The Chocolate Cake Principle

My last blog addressed the idea of how important expression is to the overall delivery of a song.  Just in case anyone out there is thinking that I let my students sing poorly as long as they are expressive, let me introduce you to the Chocolate Cake Principle.

All the technical work we do in lessons (breath, vowels, resonance, etc.) is like baking the cake.  We're mixing together several ingredients and then "baking" to create a beautiful tone color.  I'm sure most of us have eaten plain cake before.  It's pretty good.  I certainly wouldn't turn my nose up at "naked" cake.

And who hasn't had a fingerful or spoonful of frosting all by itself?  It's almost 100% sugar.  Of course it's good!  The frosting of singing is the expression, the acting, making the song uniquely yours.

So, you could have just cake, or just frosting, and enjoy the experience.  But, you know what is really amazing?  FROSTING ON THE CAKE.  It is better than either could be alone.  A strong technical performance paired with expressivity and meaning is better than either technique or emotion could create on their own.

And here is a wonderful example of the Chocolate Cake Principle at work.  Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau was a master because he understood how to sing AND how to express.  The melody of this song is not all that impressive, and I've heard some pretty boring performances of this song, but Fischer-Dieskau creates a masterpiece.



And if you are really hungry now, go here to see the chocolate cake that inspired this principle.  Here's the description:

Three layers of dark chocolate cake finished with rich creamy fudge. Quite possibly the best chocolate cake you’ve ever tasted.

Make Me Feel Something

Singing is about communication, and if we don't do that, why bother to sing?  Recitals are coming up and once again, I am reminded of the things that I don't spend enough time teaching (although in 25 minutes once a week, there really isn't time for everything, so I guess I shouldn't be too hard on myself).

Yes, I want my students to sound good, and to produce that good sound in a healthy way, but more importantly, I want them to be able to share the joy they feel in making music and to express the text in a way that makes the audience really listen.  So this week, here's what we've been listening to.



Ella, as always, is exquisite.  The tone, the expressivity, the personality--it's all there.  And Louis Armstrong is wonderful.  Maybe the vocal quality isn't great, but it doesn't matter, because he didn't sing this.  He became the music.  The voice teacher in me doesn't cringe at the gravelly sound.  I rejoice.  If one of my kids could pull off a performance like this, I'd be overjoyed.  He gets it.  He knows what music is about.

And this next video is one of the most powerful performances I have ever seen.  Vocal issues?  Maybe.  But who cares when it is this engaging.  I can't stop watching.  Dame Judi Dench owns this.



Dear students, I'm not expecting perfection at the recital.  Just love the music, live in it, and make me feel something.