"Here is a message I sent to singing teacher colleagues here and o’seas. I had a lovely message back from Lynne Dawson, who is Head of Voice and Opera at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester. I’m continuing to work on it today, trying to get the ole fingers back into action, oh yes, the brain too, after a Sunday (17 May) of birthday cake and Rocky Road and painting the side wall (Belinda’s b’day)
Dear colleagues,
I’m Dr David Kram, opera conductor, currently Artistic Director of the MTO German-Australian Opera Grant www.mto-gaog.com and Senior Fellow, the University of Melbourne. Most of you know me personally.
In response to singers not being able to make audition videos in person, I’ve launched a Youtube channel Kram’sNotes, still in its infancy, not perfect, but gaining subscribers and messages of acknowledgement.
You can get to the site on https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCw79y5sHqNen5v8mypdo9sg?view_as=subscriber
I add to the site almost every day; up till now, in response to requests and focusing on requirements for the impending GAOG auditions. During the next days I’ll be focusing on repertoire for mezzos, baritones and basses.
As time goes on, I’ll add verbal material which is why I conceived the idea in the first place – brief clips with chats and reflections about music, based on my experience starting in Italy, 1969, then Switzerland, Germany, Australia and elsewhere.
I also had the idea to make a few ‘learning’ clips, especially for tricky repertoire like Janacek. This is something I’ve done for singers over many years – as undoubtedly you have done the same.
Admittedly I’m not the greatest virtuoso pianist but I do claim to think like a singer. Also, I could do various versions of an aria, where varied speeds are extant.
The tech resources are a bit primitive, to be sure, but singers have told me that it is useful to them to see me mouthing words and giving cues where I can, during rubato passages.
Hoping that you are coping with the crisis as well as can be expected."
Best regards
David Kram
