Teaching
As a performer and teacher of many decades, I bring a wealth of experience and understanding to a wide range of repertoire. I am a specialist in early music performance, contemporary classical repertoire, oratorio, art song of many nationalities and chamber music across the centuries as well as a champion of Australian composition and its creators. Alongside my current work as a tutor in the Sydney Conservatorium Composition Department, I offer the following private tuition options.
CLASSICAL VOICE
Whether you love to sing for pleasure or have more professional aspirations, in my studio I will equip you to understand your instrument better, to gain facility and to communicate with it more effectively whatever your level of expertise. Delving into the more obscure and under-performed end of the spectrum has always been my interest, as there are many wonderful pieces that fall outside the ‘classics’ that are worth discovering. And building programs with surprises gives us fresher ears to hear the familiar.
Understanding and communicating the meaning of your song is of paramount importance, whether you are fluent in the language or not. We are the only instrument that is able to convey both music and words in the same moment. I have sung in too many languages to count and can assist you with tips to improve your diction and comprehension in a range of languages.
WHAT I OFFER
Suitable for tertiary students to adults of any age, I offer technical work and a wide range of classical repertoire tailored to your abilities. I am also available for short term intensive work on honing repertoire or developing repertoire lists and have an extensive library to draw on.
Lesson are one hour in duration and available in person or online. Contact me for more information.
COMPOSER CONSULTATION
Every voice is distinctive and individual beyond the empirical voice classifications of the textbooks. The physiology of each individual instrument can affect fundamental qualities like range, flexibility and tone colour. Although it is an instrument that we all carry with us, many composers do not take full advantage of its many interesting capabilities, nor know enough about its capacity for both text delivery and interpretation.
As both a singer of contemporary music since my earliest training and as the director of new music ensemble Halcyon for almost twenty five years, I have spent years deeply immersed in the scores of countless contemporary composers. This experience has given me a wide-ranging perspective as I interpret the many and varied ways that composers seek to communicate their ideas. Additionally, my innate curiosity and analytical mindset have always led me to ask questions, to try to understand the ‘why’ of a musical score, not just the ‘what’.
The challenge for any composer is to give interpreters the tools they need, so that their ideas can be clearly understood directly from the page. The work should be able to ‘speak’ for itself. This is a vital skill for every composer, but particularly in vocal music, where singers weigh both musical and poetic considerations in crafting their performance.
WHAT I OFFER
After decades of acting informally as an advisor to emerging composers and presenting seminars, masterclasses and workshops in secondary and tertiary settings, I now offer a personalised composer consultation service to assist those who wish to write more effectively for the voice and gain insights from an experienced interpreter.
Suitable for adult composers of any age, these one-to-one online sessions are tailored to individual needs. We can hone specific repertoire through detailed examination or develop vocal writing skills through a more general overview of your work. Questions of interpretation, performance practice, the technical specifics of the vocal instrument, vocal technique and idiom or the practicalities of text setting and delivery are some of the areas we could explore.
Sessions are 1 hour in duration.
To discuss a consultation, please contact me