One of the core functions of a choir director or vocal music educator is to teach people to love and understand their voice. This episode is the latest addition to the Choralosophy Vocal Pedagogy Suite.
Voice teacher David Jones joins me this week to discuss some tips, approaches and even some exercises and language to try in your rehearsals with singers of ALL ages. In today’s episode, we have the privilege of hearing from David, a dedicated vocal pedagogue who began his journey as a high school singer in choirs. David shares his experiences studying under renowned vocal teachers like Alan Lindquest and emphasizes the vital balance of vocal registration to avoid strain, keeping the voice healthy.
We’ll delve into the concept of “perfect attack” or coordinated onset, which is crucial for both young singers and adults. David explains how a coordinated onset leads to better breath support and control. We spend a lot of time discussing ways to help singers release tension allowing for freely legato singing.
Demonstrations and descriptions of several exercises that were new to me, had me excited to try some new ones in my class! As we discussed teaching beginning singers, David emphasized the importance of establishing good habits early on and shared his unique methods, like various tension transfer exercises.
I also really enjoyed our discussion toward the end about “technique phobia” and the concern that technical perfection often gets associated with dry or emotionless performance. Spoiler alert: it doesn’t have to!
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David L. Jones has developed an international career as author, vocal pedagogue, and teacher of singers and teachers in Europe and the U.S., having worked as guest faculty at Universities and Conservatories. His website, and his professional Facebook page, The David Jones Voice Studio, contain articles based on the concepts of Italian School with the Swedish influence. His writing reflects common issues and concerns that answer questions for both vocal instructor and vocal student.
A graduate of Texas Christian University, Mr. Jones later continued vocal research at the University of North Texas. He has also conducted scientific research at the Groningen University Hospital (Groningen, The Netherlands) and has been guest faculty at the Laboratoire de la voix voice clinic in Paris. Through his association with the medical profession (and the vocal medical research of Dr. Barbara Mathis) he has had opportunity to learn and experience how Old World vocal concepts, frequently in conjunction with voice therapy, can be therapeutic in resolving many voice disorders. He also works with professional singers referred by laryngologist Dr. Benjamin Asher in New York.
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David L Jones studied the concepts of the Italian School with the Swedish influence with internationally known vocal pedagogue Allan R. Lindquest (1891-1984), who was a charter member of NATS and the American Academy of Teachers of Singing. It was through that study- period with Lindquest that David Jones learned the concepts of Lindquest’s teachers, who included Enrico Caruso, Mme. Haldis Ingebjard-Isene (last teacher of Kirsten Flagstad), Joseph Hislop (last teacher of Bjoerling), Maestro Rosati (teacher of Gigli) and Mme. Paola Novikova. As invited guest faculty at the Operahögskolan / Stockholm, David Jones had the opportunity to share the concepts that his teacher Allan Lindquest studied in Stockholm in 1938 and 1939.
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In 1983, Mr. Jones studied with Dixie Neill, instructor of Ben Hepner, and later with Evelyn Reynolds, whose instructors included Lola Fletcher (student of Herbert Witherspoon), tenor Hollis Arment, William Vennard, author of Singing: The Mechanism and the Technique, and Ralph Erolle, instructor of the well-known American soprano Arleen Auger.
David Jones has trained singers performing at such opera houses and festivals as the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, San Francisco Opera, Chicago Lyric Opera, Berlin Staatsoper, Vienna Staatsoper, Opera North U.K., the Royal Opera House / Covent Garden, the Glyndebourne Opera Festival, Salzburg Festival, and L’Opera Bastille in Paris.
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David Jones book, “A Modern Guide to Old World Singing” was released in September / 2017. His upcoming book, “A Modern Guide to Old World Vocalization” will be released next year.
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