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Post by stevemacdonald on Oct 22, 2004 1:25:14 GMT
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Post by stevemacdonald on Mar 6, 2008 16:32:14 GMT
OOps -- I see they've archived the article and now it can be accessed only if you subscribe! Grrrr!. Next time I'll copy 'n paste the whole deal and not rely on a link! |
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Post by spiderman on Mar 6, 2008 19:16:21 GMT
FEATURE October 2004, vol 69, no. 4
dunno what your problem was, it opened for me:
here it is:
Q&A: Hayley Westenra
Last summer, Hayley Westenra became the U.K.’s fastest-selling classical artist of all time with her aptly titled album, Pure, debuting at number eight on the UK’s pop charts. CHRISTOPHER PIETRONIGRO caught up with Westenra this summer after a gig at Joe's Pub in Manhattan to talk about "the art of the crossover."
The generation gap in opera is growing wider, classical sales have hit a snag, and Bieito is out in the garage trying to jump-start the thing with a whip and handcuffs. The kids aren’t listening. Enter Hayley Westenra. The most spectacular thing about this seventeen-year-old is her ability to communicate a song — whether it be an excerpt of Orff or an old American spiritual — with such graceful simplicity. It just might prove to be Westenra’s greatest strength as a would-be ambassador to generation Y and beyond.
OPERA NEWS: Your vocal production seems to be so easy for someone your age.
HAYLEY WESTENRA: I think that's a combination of things really. I’ve been singing my whole life. I haven’t really had that many lessons. I had a few when I was about eleven with a singing teacher, but she really only taught me new repertoire, and didn’t teach me proper technique. It wasn’t until I was fourteen that I actually learned about breath control. That was with Dame Malvina Major, who’s a well-known opera singer in New Zealand. Generally, I've just let my voice develop naturally. Even when I was with Malvina, she gave me the technique but she didn’t try to mold my voice in any way. I also learned the violin and piano when I was younger. All of that really helps.
ON: What do you do to keep your voice flexible on a daily basis? Do you have a certain routine?
HW: Not a strict routine. It does depend on the day. If I’m going to perform on that day, generally I don’t do much more than a twenty-minute or half-hour warm up, and then we'll do a sound check. I'll warm up with scales and whatever I feel I need. On my days off I do anywhere between an hour and two hours of singing practice. I also avoid dairy products and I’m basically a vegan. I try to get as much sleep as I can, because it affects your whole body, and it shows in your voice when you sing. I'll drink lots of water and stay hydrated, and try not to have the air conditioning on. I also avoid sugar; I wouldn’t have anything too sweet.
ON: I imagine you're still too young to have any superstitions.
HW: I did the Royal Variety Show in Edinburgh, last year with Pavarotti, and I found out that purple was bad luck. He wouldn't have anybody wearing purple around him. Of course I was wearing a purplish dress. [Laughs] I know that some people have to leave a trail of bent nails leading up to the stage. I don’t have anything like that. I have enough to think about really.
ON: From the start, did you have aspirations to be a pop star or classical artist?
HW: When I was younger, I wasn’t so aware of all the different styles that were out there. I just enjoyed singing. I sang the songs that we were given in school. I actually joined this group called Canterbury Opera Youth. It’s an opera children’s chorus, and we’d get to participate in the various operas that are put on. That was where I was really first introduced to classical music and discovered that it just really suited my voice. I loved being involved in the operas, like La Bohème and some short little children’s operas. At the same time, I was still interested in other styles of music, but classical music kind of took over.
ON: Who have some of your influences been?
HW: I was given a Kathleen Battle CD when I was younger, and she definitely inspired me; I was just amazed at what she could do with her voice. I bought an Andrea Bocelli CD as well, which isn’t strictly opera. It was quite nice though — it introduced me to the whole crossover thing, where he does a mixture of classical and pop. I think he’s got a gorgeous voice. I've taken inspiration from various singers. I even admire singers like Celine Dion, who obviously isn’t classical.
ON: Does the crossover label restrict what you do, or does it allow you to work outside of genres and classifications?
HW: It definitely allows me to branch out and gives me a lot of freedom, actually. I know for my second album that there are so many different areas I can go into, and there are so many different styles of music I can cover.
ON: What are you thinking about when choosing songs for your new album?
HW: I was aware that it had to be balanced. It couldn’t have too much pop or too much classical. I knew I was treading a fine line, because there were some people who I knew wouldn’t appreciate it or might be put off by the pop music, as well as other people who might be put off by the classical music. I just chose what I thought were nice melodies, really, and songs that I hope would reach out to people.
ON: Are there different pressures as a crossover artist than you might have as solely a pop or classical artist?
HW: Yeah, there are. It’s funny because sometimes you’re in the middle of the two worlds. And it can be kind of scary, I thought, "Well, people in the opera world might shove me, and people in the pop world might shove me, and I’ll be all by myself." At the same time, if you make a good album, it should take people from the classical world and open their minds about the possibility of pop, and vice versa. And that’s what I think my album's done, which is really good.
ON: Do you have a desire to “convert” people to classical music?
HW: Definitely, yeah! It’s quite rewarding when people tell you things like, “I usually listen to heavy metal, but I came across your album and I really like it!” It’s quite cool.
ON: Do you see the type of music you’re doing right now as an end in itself, or as a means to an increasingly classical repertoire?
HW: Well, I guess I don’t really know yet. I do enjoy what I’m doing, and I’d like just to continue what I’m doing and sing a whole range of music. There's also the option of going into opera or of going into another field. At the moment, though, it’s nice to be able to incorporate a whole range.
ON: Do you think classical music has something to learn something from pop music, in terms of the way it markets itself?
HW: I think classical music should definitely be promoted more. It can be made more accessible to younger audiences. That’s what I’m actually trying to do. I’m at the age where I can probably relate to younger people and hopefully just introduce them to classical music. For example, I did the Lord of the Rings Symphony show in Ottawa and toured around with them. A lot of people saw the movie and a lot of people had never been to a classical concert in their lives. They go because it’s Lord of the Rings, and it’s the first time they’ve been to see an orchestral concert.
ON: How do you approach a classical piece differently than you would a popular piece?
HW: I just try to treat each piece in it’s own unique way. I don’t think, “Oh, this is classical, I’m going to sing this classically.” If it is a classical piece, I wouldn’t try to sing it in a pop way. I just do whatever feels natural really. I also read into the lyrics. I think it’s important to sort of focus on the lyrics and really get involved in the music.
ON: When you say you wouldn’t sing a classical piece in a “pop” way, what do you mean exactly?
HW: Well, I wouldn’t mess with a classical piece too much and do a different take on it. I'll never purposely try and spice up a piece. I sort of do whatever fits with the piece. It would be unnatural to sing “In trutina” [from Carmina Burana] with a beat behind it.
ON: Although that is one of the things that a crossover artist does, right?
HW: Yes, but it depends on the piece, really. “In trutina,” for example, is too still a piece. There are some classical pieces that would probably sound quite nice in that way, but I don’t think “In trutina” would.
ON: When you're singing a pop piece, how much of what you do in your singing is your own, as opposed to being written down?
HW: I haven't previously written any of the songs I've sung. Hopefully my next album will have something on it that's written by me. I didn't really write anything for this album. So as a singer you have to hear the song and you put your own mark on it. I won't perfectly follow the music, unless it’s the first time I'm singing it and I'm just learning it. But I think as you sing it over and over again, you do put your own little nuances in it and you have to make it your own.
ON: When you do write music, what genre do you find yourself working in?
HW: Well, it definitely more pop than classical. It’s just my own experiences. I write about life in general really, just things I'll notice and pick up on. When I was younger I remember trying to write songs. I’d sit down and realize I had nothing to write about; my life was like too perfect then. [Laughs] I couldn’t find anything to write about. Finally now, it’s quite exciting. Now there’s things you sort of notice, and say, "hmm."
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Post by stevemacdonald on Mar 6, 2008 19:37:01 GMT
Thanks for your help, Spidey! My browser just didn't want to go there. It's interesting to see Hayley give props to acclaimed sopranos Kathleen Battle and Dame Malvina. They are certainly deserving.  |
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Post by gra7890 on Mar 6, 2008 22:59:02 GMT
Thanks Spiderman,
Although dated, it is still an interesting read.
Graham
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