32 Cr`oss-Training in the voice studio: A Balaricing Act 3.

The Balancing Act of Registration and

Isn't every singer looking for a balanced instrument? Taken at is student specific, not gender sf
face value, this hardly seems like a revolutionary idea. Whether been an advocate for gender nei
the goal is a Z7ez c¢7ifo ideal or the diversified sounds of Broadway, session at the 53rd National Ass(
vocalhealth,andlongevitydependonbalancedtrainingfromthe National Conference in 2014, `
`Ms. Tenor '-Gender-Neutral Voi
very beginning of study. However, the process of cross-training
in the applied studio yields surprising results when singers are edged that
willing to stretch beyond any self-imposed vocal identity. It is not
unreasonable to imagine a future where opera and musical theatre Thevocalsoundshumanbeingsm
embrace a similar priority in dramatic storytelling and the rare and cultural bias rather than ph]
singer may even aspire to train for performance in both styles. larynx is, f or all intents and purl
ment; males and females can prod.
Sitting around a table with graduate pedagogy students at
component pa`rts. Tra.ining the wl
Perm State, it is inspiring to hear the inclusive language they use
to discuss diverse aesthetics in singing. The next generation of pedagogy. Limiting pedagogy to
and females making ``female sour
voice teachers will have their studios filled with singers of many .org/Breakout_Session_-_Training
different stripes. It will be their responsibility to recognize and .html)
foster healthy dynamic singing in many styles, celebrating them
all, judging none.
Joan Melton had a flash of in
Talented opera `singers are now expected to act as well as her book 07?e Vot'ce. Sometimes I
they sing. The training of these young artists will probably begin
the most profound impact. Joan
to have more in common with their musical theatre compatriots utterance-speaking, singing,
in this regard. Ballet dancers traditionally begin their training screaming-is created by that sa
at a very early age in order to build the strength and coordina- throat and amplified in the vocal
tion needed to dance at a professional level. Singing lessons
may not always begin that young, but if we consider voice as I believe that most singers would b
movement, and it certainly is, functional training of laryngeal were taught as one of several uses
muscles is the singer's 'foarre work" when voice training does ing, laughing, crying and the vari€
start. Physical therapists who help rehabilitate injured athletes tial to the actor's work. Speakir
and dancers stress the importance of even wear of muscles to denominators and finding out wha
prevent repetitive strain. It makes sense to consider the interac- own requires research, study, and
tion of the laryngeal muscles in a similar way. Wendy LeBorgne ing what we know. (07te Voi.ce, Wa
and Marci Rosenberg illuminate this comp arison very effectively
in their book T73e Voc¢Z A#izefe (Plural Publishing, 2014). Her conviction that the teaching
Considered in this light, the initial training of any singer derive from the same technical ct
will begin with the same fundamental technical work regard- training.
less of stylistic aspirations. It is helpful to remember that we The preoccupation with the
are conditioning singers, regardless of gender, in the same way. can sometimes cause us to "comf
Laryngeal muscles are gender neutral. h this sense, the work the voice as though they were son
 3. The Balancing Act of Registration and Resoiiance 33

is student specific, not gender specific. Robert Edwin has long

been an advocate for gender neutrality in voice training. In a
session at the 53rd National Association of Teachers of Singing
National Conference in 2014, "Training `Mr. Soprano' and
`Ms. Tenor '-Gender-Neutral Voice Pedagogy," Edwin acknowl-
edged that

Thevocalsoundshupianbeingsmakearemoretheresultofgender
and cultural bia.s rather than physiologic function. The human
larynx is, for all intents and purposes, a gender-neutral instru-
ment; males and females can produce similar sounds with sinflar
component parts. Training the whole voice is simply good voice
pedagogy. Limiting pedagogy to males making "male. sounds"
and females making "female sounds" is not. thttps://www.mats
.org/Breakout_Session_-_Training_Mr_Soprano_and_Ms_Tenor
.html)

Joan Melton had a flash of insight that inspired her to write

her book 07te Vo€'ce. Sometimes the simplest concepts can have
the most profound impact. Joan reminds us that every human
utterance-speaking, singing, crying, groaning, laughing,
screaming-is created by that same magical mechanism in the
thl.oat and ampffied in the vocal tract above it.

IbeHevetha.tmostsingerswouldbenefitenormously...if singing
were ta.ught as one of several uses of the voice, along with speak-
ing, laughing, crying and the variety of other vocal sounds essen-
tial to the actor's work. Speaking and singing have common
denominatorsandfindingoutwhattheyareandmakingthemour
own requires research, study, and a genuine opermess to rethink-
ing what we know. (07?e Vo£.ce, Wa.veland Press, 2012, p. xi)

Her conviction that the teaching of singing and speaking must

derive from the same technical core is key to the future of voice
training.
The preoccupation with the fine and elegant art of singing
can sometimes cause us to ``compartmentalize" different uses of
the voice as though they were somehow not related to each other.
34 Cross-Training in the voice studio: A Balancing Act 3. The BalancingAct of Registration and

The position we are taking 'in this book is that every sound a changes in resonance. Regardless c
singing actor makes should be repeatable without harm to the tion events for both women and I
instrument as part of a '`balanced" vocal picture. tion of the larynx and the vocal th
chest, hea.d, or any other physic
Academy recommends avoiding
based, and advocates for neutral a
Terminology acknowledges the respective actii
and registration. (p. 13)

Ina2014paperpublishedbytheAmericanAcademyofTeachers
We use several terms to I
of Singing,``hSupportofFact-BasedVoicePedagogyandTermi-
Although we may not always in
nology" Uo%r71¢Z o/S£.7tgr'7?g, Volurne 71, No.1, September/October
the terrr\s thryroarytenoid (TA:) and
2014),`colleagueRobertEdwintooktheleadwithJeanetteLovetri
and Mode 2, respectively, in the s
and Scott Mccoy in a discussion of registration terminology, tant that when we replace those
which addresses much of the confusion the subject engenders. other terms like ``chest," `'head,
/
fully understand and can convey
Registration (the interaction of phonation and resonance)

Co77t77£o7i fer772£.7ioJogv.. (for females) chest, middle, hea.d; (for males) Modal
chest, head, falsetto; (for both females and males) chest, head, belt,
Each of us can recognize a "ce]
belt~mix, mix, fry, whistle.
where we live and communii
P7`1.77t¢ny I.ss#e.. understanding the interdependent roles of vocal optimal level is "the pitch rang
fold vibra.tion and vocal tract resonance. achieve the best quality and qu
Terminology associa.ted with registration is both extensive expenditure of effort" (T7te Dint
and co]rfusing. For example, low-pitched sounds a].e often said Faults, Revised Edition, Tarm\!es C
tobeprodrcedinchestvoice(vocedipetto),belt,modalregister,alto, Group,1994, p. 168). There are
heavymechandsm,thick folds,I.owerregister,Mode1,onsirr\:p+yidenhi not ideal or healthy and will n©
fled functionally as being thyroarytenoid (TA) dominant. High- the other uses of the voice. h t]
pitched sounds often are said to be produced in 7ze¢d z7ot.ce (I)oce d£. to optimal TA-dominant speech
testa) , legit, fialsetto , lof i register, soprano, lrf u± mechanism, thin f olds,
t{ppcr 7iegisfer, Mode 2, or simply identified functionally as being Open and Closed Vowels
cri€othyroid (CT) dominant.
Voice registers are not exclusively the result of changes in the
For our purposes, we disting
way the vocal folds vibrate: resonance also plays an important vowels in terms of resonant
role. For example, registration shifts such as the lower p¢ss¢ggr.o ing and singing. A classic belt
in cia.ssical women's voices involve alterations in both vibrational depends on harnessing the act
mode and resonance. Other shifts such as the transition into the /a/ in "hot" (e.g., "I am not I
upper extension of operatic tenors and baritones are exclusively and /€/ in ``met." When diprm
3. The BalancingAct of Registration and Resonance 35

changes in resonance. Regardless of what they are caned, registra-

tion events for both women and men occur through the interac-
tion of the laryrit and the vocal tract and are not produced in the
chest, head, or any other physical location. For this reason, the
Aca.deny recommends avoiding terminology tha.t is sensation-
based, and advocates for neutral and functional terminology that
acknowledges the I.espective activities of phonation, resonance,
and registration. (p. 13)

We use several terms to represent registration events.

Although we Inay not always maintain a pristine adherence to
the terrr\s thryroarytenoid (rl:jL) and cricotkyroid (CT), or to Mode 1
and Mode 2, respectively, in the studio, it is nevertheless impor-
tant that when we replace those objective, factual ternrs with
other terms like \"chest," "head," "bass," and ``treble," that we
fully understand and can convey what these terlns represent.

Modal
Each of us can recognize a "center" to our speaking voice,
where we live and communicate on a daily basis. This
optimal level is "the pitch range within which a person can
achieve the best quality and quantity of sound for the least
expenditure of effor{' (The Diagnosis and Correction Of Vocal
Faults, Revised Edition, Tarnes C. MCKirney; Ger\evox Music
Group,1994, p. 168). There are times when that ``center" is
not ideal or healthy and will need work to be balanced with
the other uses of the voice. In this writing, we are referring
to optimal TA-dominant speech quality as ``modal voice."

Open and Closed Vowels

For our purposes, we distinguish "open" and ``closed"
vowels in terms of resonance in TA~dominant speak~
ing and singing. A classic belt sound between G4 and D5
depends on harnessing the acoustic power of vowels like
/a/ in ``hot" (e.g., "I am not throwing away my SHOT")
and /€/ in "met." When diphthongs are present, it will be
36 Cross-Training in the voice studio: A Balaricing Act 3. The Balancing Act of Registration and

necessary to access and sustain the nuclear vowel to achieve Speech and Singing," Joz#ri¢J a/
the same result, as in /o/ in ``hope" or /e/ in "hey," which pp. 483489; Mary: "The Wen Spc
will require some modification as the pitch rises. All vowels Rez7i'ezo, August 2005, pp. 281-282
can be closed in speech, moving toward the resonance of understand what it actually meal
not sing the way she speaks. But if
/i/ and /u/. That is what gives actors control of articula+
tion and dynamics throughout their range. The speech-to- her singing voice? How often do 1
singing exercises included in the following text will help walk onto a stage and speak into
clarify this distinction. when we know she could fill an op
singing voice? What is the disconli
Considering how much time
speech, it seems sensible to begin 1
The Road Goes Both Ways we encourage our students to per
musical instruments, too, with al
h the process of cross-training our students in musical theatre singing voices, they can begin to
and classical styles, we have discovered that each group of thinking. One of the first things tt
students benefits tangibly from experiencing "the other side." is the range and freedom of the :
Classical women invariably find an easier released extension in tic is the "emotional voice" this
their lower range and more clarity and focus in the middle. The world? There should be no feeling
conceptofthechestvoice(TAdominant)asa``1aunchingpad"for because the speaking voice shoult
high notes adds range and release in the soprano. Speaking exer- manydifferentcolors,highandlol
cises can help improve articulation in those lofty spaces without (Mary Saunders-Barton, "Broadr
sacrificing tonal ring. A male classical singer can strengthen his Musical Theatre Singers in a Col
modal voice with speaking exercises and extend his upper voice Pr£'7its, March-April 2013). Singin
by blending it with falsetto to avoid straining. h a similar way, voice trainers have the same end ;
musical theatre women can soar in those opulent vowel spaces key. Speak a Shakespeare monolo€
and men can add dimension and power to their modal voices and aria. Sing an aria as you would del
unify range when they experience classical singing.

Gender-Neutral Register B alan

l^7here Do We Start? The exercises that follow vary o

men and women. It goes witho
extension differences due to the I
The Speaking Voice
often stretch much higher, and in
The advice to "sing like you speak" has a long history-Norman range. Where they all come togi
and Mary have both published on the topic (Norman: "Music h musical theatre, the ``mixed vt
Theater Singing . . . Let's Talk. Part 1: On the Relationship of Grail" of vocal technique, becaus(
3. The BalancingAct of Registration and Resonance 37

Speech and Singing," Jo%r77¢J o/ S£'7tgr.7ig, March/April 2008,

pp. 483-489; Mary: ``The Well Spoken Singer," Vo£.ce ¢7td Speec7z
Rez7fezu, August 2005, pp. 281-282). But do our students always
understand what it actually means? An operatic soprano does
not sing the way she speaks. But is her speaking voice related to
her singing voice? How often do we observe a classical soprano
walk onto a stage and speak into a microphone to an audience
whenweknowshecouldfillanoperahousewithanunamplified
singing voice? What is the disconnect here?
Considering how much time we spend communicating in
speech, it seems sensible to begin with this primary vocal use. If
we encourage our students to perceive their speaking voices as
musical instruments, toorwith all the color and variety of their
singing voices, they can begin to make a critical shift in their
thinking. One of the first things to evaluate in any new student
is the range and freedom of the speaking voice. How authen-
tic is the ``emotional voice" this person uses to encounter the
world? There should be no feeling of "adjusting" in order to sing,
because the speaking voice should be flexible enough to mix in
many different colors, high and low, to express different emotions
(Mary Saunders-Barton, "Broadway Bound-Teaching Young
Musical Theatre Singers in a College Training Program," Vat.ce
Pr£.7its, March-April 2013). Singing voice trainers and speaking
voice trainers have the same end goal. Elevation and energy are
key.SpeakaShakespearemonologuethewayyouwouldsingan
aria.SinganariaasyouwoulddeliveraShakespearemonologue.

Gender-Neutre± Register Balaricing: AII Harids on Deck!

The exercises that follow vary only slightly in range between

men and women. It goes without saying there will be range
extension differences due to the size of the larynx. Women will
often stretch much higher, and men will typically access a lower
range. Where they all come together is in mixed registration.
in musical theatre, the ``mixed voice" is the sought-after ``Holy
Grail" of vocal technique, because it provides so much flexibility
38 Cross-Training in the Voice Studio: A Balancing Act 3. The Balancing Act of Registration an

Exercise 1: LegitF

Hoot Staccatos

I"a,..Ab4-E,Jl

Hoo boo t`co hoe

Descending I.egato '' oo"

rf __ i-
I"c».A"-E,jl

htegrating Falsetto & Chest

|Man.C4-E4|
/as.
in casting. Traditionally, musical theatre performers are cast
according tg, character type, whereas opera singers are cast to Ya - hco yah HcO - ys -

voice type or F¢ch. Composers of contemporary musicals have

responded to the ability of men and women to carry a connected
TA-dominant speech quality higher and higher. Tours and reviv-
|Womcm.Jiv-J*4|
fab_
als of Golden Age musicals require these same singers to tip the Ya . hco }ah Hco - ys -

scales to a more classical or `'legit" resonance. Subtle shifts in Women: Integrating Soprano & Middle Voice

resonance and registration are the keys to defining character ls,ar,a"FYI

and style in musical theatre. Studio work involves isolating the

muscular functions and then reintegrating them to Create a flex-
iblecontinurim.Changinghormonalissuesindevelopingvoices,
Women: Whistle at'Io de 3)
transgender singers, and postmenopausal singers are also impor-
|Et6anda6ove|
tant considerations but beyond the scope of our discussion here.
You will notice that the suggested exercises we are including
in this chapter and in Appendix A are intentionaHy very simple.
Anyone could devise them. It is our belief that simple is always
best in developing register balance. The student needs to identify The term Zegr.i as we are using
and repeat these sounds with confidence. spacious vowels associated wit
40 Cross-Training in the voice studio: A Balancing Act 3. The Balancing Act of Registration and

encourageourmusicaltheatresingerstofindthatloftyresonance exercise, and to continue stretchin

withoutsacrificingintelligibility.Someofthestudentsinthecom- After all, if we want the road to g
parion video clips chose to sing one of the classical pieces they to be developed all the way dowl
have been working on. We have found that our musical theatre components strengthens the mix.
Technically, CT-dominant re{
performers ultimately take enormous delight in singing classical
repertoire. For women, finding that second soprano passaggio at air flow to close the vocal folds. I
Eb5 is a fundamental part of their vocal development. Terminol~ to be expected in developing vc
ogy fails us here, because falsetto has been differentiated from to elicit this ``hoot" quality by asl
a woman's soprano in classical pedagogy even though it needs winning team as in ``Woo-hoo!"
to be trained the same way. Falsetto or Mode 2 (head voice or young women who are hesitant ti
CT-dominant function) for men is also essential to developing soprano.Ifthesopranoisweaker1
ease and balance above their second passaggio. It is the key to wise to start there and begin to
dynamic control for both sexes. and bass, just as you would do
If the CT~doninant quality is weak or almost nonexistent, CT function may need some wo]
that treble part of the voice has to be developed right away. We the TA function, but it is an indi
look for the ``1egit falsetto" first, starting with a ``hoot" quality cross-training.
to encourage more vertical (lower laryngeal) space. Sounding
like an ``owl on a branch" can be helpful to many beginners. It is
important to try to maintain this quality to the lowest note in the Exercise 2: False

lJwen..Cj-Fjl

Mer - ri - ly mcr - ri - ly mcr - ri - ly

|Womer..Dj-Col
.3.

Mar - ri - ly mer - ri - Iy men - ri - ly

I"e„..c5-Fjl

A?y--:i Fey--:* Fey--:A Fey--:[

|Zyomen..B.3-4W|
3. The Balancing Act of Registration and Resonance 41

exercise, and to continue stretching even lower, as far as possible.

After all, if we want the road to go both ways, the CT will need
to be developed all the way down. Strengthening the individual
components strengthens the mix.
Technically, CT-dominant resonance requires an energized
air flow to close the vocal folds. A breathy tone quality is often
to be expected in developing voices. It is usually pretty easy
to elicit this "hoot" quality by asking young men to cheer for a
wirming team as in "Woo~hoo!" The same thing will work for
young women who are hesitant to open up and sing out in their
soprano. If the soprano is weaker than the chest voice, it is always
wise to start there and begin to build a bridge between treble
and bass, just as you would do for men. Like any muscle, the
CT function may need some work to bring it into balance with
the TA function, but it is an indispensable aspect of successful
cross-training.

Exercise 2: Falsetto/Soprano Mix

42 Cross-Training in the voice studio: A Balancing Act 3. The BalancingAct of Registration art

The male falsetto mix parallels a woman's all-important soprano

mix, which gives her middle voice its speech-like power. The
larynx is at speech level but flexible. Using the term speech Zez7ez
immediately calls to mind the work of Seth Riggs, whose Speech
Level singing technique had a significant impact on the teaching
of vemacular styles and on the recording industry in particular
(Singing for the Stars.. A Complete Program for Training Your Voice,
Alfred Music, 1992). In women, that head-dominant mix (think
Audra MCDonald, Kelli O'Hara, and, of course, the young Julie
Andrews) between F4 and D5 can be a difficult quality for some
young women to maintain because the big hefty TA muscle will
tend to overpower it.
There are sopranos who have developed such a power-
ful head-dominant mix in this range that it becomes a default
resonance, overpowering other options. It can be a challenge
to ``deconstruct" a voice at this point. A teacher might wonder
why it would even be necessary. We do not hear power belting
from the leading ladies mentioned above, for example. But
lookingintoourcrystalball,itseemsincreasinglylikelythatvery
few singers will have the luxury of `'specializing" in one quality Exercise 3: Reinfor
or style.

The goal with any singer is to b

out of which the extended rap
tree with strong roots is useful. I
without a trunk and roots. The
a male musical theatre voice is
classical colleagues. In the same
44 Cross-Training in the voice studio: A Balaricing Act

encourage women to release into that chest extension below the

primary passaggio between E4 and G4 as a foundation for the
``building" above it.

Exercise 4: TA-Dominant/Speech Mix

AtthesecondpassaggiobetweenE4andG4£ormostmen,teach-
ers can initiate a process of register balancing identical to the
approach we use for women at the E4 to G4 primary passaggio
into the 77?t'ddze z7ot.ce. A combination of speaking and speech-to-
singing exercises creates a kind of ``circuit training" for the vocal
muscles. Speaking and singing in this extended range requires
energy and comndtment to a passionate ``need to say."
As singing teachers, we must be gently insistent about
encouraging healthy, versatile, energized, and expressive speech
in our students. We are giving them a gift they will carry the rest
of their vocal lives.
What makes phrases like the ones in this exercise useful
is that the dramatic intention is so clear. Speech and speech-to-
singing exercises can help teach the muscles of the vocal tract
and larynx much more effectively than diagrams or anatomical
models. With some encouragement, students will automatically
energize the breath to say or sing them, and extended range will
be more accessible. Teachers can help by being ``cheerleaders" for
their students. If you know what you want them to do, you can
find creative ways to get the results without actually modeling

45
45
46 Cross-Training in the voice studio: A Balaricing Act 3. The Balancing Act of Registration and

the sounds. Although we would always advocate experimenting The

with any of these gender-neutral sounds, there is no substitute
for the practiced ears and eyes of committed teachers.
Here is an old definition devised

Belting is a. dynamic theater sound

Sp ecial Considerations for Women ing voice. What we think of as tli
spokencrescendo.Singinginabel
Forawomantosingvemacularstylessuccessfully,averyI.efined colors and mobility of a well-train
coordination of the middle voice is essential. She will 1eam to high belting above the prinary p
make subtle microadjustments in register dominance on a mixed hea.d voice.
continuum throughout her entire range, and to k7?ozo #£e di#ere7ice
in speaking and singing. If a young woman is unable to speak The voice community woulc
comfortablyaboveherprimarypassaggioatF4,thensingingina tivesighofreliefifwecouldfind,
speaking qualfty or belting in that range will be impossible. sound. For the sake of clarity, w
The second passaggio for women in musical theatre occurs offer our evolving definition, wh
above D5, `rather than at or around Bb4 where most classical specifec. A belt occurs in a TA-don
sopranos feel a strong impulse to make a shift in resonance. as an optional resonance or color. 1
The distinction between a CT-dominant mix as in Kelli O'Hara vowels to D5, above which all vowel
singing ``The Light in the Piazza" and a TA-dominant mix as in People all over the world €
Kristen Bells's version of "For the First Time in Forever" from make equivalent sounds in mum
the animated musical film Froze7i can sometimes seem very remember Jo Estill talking about 1
subtle. However, this distinction is essential for teachers to hear mother calling across the piazza
and understand, because it is a major factor not only in defining reflects the recognizable qualities
the style of the music but in protecting the health of the voice. If and native language.
singers have a dependable ``recipe" for the sound they want to British singing teachers tell
make, there is less risk of pushing the voice out of line to obtain it. emulate the bright forward Am
AboveD5,thesopranovoicecanbloominasonglike``IfILoved musical theatre singers rather th€
``father." It may be that they are s
You" or retain a speech-like quality as in Kelli O'Hara's version o£
``The Light in the Piazza" or Audra MCDonald's version of "Your Americans are natural trumpet€
Daddy'sson."Andlet'snotforgetthatwomencanmaintainthat Missing or Depressed Fundam
TA-dominant mixed quality right on up to F5 and above, which Journal Of Singing, Septe:rri:her / (
results in the exciting high belt o£ Evita's ``Rainbow High" or encouraging to see many of our I(
Elphaba's "Defying Gravity." In other words, if the balance is Bozeman, Mccoy, Gill, and othe
right, nothing's going to bring her down. demystify this ever-controversia
3. The BalancingAct of Registration and Resonance 47

The Belt

Here is an old definition devised by Mary back in 2001:

Belting is a dynamic thea.ter sound produced from a mixed speak-

ing voice. What we think of as the `foelt sound" is the apex of a
spoken crescendo. Singing in a belt style, however, includes all the
colors and mobility of a well-tra.ined speaking voice. There is only
high belting above the primary passaggio. There is no belting in
head voice.

The voice community would undoubtedly breathe a collec-

tive sigh of relief if we could find a less controversial term for this
sound. For the sake of clarity, we will stick with the word and
offer our evolving defiritioh, which is gender neutral and range
specifi:c. A belt occurs in a TA-doriinant mj,x above the F4 passaggio
as an optional resonance or color. The quahiy presents itself on open
vowels to D5, above which all vowels close for the high belt.
People all over the world and in many different cultures
make equivalent sounds in music and in their daily lives. We
remember Jo Estill talking about the quintessential Italian grand-
mother calling across the piazza, ``Hey! Mario!!" A healthy belt
reflects the recognizable qualities of that singer's speaking voice
and native language.
British singing teachers tell us they want their students to
emulate the bright forward American /a/ natural to American
musical theatre singers rather than the darker British vowel as in
``father." It may be that they are seeking that ``trumpet" formant.
Americans are natural trumpeters (hgo Titze, The Case of the
Missing or Depressed Fundamental: Belting and Trumpeting,
/o%7`7i¢Z o/ S£.7?gj7ig, September/October 2016, pp. 53-54). It is
encouraging to see many of our leading voice researchers-Titze,
Bozeman, Mccoy, Gill, and others-taking time to examine and
demystify this ever-controversial voice quality.
48 Cross-Training in the voice studio: A Balaricing Act 3. The BalancingAct of Registration and

Exercise 5: Calling/Belting clarify this point for ourselves ant

ask, ``should I belt or should I mix fl
tion is an unequivocal "yes!" Reme
go a long way in promoting the ba

Because belting is an acoustic phenomenon, the belt range does

not vary according to voice type and is virtually the same for
men and women. The ease of a long, floated call is what we are
looking for. Arthur Lessac referred to this "calling voice" in his
bock The Use and Training Of the Human Voice.. A Bio~Dynanic
Appro¢cJi fo Voc¢J Lffe (MCGraw-Hill,1996). The belt in vemacular
singing can be seen as an extension of this spoken call. Although
the sound occurs much higher in a man's range than a woman's,
we are hearing some phenomenal mixed singing these days, and
an open C5 and even D5 are no longer freakishly rare for male
singers. For women, that high mixed belt continues to be an
exciting trend. If the balance is right, there really is no ceiling to
the range.
A belt is a mixed resonance and as such has dynamic flex-
ibility like any other healthy vocal utterance. A sound locked at
triple forte is not healthy or expressive. We need to be sure to
3. The BalancingAct of Registration and Resonance 49

clarify this point for ourselves and for our students when they
ask, ``should I belt or should I mix that?" The aJrswer to that ques-
tion is an unequivocal "yes!" Remembering that belt z's mixed can
go a long way in promoting the balancing act.
50 Cross-Training in the voice studio: A Balancing Act 3. The Balancing Act of Registration and

Exercise 6: Messa crf voce for Vernacular Styles revue Starting Here, Starting Now
phrase, ``and ohhhhhh, I think I r
The "ohhhhhh" calls for a long cre
`,E= TA-dominant mix to a full belt. I
who gave us Lizzie's high belt a
¥ Oo
ch 00
from the musical B¢Z}y. The steady
you you
tiahe'to)''* , , (speech mix) foel') (apeechmix) Udset'o) lyric takes the character to a high
returns to that classic open C5 at t]
`u burst of feeling.
Oo you ah you oo

U;blsetto) (speech nix) , f oell) (apeech mix) ifdiseno)

Exercise 7: Adding Na
Theabihitytomovefromlegitfalsetto/sopranotoaTA-dominant/
speech mix to a full belt and back again is the hallmark of suc-
cessful musical theatre singing. This training circuit requires Men: sot pchte isolation -pronounce had "g"

introducing, by turns, additional TA and CT activity. The light-

to-heavy-to-light helps develop smooth transitions. It also closely
mirrors the coordination and balance required in a traditional,
classical 777ess¢ di' z7oce. For those who think this might seem revo-
lutionary, one finds very similar exercises for men and women
mnig - gch - ng Hung - gab -
some 150 yeaLrs ago in A Complete Treatise on the Art Of Singing: Part
O#G by Manuel Garcia H (Da Capo Press,1984). It reminds us that I"e"..crtyg6dyl
we have a long tradition behind us.
This sequence is a way to balance registration on a con- Mwanh menh mArmh munh
tinuum. It is important to be playful and to make the biggest
|wo"e#..crtyg6dy|
possible contrast between these sounds. Cracking is encouraged!
It can seem challenging at first, but students will eventually glide
through these changes on every pitch from F4 to Bb4, and higher
for women. Once students begin to find success with the exercise,
the "training wheels" of the consonant glide in ``you" can be elimi- Nasal and oral twang can be lift
nated, and they can work the exercise seamlessly vowel to vowel. push to be heard in very loud erv
Contemporary musical theatre requires singers to have very they are trying to compete with an
subtle control of this continuum. Natasha's lovely song ``No One to manage the degree of nasal tw€
Eise" fron\ Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet Of 1812 has a perfect of the soft palate, or velum, is an i
example of a possible crescendo on a closed /o/ moving from It acts as a guide for forward res(
CT-to TA-dominant resonance ``ohhh . . . the moon." Likewise, in impulse to overblow the voice. Fo
the song ``1 think I may want to remember today!" from the 1968 character possibilities.
3. The BalancingAct of Registration and Resonance 51

revue Sf¢rf£.7ig Here, Sf¢rf£.77g Nozo, Maltby and Shire wrote the
phrase, "and ohhhhhh, I think I may want to remember today!"
The "ohhhhhh" calls for a long crescendo traveling from a closed
TA-dominant mix to a full belt. These are the same composers
who gave us Lizzie's high belt anthem ``The Story Goes On"
from the musical B¢dy. The steady vocal/emotional build of the
lyric takes the character to a high belt range above D5 but then
returns to that classic open C5 at the end in a sustained climactic
burst of feeling.

Exercise 7: Adding Nasal and Oral Twang

Nasal and oral twang can be lifesavers when singers want to

push to be heard in very loud environments, for example, when
theyaretryingtocompetewithanamplifiedrockband.Learring
to manage the degree of nasal twang by isolating the movement
ofthesoftpalate,orvelum,isanimportanttechniquetodevelop.
It acts as a guide for forward resonance and helps alleviate the
impulse to overblow the voice. For actors, of course, it adds new
character possibilities.
52 Cross-Training in the Voice Studio: A Balancing Act 3. The BalancingAct of Registration an

Oral twang (think baby cry) is also an effective way to add

ring without straining the voice. The effect is created by narrow-
ing the aryepiglottic sphincter and was one of the hallmarks of
Jo Estill's groundbreaking research in the 1970s (B¢st.c Fz.gz{res ¢77d
Exerct.se Manual, frorrL A User's Guide to Voice Quality, Chapter T2,
``Aryepiglottic Sphincter," Estill Voice Training Systems,1992). It
is a useful technique f6r any genre, including opera, in which the door to new repertoire pof
it is called s7#z.ZZo.
the constraints of FczcJi by expe
singing can often support a heall
the essential voice quality or ``t
male singers can benefit enorm(
Sing Out, classical Louise and Louis! range with their singing voices i
and the second passaggio. Bala
The nature of self-amplified singing places a greater priority on extends range at the top. This if
acoustic properties of sound. Vowel formant tuning is an essen- that classical singers should il
tial part of this technique. Classical vocalists experimenting for theatre sounds into their classic
the first time with speech-based singing may feel like they have having perrfussion to let go of
moved from a mansion to a studio apartment. hanging onto can provide a ne.
However, there can be a distinct technical advantage to being when they return to their classic
able to introduce more chest into the soprano middle voice and can't be taken apart, was it ever
to finding those speech-like vowel spaces. The reinforced reso- Working playfully withou
nance helps to bridge the primary passaggio and evens the scale. with optional colors and aesth€
A soprano who feels she ``bottoms out" in the middle of the staff ease, smoother transitions, more
will discover more carrying power in her lower range. This opens expression. We have rarely seen
3. The Balancing Act of Registration and Resonance 53

the door to new repertoire possibilities. Being liberated from

the constraints of Fflcfe by experimenting with musical theatre
singing can often support a healthier vocalism without changing
the essential voice quality or "type." In a similar way, classical
male singers can benefit enormously by aligning their speaking
range with their singing voices to reinforce the core modal voice
and the second passaggio. Balancing modal with their falsetto
extends range at the top. This is certainly not meant to suggest
that classical singers should introduce "inauthentic" musical
theatre sounds into their classical repertoire. But sometimes just
having permission to let go of a rigid ``setup" they have been
hanging onto can provide a new sense of release and freedom
when they return to their classical repertoire. In other words, if it
can't be taken apart, was it ever really together?
Working playfully without self~judgment, experimenting
with optional colors and aesthetic choices can result in greater
ease,smoothertransitions,moreconfidence,andafullerpaletteof
expression. We have rarely seen anything but joy and celebration
54 Cross-Training in the voice studio: A Balancing Act 3. The Balancing Act of Registration an

We organized the material 1

sical or legit excerpt followed
fouows with the boys. Finally, vc
of singers features them in the e
times takes them more than one
been discussing are clearly repre
playful, willing, talented young
for their generosity in sharing th

Girds in Classica]/Legit arid Mu

Kafie Grif f i±h

``L'ho perduta, me meschina"
W. A. Mozart
``To Beat the Band" from T7ae P{

As you can hear easily in the tw

moving from CT- to TA-domina]
flexible; she is a proficient dan
when a classical singer, young or old, makes that exciting belt been to extend into that lofty se
sound for the first time. It is empowering for women in a very without collapsing her ribs and
real way. And for men, it can add a whole new dimension to long high vocal lines. For dance
their singing. be challenging, since the ribs w
faculty at Perm State is insistent
sive movement and physical st
inhibits communication. We refe:
Notes About the Companion Website Video Clips whose recent book, D4z7tcz.7tg "
Across Dt.sct.pzt.7?es addresses just
The companion website videos include six pairs of bachelor of lishing, 2015). Dancers can find
fine arts musical theatre majors. These young performers range the back without compromising
from sophomore to senior, and you will hear singers at different Katie is progressing beautifully i
levels of accomplishment. Some of the voices have more facility air flow in her classical singing
than others in certain exercises or repertoire, but each of them soprano,whichyoucanhearint
will help illuminate elements of the ideal. The TA-dominant quality is vib]
3. The Balancing Act of Registration and Resonarice 55

We organized the material by having each girl sing a clas-

sical or legit excerpt followed by musical theatre. The same
fonows with the boys. Finally, vocahizing sessions with each pair
of singers features them in the exercises above. Even if it some-
times takes them more than one try, the vocal qualities we have
been discussing are dearly represented. As you will see, they are
playful, willing, talented young artists, and we are very grateful
for their generoiity in sharing this time with us.

Girls in Classical/Legit arid Musical Theatre Excerpts

Ko[fie Griffi±h
``L'ho perduta, me meschina" from Le Nozze dz. F£'g#ro,
W. A. Mozart
``To Beat the Band" from T7ze P"rsac.i o/Persap7zo77e, Peter NIlls

As you can hear easily in the two clips, Katie has great facility
moving from CT~ to TA-dominant singing. Her body is free and
flexible; she is a proficient dancer. One of her challenges has
been to extend into that lofty second passaggio in her soprano
without collapsing her ribs and losing the breath cormection on
long high vocal lines. For dancers, maintaining a rib-swing can
be challenging, since the ribs want to close in front. Our dance
faculty at Perm State is insistent that breath is critical to expres-
sive movement and physical storytelling. Locking the air flow
inhibits cominunication. We refer you once again to Joan Melton,
whose recerit book, Dancing With Voice: A Collaborative Journey
Ac7`oss Discl'pZz'77es addresses just this subject (Createspace Pub-
lishing, 2015). Dancers can find a way to access a rib swing in
the back without compromising the postural aligrment in front.
Katie is progressing beautifully in terms of finding the energized
air flow in her classical singing. She is a model for the mixed
soprano, which you can hear in the vocal cross-trarfung exercises.
The TA-dominant quality is vibrant and skillfully balanced; she
56 Cross-Training in the voice studio: A BalariGing Act 3. The Balancing Act of Registration

had excellent preparatory training prior to college. She is still stock productions as a soprano f
working to trust the open belt at D5, but the high belt comes very RosaL Bud in The Mystery Of Edw
easily, which you will find is true for many sopranos. You can see Scc7'ef G¢rde7i. Talia would now
fun she has with the Pete Mills song ``To Beat the Band." The Drood himself, who belts extrav€
fihal ride-out on the word ``band" naturally carries some nasality,
ELFHi Martial, in The Secret Garden, vi
but we would make sure to encourage her to keep that strong On." She has virtually doubled I
TA-dominant comection for powerful confident delivery to the
end of the phrase. It's always a temptation to either push or bail AIlsun O'Malley
out on transitional notes in any range. If the ``recipe" is not quite
``Somebody, Somewhere" frol
right, the output is never as free or committed. (Another example
of a song ending on this vowel is the D5 at the end of ``Here I Frank Loesser
Am" from D€.rfty Roffe7? Sco#7?drezs, where it night be a tempta- ``You've Got Possibilities" fro]
tion to bail out early on that note and sacrifice the climax.) Katie
It'sSuperman,Strouse/Adan\£
had the opportunrty to play Extraordinary Girl in A77?e7`i'c¢7i Jdz.of
during her sophomore year in which she executed an electrifying
Allsun is a deeply intuitive ac
sequence of aerial ballet lifts while singing an ethereal high belt comes alive on a stage. She ha
vocal at the same time.
and lives in a youthful soprano I
when you hear her, she can acce
Talia Suskauer but struggles a bit more easing
``How Could I Ever Know?" from T7te Sec7'e£ G¢7`de77, the components of her middle i
well. She knows her instrunenl
Simon/Norman it. A persistent jaw shake conou
"What Baking Can Do" from W¢z.f7`ess, Sara Bareilles resolving gradually with semi-a
long phrases without vibrato a
At 21, Talia is already a young leading lady. She was cast as maintaining an energized brea[
Margaret Johnson in a production of T73e L£.g73f I.7t #ze Pz'¢zzcz in in The Light in the Piazza wlthTal
her junior year of college. The triumph in this is that, like Katie, ing to hear the contrasting reson
she had very little experience finding that lofty range above Eb5 two college friends, sounding al
when she began her training. She did, however, feel perfectly at apart. In Clara's furious rant ill
home singing "Woman" from Pc'r¢fg Q#ee7i. It was important to soprano into a belt, which mac
open up that top sound right away to balance the instrument. The two video clips show the e€
A song like ``So in Love" from Kiss Me, K¢fe was extremely her range. The transition at the
helpful in getting her started. The sequence of vowel phrases and Somewhere" shows that she (
the unabashed emotion of the lyric launched her into that legit resonance. "You've Got Possibil
sound. Although she is a ferocious belter as you can see in this expect from this voice, and it baJ
clip of "What Baking Can Do" from W¢£.fress, she has been cast in high belt resonance, although yc
 3. The BalancingAct of Registration and Resonance 57

stock productions as a soprano for two seasons runing. First, as

Rosa Bud in Tfee Mysfeny o/£dzoi.7t Drood and then as Lily in T72e
Sccref G¢rde7i. Talia would now be equally successful as Edwin
Droodhijusel£,whobeltsextravagantlyhigh,orthehousekeeper,
Martha, in T73c Secret G¢rde77, who sings the belt anthem ``Hold
On." She has virtually doubled her casting options.

AIIsun O'Malley
'`Sornebody, Sornewh€re" from The Most Happy Fella,
Frank Loesser
``You've Got Possibilities" from r£'s ¢ Bz.rd . . . J£'s 4z PZ¢7ie . . .

It'sSaperman,Strouse/Adarr\s

Allsun is a deeply intuitive actress, one of those people who

comes alive on a stage. She has a focused, pliable instrument
andlivesinayouthfulsopranomixquality.Asyoumightexpect
whenyouhearher,shecanaccesshighwhistletoneseffortlessly
but struggles a bit more easing into the lower modal range. All
the components of her middle voice work interchangeably and
well. She knows her instrument and how to communicate with
it. A persistent jaw shake concurrent with her vibrato has been
resolving gradually with semi-occluded vowel work, vocalizing
long phrases without vibrato and then adding it back in, and
maintaining an energized breath flow. AIlsun was cast as Clara
in T72e L£.g7zf £.7? £fre P£.¢zz¢ with Talia as her mother. It was fascinat-
ing to hear the contrasting resonance as they sang together, these
two college friends, sounding as though they were a generation
apart. In Clara's furious rant in Act 11, Allsun broke out of her
soprano into a belt, which made perfect sense in the moment.
The two video clips show the ease with which AIlsun navigates
her range. The transition at the upper passaggio in ``Somebody,
Somewhere" shows that she can also access a legit soprano
resonance. ``You've Got Possibilities" reveals the belt you would
expectfromthisvoice,anditbalancesquiteeasilyintotheupper
highbeltresonance,althoughyoudonothearthatinthisclip.
58 , Cross-Training in the voice studio: ABalaricingAct 3. The BalancingAct of Registration an
1

Caltlin Belcik be retained. Consonants are im]

"Have Peace, Jo" from L£.ffJe Wo77?en, Mark Adamo vowels do all the heavy lifting i
meaning. "Show Off" was a gre
``Show Off' from T73c Drozusy Chepero7te, Lambert/Morrison allowed her to use the lyric as a c
belt. Trusting her ability to conv
Caitlin came to college as an exquisite ballet dancer with a mixed her head when it comes to sust{
soprano, anxious about belting. Her speaking voice hung low, the end. No good ever comes fri
unwieldy in chest and fry and was not communicating in any sound once you are in the mome
way with her middJ.e voice. In a case like this, it is probably best Caitlin has made a huge leap of
to leave the belt off the table in the begirming and work exclu- of her college training.
sively on conversational speech. A song like "Cute Boys with
Short Haircuts" from Vfl77£.£€es was useful in helping her find more
balancedspeechonclosedvowels.Itcanfeelexcruciatinglysmall Mariawirries
and tight maintaining this resonance at first, but it is a very effi- `'Summertime"fromPorg]/¢7td
cient way to work toward a mixed coordination and dynamic
`'1 Got Love" from P#7'Z€'e, Geld
control, singing or speaking. The TA-dominant exercises we have
included here and in Appendix A, helped her align her speaking
and singing in the middle voice and above. With patience, those Maria is a unique talent. She c€
open vowels can be reintroduced, and voila, almost like magic, she was barely 17. Born in Haiti
that bright clear belt makes an appearance. Caitlin was cast as competitive figure skater at a ver
Marmj.e in a studio production of the musical L£.f £Ze Wo77te7? in notice as a talented singer. She k
her junior year. She was able to access a deep rich modal sound sense of social responsibility. W]
on the very lowest notes-a range that had felt like a liability a ing, she had the beginnings of i
year before. Moving through the middle voice, she could find she seemed hesitant to belt wh
a sweet, plaintive belt altemating with head-dominant sounds, as you can hear in the video clip
which gave her voice a maternal warmth. Beth's aria, ``Have quality for her. (No doubt she hi
Peace, Jo" from Mark Adamo's opera Li.#Ze Wo77te7i, which she The Eb5 soprano passaggio was £
sings in this `video, is a wonderful opportunity for her to try to It happened that Christy Tumbo
access a high soprano tessitura on a very soft dynamic, without graduates in musical theatre pei
losing intelligibility. Maintaining those sumptuous vowel spaces that fall to fill in for a semeste]
in operatic style while still articulating words clearly is always a studio. Christy's pristine mixed
challenge for sopranos, and it is a challenge for Caitlin here. One Maria needed to hear. She still i
helpful technique in these extreme ranges is to actually speak the spaces small and speech-like-I
text in head voice tracing the exact melody. The impulse to speak more "natural" and familiar to ht
clearly with purpose can help clarify, in a sense "choreograph," hear in the cross-training exercis
the vowel sequences where meaning gets smothered. When can't always access whistle tone
she returns to the sung line, some of the speaking quality will encouragement she flies into M(
3. The Balapeing Act of Registration and Resonance 59

be retained. Consonants are important, but in a song like this,

vowels do all the heavy lifting in communicating emotion and
meaning. ``Show Off" was a great choice for Caitlin, because it
allowed her to use the lyric as a comic launch for that brand new
belt. Trusting her ability to convey the comedy takes her out of
her head when it comes to sustaining the long sustained C5 at
the end. No good ever comes from worrying about how it will
sound once you are in the moment. That's for the practice room!
Caitlin has made a huge leap of vocal faith as she nears the end
of her college training.

Mariawirries
``Sunmerfume"fromPorg]/¢7tdBess,GeorgeandlraGershwin

``1 Got Love" from P#7`Zz.e, Geld/Udell

Maria is a unique talent. She came into College training when

she was barely 17. Born in Haiti and raised in Florida, she was a
competitive figure skater at a very young age and began to attract
notice as a talented singer. She knows who she is and has a deep
sense of social responsibility. When she began her college train~
ing, she had the beginnings of a mixed soprano, and although
she seemed hesitant to belt when she first began her training,
as you can hear in the video clip, it is an extraordinarily natural
quality for her. (No doubt she had been practicing on her own!)
TheEb5sopranopassaggiowassomethingnewforher,however.
It happened that Christy Tumbow, one of our master of fine arts
graduates in musical theatre pedagogy, had returned to school
that fall to fill in for a semester, and Maria was placed in her
studio. Christy's pristine mixed soprano and loft were just what
Maria needed to hear. She still wants to keep those lofty vowel
spaces small and speech-like-this approach undoubtedly feels
more "natural" and familiar to her, and easier to control. You will
hear in the cross-training exercises that although she tells us she
can't always access whistle tones, with the very slightest bit of
encouragement she flies into Mode 3 like a born coloratura. It's
 Ei
60 Cross-Training in the voice studio: A Balancing Act 3. The BalaricingAct of Registration an

an extraordinarily rangy instrument, bottom to top. What we do ful mixed soprano in Julia's mid
notice is a slight breathy delayed onset at around F5 and above, for her to access the lofty ``1egit'
which seems to clear up when she becomes aware of it. In the limited her to one color througr
``1 Got Love" cut, you can see Maria's performing charisma on excerpt shows she has begun to I
full display. She is fearless in this style. If we had asked her to successfully. The Noel Coward d
do this cut more than once, you might have been able to see a her sophomore year, she was casi
c slightly freer version of the song, but the facility in balancing TA- Caroline Neville in the musical I
dominant mixing up and down the scale is certainly evident here. etta style of singing. Then in her
h her junior year, Maria was called to replace an injured lead girl as Marmie with Caitlin in that s
in Be Mo7`e C7zz7Z, a new musical by Joe Iconis. Her performance Wo777e77, which gave her an oppc
showed a vocal confidence and performing acumen that belies her voice. Musical theatre perfc
her years. Talent is not something we can teach. We can only when they graduate, and it is ou
work to support the skills needed to help it shine. for whatever they might encoun
tions on their behalf about what t]
Jul.iaHemp
"This Heart That Flutters" by Ben Moore
Boys in Classical/Legit and Mu
"I've Been hvited to a Party" from T7ze Gz'7'Z Wfeo C¢77tc fo

S#pz7e7', Noel Coward KewinDort

'`Dal 1abbro il canto estasiato i
Julia is an example of another beautiful dancer who leamed to '`Mooring" from Gre¢sc, Jacob
mix that soprano and to keep the bass in the basement, so to
speak. It can be daunting when some of your classmates start
ripping it up in the belt and you are afraid you will never be It is pretty easy to see that Kevin :
invited to the party. She did not choose to show us how far she child for cross~training the male
has come with her belt in the MT video clip, but you will be artist to be reckoned with. As a]
able to hear that in the crossTtraining exercises. Previously we theatre major, he started college I
talked about how a soprano mix can become so powerful that high tenor voice and a good star
a TA-dominant option feels unavailable. We have seen what an an excellent musician and has I
advantage it is for singers to start the process of cross-training classical repertoire from the ver
at a young age when voices are more pliable. It is a very rare into the trio in T7`o#Z7Ze t.77 T¢J7z.f{. i]

girl who cannot mix her middle voice successfully b.oth ways, then into the role of Fabrizio in
and Julia is certainly no exception. Her physical alignment is lowing spring. Speaking in Italia
beautiful, and in the cross-training exercises she executes an was surprisingly helpful in ener
impressively smooth glissando from the bottom of her voice to articulation, and he was deeply
the high whistle and back. As an 18-year-old, that bright, power- role. The score itself is challened
 r
3. The Balancing Act of Registration arid Resoiiance 61

ful mixed soprano in Julia's middle voice also made it difficult

for her to access the lofty ``1egit" spaces above Eb5. This oddly
limited her to one color throughout the range. The Ben Moore
excerpt shows she has begun to make that upper transition quite
successfully. The Noel Coward clip shows Tulia's wheelhouse. In
her sophomore year, she was cast as the young British debutante
Carchine Neville in the musical Tz.f¢7it'c, which called for an oper-
etta style of singing. Then in her junior year she was double cast
as Marmie with Caitlin in that same studio production of L1'ffze
Wo777e77, which gave her an opportunity to use the other side of
her voice. Musical theatre performers hit the ground rurming
when they graduate, and it is our responsibility to prepare them
for whatever they might encounter vocally, making no assump-
tions on their behalf about what the casting future holds for them.

B oys in classical/Legit arid Musical Theatre Excerpts

Kevin Dort
"Dal 1abbro il canto estasiato vola" from FczZs£#, Verdi

``Mooning" from G7`eczse, Tacobs /Casey

It is pretty easy to see that Kevin Dort loves to sing. He is a poster

child for cross-training the male singer and has become a young
artist to be reckoned with. As an 18-year-old freshman musical
theatre major, he started college training with a good grasp of his
high tenor voice and a good start on that core foundation. He is
an excellent musician and has been enthusiastic about singing
classical repertoire from the very start. He auditioned his way
into the trio in Tro#Z7Ze I.77 T¢Jzt'fz' in the fall of his junior year, and
then into the role of Fabrizio in Tfec Lt.gfef I.77 #ze Pt.¢zzcz the fol-
lowing spring. Speaking in Italian and heavily accented English
was surprisingly helpful in energizing and releasing his overau
articulation, and he was deeply vulnerable and touching in the
role. The score itself is challenging but also immensely freeing.
62 Cr'oss-Training in the voice studio: A Balancing Act 3. The BalancingAct of Registration

He might find hilnself belting one minute and lofting into a clas- convey the meaning of the lyric
sical legit resonance the next, depending on where the music and dinate that belt mix more easily.
Fabrizio'semotionaljoumeytookhiin.Theverdiyouhearonthis close the vowel on the word ``w
clip gives you an idea of Kevin's attraction to the classical genre. on the A4, gradually opening o:
The cut from Grease shows how much fun he has altemating have a very exciting phrase. Tec
between ,a pop falsetto and a TA-dominant resonance. The style be equally at home with both cl
is flashy Vand can seem to be enough in itself to hold our atten- is going to open that /i/on the
tion. But we might want to remind him to stay ``1yric forward," Julio has enormous potential as
allowing his breath to clarify and frame thoughts so we do not rizio's philandering older broth
lose his connection to character. The summer after his sophomore exceptional panache and has b€
year, Kevin was cast as Pinocchio in a stock production of SJz7'ek, Spider Woman.
a falsetto role that tops out on F#5 (!). He begins his career with
an impressive vocal toolbox.
Jonathan Savage
"Money, 0!" by Michael Hea(
Julio Iguina-Pascual
'`Basement" from Rez¢fl.I)I.fry, R
``Now Art Thou, Dear" from W%ffoer£'7ig He€g7£ts, Bemard
Herrmarm
Jonathan is a gifted actor and C
``See Rock City" from See Rock C£.fry, Alexander/Mathias
voice. He has very keen instint
see in these clips, he is compel]
Julio has a wonderful instrument. ffis voice is naturally balanced, any musical theatre baritone lies
althoughheisstillintheprocessofputtingallthepiecestogether. high notes that dominate conte]
The clip from W##2er£.7ig Hez.gfefs shows his ability to access a clas- felt "stuck in the basement" so 1
sical resonance. He performed it the first time singing the high G# bust out of there, ran the risk t
in falsetto on "I'd ask for all eternity" since the dynamic marking instrument. Teachers and studen
is pp. We asked him to try a chest-dominant classical resonance in this process of extending rant
on that top note, and he could do it quite easily, so we included slow at times for performers lil
both clips to show that. The other cut, from the pop/rock musical champing at the bit to sing with
S€c Rock C£'fty, has an interesting moment at 0:10 on the descend- He is an extraordinarily generoi
ing phrase ``where I'm meant to be" starting on A4. Julio chose did not flinch when asked if v
to open the vowel in a belt, which is a fine option in this style. summer between his second and
The sound is slightly overpressurized in this instance, which sustained an injury that took hin
calls attention to the sound at the expense of the lyric. The whole better part of a year. h his own I
thought is: "I thin.k I finally see where I'm meant to be." Taking
a breath in the middle of that phrase interrupts the thought and It wa`s the best worst thing that e
focuses all the attention on the high note. Just remembering to much about listening, mindfulne
3. The Balancing Act of Registration and Resonance 63

convey the meaning of the lyric is probably all he needs to coor-

dinate that belt mix more easily. It is also another valid option to
close the vowel on the word ``where" to a speech mix resonance
on the A4, gradually opening on the way down. He would still
have a very exciting phrase. Technically, we would want him to
be equally at home with both choices. h this pop/rock style, he
is going to open that /i/on the high note, ``see Rock Citaaaay."
Julio has enormous potential as a singing actor. He played Fab-
rizio's philandering older brother in T73e Li.gfef I.77 £Jtc P3'¢zz¢ with
exceptional panache and has been cast as Valentin in Kiss o/ ffee
Spider Woman.

Jonathan Savage
``Money, 0!" by Michael Head
"Basement" from Rez4zf£.z#.fry, Rob Rockiki

Jonathan is a gifted actor and dancer with a beautiful baritone

voice. He has very keen instincts as an actor, and, as you can
see in these clips, he is compelling to watch. The challenge for
any musical theatre baritone lies in finding a way to access those
high notes that dominate contemporary musical scores. He has
felt ``stuck in the basement" so to speak, and in his eagerness to
bust out of there, ran the risk of jeopardizing this exceptional
instrument. Teachers and students have to be patient and positive
in this process of extending range, which can feel excruciatingly
slow at times for performers like Jonathan, who are constantly
champing at the bit to sing with the voice they hear in their head.
He is an extraordinarily generous young artist and person, and
did not flinch when asked if we could share his story. In the
summerbetweenhissecondandthirdyearsoftraining,Jonathan
sustainedaninjurythattookhimoutofcirculationvocallyforthe
better part of a year. In his own words,

It wa.s the best worst thing that ever happened to me. I leamed so
much a.bout listening, mindfulness, and patience. It's so important
64 Cross-Training in the voice studio: A BalancingAct 3. The Balancing Act of Registration an

to be kind and forgive yourself. To celebrate the little victories pushing. Finding freedom and r€
rather than get frustrated with what you can't do. his ongoing technical challenges,
Our colleagues in theatre offer a Ii
Jonathan's recovery is complete with no residual pathology, and designed to increase body awa]
he is making every effort to follow the excellent advice he gives training methods of Catherine I
hiuself (and all of us) above. Appropriately, the contemporary krais, which are taught by our c
cut he chose to sing is about living in the basement! He responds particularly helpful and inspirin
effortlessly to the rueful lyric and also navigates this range well, Alexander Technique training. A
which takes him to an E4. Jonathan is always at the top of every- Sfeook Lrp, Joe is a full-out perfo]
one'slistforcastingopportunitiesatcollegebutmaystillloseout phoning anything in. Generosity
because of range requirements. ``Money, 0!" is perfect material ence but requires an actor to leni
for him at this stage and shows that rich baritone quality to great to survive an eight show a weed
advantage. You can tell he was concerned about finding a clean exercises (for example, that full
onseton'`allday"attheend,butitwasgoodtoseehimretainthe that Joe is eager to "get it right,"
depth in his tone. Many of us encounter students like Jonathan ownbodywisdom.Whenhefoll(
in the early stages of training. Sometimes the best thing we can execute the exercise with much g]
do is take the reins from them for a while, to give them a chance students to take what they alread
torecoghizethevalueofpatient,attentivepractice.InJonathan's themselves. Joe recently played
case the patience paid off-he will be performing Mo]ina in K£.ss More C72£.ZJ and Oscar Lindquist iJ
Of the Spider Woman. see in the clips here is that Joe is €
comedy. h that famous elevato]
upside down and hung from th
JosephAIlen
such complete comic finesse, th
``Quanto a bella, quanto a cara" from L'£Zis£'r d'A777orc, at the same time.
Donizetti
"It Hurts Me" from AZZ S7!ook Up, Byers and Dariels DanielTeixeira
"Loveliest of Trees" by John I
Joseph is a deeply committed young artist, with an insatiable ``The Old Red Hills of Home"
appetite for more knowledge of craft and performance. He loves
the excitement of exploring character and relationships and Brown
bringsavividimaginationtothework.Hecameinasafreshman
with high notes and virtually no core sound, although he sang Daniel Teixeira is a fascinating
expressively from the very start. ms lower range has opened up Sao Paolo, Brazil, he also atten
substantially, and in the Dohizetti, we see him beginning to find Kingdom before coming to the
that classical loft on top. Joe is a perfect example of the benefits Portuguese and speaks English `
of stretching the voice in multiple directions. The core (modal) Only in his second year of stud
development has helped him balance his upper sound to avoid voice training before coming
 3. The Balancing Act of Registration and Resonance 65

pushing. Finding freedom and release in stillness remains one of

hisongoingtechnicalchallenges,asitisformanyyoungsingers.
Ourcolleaguesintheatreofferanumberofmovementtechriques
designed to increase body awareness a:nd isolate tension. The
training methods of Catherine Fitzmaurice and Mosh6 Felden-
krais, which are taught by our colleagues in theatre, have been
particularly helpful and inspiring to Joe. He is also seeking out
Alexander Technique training. As you can see in the cut from AZZ
Sfeook up, Joe is a full-out performer. It is hard to imagine him
phoninganythingin.Generositylikethisisagreatgifttoanaudi-
ence but requires an actor to know his instrument well enough
to survive an eight show a week schedule. h the cross-training
exercises (for example, that full voice glissando), you will see
that Joe is eager to ``get it right," at first, rather than tmsting his
ownbodywisdom.Whenhefollowedhisow:ninstincts,hecould
executetheexercisewithmuchgreaterease.Weencourageallour
studentstotakewhattheyalreadyunderstandandbegintoteach
themselves. J.oe recently played the lead in the rock musical Be
More C7z£'ZJ and Oscar Lindquist in Szoeef Cfr¢r£.fry. What we do not
see in the clips here is that Joe is also capable of inspired physical
comedy. In that famous elevator scene with Charity, he flipped
upside down and hung from the ceiling so suddenly and with
such complete comic finesse, the audience gasped and laughed
at the same time.

Daniel.Teixeira
``Loveliest of Trees" by John Duke

``The Old Red Hills of Home" from P¢7`¢de, Jason Robert

Brown

Daniel Teixeira is a fascinating combination culturally. Born in

Sao Paolo, Brazil, he also attended high school in the United
Kingdom before coming to the United States. He is fluent in
Portuguese and speaks English with the hint of a British accent.
Only in his second year of study, Daniel had never had formal
voice training before coming to college. He is a passionate
66 Cross-Training in the voice studio: A Balancing Act 3. The BalaricingAct of Registration an

student, smart, focused, and responsive to teaching. Comrfut- His actual range is astronomical
ted io making every minute count, he is taking 20 credits while apparent in the cross-training exe
workingthreejobs.WhenweencounteryoungartistslikeDaniel, musical Bc Mo7'e Chz7Z, Jonathan
it is important to help them find ways to balance the pressures scream (amusingly called ``screlt
they feel, and to keep some joy in the process. In a very short conege, he really had to fight for
time, he has made excellent technical progress. He has a beautiful or singing below D3 and had ver)
nical aspect of voice training. Givt
::i£Cc:i;i:zhL:i:Ti9st°:fp#j::s?,?]yro=€:nathbe:Fhi::d]S;o°£g:ocr]a£S:: has been nothing short of astonj
elongatedvowelspace.TheTohnDukesongkeepshiminarange it is fairly clear where his affinit
where he can experiment with classical colors without straining. him to the task of finding a core f
The tone is full, and he is developing a consistent vibrant flow in notes and to work toward a.n el
his singing. Daniel has been working on the song from Pflr¢de for throughout his range. The resona
over a year. That last open vowel on ``home" was a big challenge clips shows only a minimal amou
for him as a first-year student, but he has found a way to anchor accomplishment to see him succe
the resonance confidently now, while still keeping his breath free ballad with a consistent vibrant le
of excess pressure. He is still working on those closed speech to honor this style as fully as he ca
vowels above F4 as you will see in the cross-training exercises. his tone beautifully. Golden Age :
We teachers all know that a majority of 16-to 18-year-old boys are theatre singers to enter a differe]
inclined to open every vowel above the second passaggio. The When a student asked composer,
best remedy is to put them on a diet of closed vowels in practice, sing the `'florid" lyric in a song fro
which almost invariably leads them to a better register balance. Going deeper into these Oscar Ii
You may remember we did exactly the same thing for Caitlin on disappoint. The music is ideal fc
the song "Cute Boys with Short Haircuts." Elite musical theatre it suits Jonathan very well. We w
singers become very adept at "vowel choreography" in TA- to ``breathe to say" this lyric. It
dominant singing, gliding gracefully through words from one through an obvious thought br€
``needed" (0:201):22), but Cable li
spoken vowel to another without a hitch.
A comma is always there for a re
Mczdl.so7i Co#71fty presents a few di
JonathanTeeling of which is that melismatic wall tt
``Younger than Springtime" from So##z Pflc£/2.c, Rodgers/ in a higher key than the Broadw
Hammerstein reach the low notes. Unlike the lf
resonance as an 18-year-old was i
"It Al:I FaLdes A:way" frorr\ The Bridges Of Madison County,
and /u/ are still his go-to vowels i
Jason Robert Brown for hin to sing. We have heard hin
classical tenor quality as well. Tht
Jonathan Teeling is a fierce dancer, specializing in contempo- open belt quahity on that Bb4 is ac
rary styles. He is passionate about rock music and rock singing. which he gravitates naturally ant
3. The Balancing Act of Registration and Resonance 67

His actual range is astronomically high, although that is more

apparent in the cross-training exercises than in these clips. In the
musical Be More Cfet.ZZ, J.onathan actually delivered a high rock
scream (amusingly called `'screlt") on an E5. When he came to
college, he really had to fight for any energized sound in speech
or singing below D3 and had very little experience with the tech-
nicalaspectofvoicetraining.Giventhatbackground,hisgrowth
has been nothing short of astonishing, although in these clips
it is fairly clear where his affinities lie. His teachers have held
him to the task of finding a core sound to balance all those high
notes and to work toward an energized unpressed phonation
throughout his range. The resonance he is using in both of these
clips shows only a minimal amount of contrast. But it is no small
accomplishment to see him succeed in singing that So##z P¢cz/Z'c
ballad with a consistent vibrant legato. We have encouraged him
to honor this style as fully as he can, and it has helped him fill out
his tone beautifully. Golden Age material invites young musical
theatre singers to enter a different world and way of thinking.
When a student asked composer/lyricist Craig Camelia how to
sing the ``florid" lyric in a song from this era, he said, ``Author it!"
Going deeper into these Oscar Hammerstein words will rarely
disappoint. The music is ideal for young baritenor voices, and
it suits Jonathan.very well. We would remind hi:in to remember
to ``breathe to say" this lyric. It might be a temptation to sing
through an obvious thought break when a new breath is not
"needed" (0:20ro:22), but Cable has two thoughts here, not one.
A comma is always there for a reason. The song from Brl.ages o/
M¢diso71 Co%71fy presents a few different challenges, not the least
ofwhichisthatmelismaticwailtoahighBb.Jonathanissinging
in a higher key than the Broadway score in order to be able to
reach the low notes. Unlike the majority of his peers, his default
resonance as an 18-year-old was in fact the cJosed vowel. The /i/
and /u/ are still his go-to vowels above the staff and are effortless
forhimtosing.WehaveheardhimdeliverthathighBbinabright
classical tenor quality as well. The seeming "effort" to access the
open belt quality on that Bb4 is actually part of a stylistic ethos to
which he gravitates naturally and has very little to do with that
 C)

68 Cross-Training in the voice studio: A Balancing Act

range being hard for him. Technically, we would encourage him

to avoid scooping from note to note until he has the ability to
make it a conscious choice. h terms of repertoire, we would want
Jonathan to look for songs that celebrate his youthful vitality and
humor and that capitalize on that extraordinary range.

Applied Studio Demos of Pairs in Cross~Training Exercises

Katie Griffith/Tulio Iguina-Pascual

Allstin O'Malley/Kevin Dort
Talia Suskauer/Jonathan Teeling
Maria Wirries/Daniel Teixeira
Caitlin Belcik/Joseph Allen

Julia Hemp /Jonathan Savage

TheVocalArcofRegistrationandResonance

The Vocal Arc of Registration and Resonance is another way to

demonstrate the kind of balance we are looking for in various
vocal qualities. Even though these qualities-from classical to
CT dominant and TA dominant-probably can't be leaned from
studying a chart, taking the time to let the image sink in can be
an effective way to supplement the cross-training exercises and
other information.