Jeannette LoVetri

Oh, Susan, what a lovely comment. I hope we both come back without encountering teachers who mean well but don’t know how to teach. There are so many of them. The good news is that we both survived and that we aren’t passing on these bad patterns on to another generation. Thanks so much for your kind words.

Thanks, Peter! The work is in very good hands with you!

Well said, Sharon. I agree.

How beautiful! Thank you for sharing this.

Oh, Beth, you are such a treasure. Bless you for the work you do with your students and patients. Can’t wait to see you in July!

Thanks, Judy. It is good to know some people get this.

We all have much to give, Craig, if we haven’t given up by the time we are “a little bit long in the tooth”. I am sure the students at the NATS Intern program will greatly appreciate what you invite them to learn. Your heart is open and that matters more than anything else.

Thank you, Deanna, for sharing my work and for making the effort to bring it into the world. It matters to me that you are involved.

Thank you for valuing and sharing my work, Melissa. I am happy to write about this topic as it is close to my heart. I, too, feel that singing kept me alive when I was a teenager and was completely miserable. I believe that the breathing kept me in my body and the freedom of singing kept me from giving up.

Interesting, Daniel. Even those with “big names” like Marchesi, were “looked down upon” by the people in groups like NYSTA and the American Academy for doing exactly that. When I joined NYSTA in 1978, I remember well comments like, “Of course…….she has to advertise……” followed by a condescending look. Many of the members had regular ads in Back Stage, particularly since they taught “Broadway” singers. Perhaps that lead to the attitude that the music itself was “low”. It was, heaven forbid, COMMERCIAL.

Things change. Cultural values change. Self-promotion, however, can still smell like a few-days-old fish. I am just cautioning people not to buy the hype unless it is backed up with honest, humble activity at lessons.

Thanks for the comment!