nysta May-June 2020

Vol. 17, no. 5, May-June 2020 NYSTA©

JOURNAL OF THE NEW YORK SINGING TEACHERS’ ASSOCIATION

May-June 2020

NYSTA Events 2020-2021..............................................................................................................................53

President’s and Editor’s Messages.......................................................................................................54-60

NYSTA Professional Development Program ..........................................................................................61

IN MEMORIAM: Donald Gray Miller (1933-2020).................................................................................62

Feature Article: Jacques Desjardins’s Homme Sweet Homme: A Musically Eclectic Response to Tragedy by Matthew Hoch.......................................................................................................63--70

Feature Article: Straw in Water: A Low “Spit Factor” Alternative to Lip Trills and Raspberries by Brian Manternach.......................................................................................................................71-75

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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NYSTA Events 2020-2021Fall Season Opening Event and ReceptionMusical Theater Master Class with Jane SeamanDomingo Hall at National Opera Center, New York CitySunday, October 25, 2020 2:30-4:30 PM EDT

Holiday Event and Reception Josephine MongiardoGreat Coaches Series Masterclass with Chuck HudsonArias and Action – Auditioning for Opera & Musical TheaterDomingo Hall at National Opera Center, New York CitySunday, December 6, 2020 6:30-8:30 PM EST

Winter Online Event with Narciso SoleroTurning your Ordinary Studio into an Extraordinary One!Sunday, February 21, 2021 8:00-10:00 PM EST

Spring Event: Teaching Voice Students from East AsiaUnderstanding the Linguistic Challenges & Advantages Uniqueto Native Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean and Japanese Speakerswith Ryu-Kyung Kim, Stephen Ng, & Sahoko Sato TimponePearl Studios, New York CitySunday, May 16, 2021 2:30 PM-4:30 PM EDT

Jane Seaman

Chuck Hudson

Narciso Solero

Ryu-Kyung Kim

Stephen Ng

Sahoko Sato Timpone

VOICEPrints


PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

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Matthew Hoch

NYSTA: Reflections after Twelve Years of ServiceThis is the last letter of my three-year presidency that beganin June 2017. May 2020 is also my last month of service to theNYSTA board of directors before I begin a new era, that ofpast president. My twelve years of service have included eightas editor-in-chief of VOICEPrints (2008–2016), five as vicepresident (2012–2017), and three as president (2017–2020).

When I first joined NYSTA in 2007, I would not have believedanyone if they told me that, ten years later, I would becomethe organization’s president. As one who is not a resident ofthe New York metropolitan area, I am probably the mostunlikely president in history of NYSTA. However, throughseveral twists of fate, I write to you today, grateful to havehad the opportunity to serve your organization in so manydifferent ways. In this final editorial, I would like to take thetime to thank the many people whom I have met and workedwith over the course of my twelve years of service to NYSTA.There have been many changes on the board of directorsover the course these years, and I am grateful to have had theopportunity to work with so many different, interesting, andwonderful people. I will start at the very beginning, which isalways a very good place to start.

The summer of 2005 was a significant one for me. I hadjust finished my doctoral residency at the New EnglandConservatory in Boston; I was about to begin my first full-timeassistant professorship in Wisconsin, and—most important—I had just gotten married. Still childless and with a littlewedding-gift cash, I enrolled in a three-day McClosky seminarat Bentley College in Waltham, just outside of Boston. One ofthe faculty members was Maria Argyros, a longtime NYSTAmember who at the time served on the executive boardas registrar. On several occasions during the course, shementioned NYSTA’s Oren Lathrop Brown ProfessionalDevelopment Program (PDP) with its five-course corecurriculum in anatomy and physiology, acoustics andresonance, vocal health for voice professionals, developmentalrepertoire for singers, and comparative pedagogy. I thoughtthat it sounded like a magnificent program (and exactly whatI needed at the time) but was disappointed to learn that thesecourses were only offered live in New York City. “Maybesomeday soon I will move back there,” I thought, and I putthe NYSTA PDP courses on my “bucket list” for another day.

Vol. 17, no. 5, May-June 2020 NYSTA© 55

I remain grateful to Maria for introducing me to NYSTA.Little did I know at the time the impact this organizationwould soon have on my life and career.

Two years later, I found myself even further away from NewYork: as an assistant professor at Shorter College in Rome,Georgia, which at the time had a strong BFA degree in musicaltheater. With the help of a grant from NATS—it was the firstyear of the NATS Voice Pedagogy Award—I was granted theopportunity to study with Jeannette LoVetri at one of theearly installments of her Somatic Voicework™ three-levelcertification program at Shenandoah University. It was acareer-changing ten days, and I still consider meeting andforming a relationship with Jeanie LoVetri that summer tobe one of the crucial turning points in my career. She wouldcontinue—and still continues to be—an enormous influenceon my teaching and research. Jeanie was also a past presidentof NYSTA and one of the faculty members of the singer’sdevelopmental repertoire course in the PDP core curriculum.Again I wished I lived closer to New York City to takeadvantage of these courses. I felt that I very much neededthem at that point in my career.

As fate would have it, a few weeks after returning from theinstitute, I received an email advertisement from NYSTA.Beginning in the fall 2007, NYSTA’s core curriculum was goingto be offered online via webinar format! Someone must havebeen listening to my prayers, and that someone turned out tobe David Sabella, who was the architect of NYSTA’s now-famous online PDP program. It was David who had the visionnot only to go online, but to go global. The tagline “EducatingVoice Professionals Worldwide” became a new mantra for theorganization, and, thanks to David, those last years of the firstdecade of the twenty-first century were to become some of themost significant in NYSTA’s 114-year history. I enrolled inScott McCoy’s course, Anatomy and Physiology, and set asidetwo hours every Tuesday night of the Fall 2007 semester. Sincewe had just had our first baby, my wife was not altogetherpleased with this commitment, but it turned out to be anotherfortuitous decision.

That first semester of the online PDP program was interesting(i.e., bumpy) to say the least. The class was a “hybrid,” withhalf the class attending “live” at Columbia University in NewYork while the other class “phoned in” from their homecomputers. I mean “phoned in” in the literal sense: the audiodid not come through the computer—only the video did. Weliterally had to “call in”—via our cell phones or landlines—inorder to hear the lecture. Also, inevitably, at some point duringthe lecture (sometimes several times), the camera would


freeze, and Scott would say in a cheerful way, “I have just beeninformed that my camera has frozen.” David, who alwaysremained calm and patient, would announce a short break,and we would pause for a few minutes to restart the hardwareand try again.

I enjoyed the course so much that I enrolled in the second one(Acoustics and Resonance) in the spring of 2008, and it wasat that time that David, who recently had been namedpresident-elect of NYSTA, invited me to be on his board ofdirectors for 2008–2011. With an interest in expanding theorganization beyond New York, I was to become the first “atlarge” member of the board. Serendipitously, the position ofeditor-in-chief of VOICEPrints was also open at the same time,and I expressed interest in and was offered that position. Atage thirty-two, I was editor of a New York publication whileliving in Georgia. Strange indeed! Daniel Shigo, the foundingeditor of VOICEPrints, was a generous colleague as I “learnedthe ropes” of my first editorship. And David, who would goon to become NYSTA’s only two-term president, became aclose and valuable colleague and friend during this time.I perhaps owe more to David than anyone else whom I willmention in this letter. Thank you, David.

Being the editor-in-chief of VOICEPrints was certainly a lot ofwork, but it became one of the most fulfilling (and defining)endeavors of my young career. My role with VOICEPrintsoffered me the opportunity to collaborate with pedagoguesfrom all over North America and the rest of the world in aseries of articles on all kinds of topics. I became a “curiousgeneralist” in voice pedagogy, a label that still accuratelydescribes me. It was during this time that I got to know PeakWoo, Wendy LeBorgne, Joan Melton, Brian Gill, PatriciaCaicedo, Mary Saunders-Barton, Jennifer Hamady, and manyothers who contributed important articles to VOICEPrints. Iremained editor-in-chief eight years, serving what is currentlythe longest-serving editorship of the publication. In 2016,Anna Hersey took over as the publication’s third editor-in-chief, and—as you faithful readers know—she has taken thepublication to its greatest heights yet. The journal has beenrevamped for an entirely new look, all articles are now peer-reviewed by an editorial board, and VOICEPrints articles pastand present are fully registered with EBSCO and RILM.Thank you, Anna.

In August 2012, while I was beginning my fifth year as editor-in-chief, I got a call from David with the invitation to assume asecond NYSTA role. The vice president at the time was unableto complete her term, and I was asked to step into that office.I accepted the position, and in early 2014 I was elected to my

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own three-year term as vice president, one during which Iwould serve under president Judith Nicosia, whom I believeis one of the kindest, wisest, and most knowledgeable souls inour profession. That was not only an opportunity, but also ajoy. Thank you, Judith.

I had intended my vice presidency to be my last NYSTA boardof directors position. I believe that the strongest organizationsshould rotate their leadership, and nine years seemed enoughfor a board member of any organization. However, NYSTAwas hitting some rocky times in 2016, both financially andstructurally, and some of the past presidents (who comprisedthe nominating committee) began to strongly encourage meto run for the presidency. At first I declined, feeling that thepresident of NYSTA should be a resident of the Greater NewYork area. Four years later, I honestly still feel that way. Butfor where the organization was and what it needed at the time,I reluctantly accepted the responsibility. It is a decision that Ido not regret, and I am proud of what we have accomplishedduring these three years, which has included a long-neededconstitutional revision, a full indexing of VOICEPrints ininternational databases, membership in the InternationalCongress of Voice Teachers (ICVT), a soon-to-be-unveiledrevision of PDP courses, and—most important—a brand-newwebsite that will not only adequately, but superbly meet ourneeds as we enter the third decade of the twenty-first century.Amanda Flynn’s recent appointment as the director of thePDP program also forecasts a bold new era. Under Amanda’svisionary leadership, I depart with confidence, knowing thatthis signature program of NYSTA is in excellent hands.

There are a few other people that I would like to thank whohave been a tremendous help during my presidency. FelixGraham has been a longtime board member who has been anindispensable member of our team, particularly with technicalissues related to NYSTA’s website and PDP program. SahokoTimpone and Paula Liscio have been an enormous helpwith our many events, and Deborah Popham has steered ourPDP program through some difficult waters as we havetransitioned to new and updated courses. Diane Aragona andEileen Cooper Sedek have transformed NYSTA’s social mediapresence as they balance this work with their most importantassignment, that of being new mothers of beautiful children.

Perhaps most important, Elizabeth Saunders has had a tenureon the NYSTA board that is almost as long as mine. Her richexperience in several positions—most prominently as registrarand vice president—have prepared her to be an outstandingNYSTA president from 2020 through 2023. I am grateful to allof these competent and consummate professionals, and many

,

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others who have served on the board of the directors, fortheir support and hard work over the past three years.

As a child, I loved Dr. Seuss books, and just like Marvin K.Mooney, it is now time to go. Twelve years is more thanenough, we are in a solid place as an organization, and thefuture is a bright one. I feel comfortable saying that NYSTA isstronger at the end of my term than it was when I began it,and that alone provides me with a satisfying exit. I amconfident that the incoming board of directors will continuebuilding on our progress, finding new and innovative waysto retain NYSTA as a viable organization in our discipline, abranding that it has sustained since 1906. The oldest singingteachers’ organization in the world is still relevant and vibrant,and it will remain so in the hands of these capable individuals.

Thank you for the privilege of serving your organization.

Sincerely,

Matthew Hoch, DMAPresident, New York Singing Teachers Association (NYSTA)

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As graphic designer for this publication from its inauguration back at the Turn-of-the-Century up ‘til now, I’d like to add my own two cents to the chorus ofappreciation for the work of Matthew Hoch and Anna Hersey as they depart theNYSTA scene. Both are at the high noon of their careers—professional andpersonal—so one can expect plenty from them in future, but in the meantime weall thank them for their dedication to this organization. While I am anchored—literally in these scary days—to my New York City desk, from afar Matt andAnna have, year after year, managed the VOICEPrints publication with patience,elegance and the highest level of competence. This has been the ideal example ofsuccessful social distancing.

Hopefully by the time the next issue of VP goes up in the fall, with new editorJennifer D’Agostino and president Elizabeth Saunders at the helm, teaching canagain be in person, concerts happen, audiences sit together and applaud.Meanwhile, here’s to our fine departing duo—thank you, Anna and Matt!

John OstendorfDesigner, VOICEPrints

An Appreciation


EDITOR’S MESSAGE

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Anna Hersey

Dear Readers,

This editor’s message sat unfinished on my computer desktopfor a long time. I knew it would be a difficult one to write as Iclose this professional chapter as editor-in-chief of VOICEPrints,but I had no idea how much the world would change since wereleased our March-April issue of the journal.

NYSTA has been a pioneer in online presence and educationalopportunities for voice teachers worldwide, but its onlineoperations behind the scenes have also been ahead of the curve.I believe NYSTA was the first organization in which I wasinvolved to hold remote meetings. Since my involvement beganin 2015 as editor-elect, the NYSTA board of directors has metregularly online, now the “new normal” for voice lessons,seminar classes, faculty meetings, and even family gatherings asthe world struggles to control the Covid-19 pandemic. Although Ihave not met most of the members of the NYSTA board in person,I consider them friends and colleagues via our regular onlineinteractions and have watched with dismay as Covid-19 hashit New York, the home base of NYSTA, particularly hard. Inaddition to threatening our health, the pandemic threatens ourlivelihoods in the arts sector, which is at its core dependent onthe live performer-audience interaction. As many performanceand teaching opportunities have been rendered impossible, thepandemic is affecting musicians and teachers in a very real andvery tragic way. This upheaval of day-to-day life has surelyaffected each and every member of NYSTA.

As the oldest organization for singing teachers, I have no doubtthat NYSTA will weather this storm and continue to supportteachers locally, nationally, and internationally. NYSTA’sleadership in the online realm continues to the present, with asoon-to-be-launched new website and a completely revampedProfessional Development Program coming this fall (see p. 61of this issue for more information).

As a native of the Midwest, I first heard of the New York SingingTeachers’ Association when Matthew Hoch, then-editor of thispublication, approached me at the International Congress of VoiceTeachers (Brisbane) in 2013 about writing an article. I had noidea that this chance meeting would have such an impact on mycareer. Matt has been an important mentor and cheerleader overthe years, and I learned a lot from him during my year as editor-elect as I prepared to fill the editor-in-chief role. Matt has alsopenned the first feature article in this issue, and although heanalyzes a piece by Desjardins that premiered eighteen years ago,it is particularly timely as the composer was reacting to another


“jolt” to our world and specifically to New York City—theSeptember 11 attacks in 2001.

I am grateful to Brian Manternach, author of our secondfeature, for allowing us to fast track his article on low “spitfactor” semi-occluded vocal tract exercises. Clear and fact-based information such as this will be crucial for our healthas we eventually transition safely back to in-personperformances, lessons, and choral rehearsals.

I would be remiss without thanking my associate editors, IanHowell and Loralee Songer, for their service and input overthe last four years. Coincidentally, the three of us are alumniof the same class of NATS Interns at Vanderbilt Universityand the incoming editor, Jennifer D’Agostino, was also amember of our cohort that year. It has been a pleasure togrow together as we all transitioned from “early-career” to“mid-career,” and for me to watch all three of my colleaguesaccomplish amazing things since we first met in 2013. For mepersonally, VOICEPrints has remained a constant over a periodmarked by personal change, including the birth of my son, across-country move, and starting my new job at University ofWisconsin Oshkosh.

Finally, I would like to say thank you to two people whoworked largely behind the scenes. First, John Ostendorf, neverone to seek adulation, is the skilled designer that keeps thepublication looking smart and consistent from issue to issue.He was the mastermind behind the layout overhaul that tookplace a few years ago, and, I am told, a fantastic singer. Hemanages his role with patience, good humor, and completecompetence. I had a secret fear that during my editorship hewould retire, and then I really don’t know where VOICEPrintswould be. I will miss our correspondence, and hope that oneday we can meet for a coffee in the Big Apple. Thank you,from the bottom of my heart. Second, I would like to thank myfather, Lane Hersey. Although he is an engineer by trade, he isan enthusiastic supporter of music and musicians, and he hasreally enjoyed learning an immense amount about music overmy lifetime by proof reading most of my writing, includingmy VOICEPrints editor’s messages.

While this issue is the end of my tenure as editor-in-chief, thispublication is in good hands as I pass the torch to Jennifer. Ithank NYSTA’s membership and the VOICEPrints readershipfor the opportunity to serve and to grow in this role. I wishyou all the very best—stay safe and healthy.

Sincerely,

Anna HerseyEditor-in-Chief

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Volume 17, No. 5

Dr. Anna HerseyEditor-in-Chief

Dr. Loralee SongerAssociate Editor

Dr. Ian HowellAssociate Editor

John OstendorfDesigner

VOICEPrints

Vol. 17, no. 5, May-June 2020 NYSTA©61

NYSTA Professional Development Program

New, Updated Classes launching Fall 2020!

NYSTA’S Professional Development Program is a series ofonline classes designed for teachers of singing, led by leadingexperts in the field. The goal of the program is two-fold. First,we provide our students with contemporary, evidence-basedcontent that is designed to further their understanding of thevoice. Second, we provide real-world connections between thepedagogical information and what actually takes place in thevoice studio. Graduates of the PDP will not only have a deepunderstanding of voice science and pedagogy, but they willalso greatly improve their effectiveness in the studio.

NYSTA is thrilled to be re-vamping these courses, designingthem specifically for online learning. We are bringing in new,exciting experts in the voice field to provide PDP studentswith the most current pedagogical information. If you’reinterested in being updated on the launch, please email thenew PDP Director, Amanda Flynn, at [email protected].

Amanda Flynn is a voice teacherand trainer with clients performingon Broadway, Off Broadway,national tours, international tours,and regional theater. In 2019,Amanda was the Production VocalCoach for The Lightning Thief andBe More Chill, both on Broadway.As a Singing Voice Specialist, shefrequently works with injuredsingers, collaborating with laryn-gologists and voice therapists acrossthe country. Some performingcredits include the LA company ofWicked and the Las Vegas companyof Mamma Mia. Amanda holds aMM in Vocal Performance with aMusical Theater concentration andan Advanced Certificate in VocalPedagogy, both from NYU. Shecompleted the Vocology Mentorshipat Mt. Sinai, the DistinguishedVoice Professional certificate fromNYSTA, and completed her Certifi-cate in Vocology from NCVS.A recipient of the Van LawrenceFellowship, Amanda is an activevoice researcher and has presentedresearch at conferences across thecountry. She is thrilled to be joiningth board of NYSTA as PDP Director.www.amandaflynnvoice.com


It is with the heaviest and saddest of hearts that we announce the unexpected passing ofDonald Gray Miller on Wednesday, April 22 in Roden, The Netherlands from complicationsfollowing surgery. He was 87. His beloved and devoted wife Dagmar was by his side. Aformal obituary will be released very soon. Don was a glorious bass-baritone soloist andProfessor of Voice Performance at Syracuse University who discovered a mid-life interest inand eventual love for voice science. He collaborated in research for more than two decadeswith renowned Dutch otolaryngologist and voice physiologist Harm Schutte and theypublished multiple groundbreaking scientific papers in revered, peer-reviewed journals. Asthe developer and founder of VoceVista Video Pro, the first voice feedback system designedspecifically for singers and their teachers, Don brought real-time feedback with objectivemeasures both in acoustics and vocal fold physiology (with the brilliant addition ofelectroglottography, EGG) into the singing voice studio.

Over more than three decades, he trained and mentored hundreds of acolytes and admirersthroughout the world. His generosity and affable good nature were defining characteristics

IN MEMORIAMDonald Gray Miller(1933-2020)

of his life. In 2015, the first-ever Singing Voice ScienceWorkshop (SVSW) was held at Montclair State University inNew Jersey. This workshop, now an annual event where thetools of VoceVista and principles of science-informed pedagogyare taught, was permanently dedicated to his name to honorhis unmatched professional accomplishments.

An online memorial service is being organized for Don andwill be announced in the coming week, or so. Please staytuned for details and join us for a magnificent tribute to ourteacher, mentor, and dearest of friends.

With Love and Admiration for Don,

Richard LissemoreDirector, Singing Voice Science Workshop

Donald Gray Miller, 87th birthday (2/20)Roden, The Netherlands


Jacques Desjardins’s Homme Sweet Homme:A Musically Eclectic Response to Tragedy

By Matthew Hoch

Commissioned for the Eckardt-Gramatée competition in 2002,Jacques Desjardins’s Homme Sweet Homme is a thirteen-minutedramatic work for voice and piano. The poetic text—written inboth English and French by the composer—is a response to theSeptember 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York City. Throughoutthe work, Desjardins uses an array of musical devices to depictthe confusion and horror of that tragedy. The composer writes:“September 11, 2001 is considered by many as the fateful daywhen our world truly entered the twenty-first century. On thismemorable date, we all lost some of our innocence and muchof our confidence.”1 This article will introduce the reader toDesjardins’s work through exposition, social and historical con-text, written analysis, and musical examples.

About the Composer and WorkJacques Desjardins (b. 1962) is a native of Montréal and currentlyon the faculty of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Heholds graduate and doctoral degrees in composition fromMcGill University and the University of Michigan. His principalcomposition teachers include Bruce Mather, Bengt Hambraeus,William Bolcom, and William Albright. His music has beenperformed in Canada, the United States, and Europe, as well asby internationally acclaimed ensembles such as the TorontoSymphony Orchestra and the Ijsbreker Ensemble of Amsterdam.

In 2001, Desjardins was approached by professor Lawrence Jonesfrom Brandon University in Manitoba, who asked him to writethe required Canadian piece for the 2002 edition of the Eckhardt-Gramatté Competition, an annual competition for the performanceof Canadian and contemporary music. The competition has beenheld annually since 1976 and is named in honor of Manitobancomposer, pianist, and violinist SC (Sonia) Eckhardt-Gramatté.Desjardins accepted the commission, but initially struggled withcomposing the work. He writes:

I had just completed a work for choir and orchestra, and hadnot yet found the angle through which I could approach thisnew project. I liked the idea of a text that would freely switchfrom French to English to allow all candidates—coming fromall regions of Canada—to sing in both official languages of thecountry. I also wanted the piece to visit various moods andtempi to let the performers shine in the virtuosic passages andincite introspection in the calmer moments. I knew that

1 Program note includedin the manuscript ofDesjardins’s score.

Jacques Desjardins


for a piece of this scope it would be possible to explore thefull range of the voice, and that the narrative suggested bythe text would allow a wide variety of articulation andexpression.2

And then, the infamous events [of September 11, 2001]happened... As citizens, we all felt that something needed tobe done. I then wrote the text in a state of frenetic necessity.The words poured out as is, in the first degree, as if toexorcise all my inner rage. The title—Homme Sweet Homme(“Man Sweet Man”)—serves as much as a trigger to launchthe poem, as a refrain, with the four reprises of the phraseat strategic moments; it’s an invocation that reminds us ofthe limits of our human condition, and of the graveconsequences brought by some of our actions.

The work was premiered by all the competition finalists onMay 5, 2002, where Canadian baritone Peter McGillivray andCanadian pianist Amanda Johnston were awarded the prizefor Best Interpretation of the Commissioned Work.

Overall StructureOn the overall form of Homme Sweet Homme, Desjardins writes:

The piece is divided in five parts and travels through timeand space, suggesting various historical periods and stylesof singing. The voice is at times lyrical, introspective, evenenraged, to clearly differentiate the abrupt changes incharacter. In some passages, the melodic line borrows froma Middle Eastern tradition, with ornaments around acentral pitch. Other passages evoke church hymns andpopular music.3

Part I (mm. 1–43)Homme Sweet Homme begins with a fifteen-measure pianointroduction built on top of a recurring motive that beginswith a diminished fourth interval the lower register of thepiano. After a six-bar monophonic opening, a second pianoline is added in m. 7, with intensity building and tessituraclimbing higher until a climactic moment in mm. 14–15, atwhich time the voice enters for the first time, singing thework’s opening words and refrain.

Musical Example #1: “Homme sweet homme…” (mm. 16–18)This refrain occurs five times throughout the work anddelineates the overall form of the piece, serving as dividingpoints between the five sections.

2 Ibid.

3 Personal correspondencewith the composer: May 24,2017.


After this initial utterance of the refrain, some new musicalmaterial is introduced, alternating between two motivic andrhythmic ideas—one fast and one slow. Just as the music shiftssomewhat frantically between a heavy and somber qualityversus a quicker and more hurried affect, likewise the textswitches freely between French and English. A notablemoment occurs in m. 36, when the piano drops out altogetherand the singer utters, “Pas de prière sur leur Calvaire” (“Thereis no prayer for their Calvary”). This a cappella rendering drawsattention to the text of this moment. The capitalization of theword “Calvaire” is significant and presents a double meaning:on one level, it refers to the place of Jesus of Nazareth’scrucifixion and is the first of Desjardins’s many religiousreferences over the course of the poem; but on another level,“Calvaire” is a distinctly Québécois swear word, roughlytranslating to a four-letter expletive in English. This deliberateblurring of boundaries between the sacred and secular per-meates Homme Sweet Homme on both textual and musical levels.

Part II (mm. 44–101)Part II begins in m. 44, with the “Homme sweet homme…”refrain occurring for the second time followed by French textdelivered over changing meter. An accelerando to m. 52paves the way for a surprising new section of music marked“semplice (like a church hymn).” The reference is obvious andfurther highlighted by the text, which combines wordstypically found in Protestant hymnody with politicallycharged references to war and bloodshed.

Musical Example #2: “The Word is clear…” (mm. 52–63)

After the “hymn” is completed, a new section of musicbegins in which the piano sustains a soutenu tremolo on a lowE-natural drone. The vocal lines and piano flourishes evoke

The composer at work.


the Klezmer modes of the Ashkenazi Jews of EasternEurope, while the singer refers to the “Land of Canaan,”“Brother of Nablus,” and “Son of Midian.” A transitionfrom mm. 89–92 concludes a stanza of French text, andthe piano interlude from mm. 93–101 paves the way forthe concluding section of Part II in which an English textis delivered over changing meter.

Part III (mm. 102–131)Part III begins with “Homme sweet homme…” recallingthe opening of Part I until the unexpected utterance of theEnglish word “bum,” replacing the word “homme.”Here, Desjardins offers some commentary on the state ofman, derogatorily referring to a “lonely bum” as opposedto empathetically describing a “lonely man.”

The next section of music (mm. 105–114) is a setting oftwo stanzas of overtly political and (mostly) Frenchpoetry. Here the references to war-mongering worldleaders who prioritize violence over domestic andeconomic issues is obvious, such as in the line, “Leprésident vous rent’ dedans / A’ec ses gros mots, béquerbobos” (“The president gets you in with big words topeck at bobos”). Here, “bobos” is a French portmanteauword for “Bohemian bourgeois,” implying an obliviousnessof the president to the real problems of the common man.

At m. 115 a bombastic, metrically ambiguous sectionof music begins, during which the singer overtly singsabout bombs while the piano accompaniment depictsthe blasts themselves. A striking—somewhat comical—moment occurs with an overt reference to the famoussoprano aria from Handel’s Messiah in m. 129, obviouslyplaced immediately after the word “rejoice” in m. 128.

Musical Example #3: “The bombs away...” (mm. 116–130)


The last measure of Part III offers a spoken question:“Mais qu’est-ce qui reste à part la peste?” (“But what isleft save the plague?”) This dark and harrowing questionserves as a formal “reset,” and the next two bars of pianomusic reprise the introduction of the entire piece.

Part IV (mm. 132–177)The “Homme sweet homme…” refrain that begins Part IVis only one measure in length, but sets the table for mm.135–147, during which melismatic ornaments around asingle pitch evoke Quranic chant while a French text uttersthe names of God, including Allah, Messiah, Jehovah, andShiva. A final question asks “Où est a voie au nirvana?”(“Is there a way to Nirvana?”).

Measures 148–152 are labeled “tempo d’hymne religieux”and this instruction plus the tempo marking of quarternote = 90 and English text distinctly recall the Protestantreligious hymn of mm. 52–78. Like the first hymn (in PartII), an E-natural tremolo drone in the piano part beginningin m. 153 recalls mm. 79–88, while the melodic material ofthe vocal line recalls the motives of the text following theinitial “Homme sweet homme” refrain in Part I (mm. 16–18).

Part IV concludes in a somewhat startling way: with afin-de-siècle Viennese waltz in mm. 165–177, at onceevoking the New York of Franz Lehár and Victor Herbertas well as popular Tin Pan Alley songs of the first decadeof the twentieth century. The textual substitutions of“fireline” and “skyline,” however, explicitly evoke 9/11,making it very clear that the Septembers of 1901 and 2001were very different months indeed.

Musical Example #4: “You are the fireline…” (mm. 165–178)


4 Remarks at the world premiere ofHomme Sweet Homme: May 5, 2002.

Matthew Hoch is completinghis twelfth and final year on theNYSTA board of directors. He hasserved the organization as editor-in-chief (2008–2016), vicepresident (2012–2017), andpresident (2017–2020). Hispublished bibliography includesseven books as single author, firstauthor, or editor, and his manyarticles have appeared in over adozen professional and academicjournals. He was appointed to thefaculty of Auburn University in2012, where he was tenured in2015 and promoted to the rank ofprofessor in 2020.

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5 A complete performance ofHomme Sweet Homme can beviewed on the author’s website:www.matthewhoch.com.

Part V (mm. 178–199)The final occurrence of the “Homme sweet homme…” refrainbegins in m. 178, beginning the fifth and final section of thework. Here, names of God are evoked once again, specifically“Buddha,” “Yehovah,” and “Allah.” An interesting play onwords occurs here, when Desjardins tacks “cadabra” onto theword Allah, thus in a Joycean way forming a new word—”Allahcadabra”—as opposed to the Aramaic-derived magicword “abracadabra.” This once again illustrates the poet-composer’s desire to merge the sacred and secular.

The final two pages of Homme Sweet Homme can be dividedinto four distinct sections: In mm. 182–186, a French textdelivered over changing meter, and the music accelerates tom. 187, at which point there are a series of climactic cries to“Mollah,” “Brahma,” and Moshiach”—simultaneouslyevoking Islam, Hinduism, and Judaism. This is followed by atransition section in mm. 193–197, a quasi-recitative in bothEnglish and French. The final two bars of the piece offer a bothshout and whisper in both English and French, a shocking butfitting conclusion for this eclectic work.

ConclusionAt the world premiere, Jacques Desjardins stated the follow-ing: “I do hope this musical homage to the victims of theevents of September 11, 2001, will strike a chord with bothperformer and listener, and that my modest contribution willmake a small difference.”4

Likewise, the author of this article follows in the spirit ofDesjardins’s intentions with Homme Sweet Homme, and that thisanalysis interpretation of his work will help in some small wayto work toward the humanistic goal of universal peace andunderstanding—one that transcends the boundaries of nations,culture, language, and religion. This dialogue—and the im-portance of communicating with one another through theuniversal language of music—has never been more important.5


Homme Sweet Homme: Text and Translation French language text is in italics, English translation at right.

I.Homme sweet homme Man sweet manYou run your homeComme un seul homme Like a lonely manWho seems not sureOf what’s to come

Vous constatez le temps morose You take notice of the bad weatherVous insistez la vie en rose You insist on life in rosy huesLes billets vers s’envoient en l’air Tickets sent into the airRetombent toujours dans la même cour Always fall in the same courtyard

Follow the course of your discourseIt’s no surprise if there’s divorceYou set the price out of your mindThey set the mind that you will find

Pas étonnant que des enfants It is no wonder that childrenDans la misère jouent à la guerre Play war in their miseryÀ chaque instant de leur present At every moment in their presentPas de prière due leur Calvaire There is no prayer for their Calvary

There is no will, there is no wayTo hear their say and let them shareSome common ground yet to be foundTo stop the sound of sirens around.

II.Homme sweet homme Man sweet manTrop de biens aux gens en moyens Too many people’s assetsPas de pain aux gens dans le pétrin No bread for people in a jamVies de chiens à ceux qui n’ont rien Dog lives to those who have nothingLa faim justifie-t-elle les moyens? Does hunger justify the means?

The Word is clear: thou shalt not killBut sword and spear, more blood they spillAnd life is dear from cradle to graveBut life is fear from missile to cave

Terre de Canaan is your land Land of CanaanFrère de Naplouse, nothing to lose Brother of NablusFils de Madiân, grains of sand Son of MidianVoir rouge avec tout ce qui bouge See red with everything that moves

The soul and spirit you maintainIn the hole and limit they containA big crowd in a tiny spaceRemains proud in the soldier’s face


III.Homme sweet homme Man sweet manYou run your homeComme un seul bum Like a lonely bumWho knows no moreWhat to become

Vous trouvez drôle de jouer du gun You find it funny to play with a gunAvec le role que l’on vous donne With the role you are givenYou lead the pack in big attackAnd all you get is un tas de miettes And all you get is crumbs

Le président vous rent’ dedans The president gets you inA’ec ses gros mots, béquer bobos With big words to peck at bobosLe commandant a le doigt pesant The commander has a heavy fingerA’ec ses avions à explosions With airplanes and explosions

The bombs away do go astrayAnd they don’t spare the mothers’ careThen you shall rejoice all in one voiceMais qu’est-ce qui reste à part la peste? But what is left save the plague?

IV.Homme sweet homme Man sweet manAllah est grand, Messie viens-t’en Allah is great, the Messiah comesYehovah, Omnimashivâ Jehovah, omnipresent ShivaOù est a voie au nirvana? Where is a way to nirvana?

Let us pray, brothers and sistersHome of the brave in common graveSilent we grieve, do we believe?

La fin est proche, repentez-vous! The end is near, repent!Un rien accorche, entretuez-vous! Nothing attachs, kill yourself!

You are the fireline of my lifeAs far as skyline meets my eye

V.Homme sweet hommeÔ Buddah, Yehova, Allah… cadabra! O Buddah, Jehovah, Allah… cadabra!Foi en moi, pour soi, contre toi! Faith in me, for yourself, against you!Mon Père est plus fort que ton Père My Father is stronger than your FatherTon frère ne veut plus voir de chair Your brother no longer wants to see fleshElle n’est pas assez cachère It is not kosher enough

Ô Mollah, Ô Brahma, Ô Moshiach! O Mullah! O Brahma! O Moshiach!Sans toit, sans foi, nil oi Without roof, without faith, and no lawFatoua, charia, charabia Fatwa, Shariah, gibberishShabat shalom et chasse à l’homme! Shabat shalom and manhunt!

I’m in despairBecause I don’t know quoi faire Because I don’t know what to doWhat choice is left but to laisse faire? What choice is left but to never mind?So go en enfer! So go to hell!


IntroductionIn 1999, voice professor and pedagogue John Nix wrotean article in the Journal of Singing called “Lip Trills andRaspberries: ‘High Spit Factor’ Alternatives to the NasalContinuant Consonants.”1 The article outlines the benefits ofthese particular semi-occluded vocal tract (SOVT) exercises,which may have advantages in the singing voice studio thatare not shared by the nasal continuants /m/, /n/, and / /.Lip trills and raspberries were jokingly labeled “high spitfactor” exercises by Nix’s late mentor Barbara Doscher due tothe natural consequences that occur when airflow meets saliva,as these exercises tend to encourage.

However, Nix also points out times when lip trills and rasp-berries should not be used, primarily when students are sickwith any form of upper respiratory infection. He says, “Therisk of transmitting viruses and bacteria via aerosolized salivaand mucous is too great during this time.”2 Given our currentconcerns amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Nix’s advice may bemore important than ever for studio voice teachers. Accordingto the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), theperson-to-person spread of COVID-19 occurs via “respiratorydroplets,” which are produced when an infected personcoughs or sneezes.3 When people are in close proximity(within about six feet, as is common in voice studios), thesedroplets can land in the mucus membranes (mouths, noses,or eyes) of those who are nearby and may be inhaled intotheir lungs. The CDC also believes it is possible for people tocontract COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that hasthe virus on it and then touching their own mouths, noses, oreyes. Given the directional force that often accompanies awell-produced lip trill or raspberry, it stands to reason thatthese SOVTs could introduce respiratory droplets into the airin a way that is similar to coughing and sneezing. Therefore,it may be necessary to explore vocal exercises with a lower“spit factor.”

In this article, I will examine a variety of SOVT exercisesbased on their vocal effectiveness as well as their potentialrisk to spread communicable diseases. I will then explain howthe “straw in water” exercise meets the criteria of a highlyeffective SOVT exercise while posing minimal risk for spreadingviruses. Lastly, I will offer practical instructions on how strawin water may best be used by singers and voice teachers.

1 John Nix, “Lip Trills andRaspberries: ‘High Spit Factor’Alternatives to the NasalContinuant Consonants,”Journal of Singing 55, no. 3(January/February 1999): 15-19.

2 Ibid., 18.

3 Centers for Disease Control,“How Coronavirus Spreads”;https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare trans-mission.html (accessed March26, 2020).

John Nix

Straw in Water: A Low “Spit Factor”Alternative to Lip Trills and Raspberries

by Brian Manternach


Benefits of SOVT ExercisesSemi-occluded vocal tract exercises have long been used bysingers, actors, and those engaging in voice therapy. Anyteacher who has asked a student to vocalize on a lip trill orto hum a five-note pattern has used SOVT exercises. Strawphonation, in particular, has become a favored exercise overthe last decade, due in part to voice scientist Ingo Titze’swidely viewed video demonstration on the National Centerfor Voice and Speech (NCVS) YouTube channel.4

The impact of SOVT exercises on the voice are welldocumented in voice journals and also have been notedin more mainstream media like Vox and on NBC’s TodayShow.5 As Titze and Katherine Verdolini Abbott outline inVocology: The Science and Practice of Voice Habilitation, SOVTexercises can help “stretch and unpress” the vocal folds,lower phonation threshold pressure (the amount of lungpressure needed to initiate vocal fold vibration), and allowfor less effortful register transitions.6 They recommendperforming a pitch glide through a straw (from as low aspossible to as high as possible) as a way to allow for fullrange of motion with minimum collision stress.7 Speech-language pathologist and voice researcher Aaron Johnsonadvocates a similar exercise in The Vocal Athlete: Applicationand Technique for the Hybrid Singer as a way to help singersachieve smooth register transitions.8 However, whenperforming straw phonation, it is common for saliva-based condensation to accumulate inside the straw. Whenvocalizing, these droplets could be introduced into the airor even drip onto a surface that may be touched by anotherperson. This may not be of concern for singers when theyare practicing in a room by themselves. However, for singingteachers who will be in a shared space with their studentsand clients, it may be worth exploring SOVTs that providea similar degree of effectiveness with a lower spit factor.

The Cost/Benefit of Effectiveness Versus RiskIn a 2015 paper in Logopedics Phoniatrics Vocology by LynnMaxfield, Ingo Titze, Eric Hunter, and Mara Kapsner-Smithtitled “Intraoral pressures produced by thirteen semi-occluded vocal tract gestures,” the authors’ research wasguided by the following question: “[I]f the effectiveness ofa SOVT gesture to reduce adductory stresses on the vocalfolds is related to the supraglottal pressures the gestureproduces, can oral occlusions be ranked according to theircorresponding intraoral pressure?”9

In their work with twenty subjects (ten male, ten female),the high spit factor SOVTs produced favorable results.Raspberry, small straw, and lip trill ranked second, third,and fourth, respectively, producing greater mean intraoralpressure across all subjects. Other potentially high spit

4 National Center for Voice andSpeech, “Vocal Straw Exercise”;www.youtube.comwatch?v=0xYDvwvmBIM&t=1s (accessedMarch 26, 2020).5 Julia Belluz, “How blowing into astraw can save your voice,”Vox, June 20, 2015, www.vox.com/2015/6/20/8816065/how-not-to-lose-your-voice.Scott Stump, “Sheinelle Jonesannounces she’s having surgery toremove a lesion on her vocal cord,”Today, February 20, 2020, www.today.com/ health/sheinelle-jones-reveals-she’s-having-surgery-her-vocal-cord-t174315.6 Ingo R. Titze and Katherine VerdoliniAbbott, Vocology: The Science andPractice of Voice Habilitation (Salt LakeCity, UT: National Center for Voiceand Speech, 2012): 302-303.7 Ibid., 214.8 Aaron M. Johnson, “RegisterTransition Exploration,” inThe Vocal Athlete: Application andTechnique for the Hybrid Singer, ed.Marci Rosenberg and Wendy D.Leborgne (San Diego, CA: PluralPublishing, Inc., 2020), 118-119.

9 Lynn Maxfield, Ingo Titze, EricHunter, and Mara Kapsner-Smith,“Intraoral pressures produced bythirteen semi-occluded vocal tractgestures,” Logopedics PhoniatricsVocology 40, no. 2 (2015): 87.


factor SOVTs followed with /v/ ranked fifth, bilabial fricative/ :/ sixth, tongue trill seventh, / / eighth, /z/ ninth, andlarge straw tenth. The SOVTs with the lowest overall intraoralpressure were the nasal continuants /n/ and /m/, rankingtwelfth and thirteenth, respectively. Due to their closed mouthposition, these exercises may have a low spit factor, but theirlow intraoral pressure may also indicate they are less effectiveat bringing about the vocal benefits of other SOVTs. As theauthors state, “[...] the nasal continuants /m/ and /n/ pro-duce very low intraoral pressures, possibly calling into questiontheir inclusion in the SOVT category of vocal exercises.”10

Another SOVT to consider is the manually occluded vocaltract (MOVT) exercise. Originally dubbed the “standing wave”by Burton Coffin,11 the MOVT is performed by vocalizingwhile placing a hand across the mouth, as described anddemonstrated by Nix on YouTube.12 Although it is not one ofthe exercises measured by Maxfield et al., Marci Rosenbergplaces it fifth out of eleven in a “Hierarchy of SOVTs,” basedin part on a 2006 paper by Titze,13 that ranges from higherresistance/greatest occlusive effect (smaller diameter straws)to lower resistance/smallest occlusive effect (speech).14

As with the nasal continuants, the MOVT seems unlikelyto introduce saliva droplets into the air. However, singersvocalizing with the MOVT may accumulate saliva on theirhands when they are placed over their open mouths. If thosesingers then touch objects or surfaces that may be touched byother people (pencils, music stands, doorknobs, etc.), theycreate risks similar to those seen with high spit factor SOVTs.The SOVT that had the highest degree of overall intraoralpressure in the Maxfield et al. (2014) study, however, was thestraw in water.15 (This exercise was not included in the listingsby Titze or Rosenberg.) When used appropriately, this exercisecan produce a high degree of intraoral pressure, making itlikely that singers may reap the full benefits SOVT exercisesprovide. It may also result in a relatively low spit factor,keeping it safe for studio use.

How to Use the Straw in WaterFor those less familiar with this SOVT, singers can vocalizeinto a straw much like they would in standard strawphonation. As in the aforementioned Titze video, singersshould be mindful that their sound is passing through thestraw and not leaking into the nasal cavity due to a loweredvelum. They also should ensure that they are employing anembouchure that creates a complete seal of the lips around thestraw, disallowing the escape of air. The opposite end of thestraw is then submerged in a glass of water. When vocalizinginto the straw, singers will be able to see the water bubblingin the glass, providing a visual cue as to how much airflowis being used—more airflow will result in bigger bubbles.Although the splashing of the water could also potentially

10 Ibid., 91.11 John Nix, “Closing YourMouth to ‘Open’ Your Sound,”Journal of Singing 73, no. 1(September/October 2016): 39.12 John Nix, “MOVT part 1”;www.youtube.comwatch?v=SGOBBJ3yjnw&t=29s(accessed March 26, 2020).13 Ingo Titze, “Voice Training andTherapy With a Semi-OccludedVocal Tract: Rationale andScientific Underpinnings,”Journal of Speech, Language, andHearing Research 49 (April 2006):448–459.14 Ingo Titze, “Hierarchy ofSOVTs” as cited in MarciRosenberg, “Cup Phonation: ASemi-occluded Vocal TractExercise,” in The Vocal Athlete:Application and Technique for theHybrid Singer, ed. Marci Rosen-berg and Wendy D. Leborgne(San Diego, CA: PluralPublishing, Inc., 2020), 100.15 Maxfield, et al., 89.

Ingo Titze using the straw technique


contribute to a high spit factor, this can be alleviated by usinga cup that has a lid (as pictured below). The splashing can befurther contained by placing tape around the straw where itmeets the lid of the cup.

Using a bendable straw allows singers to keep their head-and-neck positions aligned as the straw is raised to the mouthrather than the head being lowered to the straw. Using a bend-able straw also avoids the splashing and spilling that mayoccur if the cup is tipped in an attempt to keep the straw moreperpendicular to the mouth. Straw in water exercises canfollow the same protocols advocated in Titze’s video, in-cluding glides, accents, and singing songs through the strawwhile it is submerged. However, nearly any vocalise used ina voice studio can be made to work with the straw in wateras well (arpeggios, scales, etc.). In addition, singers mayexperiment with different intraoral pressures by submergingthe straw at deeper and shallower levels in the water (deepersubmersion will result in more pressure and shallower sub-mersion in less pressure). As with standard straw phonation,singers can also use straws of differing lengths and diametersfor even more varied levels of pressure. Additional consider-ations for performing straw in water, and further details of thebenefits of SOVT exercises, can be found in the document “LaxVox Voice Therapy Technique,” which outlines the techniquedeveloped by Marketta Sihvo and Ilter Denizoglu.16

As with most vocal exercises, there is no “one size fits all”when it comes to SOVT exercises. There is no guarantee thatstraw in water will prove successful for every singer. However,if teachers guide students as they experiment with different-sized straws and a variety of submersion levels, they are likelyto find combinations that can work for most individuals,offering them the benefits of SOVTs with a relatively low spit

16 Marketta Sihvo and IlterDenizoglu, “Lax Vox VoiceTherapy Technique”;www/laxvox.com/documents/LAXVOX%20handouts.pdf(accessed March 26, 2020).

Brian Manternach, DM, is anassistant professor (clinical) at theUniversity of Utah Department ofTheatre and a research associatefor the National Center for Voiceand Speech. His current andformer students have been cast innational and internationalBroadway tours and in regionalEquity theaters.

Manternach received the 2016Voice Pedagogy Award from theNational Association of Teachersof Singing (NATS) Foundation.He has given presentations for thePan American VocologyAssociation, Voice Foundation,Voice and Speech Trainers


factor. And it goes without saying that if the risk of spreadingviruses is to be limited, straws, cups, and water, once used,should not be shared.

ConclusionDue to the COVID-19 pandemic, many singing voice teachershave shifted their work to online video conference formats.When we eventually emerge from our quarantines andphysical distancing and resume our in-person work, it is likelythat we will do so with a heightened awareness of how virusescan be spread and of how serious the repercussions of wide-spread viruses can be. As such, we would all do well to beginimplementing practices that minimize risk, even whenstudents are outwardly displaying good health. As researchinvolving SOVT exercises continues, further identifyingevidence-based best practices, it is also worth considering howto modify the exercises we are currently using in ways thatfurther minimize the risk of spreading communicable diseases.

75

Association, Summer VocologyInstitute, University of UtahVoice Disorders Center,TEDxSaltLakeCity, and NATS.

He is an associate editor of theJournal of Singing and a regularcontributor to Classical Singer.Additionally, he has writtenarticles that have been publishedin the Journal of Voice, Voiceand Speech Review, VOICE-Prints, College Music Sym-posium, NATS Inter Nos, andthe Music Theater Educators’Alliance Journal. He also hascontributed a chapter to TheVoice Teacher’s Cookbook(Meredith Music, 2018).

Manternach has made soloappearances with the MilwaukeeSymphony Orchestra, ClevelandChamber Symphony, and SinfoniaSalt Lake, among others, and hisstage credits range from Belmontein Die Entführung aus demSerail to Eisenstein in DieFledermaus to Miles Gloriosusin A Funny Thing Happenedon the Way to the Forum.

His degrees in voice performanceinclude a B.A. from St. John’sUniversity of Minnesota, anM.M. from the University ofWisconsin-Milwaukee, and aD.M. from the Indiana UniversityJacobs School of Music. He is alsoan NCVS-trained Vocologist.

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