The Well Canto Newsletter
Mental Fitness for Singers
Volume 4
Let Me Be Clear… The WHY of Well Canto
And an Interview with Yours Truly
Singers, I see you!
I absolutely understand the demands that you face (because I lived some version of them):
Be a great voice, a great musician, a great actor.
Know repertoire, history, diction, anatomy, pedagogy.
Look great. Have your stuff together. Be a team player.
Do what you’re told. Don’t make a fuss. Don’t get sick.
Pay schools, pay pianists, pay teachers, pay coaches, pay to sing, pay to get experience.
And that’s just The Half Of It, Dearie!
LISTEN: The Half Of It Dearie Blues Ella Fitzgerald
And although it may seem that I am telling you ONE MORE THING TO DO, I promise you the information disseminated in The Well Canto Newsletter - should you choose to accept it - will help you self-manage from the inside out. In other words, you will feel more effective and less stressed.
We spend a LOT of time in our heads, we might as well make it a pleasant place to be.
Has anyone ever told you to:
Practice Mindfulness!
Learn to meditate!
Stay positive!
Develop a thick skin!
Relax!
Let it go!
Be grateful!
Just breeeeeeeeeeathe, for heaven’s sake!
Some of these are valuable strategies, but without a foundational understanding of several big concepts, these appeals may actually inadvertently increase distress if the singer feels they are failing in their attempts. We must start with awareness; it is always the first step.
Awareness and Clarity
When we become aware, clarity follows. Combined with intention, clarity sets us on a path of our own choosing. Specific goals reveal themselves, and purposeful action feels engaging and fulfilling.
For instance, writing a weekly newsletter was an idea that came to me circuitously, and took its time doing so…as if patiently waiting for me to learn to speak clearly, to take up a little more space, and to really grasp that perfectionism is a fool’s errand. With that awareness a clear goal presented itself: to be of service to the people I most understand and esteem - developing singers.
I understand singers’ struggles. My extensive experience as a performing artist, a spouse (also a singer!), a mom, a singing teacher, a wellness coach - all of my life - has prepared me to advocate for singers and contribute to their well-being. Specifically, to demystify some of the chaotic thoughts and feelings that come with the courageous, deep work of becoming. Clarity led to my decision to engage with the world wholeheartedly; from a place of warmth, acceptance, and with as much grace as a humble human can muster.
I help singers live a creative life of purpose and joy…
Together we demystify the chaotic thoughts and feelings that come with the
courageous, deep work of becoming.
What is your intention?
Have you thought about this? Do you know your “Big Why”? Is it specific? If not, do not worry. We will explore this and so much more in future Newsletters. If you DO know your intention, how about sharing it with the Well Canto community?
This is the fourth Well Canto Newsletter…one month completed! This aspect of my personal journey is just beginning. The process feels creative and liberating, and is aligned with my values. Do I have a large platform? NO! (Not yet.) But what if one person finds a useful crumb, which becomes an inkling, then an idea, a goal, and finally…an intentional direction? Where will this all lead? I cannot wait to find out.
The Well Canto Interview
The timing is just too perfect… My intention for the final week of each month is to share an interview with someone ‘in the biz’, and the below article came out last week.
The subject? ME!!!
So, if you’d like to know a little more about me, have a read by clicking this link:
https://canvasrebel.com/meet-barbara-shirvis/?doing_wp_cron=1708263936.3134510517120361328125
CODA:
Part gratitude, part mantra, part meditation, and fully a “Big Why”, our treasured American poet clearly, intentionally proclaims:
If I can stop one heart from breaking,
I shall not live in vain;
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin
Unto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain.~Emily Dickinson
NEXT WEEK in The Well Canto Newsletter
Ponder This:
Survive AND Thrive - Understanding Your Stress Response
Contact Barbara for private wellness coaching through:
www.barbarashirviswellness.com
Contact Barbara for private voice lessons through: