Comments on the Master Classes
and Choir Clinics
of
Joseph and Violette Meyers

"It is truly an honor to give master voice teachers Violette and Joseph Meyers my stamp of wholehearted approval. I met this charming couple during my time in Tampa, Florida, when I was organist and choirmaster at Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church, 1997-2003, after which time I relocated to New York City to be associate director of music at Saint Bartholomew's Church. In Tampa I was privileged to observe and work with the Meyers' on more than one occasion. In both group and private teaching settings, their instructional style is very direct and specific, although nonthreatening and very relaxing. (I have seen them work with vocal students at various levels of ability, ranging from the very confident, accomplished vocalist to the timid and untrained.) The singers were always put at ease by these seasoned and most entertaining teachers.

The Meyers' especially focus on the improvement of breath control, proper support, use of the head voice to expand the upper range (as well as control of vibrato), improvement of overall tone quality, and ability to blend (a must for singing in church choirs). My Tampa singers, both amateur and advanced, responded favorably and quickly to these teachers. Immediate improvements were noted and my singers were enthusiastic about pursuing private study with Violette and Joseph.

I strongly encourage you to consider the Meyers' as you continue to seek helpful and innovative pedagogical methods (which really work) for your soloists and choristers. If needed, I would be delighted to furnish you with further information on this delightful teaching duo."
Preston Smith, MEd, MM, Director of Choristers and Associate Director of Music
Saint Bartholomew's Church, Park Avenue, New York City
212-378-0220
Smith@StBarts.org
“When Cecilia Bartoli made her CD of French Songs by Bizet, Delibes, Pauline Viardot, Berlioz and Ravel, she wanted to work with a specialist in this repertoire. She was delighted to find Mme Vernaud-Meyers, and the very friendly collaboration, which involved language and interpretation, proved most fruitful, resulting in an idiomatic and very successful disc.
Since they terminated their professional stage careers Professor and Mme. Meyers have been giving Master Classes round the world. These Master Classes are somewhat unique in that the two Professors are teaching, as it were, simultaneously, complementing one another with their help and advice.
I have heard some of their Classes in The Royal Academy of Music in London, and they made a very good impression. Not only were they positive experiences for the students, but the audience clearly enjoyed being there, and themselves learned a lot.”
Christopher Raeburn, Formerly Head of Opera Productions (Decca London Record Company)

" My heartiest congratulation on the truly excellent Master Class you offered yesterday. There was nothing to fault, and I am very particular. I was especially happy that you did not shy away from technical vocal matters. Singing is all of a piece and it is really impossible to isolate one or two facets of it. I was delighted that you got after bad breath management and overchewing…. All in all, it was a great occasion for Indiana NATS and the profession in general. I hope you get many opportunities to present such classes."
Professor Dale Moore, EastmanSchool of Music, NATS Past President

"Recently I had the opportunity to observe Dr. and Mrs. Meyers before a prominent group of experienced teachers of singing at a NATS vocal workshop in Vancouver, British Columbia. The schedule was exhausting and each class had a wide variety of singers. In every instance and with quick discernment Dr. and Mrs. Meyers accurately diagnosed particular vocal or musical problems exhibited by these students. With insight and their ever-characteristic buoyant spirit, they were able to achieve the kind of intimate technical and expressive results rarely observed in any master class situation. It was an amazing series of sessions and most instructional to both students and teachers alike."
Professor Vernon Yenne, Wichita State University, NATS Past President

"Your ability to work together with such flexibility and perceptiveness certainly gave our young singers a valuable experience, and judging from both the reception of your sessions and the many positive comments I heard, you may consider your contributions to the workshop an enormous success. Your immense warmth and outgoing natures are very engaging and allow you to impart your considerable knowledge in the nicest way…. You really are a great duo!"
Professor Alexandra Browning, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada, Chair,
1990 NATS Vancouver Summer Workshop

"You conducted excellent sessions in Italian, French, and German in the NATS Vancouver Workshop; the response from the students and the audience was outstanding…. You and Violette demonstrate excellent understanding of the vocal instrument and quickly identify problems, often with instant results."
Professor Dorothy Sawatski, University of Arkansas, Little Rock,
Former NATS Vice President for Workshops

"Speaking for those of us who sadly lack Dr. and Mrs. Meyers' talent, I want to state that their work here added immeasurably to the strengthening of the embassy's relationship with several key Brazilian institutions. This, of course, is all-important to our mission. We would very much like to have them back (and we intend to do so, if they are willing) for a reprise. The Meyers' ability to work successfully in a foreign culture and to translate their talent to eager young students and not-so-young professors is a gift I have seldom seen in 25 years of cultural work."
John B. Barton, Cultural Affairs Officer, U.S. Embassy, Brasilia, Brazil

"I would like to present my sincere gratitude and also that of all of my colleagues for the excellent opportunity you have given us to share the interesting classes which you offered to our students. We admire very much the facility with which you have reached our students, your cordiality and extraordinary clarity and efficiency in explaining and putting into practice the different vocal exercises for our students, also for your great sensibility, precise instructions to each student, both in vocal technique as well as interpretation and idiom. Your vast experience makes you capable of teaching or indicating the very important elements of the vocal art with a great clarity and demonstrating a vast knowledge of all the usual problems with this discipline."
Carmen Luisa Letelier, Professor of Voice, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile

"It was our great honor that you could watch our opera Turandot by Puccini when you were so busy with your teaching in Shanghai. Your encouragements and comments are most valuable to us. And what moved us was that you also came to our opera house to coach the singers. We all learned a lot from you. Thank you very much indeed. I hope you can come to our opera house again."
Shi Hong-E, Director of Shanghai Opera House, Vice chairman of Shanghai Music Association

"All teachers and students of our Vocal Department want me to write this letter to thank you for your coming and your generous manner and understanding teaching ...You both have given us an unforgettable impression. Your suggestions about diction and interpretation and all kinds of details of singing are really most helpful for our young teachers and students. And we all hope that we could have the pleasure to see you again and get more of your excellent coach-ing."
Professor Pansy Yuxiu Long, Hon. Head of Vocal Department,
Sichuan Conservatory of Music, Chengdu, China

"It was my great honor to work with you during your stay in Shanghai Conservatory of Music. Your detailed work in technique, diction and interpretation of different styles and especially in many foreign languages, e.g., German, French, and Italian, is a great help to us. Both the students and the faculty have been most appreciative. Your comments and suggestions on my work is also very helpful to my teaching. I have to say that I learned a lot from you and I am looking forward to the opportunity to work with you again."
Professor Ni Chen Feng, Shanghai Conservatory of Music, Shanghai, China

"It was such a delight to watch you work with students at the Master Class sponsored by the Michigan Chapter of NATS. I was impressed by the manner in which you were able to honor each student's place in their singing process, and in just a few minutes make vital changes in their performance. Your ability to work as a team has unexpected benefits. For example, if one of you explains an idea one way and the student does not immediately understand, your other member always seems to have just the right phrase to make it clear. The fact that you are both fluent in both French and German is evident, but the clarity with which you explain variations in sounds is outstanding."
Professor Cora E. Enman, Central Michigan University, Former Great Lakes Regional Governor, NATS

"It was a pleasure to have you as the artist-clinicians for the annual Louisiana Music Teachers Association State Conference I received many positive comments about the Master Class. Your keen ears and sound advice solved both vocal and diction problems for each of the students and the charming and enthusiastic instruction was very effective. I do hope we can host another 'Meyers' event in the future. You are a terrific duo and have a great deal to offer both teachers and students."
Scharmal Schrock, Professor of Voice, Director of Opera~ Music Theater Program, Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, Louisiana

"I was most impressed by your ability to help our students, both technically and interpretively, in a very confident, clear, and easy manner. You made our students feel so at ease, that they were able to assimilate and to enjoy your ideas and your pedagogical devices more readily. I heard many positive comments from both voice teachers and students about your outstanding Master Classes, and I sincerely hope that you will return."
Professor Higinio Fernandez, Dean of the School of Music, University of Costa Rica, San Jose, Costa Rica

"We are extremely grateful for the remarkable voice workshop developed here in Salvador during your visit to Brazil. Both students and Professors who attended the course are still impressed by the solid music knowledge demonstrated at the occasion and the easiness of handling the different aspects of technique and training. It was a great experience which we hope may be repeated soon."
Paulo Costa Lima, Director, School of Music, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador de Bahia, Brazil

"I wish to extend to you our sincerest gratitude for the excellent opportunity you have afforded the students and professors of voice in the city of Guadalajara during these last six weeks You have brought to our city a marvelous opportunity for young voice students, and, with your professionalism, true vocation for the art, and total commitment to your work you have been able to overcome the language and cultural barriers to create a truly transcendental experience both for the students and for this Institute. Your keen sensitivity, which enables you to individualize your teaching of each student in vocal techniques as well as in interpretation and language, and the ability you have to reach out to the student and tear down the barriers of uncertainty and nervousness speak to professors of true vocation. That two persons in such a category have offered to share their knowledge and talent with us both honors our institution and fills us with personal pride. Thank you so much for being so generous with us."
David L. Thompson, Executive Director, Mexican North American Cultural Institute, Guadalajara, Mexico

"Certainly, a highlight of our term was your masterclass, enjoyed by all of us and talked about still. Your positive way of working and being with young singers was in every case a joy to behold, as the level of improvement and focus grew with each student. There was never a negative moment, just much thoughtful communication, detailed and objective work towards the clearest goal -better singing. The theater of your own double act is considerable; always approachable, often funny, unfailingly serious and attentive to the most subtle nuance. The fact that all the participants and their observers made you spill the class over into the afternoon is your sure sign of their appreciation. We would love to see you back at Trinity, and I particularly would like my teachers to see your work."
Linda Hirst , Head of Vocal Faculty, Trinity College of Music, London, England

"It was a pleasure to have you once again present Master Classes at the Vienna Conservatory of Music. Your reputation here has grown over the past year as was proven by the number of students attending. Of all our Master Classes, there has never been such a good attendance. Your outstanding technical and interpretative work with the students has brought a wave of enthusiasm about singing into the Conservatory. I'm continually amazed at the positive energy you both instill in the students and your ability to pinpoint problems and help immediately. As head of the voice department I especially appreciate your skills in assisting technically without causing conflicts with the methods of our teachers. We're all looking forward to your return to Vienna and hope you can find time in your busy schedule to hold Master Classes here in the near future.
Sebastian Vittucci, Head of the Voice Department at the Vienna Conservatory of Music, Vienna, Austria

"Talk about drama! Never before have I witnessed such rapid and vivid improvements as when I observed Joseph and Violette Meyers' master class. Starting with singers who had at first seemed to swallow their voices and who had appeared to be uncomfortable hitting notes outside a certain range, the Meyers gently suggested simple, effective strategies that transformed their performances. In their light-hearted, humane and highly-skilled ways, the Meyers guided even some accomplished singers toward performances that were more musically and theatrically compelling. All this within approximately fifteen minutes per student. Now THAT'S super-charged!"
Joanne Milani, former Tampa Tribune theater and visual arts critic and correspondent for Tampa Bay Magazine

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