In Memoriam: Michael Jackson (1958-2009)

Thriller (1982). Michael Jackson. #1 Album of all time. Image courtesy La Columna Flácida.

The man is gone. The legend begins.

Five of Jackson's solo albums, Off the Wall, Thriller, Bad, Dangerous and HIStory, all with Epic Records, a Sony Music label – are among the top-sellers of all time. During his extraordinary career, he sold an estimated 750 million records worldwide, released 13 No.1 singles and became one of a handful of artists to be inducted twice into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Guinness Book of World Records recognized Jackson as the Most Successful Entertainer of All Time and Thriller as the Biggest Selling Album of All Time. Jackson won 13 Grammy Awards and received the American Music Award's Artist of the Century Award.

SOURCE: Michael Jackson: The Official Site. Retrieved 25 June 2009.

Conducting Cats

Kurt Molnar recently sent me a couple of pictures he had taken during a performance of Cats at Lake Tahoe Community College where I teach. I couldn't resist putting them up here.

The author conducting a performance of Cats at Lake Tahoe Community College. Image © 2009 Kurt Molnar/Altitude Media. Used with permission.


The author conducting a performance of Cats at Lake Tahoe Community College. Image © 2009 Kurt Molnar/Altitude Media. Used with permission.

Vocal Warmups - Vowels and Vowel Combinations

The next three warmups in my sequence are all vowels or vowel combinations. I usually begin on low A and do the arpeggio pattern, 1-5-3-8-5-3-1, or do-sol-mi-do-sol-mi-do, up to about high A. You should drop out, switch to falsetto or head voice, or drop down an octave if the exercise begins to feel tight or if you feel discomfort. Make sure to sing legato.

3. The vowel EE or [i] in IPA.
4. The vowel combination EE-AY or [i]-[ɛI] in IPA. (Feel free to drop the diphthong.)
5. The vowel combination AY-AH or [ɛI]-[ɑ] in IPA.

Here is a link to an mp3 I made to use as a background in order to practice.

Vocal Warmups - Tongue Rolls

The second warmup in my sequence is a tongue roll or trill, which is similar to the Italian or Spanish "r." I usually begin on low A and do the arpeggio pattern, 1-5-3-8-5-3-1, or do-sol-mi-do-sol-mi-do, up to at least high F. You should drop out, switch to falsetto or head voice, or drop down an octave if the exercise begins to feel tight or if you feel discomfort. Many singers find this exercise a little more difficult than the lip roll.

Here is a link to an mp3 I made to use as a background in order to practice.

Download an article, "Lip and Tongue Trills--What Do They Do For Us?" by voice scientist Dr. Ingo Titze. [NOTE: Archived here.]

Vocal Warmups - Lip Rolls

The first warmup in my sequence is a lip roll or trill. I usually begin on low A and do the arpeggio pattern, 1-5-3-8-5-3-1, or do-sol-mi-do-sol-mi-do, up to about high G. You should drop out, switch to falsetto or head voice, or drop down an octave if the exercise begins to feel tight. Some people find that if you lift the skin lightly on the cheeks, it is helpful in sustaining the roll.

Here is a link to an mp3 I made to use as a background in order to practice.

Download an article, "Lip and Tongue Trills--What Do They Do For Us?" by voice scientist Dr. Ingo Titze. [NOTE: Archived here.]

Video of Cass Nauman demonstrating the lip roll on a five tone scale.


How to Do Lip Roll Vocal Exercises -- powered by eHow.com

Santa Lucia

"Santa Lucia" is a traditional Neapolitan (from Naples) song transcribed by Teodoro Cottrau and published in 1849. It was made in famous in the U.S. from a recording by Enrico Caruso. The video below features tenor Mario Lanza.



Elvis recorded "Santa Lucia" and can be heard in the Youtube video below. His Italian is fairly good.



Free sheet music of "Santa Lucia" (Key of C) is available online at Art Song Central.

Nel cor più non mi sento

"Nel cor più non mi sento" is another standard from the beginning singer's 24 Italian Songs and Arias. It was composed by Giovanni Paisiello (1740-1816) for his opera La Molinara (1788). Paisiello is also known for his opera, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, which later was eclipsed by Rossini's version.

Below is tenor Luciano Pavarotti singing "Nel cor più non mi sento" in October of 1989 with Leone Magiera on piano. The song begins approximately 5 minutes into the video.



This version is sung by Russian baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky in a performance in Moscow in 1991.



For sheet music (key of F) see also Art Song Central.