The Naked Voice: A Wholistic Approach to Singing.(Book review)

[??] The Naked Voice: A Wholistic Approach to Singing, by W. Stephen Smith and Michael Chipman. Oxford University Press (www.us.oup.com; (800) 451-7556), 2007. 208 pp. $29.95.

This newly published volume is a description of the pedagogical philosophies and teaching methodology of W. Stephen Smith, professor of voice at the Juilliard School of Music. The phrase "The Naked Voice" in the title refers to Smith's desire to "... strip away the encumbrances that keep them [singers] from revealing their essential, 'naked voice.'" He advocates that a singer's individuality should be revealed in the process of learning to sing, in order to authentically communicate with his/her audience. Smith states that, while the concepts he describes in this book are not unique, his organization and application of the concepts are. As examples of his quest for authenticity in his own life, he includes autobiographical information to illustrate his life's path, including his early musical study and the basis of his faith.

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This volume is organized into three principal sections:

Part 1. "Basic Instincts"--a description of Smith's pedagogical viewpoint

Part 2. "The Inventions"--a distillation of six exercises [or inventions] that provide a practical method of achieving the pedagogical aims outlined in the previous section

Part 3. "Where the Rubber Meets the Road"--five sections comprised of 33 topics, including application of his "inventions," repertoire, lifestyle choices, bariatric surgery, collegiality in the workplace, among others.