To: "VOCALIST" <vocalist>
Subject: Re: List of Greatest Voice Teachers
Date sent: Fri, 28 Jan 2000 09:10:35 -0500
Send reply to: VOCALIST <vocalist>


-----Original Message-----
From: Jessica
To: Vocalist <vocalist>
Date: Thursday, January 27, 2000 6:55 PM
Subject: List of Greatest Voice Teachers


If a list was
>to be compiled of the 10 or 20 people considered to be the greatest current
>voice teachers (those still alive), who would be on it? Where do they
teach
>(studios, cities, etc)? Who do they, or have they taught? Are their
names
>well known in classical music / opera circles and why?
>
>I'll be very interested to hear the responses to this query.
>
>Best,
>Jessica


Jessica, this may seem like an exciting, provocative query, but I believe
that the results would be at best unrealistic and superficial. We could
name the most famous teachers probably, and perhaps those who have taught
the most famous students. But do they in fact make the "Greatest voice
teachers." A great voice teacher in my mind is one who can take a badly
abused instrument (the singer and his voice) and help direct the singer to
use the instrument with efficiency, care, integrity, musical ideology,
passion, etc...for the purpose of entertainment, education, spiritual
enlightenment, etc...

Most famous voice teachers do not get the opportunity to deal with what some
would refer to as "a broken voice." Barring physical damage, most forms of
miscoordination can be relieved. I have listened to famous technicians tell
a student that s/he has a limited voice. Sometimes a limited imagination
perhaps, sometimes not the conviction to deal with the challenges that
singing poses, but I do not believe in a limited voice unless the
limitations are diagnosed as proven physical limitations.

I submit that you will find the best voice teachers in the back woods
somewhere who instilled in their students a sense of balance early in life.
When the student moves on to bigger things, usually some other teacher who
may have helped polish them is given responsibility for that students
achievements.

For me, except for Lloyd Hanson, whom I've never seen teach but whose posts
convince me he is a great teacher, I would not venture to name anyone else
out of respect for those magnificent souls out there who give gold to their
young students and are usually never acknowledged for their great gifts.
Some of them may be on this list. I have a personal admiration for Lloyd's
open-mindedness, his intimate knowledge of the scientific environment, and
his poise in dealing with varied personalities on this list who sometime
will resort to negativity when stomped by his flexibility. My endorsement of
him is not meant to diminish the contributions of the many fine people on
this list who contribute so wonderfully. I just have not gotten to know
them as well through their posts.

Cheers,

JRL.