Gary Catona Posted on Tuesday, July 31, 2012 at 02:23PM Ali is the icon of icons - one of the greatest athletes of all time as well as a cultural hero who inspired millions and continues to do so today; and for me, he was a great student and friend, and is one of the kindest, most thoughtful people I have ever known.
Gary Catona Posted on Monday, July 30, 2012 at 03:53PM ;)
After a period of time, the vocal athlete must make the transition from voice builder to the full-fledged singing artist. The singer must brave the lonely waters of personal expression, and begin to sing in order to reveal his authentic sound and style. Although the separation between singing techniques and voice building techniques is clear enough, we must always remember that voice building always influences how a singer creates his art.
Gary Catona Posted on Friday, July 27, 2012 at 03:54PM ;)
WITHOUT a doubt, voice instructors throughout the centuries have not been lax in taking responsibility for passing on what they think they know about singing (although rarely in writing). The whole index of modern vocal concepts and techniques has been the fruit of their labor. Their point of departure has always been the long-standing Italian singing tradition, which reached its fabled “golden age” in the 17th and 18th (especially) centuries.
Gary Catona Posted on Thursday, July 26, 2012 at 03:35PM ;)
Part of the problem of trying to understand the human voice (whether for speaking or singing) is that a number of its fundamental truths are counterintuitive. This means that what appears to be the case is often not necessarily so. For example, many singers (and teachers) believe that we cannot change our voices in any significant way through voice training; that we are largely “stuck” with the voice with which we were born. In fact, the highly adaptable nature of the vocal muscles guarantees that our voices could be built if effective vocal exercises are properly employed.
Gary Catona Posted on Wednesday, July 25, 2012 at 03:45PM ;)
All the legendary voice masters from the classic Bel Canto era of the 18th century point to one vocal characteristic as being the most potent weapon in the singer’s artistic arsenal: beauty of tone (a close second was spectacular, florid singing). They understood that beauty draws the listener near—that is, it fascinates the mind, seduces the senses, enchants the human spirit, and opens the heart. In fact, the most beloved singers of any era of music history have always had, above all else, a vocal quality that their admirers found irresistible. Enrico Caruso was famous for his legendary “golden voice.” Many stories have been told about his glorious tone and the effect that it had on his listeners. It wasn’t uncommon for fans, as well as fellow singers and conductors, to be emotionally swept away by the sheer sound of his voice.