Lottsathoughts

For those feeling buffeted by current politics and angst, it is relentlessly tempting to seek a universal theory of everything that could explain the zeitgeist in one fell-swoop. In all honesty it's highly unlikely that such a thing exists, and if it does, it almost certainly won't be discernible before a few decades, at least, have passed.But, if one were to indulge the mind's craving for a simple story, could the decline of authenticity be a contender? I recently attended a concert which featured a remarkable singer, a soprano who wowed the audience into enthusiastic cheering and foot-stamping. I, however, was left cold. The singer had an undeniably impressive technique and performed dazzling acrobatics but this was coupled with what seemed a self-conscious attempt to be a remarkable performer. It's hard to find the words to describe it exactly, but rather than portraying a passionate woman, betrayed by a feckless lover, she appeared to portray what a singer wo...

In my undergraduate viva, many years ago, I was asked how useful are the labels that we apply to [classical] music; Baroque, Classical, Romantic etc. I recall giving an excruciatingly poor response, and perhaps because of that, it is a question that has haunted me ever since. It is a question that should be applied to all areas of life, and one that invariably throws up more questions than answers. In his book “Closure, A story of Everything”, Hilary Lawson explains how all our communication is unavoidably built on artificial closures of language – our verbal communication necessitates everyone agreeing on approximate meanings for words and concepts, but these definitions can only ever, in truth, be provisional or transitory. A label tricks us into thinking we have captured the true essence of a person, object, place, idea. And yet it rarely, if ever, has. Every person is more than the colour of their skin, their gender, their sexual-orientation. They are more than their ...

What a fantastic job I have. If you've ever thought about singing but been too scared - be reassured. Anyone can benefit and truly I can say that I have never yet met someone who is tone-deaf. Many would-be pupils have promised they are that person, but in the real world they simply get better. And the therapy aspect is definitely true - I serve a reasonable cup of tea when needed, or even cold beers. Secret life of a singing teacher