Singing with Solomon E.

In 1999, my opera "The Dybbuk: An Opera in Yiddish" was given a premiere in Israel (abridged, with my piano score only) , co-sponsored by Ben-Gurion University (Beersheba) and the Abraham Lerner Foundation for Yiddish Language and Literature (Tel Aviv). I adapted my libretto from the 1920 play by S. Ansky. The performances received standing ovations from full houses, and uniformly excellent Tel Aviv press reviews. A review in the international London magazine OPERA ended: "This opera deserves to return to the stage in a full-scale production with orchestra." The sponsors underwrote a DVD of a live Tel Aviv performance (with English subtitles), which was placed with online record merchants (PAL format only). Professor Aloma Bardi, Founder (2002) and Director of ICAMus [International Center for American Music at the University of Florence, Italy] has written a book on "The Dybbuk and Its Twentieth Century Musical Adaptations", which will be published in Italy at the end of December. The final chapter of her book is an evaluation and analysis of my opera. *** Lesson Details *** I am a highly experienced tutor in Academic Subjects for Middle School and High School students. I teach singing to Adults age 18 and up, from beginners to accomplished professional singers. I teach Composition and Orchestration from High School ages to Adults, from beginners to advanced students of composition. First I want to put any student at ease, because relaxation is absolutely indispensable to singing technique. I start with the foundation, which is breath support. Most of the problems that singers encounter are due to the fact that without proper breath support (which is the same as meditation or yoga breathing), it is simply not possible to sing in the Western classical and operatic tradition. Proper breath support REFLEXIVELY results in both the “open throat” (which means totally relaxed throat) and the “lift” of the soft palate and uvula, so that the tone becomes no more than a light, easy “hum” above the palate. After that, simply allow the lower jaw to drop (loose as a rag doll) and SAY a vowel (exactly as in ordinary speech). The result is, quite simply, the BEST tone that each singer is capable of. As the great singers Joan Sutherland and Marilyn Horne say in a You Tube interview on breath support, “I can teach someone how to do it in 5 minutes. After that, it requires 10 years to perfect and control the technique, and a lifetime of light, easy, daily practice to maintain it.” For any singing student, I would confine them to mid-range singing only at first, avoiding both high notes and low notes. When the student has securely “automatized” the technique, then higher and lower tones may be added gradually. Instead of mechanical-sounding scales, I prefer to use phrases from the classical song repertory (in Italian, French, English and German) for technical practice, so that the singer learns technique in a REAL MUSICAL CONTEXT. Also for voice training, I like to use traditional 17th- and 18th- century Italian songs, because they were written to develop singing technique safely, while at the same time they are fun to sing because they are real music, not just mechanical scales. In addition, they use the ideal singing vowels of Italian. Because voice study is inherently highly personal, and almost every student introduces unwanted tension by getting tense and over-concentrated, I intentionally break the tension by joking, so as to get the student back to a state of relaxation. “STRENGTHS: My absolute focus on the matter at hand. I do not allow myself or the student to waste precious lesson time on tangential chit-chat. I rotate among many aspects of the subject. I am centrally focused on the student's mastery of technique, but I do not allow an exclusive focus on physical singing skills. I know that physical technical control is greatly improved by shifting attention to MUSICAL values, such as phrasing, expressiveness and rhythm. At other times I will shift attention to English or foreign-language pronunciation for singing, because these too must be incorporated into a singer's technical mastery.” ADDITIONAL TUTORING EXPERIENCE: 1996-2001: Inlingua Inc. (A Division of Accuword International),West Hartford, CT--- Taught English as a Second Language in the workplace to corporate hires from Europe, South America and Asia at CIGNA, The Hartford Insurance Co., Otis Elevator, Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Engines, and other companies. 1996-2001: Taught Hebrew classes at several synagogues in the Greater Hartford area (while completing my Doctorate in Composition/Orchestration at the Hartt School of Music) 2001-2006: Club Z! of Greater Springfield--- In-home tutor for Middle School and High School students in SAT Prep (Verbals), English Language and Literature, French, World History. *** Travel Equipment *** I will provide sheet music copies sometimes. If the student cannot provide a piano, then a keyboard will do. Most important is a reasonably resonant space for singing, not over-reverberant, but not "dead" either. Students and instrumentalists should learn from the beginning that the acoustic space is INDIVORCIBLE from musical performance. If the student can arrange to meet in the auditorium of their local church or community center or college (especially if a piano is available), that would be better than in-home teaching. Of course, regular academic subjects can be taught at the student's home, local public library, or other location of the student's choice. *** Specialties *** Singing: Opera, Classical, Cantorial; Composition, Orchestration; English as a Second Language.