The Journey to Somatic Voicework™ – Faculty Stories

A Path of Continuous Discovery

Bharati Soman – Faculty

Classical Beginnings – When I first began teaching, I had a very small private studio and later served as an adjunct voice instructor in a university setting. All my own vocal and pedagogical training was classically based, and at the time, most of my students were learning classical repertoire and a little bit of musical theatre, so I was fairly comfortable with guiding them to discover their own voices through that lens.

It wasn’t until I returned to the DC area and was only running a private studio, working with a couple of adults and several high-school students, that I realized how deep my knowledge gap was. I had a student who was a strong belter, but I had no idea how to get her to the next level. The pianist who was accompanying her for a competition mentioned Somatic Voicework™. I had seen the brochures for a couple of years, but I’ve always been a bit of a skeptic, and I was on a limited budget, so I hesitated. But I knew I needed to fill my knowledge chasm, and with this pianist’s endorsement, I decided to dip my toe in, and I registered for Level I.

Authentic Styles AND a Stronger Classical Sound? My mind was blown! The clear, concise way the work was presented was amazing. Suddenly, the various pieces of the puzzle began to come together and make sense! My voice has always naturally leaned toward a more classical sound, and that’s what was cultivated throughout my training. I always loved and appreciated Musical Theatre and popular musical genres, but I could never sing them with any sort of credibility, authenticity or confidence. The best part about the Somatic Voicework™️ approach is that even though it’s marketed as a method to teach Contemporary Commercial Music, it is EVERYTHING! Not only did I develop the skills to make appropriate, authentic sounds in popular genres, but my classical sound improved, too.

Holistic Approach – To me, Somatic Voicework™ is a complete (and holistic) approach to vocal pedagogy. My teaching journey led me from having a passive desire to be able to sing in different genres, to needing and wanting to learn how to sing AND teach in a variety of genres. Somatic Voicework™️ has allowed me to do this in a way that works for my voice and each individual student’s voice.

Bharati Soman

Described as having “incredible vocal power and control” and praised for her “poise and great tenderness,” soprano, Bharati Soman, can currently be seen performing with Sopranessence (for which she also serves as Director of Operations) in the Washington, DC Metro Area. Other performance credits include singing with the Maryland Lyric Opera Chorus and the Washington National Opera Chorus. Past performance credits include leading roles with companies throughout Northern California: Countess Almaviva (The Marriage of Figaro) with Cinnabar Theater, Mimì (La Bohème), the title roles in Madame Butterfly and Semele with Pocket Opera, Hanna Glawari (The Merry Widow) with Livermore Valley Opera, and Zerlina (Don Giovanni) with Sacramento Opera.

Bharati has been studying Somatic Voicework™ – The LoVetri Method since 2012. This methodology and approach have allowed her to expand her studio to include students ranging in age from 8 to 78, of all levels from beginners to professionals, singing everything from Heavy Metal, Indie Folk Rock and Bluegrass to Pop/Rock, Musical Theatre and Classical. In addition to her private studio, Bharati has worked as a teaching artist at Creative Cauldron, and at carceral facilities and re-entry programs through Heard: An Arts Program for Silent Stories. Bharati is a member of the Faculty for The LoVetri Institute and holds a Bachelor of Music from James Madison University, and a Master of Music and Performer Diploma from Indiana University. Learn more at www.bharatisoman.com. Alternate Email: bharatipsoman@gmail.com

The Benefits of Cross-Training using Somatic Voicework™ The LoVetri Method

Maria Damore – Senior Faculty

You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know – With very little formal training, I sang in high school musicals and summer shows, and the occasional “Ave Maria” or “Con te Partiro” at weddings, where I worried about how reliable my sound would be or if I’d be able to get through a phrase in one breath. I didn’t know there was a world of functional vocal training awaiting me in Somatic Voicework™ The LoVetri Method – something that would make singing much more worry-free. In college I studied classical repertoire with a lovely teacher, but anything that needed belting, I had to work out on my own. I continued performing musical theatre and sang hard in bands on the “no pain, no gain” philosophy. My voice was out of balance, but who knew?

Dichotomy of Vocal Styles – At age 32, I was cast as Lily in The Secret Garden, and Eva Peron in Evita in the same summer, complete opposites in vocal requirements. I began taking lessons again to help me with The Secret Garden because I found the high tessitura difficult. For Evita, I was on my own trying to figure out how to manage the high belting to Eb5. Eight years later, at 40, I reprised my role in Evita. My belting was surprisingly strong and free, much better than the first time. I was older (more calcification), with two kids (mommy hormones?) and more experience, but still no training in belting or balancing the voice.

Vocal Struggles and Habilitation – At age 45, I was gigging all the time and using my speaking voice less than optimally in my day job, where I ran educational classes. Phonation would cease on certain notes in head register, and instability and weakness in the passaggio were increasing. This was also the beginning of menopause with its hormonal shifts. Diagnosed with vocal nodules, I began seriously attending to my vocal health with speech therapy and private vocal lessons. In 2011, I discovered Somatic Voicework™ The LoVetri Method and began to understand vocal function and how to balance the voice. With too much vocal weight all throughout my range, I utilized functional principles: working chest register and slowly bringing it up higher in pitch, strengthening head register and bringing it down through the middle of the range, attending to breath in speaking and singing through somatic awareness of the supportive muscles of the ribcage and abdominal areas. I worked on vowel clarity at various pitches and volumes and used fast runs to condition my voice for speed and flexibility. I began to achieve balance and fluidity, and the weighted sound dissipated.

Icing On The Cake – Several years ago, with a renewed interest in learning classical repertoire, I studied with a teacher who specializes in opera so I could sing more confidently and authentically in this style. At the same time, I worked with Jeanie LoVetri on developing a more reliable chest-mix and belt that would serve me in CCM styles. A synergy occurred so that by working chest and head throughout the range, both my CCM and classical sounds became stronger and more vibrant. At age 63, my voice is now stronger and more flexible than when I was 30. I don’t need as much time to warm up anymore and am able to demonstrate authentically for my students. The supportive network that Somatic Voicework™ provides has allowed me to flourish as a singer and a teacher.

Maria Damore

Maria Damore is a private voice teacher from Reading, PA, and Senior faculty member for the LoVetri Institute for Somatic Voicework™. The 2022 recipient of the Frank Scott award for contributions to Berks County’s Jazz Heritage, Maria has been an educator for Olivet Boys & Girls Club, adjudicator for vocal competitions, and clinician for GetJazzED – Berks Jazz Fest Vocal Day. She has been featured in Classical Singer magazine, discussing her work in the original children’s jazz-opera, The Bear Prince, and her Greek folk music duo Stavros & Maria. She competed as a quarterfinalist in the 2018 American Traditions Vocal Competition in Savannah, Georgia. Maria has performed in various shows, bands, ensembles, and as a soloist for churches, orchestras, and social groups. Roles include Mother/Witch in Hansel and Gretel, Mercedes in Carmen, Faust chorus (Berks Opera Company), Micaela cover (Concert Opera of Philadelphia), Eva Peron in Evita, Lily in The Secret Garden, Grizabella in Cats, Aldonza in Man of La Mancha, and the Beggar Woman in Sweeney Todd (various Berks County theatres). Be sure to listen to Maria’s jazz-flavored CD, “Moonglow,” and single, “Angel” by Sarah McLachlan. www.mariadamore.com