VOICE lessons from the master

Having missed the opera on Tuesday, I wanted to be sure I caught this offering from the Savannah VOICE Festival.
After all, it had been awhile since I had heard the famous baritone sing and I was hoping for a few notes from him today.
Notes a-plenty I received, too... but mostly in my own hand.
(smile)
The free event was the Sherrill Milnes Master Class, right on campus at Armstrong.
How very convenient for me! I was able to bop from my office diagonally across campus to where he was holding court!
Five singers were there to have their technique critiqued by the master.
Five singers with golden voices.
Five brave souls, four women and one man, willing to stand in front of strangers and perform, then willing to graciously accept positive criticism of that performance.
Wow.
Here's a typical video of a Master Class, again held at Armstrong, about fifteen years ago. You might want to watch to get a idea of how helpful it truly was for the singer.
And helpful for the audience, too.

See all of that blue scribbling?
Notes to myself, my dear.
Rounded vowels!
Crisp consonants!
Clean breaks!
Stop that trilling!
Build from low point to crescendo!
Be sure to breathe!
None of that "ho-ho-ho"
or "he-he-he" nonsense -
elongate the vowel
without adding an "h",
as it is written!
Try to sing the piece as the "warmed-up" version the first time!
Don't look the audience in the face - concentrate on a hairline or an ear, for less personal distraction.

Good advice for singers, or performers, of any ilk.
Good advice even for folks like me, who sing in the car or in the shower or in the karaoke bars.
I was definitely in the right place at the right time!
i thank You, God!