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Testimonials
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"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
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“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.”
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Christopher Raeburn, Formerly Head of
Opera Productions (Decca London Record
Company)
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" 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."
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Professor Dale Moore,
EastmanSchool of Music, NATS Past
President
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"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."
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Professor Vernon Yenne,
Wichita State University, NATS Past
President
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"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!"
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Professor Alexandra
Browning, University of Victoria, Victoria,
Canada, Chair,
1990 NATS
Vancouver Summer
Workshop
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"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."
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Professor Dorothy
Sawatski, University of Arkansas, Little
Rock,
Former NATS
Vice President for
Workshops
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"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."
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John B. Barton, Cultural
Affairs Officer, U.S. Embassy, Brasilia,
Brazil
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"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."
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Carmen Luisa Letelier,
Professor of Voice, University of Chile,
Santiago, Chile
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"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."
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Shi Hong-E, Director of
Shanghai Opera House, Vice chairman of
Shanghai Music
Association
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"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." |
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Professor Pansy Yuxiu
Long, Hon. Head of Vocal
Department,
Sichuan
Conservatory of Music, Chengdu,
China
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"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."
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Professor Ni Chen Feng,
Shanghai Conservatory of Music, Shanghai,
China
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"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."
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Professor Cora E. Enman,
Central Michigan University, Former Great
Lakes Regional Governor,
NATS
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"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."
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Scharmal Schrock,
Professor of Voice, Director of Opera~
Music Theater Program, Southeastern
Louisiana University, Hammond,
Louisiana
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"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."
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Professor Higinio
Fernandez, Dean of the School of Music,
University of Costa Rica, San Jose, Costa
Rica
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"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."
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Paulo Costa Lima,
Director, School of Music, Federal
University of Bahia, Salvador de Bahia,
Brazil
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"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."
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David L. Thompson,
Executive Director, Mexican North American
Cultural Institute, Guadalajara,
Mexico
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"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."
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Linda Hirst , Head of
Vocal Faculty, Trinity College of Music,
London, England
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"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.
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Sebastian Vittucci, Head
of the Voice Department at the Vienna
Conservatory of Music, Vienna,
Austria
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"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!"
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Joanne Milani, former
Tampa Tribune theater and visual arts
critic and correspondent for Tampa Bay
Magazine
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