Who am I?

Born in 1965, I started singing seriously at the age of 16 under Marie Louise Lauta Vermeil in Paris: a wonderful teacher of piano and music theory.

I am fortunate to be a naturally, vocally-gifted person – although that does not come without its problems and when I was young my voice always delivered, however much I mistreated it. Heady with compliments and the arrogance of youth, I gave little heed to the warnings of seasoned singers, which, just a few years later, came back to haunt me. 

 

In 1986 I started my military service performing in the choirs of the French army, conducted at the time by Serge Zapolsky, and I also entered the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique in Paris studying under Jane Berbié, Xavier Depraz and Bernard Broca.

Quickly hired as a tenor by the artistic agency Cedelle, I performed as a soloist in numerous operas and oratorios and was privileged to sing under the direction of great conductors, such as Charles Dutoit, Jiri Kout, Marek Janowski, Jeffrey Tate, Ricardo Muti and many others. This also brought the opportunity to sing in Latin America, Italy, Germany and England, and to perform in practically every opera in France, including the Opera Bastille - Strauss's Elektra, with Gwyneth Jones.

I have taken many internships with great singers, such as Vera Rosza, Christa Ludwig and Gino Becchi. During this training, I also worked on pedagogy, principally with Géraldine Ros and Monique de Saint Ghislain at Harmonique, directed by Jean Francis Zermati. 

 

When it comes to performance, I understand what a production entails: the relentless rigour required to live as a professional artist , the demands of the stage, the non-negotiable need for consistency of performance. I also know what it means to hold a place in the largest symphonic choir in the world: stage fright aside, singing in a choir is often more difficult than singing as a soloist. 

At the start of my performing career, I was consumed with stage fright and suffered from a serious lack of self-confidence, and for good reason: it was not me who controlled what my voice did, but rather my voice that dictated what it wanted from me. Fortunately, I had a rock-solid instrument. 

 

After some years I became completely demoralized, firstly by voice coaches, who convinced me that if I had trouble in the higher range it was because I was a baritone (rather than technically under practiced). This took its toll on my voice, my performance and my health. I became mentally exhausted and was justifiably sidelined by my agent. But I still had to live – and I wanted to live by my voice. So I took and passed the entrance exam for the Choir of Radio France in 1994, where everything changed and I spent 17 very happy years as second tenor. 

 

I have worked with many masters and have spent my life in the exciting study of singing and the potential of the vocal instrument. My schedule at Radio France allowed me to continue singing as a soloist, while still devoting a lot of time to learning. 

I worked with, amongst others – and in no particular order:

Marie Louise Lauta Vermeil, Lya Gaches, Claire Dinville, Christiane Patar, Jean Pierre Blivet, Vera Rosza, Mady Mesplé, Remy Corazza, Peter Gotlieb, Claude Tiollas, Guy Lacairie, Yvonne Pons, Malcolm king, Giuseppe Giacomini, Giorgio Zancanaro, Jeanne Berbié , Anne Le Coutour, Anna Maria Bondi, Paata Burchuladzé, Nikolas Nilolov in Sofia, Anne Donadieu, Jean Loupien (last pupil of George Thill), Christa Ludwig, Christian Guerin, Anne Courty, Tomy Leichtweis. I am greatly indebted to them all. 

Twice in my life I have lost my voice. The first time in 1986, when I was in the choirs of the French Army. Indeed, to be first tenor at the age of 21, with a very large, lyrical tenor instrument, but lacking any technique, is suicidal for the voice. What had to happen, happened – a large glottic cleft causing air leakage. Vocal rest and rehabilitation followed. Fortunately, I had two of the best speech therapists in Paris, Lya Gaches, then Claire Dinville from whom, after my rehabilitation, I continued to learn, especially about physical damage: knowledge which I still use today for my own benefit and that of my students. 

 

The second time was in 2006 and was a turning point in my career. A serious car accident left me with 14 open fractures, severe head trauma, pneumothorax and a torn spleen. Told I would never walk again, after several nightmarish years in hospitals and rehabilitation centres, the man that I used to be was no more: I was a totally different person and saw life very differently. 

 

During those years, I underwent 13 operations, an induced coma and various intubations, including being intubated to a respirator for almost 15 days. I was left with nothing - a mere ghost of a voice: even speaking was tortuous. However, for the second time in my life, through hard work, willpower and past experience, I succeeded in recovering, coming back better and stronger. As a result, I know how to effectively train students and can adapt to each case. Thanks to what I have learned from my teachers, voracious reading and many internships, I have discovered numerous ways of approaching vocal work, experimenting with what gets results and what does not. And when you master something that works, it will work every time. 

 

I was also able to combine the science of the vocal masters with medical and physiological research thanks to, amongst others, my friend Christian Guerin who swept away all the contradictions and nonsense that can be heard from many so-called experts. 

 

In the past, singers would stay with one teacher for years. Caruso stayed with his master for 12 years, Mario Filipeschi trained for five years with his. Callas spent her days studying with Elvira de Hidalgo. Today, in our busy society, you have to progress quickly, and that goes against art. How many times have I heard, “But today we don't sing like that anymore!” No, there are microphones to save the day! However, all enthusiasts hold the great performers and performances of the past in their hearts and complain that they can no longer find the like. Could you imagine today a Walstein, a Tauber, a Lauri-Volpi or a De Luca? It would be like a tsunami eradicating all in its path. 

 

But in truth we are no less wise than our forebears, and the thorough working method of old, the aesthetic of the voice, is evident everywhere, for those who can and want to hear it, not only through extraordinary vehicules like Youtube, but also in writing. Our predecessors all said the same thing: “The voice comes from the head, and not from the throat” - minimum fatigue for the maximum range and beauty. And as a bonus, attaining the optimum vocal position makes the text intelligible, even from a distance: clear and easy to hear and understand.

If you study with me, we will take our time to find the best techniques for you, and you will realise that by taking time at the beginning, major long-term gains will be made. 

 

Let me end with the motto of the Royal College of Music in London: “He who struggles, succeeds”.

 

Thank you for your patience and your interest.