Episode 16. Are You Singing the Truth? A Refreshingly Organic Approach to Interpreting Songs w/Enrique Toral

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Master voice teacher and operatic tenor, Enrique Toral, shares his refreshingly organic approach to interpreting a song and singing it with YOUR true voice.

Have you ever struggled to find your unique voice? Or, maybe you’ve worried that you don’t sound as good as your favorite singer or cast recording?

Enrique Toral, a performing artist who has won acclaim across the United States and Europe, pulls back the curtain on his own vocal pedagogy and how he works with singers to find their true voice by singing the truth of the song. He talks about the time he lost his voice because he was hearing someone else’s voice in his head.  He also lets us into his own process of preparing music, with many of his rehearsal habits involving mind work and not vocal work.

I also picked his brain in particular about falsetto – especially, how men can access falsetto in a healthy way – as we start to see shows like Hadestown make more demand of this technique on actors.  

If you’re looking for your true voice, the one that ONLY YOU can produce, then press play, and take a listen to this episode TODAY.

xo,

Korrie

ps - Head over to the RESOURCES page for FREE pdfs that will help you on your auditioning journey. Or JOIN THE EMAIL LIST right here so you get them delivered to your inbox as soon as they’re available.

TAKEAWAYS

  1. You have to meet the moment where you’re at.

  2. All of our odd jobs, life experiences, and skills inform our performing.  They are intertwined and all work together to create who you are as an artist.

  3. When performing an audition piece a lot, explore changing one piece of your interpretation to keep things fresh and make you think on your feet.

  4. Sing the truth of the lyric.  Make sure everything you say is conveyed with its inherent meaning. Are you singing the truth of the vowel and the truth of the word?

  5. Your brain is the master singer.  In your brain, you don’t sound horrible.  In your brain, you don’t run out of breath.  In your brain, you don’t sing flat.  In your brain, you sound great.

  6. Learn a song exactly as it’s written on the page.  Then, make your own choices about how to interpret the music.

  7. Look at the lyric foremost.  Do you understand its meaning.  What is it trying to convey? Once you have a clear idea, then go to the music and ask, “How does the composer elevate these words?”

  8. Don’t impose dynamics immediately.  Sing the song comfortably.  Once it’s set in your body, then allow dynamics to come through.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Enrique Toral - www.enriquetoral.com

Reach out to Enrique via his website for information on vocal lessons and his upcoming performances.

Respect for Acting - by Uta Hagen

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