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A blog honoring vocal coach Barbara Maier Gustern, beloved vocal coach to so many singers of so many genres: brutally attacked on the street, died of injuries on March 15, 2022. Reflections on music, singing, teaching, listening….
Defying convention
Two days ago I had the rare privilege of making a day of music with my two brilliant collaborators, Artie Dibble on violin, and Dave...
Nancy Garniez
Jun 22, 20221 min read
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Using negativity positively
Sorry for the lapse of time: the days are filled with preparation for a recording project: After more than 40 years of fascination with...
Nancy Garniez
Jun 19, 20221 min read
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Hidden urges
It is not possible (i.e., it should not be possible) to sing two tones in a row without feeling a pull between them: this one wants to...
Nancy Garniez
Jun 6, 20221 min read
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The piano can sing
The newly invented piano (1727, cast your minds back) was immediately welcomed as a unique keyboard instrument in that it could at once...
Nancy Garniez
Jun 5, 20221 min read
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Unbearable depth
The piano continues to amaze me: If it did not amaze the ears of Mozart, Schumann, Chopin, Schubert, Beethoven, Brahms, Bartok, et al,...
Nancy Garniez
Jun 4, 20221 min read
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The magical piano
I was listening to an excellently recorded concert of 17th century vocal music, accompanied by period instruments, both strings and winds....
Nancy Garniez
Jun 1, 20221 min read
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The singing piano
Every note written for the piano when it was newly invented (unless by Chopin)*was probably inspired by vocal music. In the case of...
Nancy Garniez
May 29, 20221 min read
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The Accord Treble Choir
The Missa in discantu by Swedish composer Carl Bartil Agnestig (1924-2019) sung by Accord Treble Choir last evening was one of those...
Nancy Garniez
May 27, 20221 min read
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No more
And speaking of children: why must guns in schools so quickly come to mind?
Nancy Garniez
May 25, 20221 min read
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The importance of children
Why should it be that our culture so looks down upon children, when their speed of perception and response is so fast and so entire. It...
Nancy Garniez
May 23, 20221 min read
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Moments
In a sight-based culture everything auditory is fragile in the extreme. Once upon a time there was a well-known musician in New York who...
Nancy Garniez
May 22, 20221 min read
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EAR
I missed a few days setting up my new EAR NOW channel at www.patreon.com/NancyGarniez. It will start on June 1; the subject being ear...
Nancy Garniez
May 22, 20221 min read
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'Taint simple
The power of words is amazing: I am in the process of reading Susan Howe’s beautiful tribute to (and identification with!) Emily...
Nancy Garniez
May 21, 20221 min read
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Sing for your ears
Ear logic is the driving force of my life – perhaps of yours as well. I hope the word logic does not put you off: I don’t mean it in an...
Nancy Garniez
May 16, 20221 min read
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Consonant cutoffs
One of the greatest things about words is consonants: we think of the voice mostly in terms of vowel resonance but, if you stop to...
Nancy Garniez
May 12, 20221 min read
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In tune with others
There is no substitute for singing. Current culture is definitely the worse for its having gone out of fashion. It is a huge release to...
Nancy Garniez
May 11, 20221 min read
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Outdoor singing
Yesterday I had occasion to burst out laughing as the choir at my church was singing a Renaissance setting of the mass by a composer new...
Nancy Garniez
May 9, 20221 min read
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The point of Tonal Refraction
Often the simplest things are the hardest things, yet also the most memorable. I recall sitting in Carnegie Hall to hear Victoria de los...
Nancy Garniez
May 7, 20221 min read
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Simple meanings
I am so sad that the meaning of so many simple words has been taken over by the media: I recall once googling music, only to discover...
Nancy Garniez
May 3, 20221 min read
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Out of the comfort zone
It is striking how some music simply feels uncomfortable when heard, even for the first time. Yesterday I heard some vocal music with...
Nancy Garniez
May 2, 20221 min read
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