Respiro alum Jordan Krack and I had a chance to catch up this past week. Jordan is now in his second year of a Masters in Vocal Performance at Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. This past summer Jordan got some great stage experience in the chorus of Cincinnati Opera. Upcoming performances include CCM’s production of “The Bartered Bride,” baritone soloist in the school’s production of Dark Star Requiem, and soloist in his church’s presentation of Fauré’s Requiem. Jordan will present his master’s degree recital in the spring.
Looking back at his time in Respiro, Jordan said it was sort of the “Oh, that’s what they meant!” moment. He had heard the information about body/breath connection from former voice teachers and coaches but during Respiro, he really had a chance to develop a kinesthetic understanding. With this awareness, he experienced a much freer way to sing, not completely relaxed, but certainly with less tension than he was previously used to.
Jordan liked the various body work modalities of Respiro: Alexander Technique, Body Mapping and yoga for the singer. He found it helpful to just work on two selections, one aria and a duet, because then he was not overwhelmed with a lot of music. The focus always remained on the body work. Re-examining an old aria and teaming up with a new duet partner fit perfectly into a 10 day program.
I had to ask about the organization of the schedule over the 10 days. Jordan thought the pacing was great, especially alternating between individual coachings and group work.
As a native Californian, Jordan was particularly interested in coming to NYC to get a feel for “The Big Apple.” Opera America’s location within blocks of one of NYC’s biggest hubs, Penn Station, provided him with easy transportation to explore various icons of the city.
Jordan made an excellent point, that young singers are looking for a summer program which is worth the time and money and will advance their knowledge and skill set. Respiro met his expectations. He thought the tuition was more than reasonable for what he got out of the program, not to mention being able to work with a supportive and knowledgeable faculty.
Thank you, Jordan! We wish you continued success! Keep us appraised of your next chapter!