The Classical Voice Studio of Diana Farrell

Monday, April 26, 2021 by Diana Farrell | THOUGHTS FROM THE STUDIO

 This may be a super niche post, but bear with me. I was reading some {super judgy} posts in a mom group recently and there were a lot of folks attacking the original poster about their parenting style. Finally, some replied “All kids are different so you can’t assume that applying your parenting techniques to someone else’s child will garner positive results. AMEN! HALLELUJAH! I have two kids and they are similar in many ways, but polar opposites in other ways. They exist in *completely* different times and have very different social experiences (Hello, pandemic baby!) so even with my own children I have to expect that they will have unique reactions and traits. IT’S THE SAME WITH SINGERS! I have students who come from musical families, and others (like myself) who come from families that are not involved in the arts so they have completely different views and experiences in the arts world. Whether it’s teaching a young student starting out or coaching a pro who’s had an elite conservatory education, it’s about the singer and how they receive and absorb information. There is no one-size-fits-all formula to singing. We all experience the physical sensations differently and have our own vocabulary for communicating what’s happening in our bodies. That is why I stress that it takes TIME to learn a common language to discuss our bodies, our sounds, and our achievements. Those “ah ha” moments are totally based on the individual and how they process information, where they are in their studies, and what their life experiences have been prior to working together. Find a teacher who respects and is excited to learn about you and your story. It takes patience, trust, and vulnerability on all fronts to form a relationship with a teacher that will ultimately benefit the student and their progress. This is one reason why I offer trial lessons - we usually do more talking than singing, but when your body is your instrument there is a level of autonomy that is completely different from studying other instruments. If this is surprising to you, ten please take advantage of the idea. TALK to your teacher or your coach. Let them know the way you physically experience music making. Sow the seeds and see what the harvest yields!

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Monday, April 19, 2021 by Diana Farrell | THOUGHTS FROM THE STUDIO

Why did you start singing? Chances are it was because singing and performing made you H A P P Y 😃🤞 So what happens when it becomes a source of stress, worry, defeat, or self doubt? I was a collegiate singer for 8 years - undergrad through Artist Diploma - and I was performing at least 3 days a week. I loved it! Sometimes it was a formal concert or production, sometimes it was just for my studio mates or a classroom demonstration. Once you leave the cocoon of school, performances are fewer and far between. You start the endless parade of auditions and sometimes you don't get work for a while. Those first couple of years I started losing steam (and money), wondering if I would ever get to perform for an audience again. One day I walked into the audition room and I thought, "This is a long shot, so I'm just gonna give them a good show." That attitude changed everything! The people on the other end of the casting table WANT to be entertained and you WANT to perform, so do it! When I changed my mindset, every chance to be heard became a chance to perform and I loved what I was doing once more… I also started getting work. It's so difficult to practice being in an audition situation until you're actually there, so why not think of the audition room as your stage and have fun? 

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Monday, April 12, 2021 by Diana Farrell | THOUGHTS FROM THE STUDIO

Singing 101: Embrace your unique sound! When I was an undergrad I adored Kiri Te Kanawa. I ate up everything she sang and listened religiously. She was really a gateway drug to Renee Fleming and I had the two of them on repeat for most of my favorite arias in my early college days. This is not a problem, except that even though I knew our voices didn't sound the same, I still tried to approach the music in the exact same way. It did not work for me! Even if I was not trying to manipulate my sound, I was absolutely not supporting my voice the way I needed to. Over the years I’ve been fortunate to study with some amazing teachers who really helped me find my own sound. Like my Kiri & Renee recordings, I didn't always share the same voice type as these teachers, but they helped me to make room for my own sound and balance the energy I needed to properly support it. Today, I have a handful of divas that I will listen to and identify with when it comes to technique and how to approach a difficult line, but I am much more aware of how different instruments deliver a musical idea differently. It can feel like we are always trying to measure up to our idols, but our differences - and unique qualities - are something to celebrate! I tell my younger and beginning students: listen to as many people as possible so you don't get stuck believing that there is only one correct approach or interpretation of a line, or a role, or an aria. Find out what your strengths are, figure out the most efficient and supportive way to show those strengths off in your own voice, and share your unique sound in a way only you can. 

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Monday, April 5, 2021 by Diana Farrell | THOUGHTS FROM THE STUDIO

📷: A sneak peek of me in my virtual teaching setup. Making do with what we've got and pretty fortunate to be able to work this way. Excited, however, that it will be getting a big facelift in a couple weeks!

 What's that old saying about opinions? Well, everybody's got one 😉 I'm back with more #MondayMusings
The beauty of age and experience is that you learn not to care about everyone else's opinions. I now have a much easier time wading through the muck to find constructive criticism that will actually help me grow and that is a skill I try to help my students cultivate. More often than not, someone's opinion of you and your voice has much more to do with the person doling out advice than the person it's meant for. When you hear advice or opinions on you and your work ask yourself: Is this coming from someone I can trust? Do they want to see me grow and improve? Or are they serving their own agenda? Check out my blog post for @lyricoperaoc on how I learned this lesson the hard way in their new series: #LOOCOffBook www.lyricoperaoc.org/offbook

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