Master Class Series with Mezzo-Soprano Denyce Graves

Mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves, one of today's most exciting vocal stars, coaches Boston University voice students during a 90-minute public master class.
Hosted by Opera Institute and voice department at the school of music in the College of Fine Arts and the Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center on December 13, 2006.

[@SingersSpaceNYC]

I cannot believe I spent the entire 2 hours and watched this in its entirety. I just dropped by to see a few seconds. I couldn't stop watching! God, I love Denyce Graves. What a beautiful lady. A true classy Diva.

[@Jisaltino]

She adopts a highly motivational approach, not ever sounding patronising. She does give consistent feedback and encourages participants to step further and appreciate the beauty of their own voice. Beautiful lessons in an inspirational video!

[@gregorylipscomb2173]

Denyce brings such love and thoughtfulness to her teaching with only a few minutes with each person. She is so honest, engaging, often funny and she just cheers for each singer. Wow! Her approach offers such a wonderful blend of holding out a higher standard for each singer with a deeper understanding and she just celebrates each success. She also seems to build on what the singers already do naturally, empowering them and never judging them. I find it heart warming to see how much she cares for each singer. She is up close and personal:-) Finally her message of vocal support is so universal among great singers and has been communicated in so many different ways. She takes the time to clarify it in a way that seems to work best for each individual and in only a few minutes.

[@NightinMadrid]

Gregory Lipscomb I agree she is engaging and very thoughtful. Finally a positive comment,sometimes I wonder when I read negative comments,is there a bit of biasness in there also?

[@jlb9368]

The space - sum and substance of good singing! So wonderful to hear reinforce that - what a marvelous teacher. Every voice department should make this video mandatory! Seriously.

[@DawnFurness]

Ms Graves is incredibly gracious in her comments, gently nudging rather than criticising the students. Love her!

[@VocalMolly]

Oh she is fabulous. She communicates everything so beautifully.

[@CanyonTide]

I'm 30 minutes in, and she's said nothing that I haven't heard from my teacher...awesome! My teacher rocks!

[@NightinMadrid]

CanyonTide yes it does sound familiar but i'd personally rather learn techniques from a opera singer who is still performing . There are plenty of great singers with excellent voices out there but the key is getting work and being known Denyce has done that

[@CanyonTide]

Serena Leaf My teacher does still perform, yes. She has been a professional Mezzo-Soprano for over 20 years and teaching for almost as long. You do not have to have a career on the level of Denyce Graves or Joyce DiDonato, for example, in order to be an outstanding teacher. Besides, Denyce Graves is not a Voice teacher, she is a performer. My teacher is an extremely successful teacher. Her desire was never to be a famous performer, but it has always been to teach. That is where her heart is. Denyce Graves may give a Master Class every now and then, but she does not have 30 students a week coming in and out of her home studio or University classroom.

[@NightinMadrid]

CanyonTide i I agree Denyce Graves or other successful classical singers like her are mostly performers.not teachers-and if your teacher is in NYC msg/inbox me her name-its always good to be taught by people who are still doing performing. However,isn't it more beneficial to be also taught by someone who has mastered a way to stand out among countless of talented singers and has achieved so much? That personally is a skill that not many possess I think Denyce was doing that,i recognized many of the techniques she was teaching and plus she provided extra pointers and i rather learn from someone like that first and foremost There are countless of singers with magnificent voices but when it comes the time for a director casting to hire for a grand performance, who is he going to look for to sell tickets and fill seats? an unknown but talented or celebrities as Denyce Graves,Renee,Jessye or Debra Voight?,Many classical singers would want to be known and again its good to learn from someone who is well known,just like it didn't hurt that Tenor getting pointers by Pavarotti

[@CanyonTide]

Serena Leaf Yes, but how much do you hear about Pavarotti's teacher. or Joan Sutherland's, or Edda Moser's teacher? These are some of the best, and I could be wrong, but I'll bet you couldn't name their teachers without looking them up. It's not about being taught by someone famous, but someone who is exceptional at what they do.

[@NightinMadrid]

CanyonTide I think when someone beats the odds and becomes celebrated or world renown especially in the very competitive and tight Opera/Classical world, ia already exceptional at what they do-don't you think? .Sure there are plenty of more outstanding singers than Mrs Graves but there's obviously something exceptional about her that made her stand out that people who don't even know Opera or Classic know here name and that's who i would be love to learn from also-along with Sarah Brightman. Yes it sad not to know the those great vocal teachers who trained Pavarotti,Ferrer Cecilia Bartoli or other opera greats- Just as we don't know who taught Laurence Olivier or Anthony Hopkins. acting Universities could easily invite these vocal teachers-if they are still alive,but their credibility would still hinge on who they have taught as well as their experienec I think of how many students along the years have they have taught voice too and ask What made the ones who has stood out and become well known,or famous among countless of other students? I'd rather take pointers from the ones who has made it and became the best in the business as well Isn't that the main goal of Classical singers who trained for years? To be well known? All that vocal training and hard work surely is not just for teaching

[@viktoria134]

one of the best teachers I've ever seen

[@malaikamckee-culpepper261]

She is simply amazing....

[@csudakov1]

always amazing to see the level of talent that is out there. A great opportunity for there young singers. I truly admire Denyse Graves..

[@ChezFeroce]

do you know what the name of the aria the tenor sang was?

[@Firemind39]

ChezFeroce I think you're talking about the Baritone. He sang Vedro Mentr'io Sospiro from Nozze. It's the count's aria

[@ChezFeroce]

Justin Pratt , the one at 1:18:14

[@HelenJoannides]

Great the hole video, but what she says at the end is absolute the meaning of singing.... Thank you really for posting this video.

[@celebrity19812004]

She is mesmerizing

[@bigdigger87]

I am so happy I stumbled upon this video! Thank you so much for this!

[@alexandraaugust34]

I love you Denyce, this is soo helpful

[@stephjones55]

Great teacher.

[@VictoriaSethunya]

This is heaven!

[@operskapevacica1]

She was spot on with what he needs..

[@RoeiShafrir]

SPACEEEE SPACEEEEEE

[@timdivine]

Makes me want to take voice lessons..post pandemica.

[@joaoaurelio1534]

wow werther was phenomenal

[@grigorpetrov8006]

The first guy, his main issue was that his vowels were not equal. Every vowel has to be equal and at its maximum space. One could hear the difference in vowel space.

[@sonicfoxxmusic4281]

HANNAH DRURY'S "SWEET LADY ENGLAND"....... ...a little pocket rocket of power!!!!

[@ericaramirez3636]

Truly an amazing teacher truly

[@lighthead6275]

That first guy was really good

[@LamentationLaments]

@mizzothify mizzothifi what is his name?

[@reaseAable]

sounds like a baritone, and handsome...too...she is on the mark with his tutoring.

[@DavidBrowningBYD]

Regarding the first fellow, the bass, he is falling into the trap of pushing his tongue down to create the space she's asking for. That creates even more tension than he had to begin with. Otherwise I enjoyed watching this master class. She seemed to get results out of the others.

[@Jaaakob]

I get a little worried when what is clearly tenor voice (a lyric one at that) is singing "Hai gia vinta....". It's a part for a rather heavy baritone, eh? The tenor timbre is even more apparent on the "v" exercise. Graves takes it pretty slow, but she has a good ear. Good points, and good move to comment actively during his singing. I think she is very aware that he is a tenor - she is consistently asking for a real 'ah' instead of the tongue-bunchy sound he sometimes gets.

[@trrill]

^ YEP.

[@jia422]

It seems like not a master class but a class for beginner... The teacher is patient with student to tell the base knowledge about singing.

[@LamentationLaments]

Why are none of the students saying their names or what they're singing? It's like BU never hosted a masterclass before... What was the first guy's name? Tysuk?

[@ksionc100]

1:16:35 I wonder if Graves' way of teaching actually helps these people.

[@NightinMadrid]

ksionc100 I rather learn from a still working Opera star like her-her techniques are very familiar my teacher had me do that once

[@masterRon256]

Hi, how can i get enrolled in the Master Class Series with Mezzo-Soprano Denyce Graves if i wanted to?

[@shinflute]

what's the name of the first aria?

[@YoannAuboyneau]

G.Puccini, La Bohème, Collines aria "Vecchia Zimarra".

[@tenorcarloscol]

1:20:00 ... tenor

[@jonaslegend1309]

1:28:00 his voice is like mario lanza. He is a tenor. And somebody made him a baritone and ruined his career.. no words.

[@operskapevacica1]

His placement is too low. She's trying to get him to lift..When he breaths the soft palate should lift..

[@tukithedb7579]

+Iris exactly , his tone needs to be placed much higher and more forward if he wants to be able to sing higher notes with the same color.

[@LamentationLaments]

What is his name?

[@grigorpetrov8006]

The second girl was great! The pianist kinda sucked. But Denise was gracious as ever to all involved.

[@operawhore64]

where are all the head-voices... UGH!

[@jackslater7495]

Space space hahaha poor guy. I think bel canto should be taught my italians. There are priorities and specialities in each country. Bel Canto is Italian. Thats it.

[@NightinMadrid]

Jack Slater Oh pish! Thats like saying only Germans should teach Wagner. Any well trained Classical /Opera singer or musician should be able to sing and teach Bel Canto.

[@belovedho]

Jack Slater Ms Graves' advice has a strong evidence base. Jo Estill anyone???

[@MrChaunceyHowell]

Denyce Graves---nice lady---had a very short career in major opera houses. About ten years. Now she is teaching. Here she tells the young bass that he is already singing "forward". Wha? His sound came from the back in his throat. For a plummier, butcher sound, no doubt encouraged by a misguided, probably female teacher Miss Graves' voice is back, too. Singers who sing back have short careers.

[@mondomusica1631]

I am reading this two years after the comment was made. Denyce Graves has been singing full seasons internationally and is booked beyond 2017. She got results in a short time with all of the singers, including the bass, without being able to really work anyone's voice through what a full voice lesson under the limits of a master class. Most heavier weighted voices, having enjoyed extremely long careers, have indeed talked about working on depth of space and height in the sound.

[@dasingaman1]

She’s sang at the met and convent garden in the past 4 years…

[@kirorodamia9268]

.. .

[@carochiqui1]

MIXED VOICE!!! that's what she wants :) not so much chest voice

[@2000wattz]

This is the worst masterclass I have ever seen. SUPPORT! SPACE! SUPPORT!!!

[@123pailin]

A lot of blabla but no real teaching...Schwarzkopf would not agree.....

[@NightinMadrid]

123pailin well it obviously worked for her and her successful career

[@123pailin]

Serena Leaf I was not talking about her career and her achievments. I was only saying that she is not a teacher. You know, you may be glorious in a field but not be able to pass it on .

[@NightinMadrid]

123pailin Its true,many singers can have a great careers and may not be able to pass it on because they are not really teachers,their job/career focus is just to sing However, I think Denyce is passing on what she was taught and also what worked for her as a singer. I recognized many of the voice/breathing techniques she is teaching. Isn't that the whole idea behind Master classes is for these students to learn from someone who is either still performing and who is also well known? or else they could have brought in world famous voice teachers. I think its great to be taught by someone has mastered the tough,ever competitive opera world and made a name for the in addition to my voice training. I just saw an old Master Class with a tenor learning from Pavarotti,I mean what aspiring Tenor wouldn't want to learn from Pavarotti?? Even if Pavarotti is not a skilled teacher

[@123pailin]

Serena Leaf That is in essence true...and what great singers can pass on on the new generation should not be techniques. When you take a masterclass that part of your singing education should be done by then, They can teach a lot of practical aspects how take on a part without trying to create a copy of themselves. Grace Bumbry was fabulous in that regard. If you want to get a part right all it takes is to look at the score, everything is there. The composer has seen to it already. Your theatrical understanding should tell who the person is you are about to give life, if she is a young woman, a peasant woman, a queen etc. Santuzza is not Amneris and Amneris is not Rosina ...the same goes for men also. Scarpia is not Rigoletto and Rigoletto is not Don Giovanni. Those are the things those great singers should teach, How to differentiate, that for this you have to lighten up the voice or make it sound heavier etc, Giving advice how to go trough coloratura runs in a cabaletto or where the dramatic climax of an aria is(not always where people think) and how to prepare yourself when the moment comes to do it. The breath support is something each and every singer has to find out for himself what is the best for him. Listen to the great voices of the past, they all developped a personal technique. When you listen to the master classes of Renata Scotto, what do you hear? A brief explanation of the state of mind of the character and how to adapt your voice to this. ...Joyce was mainly talking about she would do it and so on and that is simply not the right way. If you tell a young singer what the outlook of the character is, thus giving him a sort of aeral view of the aria it will be more easy for him or her to find the right colour and expression...thus beeing able to correct them and give them the advice they need....

[@markferwerda7968]

"Voice teachers" have so much BS to say! Just get an excellent coach/accompanist!

[@bigdigger87]

I am so happy I stumbled upon this video! Thank you so much for this!