Voice Pedagogy ASSOCIATE ED TOR: Richard Miller Messa di voce and Dynamic Control Lindsey Christiansen Written questions that teachers and performers have submitted for discus- sion at sessions devoted to systematic voice technique are wide ranging, often penetrating the very heart of voice pede ‘agogy. This colwran continues to con- sider some of them, ISSUE Since dynamic control is one of the subtlest of all technical achievements, how early in voice training should the messa di voce be introduced to the normally gifted student? RESPONSE “Butit’s supposed to be soft!” isa lament uttered by many a sensitive ‘young singer just beginning to learn the voeal art. The messa di voce, that paragon of vocal mastery that allows Journal of Singing, Janaary/Pebruary 2005, Volume 61, No.3, pp. 203-270, Copyright 2008 [National Association of Teachers of Singing JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2005 a singer to crescendo anddeerescendo on the same pitch without changing ‘vocal timbre, is often the standard by which a singer’s technical facility and even musical sensitivity are mea ‘ured, Itis what makes usswoon when ‘we hear a fine performance from a great singer. Subtlety of dynamic control is one of the most important accomplish- ‘ments ofthe well trained singer. There is litle disagreement among voice peclagogues about the importance of learning mesa di voce. The legendary voice teacher Manuel Garcia II (1806 1905) considered it a central tech- nique for voice instruction and piv- otal in learning to unify the vocal registers. There are, however, differ- ‘ences in approach concerning when the skill should be introduced. While its foundations are learned at the beginning of voice study, I feel that the subtlety of dynamic control and the messa di voce arebest learned once the basies ofcoordinated, vibrant singing are mastered. A vibrant, res- onant sound with a balance of light and dark (ckarascuro) throughout the range is the result of a sophisticated coordination of breath energy and vocal fold adduction. It should be learned in a dynamie range that is nci- ther excessively loud nor soft. Develop- {ng noble posture, good breath manage- ‘ment, coordinated onset, and balanced registration are the tasks that lay the sroundvvork for vibrant singing. These skills should engage the time and energy of beginning voice students and their teachers, Students who have not yet developed the subtleties of muscular antagonism that are required for skillful breath management and coordinated onset often substitute breathiness in the tone to reduce vol- ume, or press the glottis to add vol- ume. Such “shortcuts” are detrimen- tal to vocal health and rarely give the desived musical effect. A well trained voice keeps the vibrant core of sound throughout tie dynamic range. When that core canbe maintained, the prac- tice of messa di voce should begin. “Two further caveats seem to be in onder. First, this perspective should in no way imply that beginning vaico students should sing everything at the same dynamic level. From the very beginning, students should be encouraged, even with their vocalises, to sing with musical shape and flex- ibility, including dynamic flexibility They should be assigned repertoire with the range and dynamic require- ‘ments that allow them to be expressive ‘musicians without requiring them to attempt musical feats that are tech- nically beyond them. Second, while ‘essa di voce is indeed a necessary skill for great singing, the ability to do itdoes not make one a great singer. ‘True artists use it as one of many responses to the requirements of the music, Singers who use messa di voce as a virtuoso “trick” or sing it on nearly every note in an attempt to be artistic miss the musical mark. A member of the American Academy of ‘Teachers of Singing and the National Asso ciation of Teachers of Singing, Lindsey Christiansen is active as a clinician for ‘master classes in voice pedagagy and voice literature. n addition 10 presenting at the NATS national convention, she has twice 269Deen a master teacher fr its internship pre- _ram for young teachers. She has ce bem. “Artist-in-Residence for oice study forthe Frane-Sdhubert-Institut in Baden bei Wien, Austria, For three years, she was a Ger- ‘man langage coach and has given lectures in German poetry and lieder atthe Bow doin Suramer Music Festival in Brunswic, Maine ‘She has.won acclaim asa veitalist special izing in German lieder in mang cities in te United States and Germany and has ‘appeared in numerous orchestral and ore torio nesformances. Her students sina in pera hauses throughout the United States «and Europe, and have been prize winners in major competitions, including NATS Artist Aarts ‘She has taught on the musie faculties ofthe Universgy of Minois, University of Nord Carolina at Greenshoro, and Westminster Choir College of Rider University, where she is Professor of Voice and former Chair of the Voice Department 270 Membership: Publications: NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF TEACHERS OF SINGING ‘Membership in the National Association of Teachers of ‘Singing is open to any citizen of any country whose professional training and experience qualify him or her as a teacher of singing, Aosociate Membership is available for voice teachers and advanced students who have not as yet completed the requirements for full membership Affiliate Membership is open to persons or groups that are interested in vocal pursuits but are not actually involved in the teaching ofsinging, such as, speech therapists, laryngologists, schools, publishers, and musiestores. ‘Membership includes a subscription to the Journal of ‘Singing, the official journal of NATS, and to Inter Nos, the NATS Newsletter. 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