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Volume 19, 2018

Editor

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Julia Nafisi

Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, University of Melbourne

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Editorial Assistant

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Veronica Stewart

Sydney Voice Studio

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Acknowledgements

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ANATS would like to thank the editorial board and expert reviewers for their assistance and contribution to Australian Voice:

Dr Irene Bartlett Dr Jean Callaghan Robert Edwin Professor Mark Evans Professor Scott Harrison Associate Professor Diane Hughes Dr Joan Melton Professor Scott McCoy Professor Martin Vácha

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Disclaimer

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Material published in Australian Voice presents a variety of viewpoints. The views expressed or implied in this publication, unless otherwise stated, should not be interpreted as the official position of The Australian National Association of Teachers of Singing or of the Editor.

Cover

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The cover references Schubert’s An die Musik, a song that, in a very personal way, gives thanks to music for its power to fill us with warmth and lift us out of the dreariness of everyday life. Image sourced from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:An_die_Musik.jpg

ISSN 1325-1317 ISSN 1839-5236 (Online) Australian Voice, Volume 19, 2018 For further information about Australian Voice and the Australian National Association of Teachers of Singing Ltd., visit the Australian Voice website: www.australianvoice.net.au, or the ANATS website: www.anats.org.au.

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*+,-".,/#'' From the Editor

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Julia Nafisi

0.-,1#&2'' Pauline Viardot as Salonni!re

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Linda Barcan

Music Theatre Performance Strategies for the Private Singing Studio

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Jacqui Cuny

Communicating Artistic Integrity: Collaborative Production in Recording Processes

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Diane Hughes and Mark Evans

Hidden Virtuosity: The Choral Soprano in the Studio

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Morag Atchison

Now Touch the Air Softly: Reflections Upon Art Songs in the Recording Studio

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Paul McMahon

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3&4,&52'' A History of Vocal Pedagogy – Intuition and Science by Joseph Talia, OAM

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Dianne Spence

Up from Down-Under. The Australian Origins of Frederick Matthias Alexander and the Alexander Technique and F M Alexander: His Life. His Legacy. 49 (Documentary Film) by Rosslyn McLeod Julia Nafisi

Copyright © Australian National Association of Teachers of Singing

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ISSN 1325-1317 | ISSN 1839-5236 (Online)

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e d i t o r i a l

From the Editor Julia Nafisi University of Melbourne

It is my great pleasure to introduce this latest volume of Australian Voice which is also the first issue produced under my editorship. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my predecessors in this role, Adele Nisbet and Helen Mitchell, whose dedication and expertise ascertained the quality of this journal. With great humility, I took on this role at the beginning of 2018 and have since strived both for continuity and fresh impulses. Earlier this year I succeeded in recruiting Professor Martin Vácha of the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna to join our editorial board. As Vice-President of the European Voice Teacher Association (EVTA), Martin represents a distinctly European perspective, broadening the scope of our journal. Australian Voice stands its ground as a quality research journal in an ever-growing and fast-moving area of research. Covering all singing and voice related disciplines, it occupies a niche alongside the US-based Journal of Voice and Journal of Singing. Given the breathtaking pace and diversity of research in our field however, there appears to be ample room for Australian Voice to grow and increase its impact as a recognised international player and forum for discussion and research-dissemination. This issue presents five research articles and two book/film reviews. The articles are: “Pauline Viardot as Salonniѐre” (by Linda Barcan) describes the salon of the legendary singer, composer and teacher - daughter of Manuel Garcia. It is part of a larger body of research by the author committed to investigating Viardot’s vocal pedagogy. “Music Theatre Performance Strategies for the Private Singing Studio” (by Jacqui Cuny), explores practical strategies to assist and inspire teachers in their pursuit of developing expressive, authentic, musical theatre performers. “Communicating Artistic Integrity: Collaborative Production in Recording Processes” (by Diane Hughes and Mark Evans) discusses collaborative production during the recording ii

processes of a contemporary singer-songwriter. An ethnographic case study, the article details the context and methods of collaboration between singer-songwriter and co-producer Jodi Martin, and vocal director and co-producer, Diane Hughes. “Hidden Virtuosity: The Choral Soprano in the Studio” (by Morag Atchinson) compares and evaluates the vocal demands placed on choral and solo sopranos in a classical music context. It is suggested that through better collaboration between voice teachers and conductors, a rehearsal technique may be developed that benefits both solo and choral singers. “Now Touch the Air Softly: Reflections Upon Art Songs in the Recording Studio” (by Paul McMahon) examines, through an autoethnographic approach, some of the complexities underpinning the phases of research, score study, rehearsal and recording as the foundation of a recent project chronicling selected art songs by composer Calvin Bowman (b. 1972). The reviews featured in this volume are: A History of Vocal Pedagogy – Intuition and Science by Joseph Talia (2017), OAM (by Dianne Spence) and Up from Down-Under. The Australian Origins of Frederick Matthias Alexander and the Alexander Technique (2017) as well as F M Alexander: His Life. His Legacy. Documentary Film (2015) both by Rosslyn McLeod (by Julia Nafisi). I would like to thank all authors and reviewers for their outstanding work and hope this volume may serve to delight and inspire its readers. Please note that Australian Voice welcomes submissions at any time – all information can be found on www.australianvoice.net.au Julia Nafisi

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Pauline Viardot as Salonniѐre Linda Barcan Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, University of Melbourne

ABSTRACT: Pauline Viardot was one of the foremost opera singers of her day, praised by audiences, critics and peers for her vocal abilities and dramatic sensibilities. Attracted by her musicality, her intelligence and the range, flexibility and quality of her voice, the biggest names in nineteenth-century European musical life hastened to enlist her talents. As a practicing composer, producing 150 original songs and 200 vocal arrangements across her lifetime, Viardot cultivated the careers of aspiring composers whose work she admired. At the same time, she nurtured a studio of pupils who were introduced in her salons to a circle of influential friends and colleagues drawn to the great salonnière. The descriptions of Viardot’s salon contained in this article form part of a larger body of research committed to investigating Viardot’s vocal pedagogy. My contention is that as useful as the Garcia family’s inherited pedagogical tools were to Viardot the teacher, it was in her salon that her pupils learned their most valuable lessons, through performance practice and industry connections. KEYWORDS: Pauline Viardot, Parisian salon, salonniѐre, soirée musicale.

INTRODUCTION My first memory. A very well-lit salon, many ladies and gentlemen lined up, seated in tight rows – a large, lit chandelier. Under the chandelier, a table; on that table, a small child’s chair – on that small chair, a little girl. A play is being performed in a puppet theatre. The characters, at least those who make them move, are singing quartets intermingled with dialogue. The artists are: Manuel Garcia père1, Manuel Garcia fils,2 Madame Garcia and my sister Maria Félicité Garcia. I am the heroine of the party. I perfectly remember that in the first row of spectators in front of me, one could see heads of the Dukes of Wellington and Cambridge. I was four years old3. (Viardot-Garcia as cited in Poriss, 2017, pp. 30-31)

THE little girl of this recollection would grow up to be Pauline Viardot-Garcia (1821-1910), one of the most renowned opera singers of the second half of the nineteenth century. The description depicts what must have been the young Pauline Garcia’s earliest experience of a Parisian salon. The “heroine of the party” could have had little notion of the part she would later play within the salon phenomenon: Australian Voice | Volume 19 2018

first as a performer in others’ salons, then as the hostess of her own. As a performer, Viardot was admired for her musicianship, her intelligence, her powerful personality onstage and off, and the range, flexibility and quality of her voice. As such, she attracted the biggest names in nineteenth-century French musical circles, many of whom composed with her in mind. Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921) wrote his Dalila for her, Johannes Brahms (18331897) his Alto Rhapsody, Charles Gounod (18181893) his Sappho, Hector Berlioz (1803-1869) his Orphée, Didon and Cassandre, and Giacomo Meyerbeer (1791-1864) his Fidès. As a composer, Viardot’s impressive output included 150 songs, 200 vocal arrangements and a number of piano and chamber works4. There can be little doubt that her compositional skills and experience allowed her to maintain a relationship with her musician friends more equal in nature than that of mere muse or interpreter. Indeed, Viardot’s musicianship, which she attributed to the influence of her father Manuel Garcia I5, saw her collaborating with experienced colleagues like Berlioz, as well as cultivating the careers of aspiring composers like Charles Gounod, Jules Massenet (1842-1912) and Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924). These figures and many others besides comprised Pauline Viardot’s inner circle of friends, mentors and mentees. From the age of 27 until the end of her long life, Viardot nurtured her “circle” through her salon, bringing composers and performers together, the latter often interpreting works by the former. A particular feature of the Viardot salon was that many of the performers were her pupils. It is the thesis of my current research that for Viardot this was not just a case of convenience, nor of serendipity, but rather a conscious effort on her part to provide her pupils with essential performance practice, and to introduce them to influential figures from the musical and artistic life of nineteenth-century France. In this way, the spheres which made up Viardot’s life - circle, studio and salon - were brought into alignment.

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B a r c a n Pauline Viardot’s Background and Training Pauline Viardot was the youngest member of a musical dynasty headed by Manuel del Pópulo García (1775-183) and his second wife Joaquina Stichès. Of Spanish descent, with links to the Italian bel canto tradition of performance and pedagogy, this was a family for whom “genius appeared to be inherited” (Franz Liszt, 1859, as cited in HallSwadley, 2013). According to Camille Saint-Saëns “music was in the air they breathed” (Saint-Saëns, 1919, p. 146). Garcia I was an operatic tenor particularly associated with the works of Mozart and Rossini. He was also a prolific composer, with nearly 70 stage works and a similar number of songs to his name (Radomski, 2000, pp. 762-782). Rossini declared of his friend that “if his savoir faire had been in proportion to his talent and knowledge, he would have been the premier musician of his age" (Héritte-Viardot, 1913, p. 4). Garcia’s offspring were similarly destined for fame in the musical world. The eldest daughter, Maria Garcia (18081836), known after her marriage as La Malibran, was a celebrated contralto. She achieved operatic stardom at an early age and experienced a stellar career that ended only on her tragically premature death at 28. The eldest son, Manuel Garcia II (18051906), began his professional life as a baritone, performing with his family in the Americas[i], before abandoning his operatic career to concentrate on vocal pedagogy and research (Garcia 1847a, 1847b). He became the most famous voice teacher of his time, with an impressive list of high-achieving pupils. Both performer and teacher roles were combined in the personage of Garcia I’s youngest and allegedly favourite child, Pauline. Recognising his daughter’s talents, Garcia I took great care that Pauline received a rigorous musical education. Her formal training began at the age of four with organ lessons, then continued with counterpoint and composition classes at the Paris Conservatoire under Anton Reicha. She was sent to Franz Liszt for piano lessons, and by the age of eight she was accompanying her father's voice lessons. Garcia taught singing to all three of his children (Radomski, 2000). He was rumoured to be a harsh teacher, at least to Manuel and Maria. On the other hand, Saint-Saëns reports Viardot as saying that “neither she nor her sister was abused by their father”. Rather “they learned music without realizing it, just as they learned to talk” (Saint2

Saëns, 1919, p. 6)6. Ferris claims “her proud father [Garcia I] was wont to say, whenever a buzz of ecstatic pleasure over the singing of Mme. Malibran met his ear, ‘There is a younger sister who is a greater genius than she’” (Ferris, 1891, p. 55). Garcia I’s skills as a composer were of great benefit to his teaching. In a letter to her friend, the conductor Julius Rietz, Viardot wrote: “It was my father who taught me music - when, I have no idea, because I do not remember the time I did not know it. I have several great portfolios full of solfeggios, canons and airs written for me…Whenever I want to practise airs which are difficult and really useful to me, I return to those which my father wrote when I was ten years old - I sang them but very little worse then, than I do now” (as cited in Baker, 1916, pp. 34-36)7. Although only 11 years old when he died, Viardot had benefitted from at least three years' exposure to her father's teachings (Kearley, 1998, p. 96). Following her sister Maria’s death, Pauline was persuaded by her mother and her bereaved brother-in-law, the violinist Charles de Bériot, to strive for a career as a singer. Building on Pauline’s early exposure as both pupil and accompanist in Manuel père’s studio, her mother8 and brother9 took over her vocal development. Pauline was also an autodidact (Ferris, 1891, p. 51). Having greeted her change in circumstances with the words "Ed io anche son cantatrice!" (Schoen-René, 1941, p. 126), Viardot approached her training with customary diligence. According to one of her pupils, “With ardor [Madame Viardot] began to work on the solfeggi which Don Manuel had written out for her sister’s training. When there was no more to be learned from these, Pauline composed others for herself on the same pattern…Schubert, for whose work her father had shown a fervent enthusiasm, became Pauline's first great love in music. She copied all his songs and used them for her solfeggi” (Schoen-René, 1941, p. 125)10. The hard work paid off, and in November 1838 Pauline made her Parisian concert debut at Madame Caroline Jaubert’s salon. The 17-year-old Pauline Garcia’s entry into musical life was welcomed by Alfred de Musset, as well as by fellow critics Léon Escudier and Théophile Gautier, all of whom pronounced her worthy of her sister’s mantle. In what seems a ghoulish re-enactment, Pauline made her operatic debut in 1839 in the same role and in the same city as her sister – as Desdemona in Rossini’s Otello at Her Majesty’s Theatre in London.

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Pauline Viardot’s Studio If Garcia I’s teaching prepared Pauline for a career as an opera singer, it also furnished her with exercises and instructions that would allow her to teach from a relatively young age. Saint-Saëns lamented that Viardot “spent half her life in teaching pupils, and the world knew nothing about it” (Saint-Saens, 1919, pp. 146-148). Her teaching career began in 1848, whilst she was still an active performer. During this time, she organised her contracts so as to spend six months teaching and six months performing (Schoen-René, 1941, pp. 51, 138), before fully committing herself to the teacher’s role following her official retirement from the stage in 1862 (Fitzlyon, 1965, p. 371). Viardot continued her teaching activities until just three days before her death in 1910. She therefore taught for a total of 62 years, more than double her time as a performer, and her studio produced pupils whose artistry would delight European and American concert- and opera-goers of the next generation. The Parisian Salon According to David Tunley, Parisian salons of the nineteenth century were “presided over by colourful and (usually) very cultivated women of mature years, many of whom devoted their entire energies to their little ‘courts’” (Tunley, 1997, p. 6). Some notable salonnières of nineteenth-century Paris included the Countess Marie d’Agoult, who hosted Rossini, Berlioz, Chopin, Paganini, Liszt, Malibran, Viardot, Giuditta Pasta, Henriette Sontag and Adolphe Nourrit; Princess Christina Belgiojoso (Bellini, Rossini, George Sand, Stendhal, Alfred De Musset); Princess Metternich (Wagner, Liszt, Gounod, Saint-Saëns, Viardot) and of course, Viardot herself (Leung-Wolf, 1996, pp. 259-266). Pauline Viardot’s Salon In 1848, ten years after her operatic debut, Pauline Viardot was a successful mezzo-soprano with an international career, based in Paris. She and her husband Louis purchased a house at 48, rue de Douai in the fashionable 9th arrondissement (Kendall-Davies, 2013, p. 310). It was there, as Saint-Saëns reminisces “during the [Second] Empire the Viardots used to give in their apartment on Thursday evenings really fine musical festivals, which my surviving contemporaries still remember (Saint-Saëns, 1919, p. 148). Saint-Saëns’ reference to this historical and political moment in France’s history is significant. Louis Viardot’s republican sympathies had created Australian Voice 2018

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problems for the Viardots in the past, and when in 1852 the Second Empire was declared, Viardot “found herself unofficially banned from France’s operatic houses” (Escobar, 2012, p. 18). According to Saint-Saëns, “the disdained star consoled herself by shining in the salons” (Saint-Saëns, 1900, pp. 149-150). Viardot hosted her first Parisian salon from 1848 to 1863. In 1863 the family re-located to Baden-Baden, a move largely motivated by Louis’ disenchantment with France’s political regime. Pauline established her second salon at the Villa Viardot in Baden-Baden, running regular Sunday matinées from 1863 to 1870. The outbreak of the Prussian War precipitated a short residency in London, whence the Viardots returned to Paris in 1871 after a ten-year absence from France. Here Pauline presided over her third salon from 1871 to 188311. In 1883, following the deaths of her husband Louis and her long-term companion Ivan Turgenev, Viardot moved to an apartment on the Boulevard Saint-Germain, where she remained until her death, continuing to welcome guests to her musical soirées (Schoen-René, 1941; Johnson, 2004). The guests to Viardot's salon were drawn not just from the musical sphere but also from literary, artistic and political domains. Regular frequenters of her salon included musicians Berlioz, Gounod, Saint-Saëns, Fauré and Rubenstein, statesmen Wilhelm I of Prussia and Otto von Bismarck, the writers George Sand, Charles Dickens, George Eliot, and of course her lifelong companion and ardent admirer, the Russian novelist, poet and playwright, Ivan Turgenev. These were the audiences to whom Viardot’s more senior students were introduced as young artists, presenting standard repertoire as well as their teacher’s own compositions in the form of art songs and operettas. Viardot’s belief in her pupils’ pedagogical development through performance practice was such that she made considerable changes to her various residences in order to mount her musical soirées and theatrical productions. During the 1850s, renovations and additions were made to the rue de Douai residence, indeed her prized organ room was a converted greenhouse (Everist, 2001, p. 172). In Baden-Baden a theatre was built in the grounds of her villa, where she, her students and family members produced opérettes de salon of her own composition on libretti by Turgenev. The operettas most frequently performed were Le Dernier Sorcier, L 'Ogre, and Trop de Femmes. According to Melinda Johnson, one of the principal objectives of these operetta performances was to

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B a r c a n provide stage experience for Pauline's most advanced students (Johnson, 2004, p. 73). There are numerous primary source descriptions of Viardot’s salons in Paris and BadenBaden. Many accounts remark on the physical features of the rue de Douai salon: the drawing room with Pleyel piano, the picture gallery and the Cavaillé-Coll organ, housed in a purpose-built room designed by Viardot: The salon was furnished in a very severe style, no cumbersome trinkets, lots of space. The furniture, lacquered in white and covered in light-coloured silk, was pushed against the walls. To the left of the piano two steps led to a picture gallery which received daylight from the ceiling. There were the organ and a small number of paintings of great value, including an excellent portrait of Turgenev from the brush of Kharlamof, perhaps the best available of the great Russian writer. A movable partition separated the salon from Louis Viardot’s office. (Viardot, c.1973, p. 2)

Madame Jeanne Mairet’s account: M. Viardot had added to the original building a picture-gallery, a delightful room, a step or two lower than the salon. Here, many of the musiclovers, the men especially, congregated. The drawing-room was not very large, and the piano took up a great deal of space. Once ensconced in a chair, there was not much chance of moving before the end of the evening. (Mairet, 1908, p. 309)

Finally, Saint-Saëns: From the salon in which the famous portrait [of Pauline Viardot] by Ary Scheffer was hung and which was devoted to ordinary instrumental and vocal music, we went down a short staircase to a gallery filled with valuable paintings, and finally to an exquisite organ, one of Cavaillé-Coll’s masterpieces…I had the honour of being [Madame Viardot’s] regular accompanist both at the organ and the piano. (Saint-Saëns, 1919, pp. 148-149)

Other diarists remarked on musical features, in particular Viardot’s own performances. One of the pieces Saint-Saëns had the honour of performing with Viardot was Schubert’s Der Erlkönig (The Erl-King), “of which she made a terrible and fascinating creation of the highest degree” (SaintSaëns, 1900, pp. 149-150). Viardot was renowned for her dramatic interpretation of this Lied, and several accounts of her performances exist. Princess Metternich wrote: Happily, Madame Viardot-Garcia, the famous singer and incomparable artist whom today only Lilli Lehmann resembles, at least as far as vocal range and style are concerned, was present. With her customary goodwill, she came to my aid and asked Liszt to accompany her in “The Erl-King”. I

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won the day! Yes, I heard “The Erl-King”, sung by Mme Viardot and accompanied by Liszt. I can state that it would be very difficult not to retain for the rest of one’s life a magnificent and powerful impression of this. (Metternich, 1923, p. 103)

Madame Jeanne Mairet described her own experience: It was when Mme. Viardot herself consented to sing, which did not often happen, that her guests were really content. To use the artistic jargon, there were “holes in her voice”, and no one knew it better than she—but who thought of any flaw in the instrument? The great artist carried her hearers away with her in a whirlwind of passion, of sentiment, of horror, or pity. Music with her, as it had been with her sister, was alive, vibrating, all conquering. One evening she sang “The Erl-King”. At the end, there was a moment of absolute silence before the frenzied applause broke out. (Mairet, 1908, pp. 309-310)

It could be argued that in her salon appearances, Viardot acted as a performing mentor to her pupils, modelling for them the musical, stylistic and dramatic skills she had acquired over the course of a thirty-year career. According to Jeanne Mairet, Madame Viardot’s salon was “a social as well as intellectual and musical centre” (Mairet, 1908, pp. 309-310). My current research contends that there were secondary but equally significant consequences, both pedagogical and professional in nature. My thesis argues that as useful as the Garcia family’s inherited pedagogical tools were to Viardot the teacher, it was in her salon that her pupils learned their most valuable lessons.

CONCLUSION According to Jeanne Mairet, Madame Viardot’s salon was “a social as well as intellectual and musical centre” (Mairet, 1908, pp. 309-310). We might add that her salon was literally and figuratively a sort of greenhouse, in which the compositional, performative and pedagogical skills of Madame Viardot and her circle were cultivated. As old archives are re-opened, new understandings regarding the degree and depth of Viardot’s multiple roles as mentor, collaborator, composer and performer continue to emerge. My current research contends that there were secondary but equally significant consequences, both pedagogical and professional in nature. The focus of my research is on the pedagogical value of the salon, and on its utility as a way for the advanced preprofessional student to make an impression on the Australian Voice 2018

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musical world. The Viardot salon provides a model for such an investigation, supporting the argument that, as useful as the Garcia family’s inherited pedagogical tools were to Viardot the teacher, it

was in her salon that her pupils learned their most valuable lessons.

NOTES

REFERENCES

1"Garcia the Elder, or Garcia I. 2 Garcia the Younger, or Garcia II. 3 Musicologist Hilary Poriss has uncovered this opening paragraph in the manuscript of Pauline Viardot’s unfinished and unpublished autobiography, now housed in the Houghton Library at Harvard University. 4 See Escobar, Angelica Minero, “Enriching the French romance: Pauline Viardot-Garcia's early cosmopolitan songs (1838-1850)”. PhD diss., Rutgers The State University of New Jersey-New Brunswick, 2012; Waddington, Patrick. The Musical Works of Pauline Viardot-Garcia (1821-1910): A Chronological Catalogue. 2013. https://dspace.ucalgary.ca/bitstream/1880/49849/1/Viar dot_catalogue_2013.pdf. 5 “It is incredible what my father wrote in the way of masses, symphonies, detached pieces, unaccompanied quartets, etc.” (Letter from Viardot to Julius Rietz, 15th June, 1859, as cited in Baker, 1916, pp. 34-36). 6 Another of Manuel’s pupils, the Countess de Merlin, reported Garcia as saying that he had never had cause to “exercise harshness” with his youngest and favourite daughter, Pauline, since she could be “led by a silken thread” (Merlin, 1840, pp. 9-10). Ferris adds extra information: "Pauline can be guided by a thread of silk," [Garcia] would say, "but Maria needs a hand of iron" (Ferris, 1891, p. 51). In addition to her compliance, Pauline was known in the family for her industriousness, which earned her the nickname “the ant”. 7 Although admiring her father’s capacity for composition, in other parts of this letter Viardot criticises her father’s compositional haste, the unequal quality of his output and his lack of discrimination in his choice of libretti and poetry. 8 “Mme. Garcia firmly declined [Pauline taking lessons from Rossini, suggested by French tenor and former Garcia père pupil Adolphe Nourrit], and said that if her son Manuel could not come to her from Rome for the purpose of training Pauline's voice, she herself was equal to the task, knowing the principles on which the Garcia school of the voice was founded” (Ferris, 1891, p. 51). 9 “She studied…the art of singing with her father and mother, but principally with her brother Manuel” (quotation from Viardot’s obituary as cited in Baker, 1915, p. 350). 10 Nicholas Žekulin, contrastingly, describes Pauline Garcia at this time as “the quick if originally reluctant pupil” (Žekulin, 1989, p. 2). 11 When in Paris, the Viardot family also maintained a country home at Courtavenel (1844-1873) and at Bougival (1873-1883).

Baker, T. (1915). Pauline Viardot-Garcia to Julius Rietz (Letters of Friendship), The Musical Quarterly, 1(3), 350-380. Escobar, A.M. (2012). Enriching the French romance: Pauline Viardot-Garcia's early cosmopolitan songs (1838-1850). PhD dissertation, Rutgers The State University of New Jersey-New Brunswick. Everist, M. (2001). Enshrining Mozart: Don Giovanni and the Viardot Circle. 19th-Century Music, 25(2-3), 165-189. Ferris, G. T. (1891). Great Singers, Second Series: Malibran to Titiens. New York: Appleton & Co. Fitzlyon, A. (1965). The Price of Genius: A Life of Pauline Viardot. New York: Appleton Century. Garcia, M. (1847a). Ecole de Garcia: Traité complet de l’Art du Chant, 2ème éd. Paris: Troupenas et Cie. Garcia, M. (1847b). Mémoire sur la voix humaine présenté à l’Académie des Sciences en 1840, 2ème éd. Paris: Imprimerie d’E. Duverger. Garcia, M. (1856). Nouveau traité sommaire sur l’art du chant. Paris: Richard. Garcia, M. (1894). Hints on singing, translated by Beata García. London: Aschenberg. Hall-Swadley, J. R. (2013). The Collected Writings of Franz Liszt. Dramaturgical Leaves: Essays about Musical Works for the Stage and Queries about the Stage, Its Composers, and Performers, Vol. 3, Part 1. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield. Harris, R.M. (2005). The music salon of Pauline Viardot: featuring her salon opera Cendrillon. PhD dissertation, Louisiana State University. Héritte-Viardot, L. (1913). Memories and adventures. London: Mills & Boon Limited. Johnson, M. A. (2004). The Creative Spirit: A Study of Pauline Viardot-García's Salons. PhD dissertation, Indiana University. Kearley, K.K. (1998). A Bel Canto tradition: Women teachers of singing during the golden age of opera (DMA dissertation), University of Cincinatti. Kendall-Davies, B. (2013). The Life and Work of Pauline Viardot-Garcia. Vol. 1, The Years of Fame, 1836–1863, 2nd edition. Amersham: Cambridge Scholars. Leung-Wolf, E. (1996). Women, music, and the salon tradition: Its cultural and historical significance in Parisian musical society. DMA dissertation, College-Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinatti. Mairet, J. (1908). Reminiscences of a Franco-American, No. III: Madame Pauline Viardot, nee Garcia in

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Putnam's Monthly & The Reader, 4, 1908, Indiana: G.P. Putnam's Sons, pp. 305-310. Metternich, P. (1923). Souvenirs d’Enfance et de Jeunesse, par la Princesse Pauline Metternich, cited in Virenque, A. (1978). Pauline Viardot et Schubert, Cahiers Ivan Tourghéniev, Pauline Viardot, Maria Malibran, no. 2 (October 1978). Poriss, H. (2017). Pauline Viardot, On Rivalry. In Kauppala, A., Broman-Kananen, U., Hesselager, J. (eds). Tracing Operatic Performances in the Long Nineteenth Century, DocMus Research Publications, pp. 15-42. Radomski, J. (2000). Manuel Garcia (1775-1832): Chronicle of the Life of a bel canto Tenor at the Dawn of Romanticism. Oxford University Press on Demand. Radomski, T. (2005). Manuel Garcia (1805-1906): A Bicentenary Reflection. Australian Voice, 11, 2541. Saint-Saëns, C. (1900). Portraits et souvenirs. Paris: Société d'édition artistique. Saint-Saëns, C. (1919). Musical memories. Boston: Small, Maynard & Company. Schoen-René, A.E. (1941). America's musical inheritance: memories and reminiscences. GP Putnam's sons. Torrigi-Heiroth, L. (1901). Mme. Pauline ViardotGarcia: sa biographie, ses compositions, son enseignement. In Cahiers Ivan Tourghéniev, Pauline Viardot, Maria Malibran, no. 1 (1977), pp. 43-70. Tunley, D. (1997). Music in the 19th-century Parisian Salon. Gordon Athol Anderson Memorial Lecture, No. 13, Armidale: University of New England. Viardot-Garcia, P. (1873). Cinquante mélodies de Franz Schubert, traduites par Louis Pomey avec annotations et sous la direction de Mme Pauline Viardot. Paris: E Gérard, 1873.

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Viardot-Garcia, P. (1874). Une Heure d’Etude, exercises pour voix de femme, 1ère et 2ème séries. Paris: Heugel & Fils. Viardot, P. (c.1973). Correspondance inédites entre Pauline Viardot et son fils Paul, Département des Manuscrits, Bibliothèque Nationale de France. Waddington, P. (2013). The Musical Works of Pauline Viardot-Garcia (1821-1910): A Chronological Catalogue. 2013. https://dspace.ucalgary.ca/bitstream/1880/49849/ 1/Viardot_catalogue_2013.pdf. Žekulin, N. G. (1989). The story of an operetta: Le dernier sorcier by Pauline Viardot and Ivan Turgenev. München: Verlag O. Sagner.

BIOGRAPHY Linda Barcan trained at the Conservatorium of Newcastle, the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, and the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA). Linda is currently Lecturer in Voice at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music. Previously she was Lecturer in Voice for nine years at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA). Linda has presented at national and international conferences for the Musicological Society of Australia (MSA), the International Congress of Voice Teachers (ICVT), the Australian National Association of Teachers of Singing (ANATS), the Australasian Drama Studies Association (ADSA), the ARC Centre of Excellence for the History of Emotions (CHE) and the International Colloquium for the History of Music Teaching in France (HEMEF).

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Musical Theatre Performance Strategies for the Private Singing Studio Jacqui Cuny M.M.S., B.Mus. (Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University), B.A. (University of Queensland)

ABSTRACT: Today’s singing pedagogue is often called upon to teach numerous styles of vocal music, and none more complex and varied than Musical Theatre (MT). This diverse genre encompasses over one hundred years of singing and acting expression, and to effectively communicate the repertoire, the aspiring MT performer must authentically inhabit an imaginary world and successfully draw his or her audience into it. To achieve this performance artistry, the synthesis - that is the combining of singing and acting must be addressed. It is often left to the private singing teacher to step into the domain of performance coach and train students in this skill of synthesis. Anecdotal evidence suggests, however, that few teachers feel qualified or equipped for the task. A number of contemporary acting methods, some derived from renowned Russian acting teacher Stanislavski’s pioneering work, contain concepts that can accommodate the specific rigours of the MT stage and translate well for use in the private teaching studio. Drawing upon nearly 40 years of professional performance, directing and training in musical theatre and her recent postgraduate research, the author seeks to share her accumulated knowledge and practical strategies to assist and inspire teachers in their pursuit of developing expressive, authentic, musical theatre performers. KEYWORDS: Musical Theatre, singing/acting synthesis, singing acting strategies, performance coaching

INTRODUCTION Creating believable characterisation and delivering expressive, authentic emotions through song are essential skills for today’s musical theatre (MT) performers. Whilst there is much common ground in the way a singer or actor uses his or her voice and body to express story and dramatic meaning, the teaching methods of these disciplines can vary greatly. The established skills of singing, acting and dance are considered foundational when auditioning for professional work or entry into a MT tertiary course. Although most prospective students have undertaken years of singing and dancing training prior to auditioning for entry into these undergraduate degrees, many have received little or no technical training in acting or instruction to effectively integrate character and storytelling into a song. Often it is left to singing teachers to teach this synthesis of singing and acting to their students. According to LoVetri and Australian Voice | Volume 19 2018

Weekly’s surveys of MT teachers (2003, 2009), most singing teachers have never been coached in MT specific techniques and there are only limited opportunities for private teachers to acquire the necessary MT acting skills. How then can teachers equip themselves to teach their students? The Constructs of Musical Theatre To teach MT singing effectively, one must understand its constructs. MT has been defined as a 20th and 21st century North American and Western European art form, derived from late 19th century operetta, music hall, vaudeville and pastiche entertainment forms of the day (Bourne, Garnier & Kenny, 2011, p. 437). And Dunbar (2013) defines MT as the complex sum of its parts, musical theatre is defined on the basis of its integrated-ness: that is, the degree and frequency with which song flows from dialogue, or music combines with storytelling plots. Historians trace an increasing cooperation in the working relations of song, dance, and plot in emerging forms. (p. 203)

Kenrick (2008) on the other hand describes the subject as a combination of five key elements: music and lyrics (the songs), book/libretto (the connective story expressed in script or dialogue), choreography (the dance), staging (all stage movement), and the physical production (the sets, costumes, and technical aspects). “Over the centuries, a great deal of creative energy has been spent in integrating these elements, making them all smooth-flowing parts of the storytelling process” (p. 15). MT is stylistically diverse and encompasses a huge range of singing and acting approaches. Performance artistry in this genre depends on the integration of an established healthy, dynamic, singing technique with an intelligent, imaginative, and focused acting technique. The essence and success of MT relies on the suspension of belief and the implicit acceptance by the audience that characters inhabit a world where they will move naturally and effortlessly among singing, acting and dancing as they communicate and tell their 7

C u n y story (Deer & Dal Vera, 2008). The “music, book, lyrics, orchestration, dance, underscore, and finally even the audience’s understanding of performance are linked in a common endeavour to present a coherent development of plot and character” (Taylor, p. 77). It is widely accepted that the dramatic through-line is carried in the text of a song. Singing becomes an imperative when a vocalisation threshold is reached, i.e. the emotional stakes are increased and there is a heightened need for communication. In Bean’s (2007) words: “I remain silent until I have to speak, and then I speak until I have to sing” (p. 168). Styles of MT are almost as varied as the number of shows running currently on Broadway. Over the last 50 years this evolving and revolving form of communication has incorporated all forms of Contemporary Commercial Music (CCM) including rock, pop, folk and rap, bringing the full gamut of musical style to the stage (Bourne & Kenny, 2016). Jukebox musicals, operetta, revivals of Golden Era icons, contemporary, gritty realism, concept musicals, pop opera, and magical Disney extravaganzas are now part of the MT canon (Kenrick, 2008). The current MT performer is required to be vocally flexible in technique and stylistic delivery, able to perform a song in anything from high, semi-classical legit style to grunge punk rock (Green, Freeman, Edwards & Meyer, 2014). Pedagogues have defined and redefined vocal qualities pertinent to these styles. Terminology including legit, belt and mix are now characteristically used, and scientific research has come a long way to understand their registration and other physiological differences (Bourne & Garnier, 2012). Saunders–Barton (2005) commented: Musical Theatre composers have long since abandoned this classical voice model and casting calls are for singers who command a fully integrated mixed voice. The musical theatre performer must now step effortlessly with no discernible transition from speaking to singing and from singing to speaking, combining a full vocal range that doesn’t unexpectedly break, shift or flip, but is available in a seamless continuum from the lowest to the highest note. (p. 281)

The Music Theatre Singer Actor Nowadays, working MT singers are required to be skilled in dynamic, emotionally connected acting in “a real union between dramatic content and vocal quality” (Kayes as cited in Melton, 2007, p. 100). Pat Wilson, an Australian educator and 8

performer agrees that the 21st Century MT “verismo” style – more dramatic, realistic, gritty and gutsy – places greater pressure on the singer to act convincingly and create authentic characterisation whilst singing in quite a high and unnatural physical state (Wilson as cited in Melton, 2007). In MT circles, the well-trained singer/actor/dancer is often referred to as a “triple threat” performer, as he or she exhibits the three skills necessary to excel. Ideally, musical background knowledge, kinaesthetic awareness, imagination, emotional connection, resonance, breath and body alignment, physical dexterity and balance are employed to craft a synthesised dynamic performance. Thurman and Welch refer to this connection as the “neuropsychobiological self” (2000: xxiii). Distinguished Australian pedagogue, Jean Callaghan, reinforced the concept that brain, breath and voice or “B, B, V” should engage and respond in that order (Callaghan, 2018), suggesting that great singing technique and solid acting technique must be effectively integrated to create the illusion of reality in an imaginary, artificial world. Or, in the words of H. Wesley Balk (1985), “All systems involve an interplay between the…needs of each part of the system… High synergy within a system indicates a healthy system, one that is functioning at its best” (p. 73). The development of a reliable singing technique will usually take priority at the beginning stages of all MT singing work. Correct body alignment, good breath management and airflow, monitoring laryngeal function and the appropriate use of registration, resonation and articulation form part of most singing instruction. As a general rule in MT, preference will be given to a thyro-arytenoid dominant, speech quality vocal tone, and the development of safe belting technique, as the expected vocal qualities of the MT performer (Kayes, 2000; Edwin, 2004). In addition, the MT singer must learn to communicate a song’s story, which can affect vocal tone quality. In the author’s experience only few teachers have completed specific training in synthesising acting and vocal technique and many are thus ill equipped to teach the extremes of vocal style required for the modern musical. Bourne and Kenny’s 2016 survey of voice pedagogues showed considerable differences in approaches to teaching MT styles and highlighted the need for training teachers in a pedagogy specific to MT. Recent research undertaken by the author confirms this (Cuny, 2018).

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M u s i c a l A Dilemma The question of when and how to introduce performance and/or acting techniques into song study can be challenging for any studio teacher. Opinions on this subject vary widely with most controversies arising from the complexities inherent in acting and singing techniques. Balk (1977) suggests that, although music and words can be seen as two opposing forces, theatre composers have sought a vision large enough to encompass and reconcile the most diverse extremes. “The highest truth is a synthesis of contraries” (p. 6). Whilst referring mostly to opera, Balk’s perception that the collaboration of singing and acting achieve a transcendent mode also holds true for musical theatre when he says that: song is the most compelling way of seducing the word away from its concern with an ungenerous reality to a more deeply felt ideality. To have the best of both worlds, to combine the clarity of reason with the turbulence of feeling, is to sing. (p. 7)

He goes on to state that the integration of singing and acting must commence in the vocal lessons without interfering unduly with the process of laying a strong technical foundation (p. 18). Balk contends that the stylistic expression of music is first and foremost a technical one, requiring a firmly disciplined, authoritarian approach to the demands of score, conductor, voice teacher or coach, By its very nature, singing is an external, anatomical expression. Acting, on the other hand, can draw upon the internal processes of imagination and memory. Its delivery is not confined by melody, rhythm and tempo. Recognising a need for an integrated aesthetic, Balk pioneered exploratory work in developing singer/actor skills and focused on the integration of disciplines using specifically devised MT exercises which explored “music, words and their interrelationship in the action-crucible of performance” (1985, p. ix). Melton and Tom (2012) also make several pertinent recommendations that address the often seemingly contradictory or even mutually exclusive requirements of the simultaneous delivery of voice, movement and acting. These suggestions include the need for communication, the adaptation of breathing patterns and the inclusion of movement-based exercises in voice classes. It is suggested that training for MT should focus on the common denominators between the disciplines of singing and acting. The difference Australian Voice 2018

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between “sounding good” versus “sounding appropriate” can equate to a tug of war between a singer’s vocal skillset and an actor’s characterisation and communication skill. MT requires integration or synthesis: that is the singing actor or acting singer must be equally concerned with both voice quality and a whole body “response to impulse and imagination” (p. xi). As Wilson (2011) puts it: Is it utopian to dream of a collegial cohort of interdisciplinary acting/singing/speaking experts who train theatre performers? Can a future for theatre training be seen where experts have been cajoled out of their safe old pigeonholes (labelled “singing teacher” “acting coach” or “spokencoach teacher”) and all work under the banner of “vocal/emotional theatre specialists?”…I think that performers would derive even more benefit from theatre training, which moves seamlessly among the crafts of acting, singing and speaking, whilst maintaining sensitivity towards the spirit of integrated emotional truth behind it all. (p. 299)

The Challenge of Synthesis Early in the author’s professional performing career a MT director said: “Let the song become a scene and the scene become a song”, thus summing up the concept of singing/acting synthesis. In the quest of how this can be achieved and taught, the aspiring MT singer and teacher may want to internalize some of the methods and approaches that masters of the craft of acting have conceived over the last 100 years. The technique of so-called “transactions”, developed in 1909 by Konstantin Stanislavski, is arguably one of the fundamentals of acting technique, giving the performer greater freedom to explore imagination and creative ability (Benedetti, 1999). Starting from “a place of selfanalysis and critique”, Stanislavski created a system that “revolutionised actor training and rehearsal techniques” (Benedetti, 1999, p.169). It was his conviction that his method would mobilise conscious thought and will to create psychological realism (Stanislavski, 1936, p.16). Many influential acting teachers of the last century have stood on Stanislavski’s shoulders. These include Uta Hagen (1973), Sanford Meisner (1987), and more recently Declan Donnellan (2005) and Ivana Chubbick (2004). The methods of a number of other theatre teachers can also be applied to singers and actors. Michael Chekhov, who had studied under Stanislavski, developed an alternate approach that 9

C u n y engages the power of imagination rather than emotional recall. His method includes the use of physical expression that embodies the essence of a character - so-called “Psychological Gesture” to stimulate internal responses (Chekhov, 1953, 2002). David Craig, who pioneered the move toward dynamic, realistic acting in song (1978, 1990), used a more text-based approach. His master classes, videos and books, challenge the previous norm of “act when you speak and then when the music is cued, burst into beautiful song”. Whilst this disconnect was considered a norm in the styles of earlier 20th century musicals, it is not considered part of more recent MT performance. A number of pedagogues have followed Craig’s lead including the already mentioned Wesley H. Balk (1985), Deer and Dal Vera (2008) and Moore and Bergman (2016), Their texts articulate specific MT acting methods that aim to train educators, singing teachers and students in what is still a relatively new and constantly evolving art form. In his directing classes, renowned Australian actor and director Dean Carey refers to a triangular paradigm (See Figure 1) that places the play at the pinnacle, with director and cast both serving the text. With the text - or story - accepted as paramount, the process of synthesis can truly occur.

work of Estill (1996), and contemporary teacher and researcher Dane Chalfin (2015) for instance use so-called “primal sounds” as an interface with the “emotional motor system” to gain immediate connection and improved vocalisation. This strategy draws upon instinctual vocal “set ups” to produce vibrant vocal tone (Chapman, 2017, pp. 17 -22). Moss (2005), on the other hand, posits that the tendency to attribute a character or text with a certain emotional quality may in fact be unhelpful as an approach to story telling. He even claims, “playing an emotion or mood spells doom” (the word “mood” spelt backwards), (p. 44). This opinion is supported by British voice teacher Patsy Rodenberg (2007), who reaffirms the need for actors to be totally “connected in the present moment” and “interacting with the surrounding stimulus” in what she describes as the “Second Circle” (p. 21). The resultant state of connectedness or presence is a key element in experiencing that special “magic” of synergistic performance artistry. It is the author’s belief that teaching performance synthesis in the MT singing studio requires a working model. Beginning with Jean Callaghan’s initial concept of “brain, breath and voice” (Callaghan, 2018) as discussed earlier, the author suggests that the MT performer can respond authentically to stimuli by harnessing the body’s natural responses, including primal sound. Pictured below is the author’s first attempt at a model of the MT synthesis process see (Figure 2):

Figure 1. Dean Carey’s paradigm of the ideal relationship among actor, director and text.

There is anecdotal evidence of some singing teachers’ conviction that singing technique must be firmly established and embedded in a song before the performance or acting part of the work should commence. Emotion is supposedly to be added on, as if it was a matter of adding a costume or putting on a jacket or coat. However, some leading pedagogues suggest that acting training and synthesis can begin at the earliest stages in the singing studio and may even enhance the technical process. Janice Chapman (2017), referring to the 10

Figure 2. A working model of the MT synthesis process, the building blocks from research to performance.

It is suggested that the objective of dynamic storytelling and synergistic mastery can be best achieved when the performance is based on the specificity found through researching the Australian Voice 2018

M u s i c a l background of the character and text. This may create a resource that performers will naturally draw upon when they actively respond to the stimuli in a spontaneous way. In acting terms, this is often referred to as being “in the present moment”. A single clear thought is a powerful tool, and the subtext that is created by it can often carry accompanying emotions that arrive fresh and spontaneously. Silverberg (1994) supports this notion of emotions or feelings being a by-product of thinking and doing. He describes the legendary acting teacher, Sanford Meisner’s acting tools as the “reality of doing” (p.20). As we “approach, our emotions come freely, as a side benefit, a gift, when our attention is on something else and that something else is what we are doing. The great news here is that when our attention is not on being emotional, our emotions suddenly become much more available.” (p.28). Drawing on the above masters, the author has created certain acting essentials and practical applications to expand the first three building blocks in her MT synthesis model (see Figure 2). These can equip the singing teacher with fundamental strategies that will encourage students to make the required neuro-psycho-biological connection to the text and effectively tell their story. Acting Tools for the Studio Background and Research Background research is arguably a helpful tool to approach a character one wishes to embody — one must first know the story before one can tell it. Text and music can be interpreted in ways that will help to direct the student’s thought process. This, in turn, prompts the body’s response to the lyric that is sung. In an adaptation of Uta Hagen’s (1973) acting methods, the following steps may be helpful. Firstly, find the song’s super-text or overarching theme. Ask questions like “What’s going on?”; “Why am I here?”; “What do I want?” Secondly, establish the context of the song – the given circumstances and relationships. Ask: “Who am I?”; “What am I doing?”; “When and where is this happening?”; “Why?” Then look at the moment before the song begins. This can be the acting moment in the story of the musical or an imagined scene if the song is being sung as a stand-alone piece. It will establish the singer’s perspective and provide a natural impetus to sing. Create a clear other and focus Australian Voice 2018

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your attention and relate to him or her. It may be you, a protagonist or an antagonist. Ask: “To whom am I singing?”; “How do I feel about that relationship?” The introduction to a song can provide a strong acting stimulus and/or can be interpreted as an audible expression of a performer’s first thought. Stimulus – Brain – Thought It is important to remember that breath, body and voice will respond instantly to the stimulus or thought. In a professional setting, a melody and lyric may be performed up to eight times a week, or 400 times a year, and a fresh thought before each phrase will keep the body’s response dynamic and believable. Unpack the text. Look at the transitive verbs — the “doing” verbs that advance dramatic action; the story is carried and directed by these. Adjectives and adverbs are important descriptors that bring colour and life to the story. Negatives are strong oppositional statements that contain power. Poetic devices like alliterations and rhymes are also signposts and require attention. Notice and highlight these words in the song’s delivery. Speak the lyric as a monologue. Find the shifts in thought and how they interlink. Work with a partner and find the transactions of listening and responding to thought and text. Develop a subtext i.e. the performer’s wants and objectives (“What do I want?”; “What’s in the way?”). Objectives drive dramatic action (“What will I do about it?”), and prompt the use of tactics (“How will I get it?”) (Chubbick, 2004; Moss, 2005). Establish the stakes. Ask questions like “How important is this to me?”; “How much do I want this thing?” This will help to establish the energy or importance of the song. Use personalisation. Drawing from your real life, activate emotional recall or sense memory. Silverberg (1994) calls this process “living truthfully under imaginary circumstances” (p.34). Explore substitution (Chubbick, 2004). Endow the person you are singing to with attributes drawn from other human or non-human sources to make sense of the overall objectives of a song. This can be a safe strategy for the younger student, as using substitutions of pets or food can be used to engender strong physical connections and emotions, without exploring fragile or potentially unsafe memories. Beware of the “E-word”: emotion. Playing an emotion rather than an action stimulated by 11

C u n y thought will only produce a false sense of story. The student will start “telegraphing” or trying to tell you, the audience, how they feel, or want you to feel, instead of being connected to the moment. Body Use physicality. Ask your student, “Where do you feel the story?”; “Where is your energy? - is it in your mind, your heart or your will (head, heart or gut)?” Finding the embodied expression of a character and working from external to internal (Edwin, 2004) can provide a balance to Stanislavski’s internal to external approach to acting. Chekhov’s Psychological Gesture is another helpful tool here (Chekhov, 1953/2002). Donnellan (2005) uses referencing and targeting to bring dimension to a song’s environment and allows performers to place people specifically in their imaginary world. These foundational acting techniques will help to inform the student’s body, breath and voice. As the student practises, it is important to check that singing technique is functioning organically and doesn’t take over the delivery of the song and impair the truthfulness of the moment. Bergman and Moore (2016) describe a concept developed by Balk (1977) addressing this concern: a continuum that describes the range of colour and tone available to the performer everything from OOPS (“One and Only Perfect Sound”) to UBU (“Ugly But Useful”) (Bergman and Moore, p. 64). Students can be directed to explore the full gamut of sounds available on this continuum - from groaning or yelling to beautiful clarity. It is argued that, if the student has done his/her homework and can technically sing the song, there is no “wrong” sounds as long as they are connected to authentic storytelling. Indeed, the author recently witnessed the successful use of UBU sounds in several musicals currently presented on Broadway. It appears to become a common practice in some contemporary MT to eschew a more traditionally beautiful sound quality for one that expresses the text more authentically. And then there’s the music… A myriad of musical elements can assist the students’ interpretation of a song. Many of the composer’s intentions are manifest in tempo, melodic contour, harmonic and rhythmic shifts, key changes, dynamics, texture, timbre and form, in both vocal and accompaniment parts. Each element has been specifically crafted to create a 12

platform from which the singer can work. For example, a rhythm may match the pulse of a character’s heartbeat and provide a sense of the energy the song requires. So another question for a student may be: “Is the song one that is metaphorically or physically sung on the ‘front foot’ (with forward driving wants and physical energy), or on the ‘back foot’ (more grounded, reflective or passive)?”

CONCLUSION In singing and acting, mastering the technique is arguably an essential component in creating performance art, as well as safeguarding the student. While expressive singing and healthy singing are not mutually exclusive, expressivity may at times infringe on the healthiest option. However, even the most expressive singing alone does not yet make great MT. Thus, there is often a need for teachers to instruct MT students in areas beyond the voice. The singing pedagogue informs and provides the concepts and training with which to build a student’s technical and performance skill, but the same teacher may be required to take on the role of acting coach or director. Students need instruction in how to “act a song” so that they may find focus and specificity in their storytelling. A performance coach will encourage singers to explore choices that may serve to improve, expand and enhance a performance. The author’s research to date has reconfirmed several pitfalls for singing teachers. The first is that some teachers believe that singing technique must be fully established before acting the song should commence. The author suggests that commencing singing and acting approaches to a song simultaneously is not only possible but also often ideal (Cuny, 2018). Working from the synthesis model and using stimulus and thought (subtext) to direct body responses including primal sounds, both singing and acting techniques can be developed concurrently. Thoughts and actions inherent in a story can also assist in finding the appropriate breath and resonance needed for the style and genre of the piece. A second pitfall is the assumption that strategies that work for teachers who are performers will automatically work for their students, or that the same acting or synthesis exercise will produce the same result in every student. The journey to find truth in the moment is unique. The quintessential tool for teachers is to ask questions, and to continue asking, with an

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M u s i c a l open and inquiring mind and without the assumption that the answer is definitive or known. As teachers and their students explore possibilities, it is important to create space in the studio for play. Teachers can learn which techniques work and which do not without compromising the wellbeing and health of the student – both mentally and physically. Then one will find the journey of acting through song to be an exciting voyage of discovery for both teacher and student.

REFERENCES Balk, H.W. (1977). The complete singer-actor: Training for music theatre. Minneapolis MN, Minnesota Press. Balk, H. W. (1985). Performing power: A new approach for the singer actor. Minneapolis MN, Minnesota Press. Bean, M. (2007). Why is Acting in Song So Different? Journal of Singing - The Official Journal of the National Association of Teachers of Singing; Nov; 64,(2); Music Periodicals Database Benedetti, J. (1999). Stanislavski: his life and art: A biography. London, England: Methuen. Bourne, T. & Garnier, M. (2012). Physiological and acoustic characteristics of the female music theater voice in belt and legit qualities. Journal of Acoustical Society of America, 131, 1586-159 Bourne, T. & Kenny, D. (2016) Vocal Qualities in Music Theater Voice: Perceptions of Expert Pedagogues. Journal of Voice, D0 (1), p 128 Bourne, T., Garnier, M. & Kenny, D. (2011). Music theater voice: Production, physiology and pedagogy. Journal of Singing - the Official Journal of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, 67(4), 437-444. Callaghan, J. (personal communication, 21 March, 2018). Carey, D. (1990) Directing the Actor Intensive. Delivered at The Actors Centre, Sydney, Chalfin, D. (2015). Primal Singing in Action – How to access your inner Vocal Power. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCxvP7cG4 mQ Chapman, J. (2017). Singing and teaching singing; A holistic approach to classical voice. (3rd ed.). San Diego, CA. Plural Publishing. Chekov, M. (2002). To the actor (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Routledge. (Original work published 1953) Chubbick, I. (2004). The power of the actor: The Chubbick Technique. New York, NY. Gotham Books. Craig, D. (1978,1990). On singing onstage (rev ed.). New York, NY: Applause Publications. Cuny, J. (2018). Training the acting singer: A snapshot of how musical theatre students learn to synthesise singing and acting in an Australian tertiary environment. Unpublished masters

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thesis. Queensland Conservatorium of Music, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia. Deer, J. & Dal Vera, R. (2008). Acting in musical theatre: A comprehensive course. New York, NY: Routledge. Donnellan, D. (2005). The actor and the target. London, England: Nick Hern Books. Dunbar, Z. (2013), Music theatre and musical theatre, In D. Wiles, C. Dymkowski (Eds.). Cambridge Companion to Theatre History. Cambridge University Press. Edwin, R. (2004). Popular song and music theater: “Belt Yourself”. Journal of Singing - the Official Journal of the National Association of Teachers of Singing. Jackson, Fla. 60 (I 3), 285-288. Estill, J. (1996). Voice craft. A user's guide to voice quality. Level One: Primer of compulsory figures. Santa Rosa, CA : Estill Voice Training Systems. Green, K., Freeman, W., Edwards, M. & Meyer, D. (2014). Trends in musical theatre voice: an analysis of audition requirements for singers. Journal of Voice 2014; 28: 324–327. Hagen, U. (1973). Respect for Acting. New York, NY: Macmillan. Kayes, G. (2000). Singing and the actor. London, England: A and C Black. Kenrick, J. (2008). Musical theatre: A history. New York, NY: Continuum. LoVetri, J. & Weekly, E. M. (2003). Contemporary Commercial Music (CCM) survey: Who's teaching what in non-classical music? Journal of Voice, 17(2), 207-215. LoVetri, J. & Weekly, E. M. (2009). Follow up Contemporary Commercial Music (CCM) survey: Who’s teaching what in non-classical music. Journal of Voice, 23(3), 367-375. Melton, J. (2007). Singing in musical theatre: The training of singers and actors. Long Grove, IL: Waveland Press. Melton, J. & Tom, K. (2012). One voice: Integrating singing and theatre voice techniques. (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Heinemann. Moore, T. & Bergman. A. (2016). Acting the song: Performance skills for the music theatre. New York, NY, Allworth Press. Moss, L. (2005). The intent to live; achieving your true potential as an actor. New York, NY: Bantam Books. Rodenberg, P. (2007). Presence. London, England: Penguin. Saunders-Barton, M. (2005) The well spoken singer, Voice and Speech Review, 4(1), 281-282, DOI: 10.1080/23268263.2005.10739482 Silverberg, L. (1994). The Sanford Meisner Approach. Hanover, NH: Smith and Kraus. Stanislavski, K. (1936). An actor prepares. New York, NY: Theatre Arts Books. Taylor, M. (2009). Integration and distance in musical theatre: The case of Sweeney Todd. Contemporary Theatre Review, 19(1), 74-86. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10486800802547286

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C u n y Thurman, L., & Welch, G. (2000). Sunsets, elephants, vocal self expression and lifelong learning. In L. Thurman & G. Welch (Eds.), Bodymind and Voice: Foundations of voice education (Revised ed.) (pp. xi-xxiv). St John’s University Collegeville, Minnesota: The Voice Care Network. Wilson, P. (2011). Act, sing, speak: Voice in the world of theatre. In D. Knight (Ed.), A World of Voice: Voice and Speech Across Culture. Presented by Voice and Speech Review, pp. 298-304. Easton, P. A: Voice and Speech Trainers Association. http://dx.doi.org/ 10.1080/23268263.2005.10739502

BIOGRAPHY Jacqui Cuny has been performing and teaching in many aspects of musical theatre for the past 38 years. Graduating in 1980 from the Queensland Conservatorium and the University of Qld, she began her professional career with QT in 1981, and toured Australia in major commercial musicals before moving to England to further her career. Returning to Australia in 1989, Jacqui continued performing and has expanded her pedagogical understanding of both singing and acting, studying a number of methodologies. She recently completed her Masters of Music Studies with Distinction; her dissertation explored the teaching and learning of singing/acting synthesis within a tertiary institution – an area of great passion for her. Jacqui is commencing her Doctoral studies in 2019 and plans to explore differing aspects of singing, acting and voice training in search of a workable, dynamic model for teaching MT synergy.

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Communicating Artistic Integrity: Collaborative Production in Recording Processes Diane Hughes* Mark Evans# *Macquarie University, #University of Technology Sydney

ABSTRACT: For the contemporary singer-songwriter, recording and communicating artistic intent may prove complex. This complexity is due, in part, to the construction of a resultant aesthetic in audio recording that conveys emotion and intent. It is also due to those contemporary singersongwriters who work with others (such as producers and audio engineers) to interpret and construct that aesthetic. This article discusses collaborative production during the studio recording processes of a contemporary singer-songwriter. The research employs an ethnographic case study approach that details the context and methods of collaboration specifically between an artist/singer-songwriter and a vocal director/coproducer in the recording of several tracks for an EP. Analyses of progressive and reflective journal logs, reflections/interview and recordings reveal a consistent focus on the connection between music and voice; expressive techniques and documented production decisions add insights into facilitating and maintaining artistic integrity in recording processes and production. The research identified that production considerations, connectivity and artistic intent can impact the ways in which integrity is represented and/or maintained. KEYWORDS: singer-songwriter, singing voice, recording, coproducer, production

INTRODUCTION Actually, the first thing that struck me when I heard the mix was how emotive and clear the vocal performance was! Here is a classic example of the benefit of co-production: I would have rerecorded the vocal, but [the co-producer] wanted to keep it how it was as she thought it was extraemotive that way. And she was right. (Martin, Reflection)

The above quotation highlights the importance of the singing voice in a recorded context from an artist’s perspective. While the focus on the audibility and emotive capability of the singing voice is clearly apparent in the above reflection, the connection to recorded representation of the artist’s voice on a particular track and the suggestion of its being “extra-emotive” is also evident. The reflection further demonstrates an interpersonal connection to that voice through the process of coAustralian Voice | Volume 19 2018

producing in studio recording (artist and coproducer). In this scenario, it was the co-producer (working collaboratively with the artist in overseeing the recording processes) that aided the integrity of the vocal by suggesting that it should not be re-recorded. This article focuses on documented, interdisciplinary insights (between artist and coproducer; vocal direction and co-producer). In doing so, it provides unique perspectives where both intrapersonal expressivity (the singersongwriter) and interpersonal expressivity (musicians, audio engineers and co-producer) combine to promote artistic integrity in vocal, musical and emotive/expressive components. The research documents and analyses the collaborative processes and mechanisms that facilitate and communicate such integrity in the audio capture of performances of original songs. In doing so, the findings promote an integrated study of music and voice during the recording processes of preproduction, production, and post-production (mixing and mastering). Collaboration during recording processes is evident in the interaction between the artist and accompanying musicians, together with those involved in the capture and mixing of sound, namely audio engineers and producers. At times, the perceptive and interpretative contributions of others, including musicians, are used to determine a sound scape that when produced becomes the resultant aesthetic. Just as the role of audio engineer is crucial to sound capture, it is the role of producer that can encompass musical arrangement, track compilation, sound placement and spatial quality. The resultant aesthetic/product is highly relevant as it is usually how an audience perceives or hears an artist; equally, the resultant aesthetic adds context to the artist. For artists near the beginning of their career it can also become the sonic marker of their products for years to come. However, the resultant aesthetic and/or product is not always the shared vision of nor representative of the artist (see Hughes, 2012, p. 63; Winehouse 15

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as cited in Mulholland, 2004). This is despite production aesthetics purportedly being representative of and connected to artistic vision. Often, a “strong [artistic/individualised] vision” (see Padgham, Guest, Parr, Bradfield, & Craig, as cited in Massey, 2009, p. 328) can be essential to a project’s realisation.

RESEARCH AIMS AND METHODS The impetus for this research was three-fold. Firstly, collaborative production during the recording process to produce a resultant aesthetic that communicates the artist, the artist’s music and intent, is largely undocumented. Typically, research on expressive performance investigates a range of musical instruments and associated performances (e.g. Aho & Eerola, 2012; Barthet, Depalle, Kronland-Martinet, & Ystad, 2010; Repp, 1999). In discussions of music as an emotional communicator, the context of the composer’s intent and the realised performance is usually highlighted (e.g. Juslin, 2005, p. 87). However, Juslin makes the distinction between the perception of emotions “in the music” (Juslin, 2005, p. 91) and the induction of emotion “in response to the music” (Juslin, 2005, p. 91). In the case of the singersongwriter, the intrapersonal musical processes usually involve both emotional responses and expression of those responses. Such singersongwriter processes are also under-researched. Secondly, the research discussed in this article relates to a case study of the co-producer collaborative production (between artist and vocal director) of the World Turning EP (Martin, 2011a). Described as an Australian “songstress” (Booth, 2013), Jodi Martin is a contemporary folk singer known for her song-craft. Prior to the recording of World Turning EP, Martin had recorded and released four albums: Sandcastles (1997), Water and Wood (2001), Twenty One Stairs (2003) and 15 Minutes Out to Sea (2005). At the time of the World Turning EP release, Martin wrote, “it has been longer than I want to admit between releases […] I simply wasn't ready to come out with anything before I was totally happy with the songs” (Martin, 2011b). Martin wanted to record again and to be involved in collaborative production. She had a body of unreleased work and was keen to work with others on “organic” representations of that work. Organic in this context refers to captured and processed representation where notional “authenticity” in vocal and musical representation is sought and prized. In many ways, it is Martin’s artistic intent to be authentically heard in the 16

resultant aesthetic that forms the basis of her artistic integrity. Encompassed within that integrity are her voice, musicality, expressivity and narrative forms (lyrics and arrangements). We draw on Martin’s intent and insights to define the term, artistic integrity, as truthful representation in the recorded capture and processing of the singersongwriter (see also Hughes, 2014b). This approach opposes those, such as Hennion (1989), who see only manipulation and deconstruction in the studio approaches to vocal performance: You do not rewrite singers: you dress them up, you try different styles of songs on them, you put make-up on them, you search out faults, you simplify, you reduce the complex traits of a personality to a single dominant characteristic. (Hennion, 1989, p. 410)

The third impetus stemmed from an interest in the practical realisation of Martin’s goals. The aim was to investigate the collaborative coproduction of Martin and Hughes particularly in relation to recorded vocals. Co-producer and coauthor, Hughes, had periodically worked with Martin as vocal coach some years prior to embarking on the project. Hughes was keen to investigate whether production collaboration between Martin and Hughes would facilitate Martin’s artistic and vocal intent. Fellow researcher and co-author, Evans, provided “fresh ears” (Hughes, Journal) during the recording processes. The study was approved by the Macquarie University Human Research Ethics Committee. Drawing on ethnographic principles of participant-observation (Robson, 2002, p. 187), multiple research methods were utilised in the research design, data collection and means of analysis. The conceptual framework (see Figure 1) details the relationship between the primary research question, sub-set questions, the participants, the research design and the analyses. Data was collected through pre-production meeting notes (Hughes), progressive journals maintained during each recording session (Hughes), reflections on each session (Martin and Hughes), and reflective post-production interview/discussions (Martin and Hughes; Hughes and Evans). Methods of analysis included progressive comparative analyses of the notes, journals, reflections and interview so as to determine the realisation of project aims as well as the identification of emergent themes. Visual representations (spectrograms and waveforms) and tempo calculations (beats per minute – BPM) facilitated analyses of recordings in relation to expressive techniques; paralinguistic analysis enabled identification of idiosyncratic expression. Australian Voice 2018

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