| To: vocalist Date sent: Thu, 6 Jan 2000 13:16:39 +0000 Subject: Re: Fear of singing Send reply to: VOCALIST <vocalist>
A thought occurred to me when I was at home last night: singing can be seen as an activity separate from one's normal day-to-day business. As my teacher keeps reminding me, singing is sustained speech. Wagner said that it is refined speech. If one thought about what was involved in speech, its various components, then one would probably not be able to. Oftentimes I have found myself complicating what is, and should be, natural. When one thinks that one is in singing mode then things go a-wry. Instead of: is my posture right? Have I dropped my jaw? Am I breathing through the nose and mouth? Have I raised the soft palate? Has my diaphragm stiffened? Is it not better just to breathe deeply and sing? As I admitted before, I am still learning. The components of singing are important, but it is possible to get bogged down by it all.
One of my heroes is Bruce Lee, the martial artist. He was reading for a PhD in Philosophy at Washington State University. Many do not realise that there was more to him than his kung-fu. What he said is that one first has instinctive reactions, through training these are refined, so that that the schooled action becomes instinctive.
What I am trying to say is that it is important to see singing as an organic part of one's expression as a human being. Because the body is one's instrument singing impacts, and involves, everything of oneself. By developing as a singer one develops as a human being (a very Zen thing).
I don't believe that being overly concerned with Do's and Don'ts is beneficial, because one could become reclusive, neurotic, and create a prison for oneself. Singing is passionate, it is about life. Love life, do not fear it.
Stewart, basso serioso
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