This one is for all my singers out there. (Don’t worry, speakers, I’ll be back for you soon.) Many of my students are either singing in groups or are hoping to get into a group situation, so they’re nervous about blending in with other voices.

Harmonizing – when it comes to music – isn't about "getting along."It's not about giving in so that someone else can have it their way.It's not about denying that you have a preference when in fact you do.It's not about accepting you're not the center of the universe.To harmonize effectively, we each need to feel solidly centered in ourselves so that our differences can be fully revealed and celebrated.

When death is near, music can comfort us: it can ease our pain, it can help us grieve. Songs can transport us back in time to a summer picnic, a winter fireplace, the road trip to grandma’s, and to so much dancing!

President Biden’s State of the Union address and Senator Katie Britt’s response demonstrate how facial expression, posture, setting, and other choices can radically change the way your voice sounds, and how hard you have to work to project it. Let’s talk about how their techniques can inform your voice practice.

Should I listen to other voices to try to sound better? Should I model my speaking or singing after somebody else's? Should I try to copy other people? Should I try to copy the voices that I like, and will that help me sound better, faster?Like my answer to most things, my answer to this one, too, is “yes and no.”

Your whole body is the instrument when you’re singing or speaking, and no part of that instrument is more crucial than your mind. Your feelings of comfort and confidence, your sense of self, and the connection you want to make with your audience all have a deep influence on how your voice sounds and feels.

I’m honored to introduce you to my good friend Matthew Brown. Matthew is a speech-language pathologist, a keyboardist, and one of the warmest, kindest souls I’ve ever known. In this episode, he shares how learning to sing the Psalms supported him through a really hard time. Maybe not surprisingly, the singing was so helpful that this musical, spiritual practice has stayed with him, five years later. 

Auditioning for something often comes with a lot of anxiety, and time pressure only adds stress! Fortunately, it is absolutely possible to polish a song and get yourself into an audition mindset, even on short notice, without dropping everything else in your life. Here is my tried and tested three-step plan that will help you cultivate peace while you learn your piece.