Singing literature for beginners

Annette Kappeler and Xavier Pfarrer - Claudia Iten grew up in Zug. She enjoys being out in nature, meeting friends and is interested in psychological topics. She listens to blues, swing and opera, but often simply enjoys the silence. She can look back on an international singing career - she has sung at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, the Staatstheater Nürnberg, the Theater Aachen, the Nederlandse Reisopera, in Rennes, Cagli-ari and Bogotá... She was nominated for the Golden Mask Award for the role of Isolde in Wagner's Tristan.

Claudia Iten, you have created a collection of works for beginners' lessons. How did you come up with this idea?

I wanted to deal with a topic that is important in practice. As a teacher, I have the requirement to have suitable songs ready for different voices. The repertoire of popular music was also important to me, as this is in demand in lessons.

Were there no such reference works before?

Not in the non-English cultural area. In the English-speaking world (USA), research is being carried out into criteria for the level of difficulty of songs and a system of technical aspects. However, reference works are more for teaching students or advanced amateurs. In German-speaking countries, there are Heinrich von Bergen's supplementary books for beginners. However, the suggested songs are quite outdated.

What do you think are the reasons for this?

It is not easy to systematize songs for the development process of singing students. There are an infinite number of songs. Developing a catalog is time-consuming and not very creative... But a well-chosen song helps and motivates to train skills, especially if you also enjoy singing it.

Where can I find your catalog if I want to use it as a teacher?

You can get in touch with me by e-mail: kontakt@claudia-iten.com

Do you also teach adult students? What is important in the first year of singing lessons?

Yes, if someone has not yet had singing lessons, the aim is to get to know the functional circuit of breathing and one's own body as part of the singing voice. At the same time, the first singing exercises in a comfortable middle register and the widening of the throat as a resonance chamber are introduced.

You also played the violin as a child. Where could violin and singing teachers learn from each other?

I think it would be very important for violinists to be aware of the (release of) tension in their own body, because their body is also part of the instrument. Conscious breathing can also help violin playing. Conversely, I have developed a sensitivity to intonation through playing the violin. Playing string quartets (with my parents and brother) was the best training for my later career. Because even as a soloist, you are part of a whole.

You perform on opera stages, study and teach. Our Kalaidos idea of balancing your professional and private lives is a great idea, but we can't offer you more than 24 hours a day. How do you reconcile this?

Yes, I have a lot to do. The good thing about Kalaidos is that you can decide for yourself how quickly and intensively you want to study. The trick is not to get stressed and to do one thing at a time. I still have potential for development...

How have you experienced coronavirus in your everyday life?

The challenge was to cover my fixed costs. As I live in Germany, I couldn't apply for a replacement for canceled concerts in Switzerland, even though my concert activity is here. I realized how, as a freelance singer, I had no security at all. I used the time to work on my Master's thesis and start training as a voice artist and choir director. If you wait until you're allowed to sing again, the ceiling falls on your head. Now I have concerts again. It's a liberating feeling to be able to perform again!