productions about the classical music and opera genres.

Rosemary Murdy-Haber is a graduate of West Chester University with a BS in music education and earned her MEd fromDeSales University with a degree in computers in education. After retiring from public school education after 32 years as a choraldirector, Rosemary is currently serving as an adjunct professor at Northampton Community College teaching music theory andpiano, as well as directing the college choir. She also serves on the Advisory Board at the Lehigh Valley Performing Arts HighSchool and continues to instruct voice, harp, and piano students in her independent music studio. She is the secretary of theLehigh Valley NATS chapter and designs and produces the local NATS gala recital. She continues affiliations with professionalorganizations that include ACDA, PMEA, MENC, LV-PMTA, and National Guild of Piano Teachers. Ms. Murdy-Haber believes thatmotivating and keeping student interest high is a priority for maintaining a successful music program. She encourages studentsto be the best they can be, and in doing so, her students develop additional communication skills and build self-confidence.

Joan Tirrell has sung over 40 operatic, crossover, and contemporary roles and has appeared in concert with some of thenation’s foremost opera companies and festivals, including the Opera Orchestra of New York, NYC Opera National Company, SanFrancisco Opera’s Western Opera, Aspen Festival, Saratoga Festival, Chautauqua Festival, Dallas Opera, Anchorage Opera, NYCHistorical Society, and Playwrights Horizons. She has concertized widely, including oratorio performances at Carnegie Hall. Ms.Tirrell was a finalist in the Luciano Pavarotti Competition, Gerda Lissner, Eleanor Steber, and Queens International competitions.She has worked with many fine conductors, including James Levine, James Conlon, Richard Bonynge, Antonio de Almeida, JohnDe Main, Benton Hess, Ted Taylor, Ted Sperling, and Thomas Bagwell. Ms. Tirrell holds a BME degree from Temple University. Herteaching experience includes work as a Vocal Instructor at Young Artists Institute at New Jersey Performing Arts Center andNJPAC’s Summer Young Performers’ Workshop, numerous artist residencies across the United States, classroom teaching in NewYork City and suburban New York, and private voice instruction from her home studio in Warwick.

Joseph Turro, tenor, earned his BM degree from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and recently received his MM degree invocal performance from NYU Steinhardt along with an advanced certificate in vocal pedagogy. While at Oberlin, he performednumerous roles in the main stage operas and as a soloist with the Oberlin orchestra. During his time at NYU, he performed theroles of Alfred in Die Fledermaus and Sam Kaplan in Street Scene. Outside of school, Mr. Turro is an alumnus of Brevard MusicCenter and was a studio artist with Opera North. He spent two years as an adjunct faculty member at NYU while simultaneouslystudying vocal performance and pedagogy under Dr. Brian Gill. Mr. Turro is grateful to NYU for helping him develop his teachingskills with students possessing a wide range of vocal interests, giving him the versatility to teach singers in many different styles.

NYSTA New Members 2013

VOICEPrintsJOURNAL OF THE NEW YORK SINGING TEACHERS’ ASSOCIATION

March--April 2013NYSTA, c/o Dr. Matthew HochDepartment of Music101 Goodwin HallAuburn UniversityAuburn, AL 36849

www.NYST.org

WORLD VOICE DAYApril 16th

NYSTA CELEBRATESWorld Voice DayApril 15--19, 2013 (all week)LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT NYC AND NJ

In a groundbreaking effort to raise awareness ofvocal health issues, NYSTA has coordinated with severalrenowned New York metropolitan area physicians incare of the professional voice who are offering FREEvocal health screenings to all NYSTA members, theirstudents, and members of the Actors EquityAssociation (AEA performers union). These screenings

history, and speaking and singing habits and theircombined effect on your voice. The visit will alsoinclude a full ENT examination including videoendoscopy, photos, a complimentary copy of herbrochure, The Professional Voice: Steps TowardGood Vocal Health, and an integrative care plan tohelp you achieve and maintain optimal vocal health.Visits are by appointment only at her office acrossfrom the Metropolitan Museum of Art, at 5 East83rd Street, Ground Floor, NYC.Contact: 212.434.1210 or info@dryagoda.com.

Dr. Jared WassermanOffering free voicescreenings by appointmentonly on Wednesday, April17 from 9:00 AM to 12:00PM at the Hackensackoffice, 385 ProspectAvenue, 2nd Floor,Hackensack, NJ 07601. Please contact the officeat 201.883.1062 and ask

for Alyssa or Mayleni to make an appointment.

will take place on specific days during the week ofApril 15–19. The doctors have chosen the days onwhich their office can participate, and the specifictimes and number of clients/patients they can see onthose days and times. Doctors participating in thisevent are listed below. (Physician participation issubject to change.)

Dr. Michael J. PitmanOffering free screeningsto 40 singers on April 19from 12:30–5:30 PM withMusiCares,11 West 42nd

Street, 27th Floor, NYC. Allsingers will need to contactJennifer Leff at MusiCares(212.245.7840) to bescreened for eligibility. Eligiblesingers need at least five years

of singing credits and must be financially eligible (noinsurance, etc.).

Dr. Michelle R. YagodaOffering a limited number ofcomprehensive voice eval-uations in honor of WorldVoice Day on April 15 from9:30 AM to 3:30 PM. Dr.Yagoda will assess your life-style, diet, allergies, socialand sleep habits, medical

VOICEPrintsMatthew Hoch, DMA, Editor-in-ChiefSarah Adams Hoover, DMA, Associate EditorJudith Nicosia, Associate EditorTheresa Trieste, Associate EditorJohn Ostendorf, Designer