A Spectrum of Voices - 2nd Edition by Elizabeth L Blades (Paperback)

About the Book

Blades combines insight from great teachers of the past and present to voice students at all levels. A quick-and-handy reference for the studio teacher, this book also serves as a text for vocal pedagogy courses and as a supplement for physiology and vocal mechanics, teachers ...

Book Synopsis

Since the publication of the first edition of A Spectrum of Voices there have been significant advances in voice studies. Prominent members of the new generation of voice teachers join their voices with now-canonized teachings. Asking questions about technology, pedagogy, and stylistic changes within the field, Elizabeth L. Blades brings the wisdom from the past and present to voice students at all levels.

A Spectrum of Voices draws from the brilliance and combined experience of an elite group of exemplary voice teachers, presenting interviews from more than twenty-five notable teachers, six of them new to this second edition. Voice teachers offer valuable insight into their teaching philosophies, the types of auxiliary training they recommend to their students, and how they structure their lessons. This second edition also addresses significant technological advances of the past twenty years, especially the impact on vocal performance and pedagogy.

A quick-and-handy reference for the studio teacher, this book also serves as a text for vocal pedagogy courses and as an essential supplement for physiology and vocal mechanics, teachers and students of singing, music educators, and musical theater performers.

Review Quotes

"An invaluable tool for comparative pedagogical study." --Nats Journal Of Singing

"A Spectrum of Voices gets young teachers-in-training thinking about what goes into becoming a good voice teacher. It is about so much more than merely knowing facts about anatomy or being able to demonstrate well for one's students. This book is unique in how it brings together a diverse group of American teachers." --John Nix, professor of voice and voice pedagogy, University of Texas at San Antonio

"The second edition of A Spectrum of Voices is a time capsule of wisdom from legendary vocal pioneers and current day wisdom from exemplary voice teachers. This book is highly recommended as a text for vocal pedagogy students and as a reference and resource for experienced voice teachers." --Cynthia Vaughn, founder, MagnoliaMusicStudio.com and coauthor of The Singing Book

"A Spectrum of Voices is a quick but engaging cover-to-cover read, especially considering that each teacher's response to each individual question is generally only one to five paragraphs long. But it can also be used as a reference book to be frequently revisited when seeking ideas on specific topics. The updated second edition assures that the information provided is both current and grounded in tradition. In this way, the book serves as a historical record of teaching philosophies from the recent past as well as a chronicle of how teaching has changed (or, in some cases, stayed the same) over the years. . . . A Spectrum of Voices reveal[s] diverse approaches and opinions that outstanding teachers have chosen in order to help individual singers discover their unique voices. . . Blades [is] to be credited for compiling and presenting so many important pedagogical paths and perspectives." --Classical Singer Magazine

A Spectrum of Voices gets young teachers-in-training thinking about what goes into becoming a good voice teacher. It is about so much more than merely knowing facts about anatomy or being able to demonstrate well for one's students. This book is unique in how it brings together a diverse group of American teachers.

A Spectrum of Voices is a quick but engaging cover-to-cover read, especially considering that each teacher's response to each individual question is generally only one to five paragraphs long. But it can also be used as a reference book to be frequently revisited when seeking ideas on specific topics. The updated second edition assures that the information provided is both current and grounded in tradition. In this way, the book serves as a historical record of teaching philosophies from the recent past as well as a chronicle of how teaching has changed (or, in some cases, stayed the same) over the years. . . . A Spectrum of Voices reveal[s] diverse approaches and opinions that outstanding teachers have chosen in order to help individual singers discover their unique voices. . . Blades [is] to be credited for compiling and presenting so many important pedagogical paths and perspectives.

An invaluable tool for comparative pedagogical study.

The second edition of A Spectrum of Voices is a time capsule of wisdom from legendary vocal pioneers and current day wisdom from exemplary voice teachers. This book is highly recommended as a text for vocal pedagogy students and as a reference and resource for experienced voice teachers.

About the Author

Elizabeth L. Blades holds both masters and doctoral degrees in music from the Eastman School of Music. She the founder-director of Vocalhealthworks, which offers master classes and workshops dedicated to advancing healthy technique. Blades is the coauthor of Singing with Your Whole Self: The Feldenkrais Method and Voice and frequently presents national and international workshops in Feldenkrais application as well as on research in vocal pedagogy. She is also a certified Coresinging teacher and adjunct professor of music at Shenandoah University.