GERMAN, ITALIAN, AND FRENCH! OH MY!! Have you ever found yourself tongue-tied, talking or singing like you’ve got marbles in your mouth? Or placing an order at a drive-through and not understanding a WORD the guy on the intercom is saying? Have you ever felt lost or confused because you’re not getting enough help learning and understanding the material of a production you’re working on? Does it seem difficult to find a pianist to plunk out your part or talk you through pronouncing your lyrics? That’s where Diction Coaching comes in, and I’m here to help! Diction is the art of pronouncing your words clearly and effectively, whether speaking or singing. It’s the secret sauce that makes your message stick, keeps your audience engaged, making you sound polished and professional. Diction is especially important in the world of opera and choral singing, where there are other languages besides English to deal with, E.G., Latin, Spanish, Italian, German, and French. Imagine yourself singing a passionate Italian show-stopper, but instead of saying “ani” (years), you accidentally pronounce it with a double N, changing the meaning of that word from “years” to “butts.” … Yeah. Go ahead and laugh. Or cry. … That’s another reason why diction matters. But fear not. I’m here to help!
When you learned to speak, read, and write English, you learned rules of pronunciation, like, “G followed by A, O or U is a Hard G. When followed by E or I, it’s Soft G.” In a diction coaching session, we’ll delve into the rules of stress, dividing syllables, and pronunciation for the language you’re singing in, using the text of a piece in your current repertoire. My approach combines both traditional and nontraditional techniques, including soundalike words in English to help make those tricky sounds in other languages; IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) references; and guidance on where to put your tongue, teeth, and lips. But we won’t stop there! We’ll ALSO connect with the character, story, and theme to infuse emotion into your performance. After all, a well-spoken line is only as powerful as the feeling behind it.
So, whether you’re singing a passionate aria, belting out a Broadway showtune, coaching singers, or reciting Shakespeare, my customized 50-minute sessions will help you captivate your audience like a pro. Need the text recorded for practice? No problem! I’ll record it for you and send it straight to your inbox! Email me at visionthrumusic@gmail.com to schedule a session or consultation. As I said before, this site is a work in progress. I plan to provide more diction resources, like tutorials on a specific concept, or where to get IPA transcriptions. See you soon!