Below the staff is my happy place
August 8, 2012 8:31 AM Subscribe
Alto vocal coaches in the Boston area?
I'm an amateur choral singer trying to get a better handle on what kind of voice I have or should aspire to. My full range when I'm singing actively is from about a D3 (D below middle C) to a shaky A5.
My training has all been in choirs (classical/renaissance repertoire, plus modern composers like Lauridsen, mostly not jazz/show choirs), and I'm basically aware of two registers in my singing voice, chest and head. My chest and head voices sound noticeably different from each other. I can sing down (weakly) to about an E4 in my head voice, and up to a Bb4 in chest, so I do have some overlap/blending ability. It feels most natural to switch from one register to the other at about an A4. In choirs, I sing alto, unless I sing tenor parts to fill things out. Unless I sing second soprano in an emergency.
I took voice lessons briefly in high school, and the focus was entirely on expanding my upper range. I like my low notes, especially for Sacred Harp and other folk traditions, and I haven't smoked or used a ton of vocal fry or done anything in particular (other than sing low notes) to 'mess up' my voice. On the one hand, most of what I can find online suggests that there are many fewer 'true altos' than people who just haven't learned to use their upper ranges. On the other, I can definitely hit lower notes than any of the other women in my current choir.
I'd love to take a few lessons with someone who can help me figure out if I'm an honest-to-goodness contralto and help me develop the range & timbre that I personally should be aiming for. But there is not a single alto listed on these two vocal coach directories, and I'm having no luck googling for alto vocal coaches. I'm perfectly happy taking lessons from a soprano or a male singer, but I don't want to work with a teacher who's going to assume that I'm a frustrated soprano. If anything, it might be most helpful to my singing 'career' to develop a better timbre for blending with male tenors. Who knows!
So - any recommendations for vocal coaches in the Boston area? Bonus question - do you have a range similar to mine? How do you classify yourself, and how do you approach your singing development?
I'm an amateur choral singer trying to get a better handle on what kind of voice I have or should aspire to. My full range when I'm singing actively is from about a D3 (D below middle C) to a shaky A5.
My training has all been in choirs (classical/renaissance repertoire, plus modern composers like Lauridsen, mostly not jazz/show choirs), and I'm basically aware of two registers in my singing voice, chest and head. My chest and head voices sound noticeably different from each other. I can sing down (weakly) to about an E4 in my head voice, and up to a Bb4 in chest, so I do have some overlap/blending ability. It feels most natural to switch from one register to the other at about an A4. In choirs, I sing alto, unless I sing tenor parts to fill things out. Unless I sing second soprano in an emergency.
I took voice lessons briefly in high school, and the focus was entirely on expanding my upper range. I like my low notes, especially for Sacred Harp and other folk traditions, and I haven't smoked or used a ton of vocal fry or done anything in particular (other than sing low notes) to 'mess up' my voice. On the one hand, most of what I can find online suggests that there are many fewer 'true altos' than people who just haven't learned to use their upper ranges. On the other, I can definitely hit lower notes than any of the other women in my current choir.
I'd love to take a few lessons with someone who can help me figure out if I'm an honest-to-goodness contralto and help me develop the range & timbre that I personally should be aiming for. But there is not a single alto listed on these two vocal coach directories, and I'm having no luck googling for alto vocal coaches. I'm perfectly happy taking lessons from a soprano or a male singer, but I don't want to work with a teacher who's going to assume that I'm a frustrated soprano. If anything, it might be most helpful to my singing 'career' to develop a better timbre for blending with male tenors. Who knows!
So - any recommendations for vocal coaches in the Boston area? Bonus question - do you have a range similar to mine? How do you classify yourself, and how do you approach your singing development?
Someone in the voice department at Berklee might be able to help or have suggestions.
posted by rtha at 9:13 AM on August 8, 2012
posted by rtha at 9:13 AM on August 8, 2012
I will ask a contralto friend who performs (professionally) a lot locally in oratorios, etc., and drop you a MeMail when she gets back to me.
posted by Sidhedevil at 9:56 AM on August 8, 2012
posted by Sidhedevil at 9:56 AM on August 8, 2012
Berklee probably isn't the best place to find a vocal coach or teacher for the classical tradition. The New England Conservatory and Boston Conservatory of Music are better choices for that tradition.
posted by Sidhedevil at 9:57 AM on August 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Sidhedevil at 9:57 AM on August 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
I attended NEC for a couple years. Many teachers there also take private students. They are expensive (could be upwards of $200/hr), so that might not work for you. But they may also be able to connect you with a doctoral student or someone else in the opera community who would be a good fit. I would start there. Boston Conservatory and Boston University also both have great vocal performance programs.
posted by Lutoslawski at 10:14 AM on August 8, 2012
posted by Lutoslawski at 10:14 AM on August 8, 2012
This thread is closed to new comments.
A vocal coach helps with music.
A voice teacher helps with the voice.
You want help with your voice.
You want to find a voice teacher or to look for "singing lessons" rather than looking for vocal coaches who help you with particular pieces of music.
posted by zizzle at 8:48 AM on August 8, 2012