Classical Voice with Valdis J.

I am an internationally acknowledged opera singer who is specialized in Italian repertoire. I have sung at Teatro alla Scala, Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, NCPA in Beijing, Theater an der Wien in Vienna and many others. I have more than 50 principal roles in my repertoire. I have spent 17 years in Italy, where I got my MM at Conservatorio Boito di Parma. Currently, I am pursuing a DMA degree at UC Santa Barbara. Singing is a very delicate discipline. We cannot see what we actually do in order to sing. There are many various schools of singing with different kinds of philosophy. However, my core idea in teaching is: if you have succeeded, teach as you have been taught. It is really astounding how little vocal technique and singing teaching have changed in the last almost 200 years (considering 1829 a starting point, when the “new” type of singing with chest voice use has been introduced). When a baby learns to walk, it happens definitely not because an adult (a supervisor) explains how to use muscles in order to move, but because of a natural imitation and as a result of a personal research of a balance. This is exactly the same concept I use in teaching singing: giving the space for a personal research, giving examples and not overloading with useless (even if true) information. The second step in a development of a singer is the awareness in singing: once a student has learned a determined element (imitating or as a result of personal research), he can analyze precisely his actions: he will be able to say exactly what is happening technically and how it can be achieved. This type of information is vital and necessary only in this phase and not before. In conclusion, it is very important to remember that singing is art, and as such it has to appear natural and non-technical. However, the technique is crucial in singing and must been taught, but when it becomes invisible in a final product, the goal is truly achieved.