Trying to Find an Old Singing Teacher
Newbie here.
I am 46 and learned the bel canto technique when I was in my early 20's. My teachers were my father and his teacher, Buddy Fields. Do any of the oldtimers (sorry) remember a bel canto teacher named Buddy Fields? His wife was Nancy and his studio was on the Upper West Side in NYC (West 70's).
I am looking for writings he might have published before his death in the 80's I believe. As well as recordings that might be out there of his vocalese(?).
I recently joined my church choir for the Lenten Season and we are going to perform Faure's Requiem. It has been a long time since I "did" a voice lesson with the bel canto technique. I can already feel my voice straining as I attempt to hit notes above staff (as 1st tenor).
Thanks and God Bless,
Genesius - "I have a passion for helping others to learn."
www.linkedin.com/in/genesiusjaromsky
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"No one heals himself by wounding another." St. Ambrose 340-397 AD
Thank you for your help luigi. I now remember the name of my old teacher - Richard Fields.
What would suggest should be the first material I should look at.
Thanks and God Bless,
Genesius
Good question - there are a lot of resources here! Personally, I think the best names to look for are Lamperti and Garcia. More than anyone, these two families were the basis for the school of singing that became so popular at the beginning of the 20th century with singers like Caruso. There are two generations of each of these names- in fact, the Garcias were a veritable dynasty of great singing teachers in the 19th Century.
For the real origins of what we now call the Italian school of singing, look at Francesco Lamperti's treatise The Art of Singing. For a more empirical approach, you might appreciate Giovanni Lamperti's Technics of Bel Canto. Of the Garcia family, probably the most accessible work is Hints on Singing.
I can also recommend Marchesi's writing - a wonderful singer and teacher of the same period. Just search in the library for her, there are a few treatises there. Though I'm not a big proponent of following every vocalise these teachers present, I think the textual information they present can be really valuable, and the exercises are a good starting point.
I hope this helps give you some direction in your self study! If you encounter a teacher who contradicts any of the things you read in these treatises, take the contradiction with a skeptical eye. Some things are just images that people use, and the difference between singing in the "mask" and singing in your "left eyesocket" is not particularly important. But if someone tells you for instance, to breathe by raising your chest and shoulders mightily, or to use the brightest "ah" vowel you can muster, these might be more significant issues... signs that this teacher might not be teaching you the historic Italian method of singing.
Good luck!
This is a lovely story. I really hope you're going to find your lost teacher. Maybe you could post us an update ? Maybe he is teaching some more ? Or maybe he has tips on music lessons, especially Vocal lessons ?
Hi genesius -
Did you have any success in finding these writings or vocalises? The admins would probably post them in the library if you contact them... ;)
On a side note, lots of people lay claim to teaching "bel canto" technique. Not to disparage the teaching of your father or Mr. Fields, but whatever their teaching was, you can find the most definitive sources on historic "bel canto" in the library on this website. This material might help you recapture the way your father taught you to sing, or it might contradict that method. But it will almost certainly make you a better singer, either way.