To me the most important thing about singing is not the technical prowess of the artist. It is the artist’s ability to communicate with the audience using the words of the song to tell a rich story in a brief period of time.

This is the “Art of Singing.”

The artist is standing in front of an audience with only four minutes to tell the story contained in the lyrics of the song. This puts unusual demands on the singer, who doesn’t have a preplanned set of circumstances like an actor. The singer must be in direct relationship with the audience without these conveyances. A relationship with the audience must be built immediately and sustained throughout the performance. A good example is Liza Minelli’s brilliance in captured and telling the story within the construct of the song.

I spend half of the time with my clients working on their performance and half on the technique necessary to sustain the performance. As an painter learns to handle his brushes in order to paint, so the singer learns to use his vocal apparatus and more importantly, his spirit, to create moments of joy, laughter, sadness and longing. The singer must confront his own demons and face the audience,or he is left helpless and fearful. Learning to relate to the audience is one of the most important aspects of training. Being unique and bringing your own experience and interpretation of the song to the moment is a gift. The process of opening the artistic channel is one of the intuitive gifts I have been given, and I use it with great respect for each individual.

To this end, I am completing a new book titled “The Art of Singing” which covers all aspects of the art form. It is not only the process of going to the gym and vocalizing that creates lasting impressions but also the opening of the emotional center of expressiveness. When you can reach across the footlights and touch the audience emotionally, you find a new and exhilarating sense of well being.