Wednesday, December 26, 2012

The Final Countdown: The Top 5 Blogs of 2012 Written by Susan Anders Brizick


The Final Countdown:  The Top 5 Blogs of 2012 Written by Susan Anders Brizick

What a wonderful journey we have traveled in 2012.  From Performance Anxiety to Speech and Singing to Exercise and Diet and the Affect on Singing.  We have discussed a myriad of topics.  

Here are a few favorites of the year!




1. Musical Performance Anxiety and How to Overcome It! Accomplish that Goal (Part 1 of 5) http://bit.ly/VOCFM0 January 2012

2. Speak As You Would Sing, Sing as You Would Speak http://bit.ly/12yYsxd March 2012

3. The Exercise, Diet, and Singing Connection.  Can It Equal a Successsful Singing Career?
http://bit.ly/TYlQ1J April 2012

4. Pilates Study and the Affects on Singing http://bit.ly/VQ14RL June 21, 2012

5. Repertoire for Child Singers.  The Dilemna of What They Want to Sing vs. What They Should Sing http://bit.ly/ZhriEu July 2012

What are your favorite blogs from above? 

Thank you to those of you who have participated in conversations.  Please sign up to receive this blog on a regular basis! http://eepurl.com/dEUC6  Also, let me know of any new topics which you would like to discuss or want to be re-visited or expanded upon in 2013.  Like this blog?  Share it on Facebook, Linked In or Twitter below.

Wishing You All a Happy, Healthy New Year!  Let's Make 2013 a Singing Year to Remember.

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

What are you favorite musical things about the Holiday Season? Happy Holidays to All!

Happy Holidays to All! What a wonderful time to share our music with others no matter which holiday we celebrate.  I hope you all are enjoying the holiday season! I eagerly anticipate each holiday concert I get to sing in or hear and relive the joys of Christmas.

What are you favorite things about the Holiday Season? 

As a singer, I love performing or listening to the first concert of the holiday season. The warmth and joy that is shared between the performers and the audience through a musical event is beautiful.  Singing about the joy in a child's eye when they see the tree Christmas morning, the description of seeing baby Jesus in the manger or playing a dreidl game in Hannukah is a glorious experience. It makes us remember our past holiday experiences and also to look forward to what wonderful things we have yet to enjoy in the next weeks.

My second favorite musical time is listening to children sing songs of the season. The joy in their faces and hearts about the magic of the season is heard in their singing.

Another favorite is singing Christmas carols around the tree.  What a great time for family and friends to share the season in the glow of the tree and share the love of the season which warms their hearts.

Music is the language of joy and communicates in a way that words cannot quite express.  Let your love of music and love of your holiday shine through your performing and singing this holiday.

Ways to Share Your Talents and Your Love of the Season-

- Have an impromtu sing-a-long at your home
- Sing Christmas carols door to door in your neighborhood with friends
- Go support your local musicians in the many Holiday Concerts this season
- Volunteer to lead children or the elderly in a sing-a-long

Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, Happy Kwanza and Best Wishes for a Happy, Healthy 2013.

What are your favorite musical moments of the season? What do you do to share your musical talents in the holidays?

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

What do you do and what can you do to take care of your singing voice at this precious holiday performance time?


Ah, the cold and flu season is upon us!  What do you do and what can you do to take care of your singing voice at this precious time?  You want to share your joys and talents at the holiday season and you get sick. What do you do?  How do you lessen the impact?

It cannot be said enough times, TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY and PRACTIC GOOD HYGIENE!  No matter where you go you can pick up a bug that can make the busy holiday performance season rough. 

What are the top 10 things you can do to prevent getting sick and get through it if you do?

1. Wash your hands and keep hands away from your mouth and face.

2. Get enough sleep.  (At least 8 hours a night)

3. Drink lots of water.  Aim for 64 oz per day.

4. Eat well.  You are what you eat.

5. Exercise in moderation (it will help get the germs out!)

6. Take Vitamin C, Echinachea, or a cold remedy like Zicam.

7. Use nasal saline spray.  First thing in the morning and before you go to sleep.

8. Put a humidifier in your bedroom.

9. Gargle with salt water.

10.  Save it for performing:  Minimize talking and practice mentally as best you can if you do catch a cold.

More tips on keeping a healthy voice found at http://bit.ly/PXIRSk.  Allergy tips http://bit.ly/TLuQHi

What are your top tips for staying healthy in this busy singing season?

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Do you select the music you sing or does the repertoire select you? Successful young singer stories and repertoire selection. With Whom Do You Identify? Part 4 – Melissa Rivera, Musical Theatre Cross-Over


Do you select the music you sing or does the repertoire select you?  Successful young singer stories and repertoire selection.  With Whom Do You Identify?  Part 4 – Melissa Rivera

Melissa Rivera is a classically trained singer who has successfully transitioned into musical theatre.  As a student pursuing a master of music degree in opera/musical theatre performance, Melissa has always sung in choirs, been in musical productions, and sung pop tunes for fun.  Melissa admits that she never really intended to be a classical singer, but chose to study voice because she knew she wanted to sing.  When she heard about auditions at a local community theater, she asked her voice teacher to help her prepare for the audition.  In preparing, they realized that she had a strong belt voice and a lot of potential.  At that point, she knew that musical theatre was her niche- she received a callback for a leading role and was cast in both The Sound of Music and My Fair Lady.   www.classicalsinger.com November 2012. 

Melissa Rivera made the transition to Musical Theatre with luck and hard work.  Shortly after receiving her Bachelor’s she found success working at the professional and community theatre levels and won first place in the musical theatre division at the NATS Mid-Atlantic Regionals.  Melissa states, ‘my voice took to musical theatre very well once I began to understand the differences between operatic and musical theatre styles, developing the middle mix of the weight of the voice.’ www.classicalsinger.com November 2011.  Her voice naturally took to musical theatre despite her classical training.  Her personality and voice led her to change her singing path to pursue musical theatre.
Melissa's voice chose the right repertoire for her after some study.  How does your voice respond to what you are singing?