Singing Community mourns the death of Shirlee Emmons

"The universal respect and affection that we voice teachers have for our own teachers and mentors is not just sentimentality; it is a common recognition that the knowledge demanded by a life in music and the art of singing is handed down from one teacher to another, generation by generation. Might it not be not only pleasurable but instructive for voice teachers (even those who are not of my advanced age) to stop for a moment, look back, and regard anew the learning paths that they have taken—so far? I heartily recommend the procedure."  Shirlee Emmons, 2006


Voice teacher, mentor, author and performer Shirlee Emmons passed away April 16, 2010.  As an undergraduate singer, Ms. Emmons book The Art of the Song Recital was THE definitive source for information on putting together those first performance recitals.  That book and her subsequent resources Researching the Song: A Lexicon and  Power Performance for Singers: Transcending the Barriers continue to help me guide my own study and that of my students.  In addition to her books, there are many articles on her website including those on anxiety and performancee, perfection and my favourite, adjudicating (or the problem with competition).


The international singing community will miss this insightful and dedicated teacher.  Many condolences to her family and students.