Solutions for Singers: Tools for Performers and Teachers

309 Pages·2004·2.03 MB·English

by  Richard Miller

Solutions for Singers:
Tools for
Performers and Teachers
RICHARD MILLER
OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
SOLUTIONS
FOR
SINGERS
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SOLUTIONS
< FOR =
SINGERS
Tools for
Performers and Teachers
RICHARD MILLER
1
2004
1
Oxford New York
Auckland Bangkok Buenos Aires Cape Town Chennai
Dar es Salaam Delhi Hong Kong Istanbul Karachi Kolkata
Kuala Lumpur Madrid Melbourne Mexico City Mumbai Nairobi
São Paulo Shanghai Taipei Tokyo Toronto
Copyright ©2004 by Oxford University Press,Inc.
Published by Oxford University Press,Inc.
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Oxford is a registered trademark of Oxford University Press
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system,or transmitted,in any form or by any means,
electronic,mechanical,photocopying,recording,or otherwise,
without the prior permission of Oxford University Press.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Miller,Richard,1926–
Solutions for singers:tools for performers and teachers / Richard Miller.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Contents:pt. 1. Breath management—pt. 2. Posture—pt. 3. Laryngeal and
intra-laryngeal function—pt. 4. Resonance balancing.
ISBN 0-19-516005-3
1. Singing—Questions and answers. 2. Singing—Instruction and study. I. Title.
MT820.M5993 2003
783(cid:1).04—dc21 2002041661
1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2
Printed in the United States of America
on acid-free paper
In Memoriam William McIver
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I wish to thank my friends and colleagues Carol Sedgwick,D.M.A.,and Shirley
Zielinski,Ph.D.,for reading manuscript drafts and offering me sensible advice. Ad-
ditional thanks are due final-draft peer evaluators, unknown to me, whose com-
ments were exceedingly helpful. I am grateful to members of the editing and pro-
duction staff of Oxford University Press for their ready assistance. To Richard
Sjoerdsma,editor of Journal of Singing,my thanks for permission to rework some
items I have previously touched on in a regularly contributed sotto vocecolumn
for that journal. My biggest debt is owed Mary,my wife,who continues to be my
guiding light in this,as in all ventures.
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PREFACE
Over several decades it has been my privilege to meet with singers and teachers in
weeklong courses devoted to the art of singing,in which the correspondence of ef-
ficient physiologic and acoustic function to artistic expression is considered in de-
tail. Half of each day is devoted to systematic technique,the remainder to master
classes in communication. Several thousand teachers, students, and professional
singers have participated. To ensure sequential information,and to avoid interrup-
tion of master class performances, observers are asked to write out questions as
they occur to them. Questions are then codified and discussed in question-and-
answer sessions at the close of the week. These inquiries often go to the heart of
vocal pedagogy,pointing out watersheds that separate voice-training systems. This
book deals with a number of them—some briefly,some in detail.
Recurring topics have been selected from more than fifteen hundred written
questions. They deal with both technique and artistry. Falling into specific cate-
gories,they consider a single topic from several angles. I have tried to tailor my
responses to the specifics of each question. Associated issues are assembled within
overall categories; related questions have been joined together. Technical areas
considered involve breath coordination,laryngeal function,resonator-tract response,
resonance balancing, voice categorization, voice registration, linguistic articula-
tion,vibrancy,matters of style,the enhancement of artistry and communication,
pedagogic and professional attitudes and concerns,and healthy voice production.
In answering variations on similar themes,for clarity and completeness,it has oc-
casionally been necessary to revisit important facets of information.