Hamburg, Merrit, singing…

Hi there! I hope you are well. This week I spent 4 days in Hamburg, working with Chris Merrit on my voice. We worked technically and also on some arias for auditions. I like working with him because he is a tenor and understands the challenges that are very unique to the tessitura, also he is kind and really clear with his ideas. At this moment I believe his approach adds to my current way, and I hope I can really understand what he means and apply it correctly over the next few weeks.

Singing is so complex, and for me the most challenging part of it is the perception of our own voice, what to feel, what to hear or what not to hear, how much support, how much vocal cord close, how much air flow, then all the vowels and the tongue shape of each vowel to make a unified and focused tone, all the coordination necessary to find the balance, and somehow be able to make a balance tone throughout a whole aria, song or lied. As any veteran in singing says, this constant battle lasts until the day you stop singing, G.B. Lamperti new well of this true of singing. As I have read, some on Carusso, Corelli, Del Monao, Gigli, Pertile, and many others, and also some of the ones currently singing, at some point they all have struggles and doubts, going through difficult moments in their career, even great artists go through vocal injury due to some technical error, or also the body to their voices, also the mental and emotional state plays a hug role on the voice performance quality.

I am on a life long journey, and I am aware of the sacrifices, tears, vocal confusion, hard work and the never ending polishing of the voice. I accepted this many years ago, because I know my limitations and all the things I want to improve on my singing and know that I must really keep challenging my own ideas, in order to become a better singer. An incredible curiosity drives me to search for a better way to sing and to improve, and as a good overthinker sometimes I go backwards, so like one step forwards then two backwards, and I am ok with it as long as I keep going forward. I try to zoom out and think in terms of compounding. So, little by little even if it seems unnoticeable.

Being in Hamburg was really nice and I had sometime for myself to think and reflect on life and career, I also of course enjoy some very nice coffee at some coffee shops that I like there.

I keep doing my exercise routine, daily reading and morning pages.

I hope you are well and please take care. See you next week.