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THE SINGER’S VOICE
Cantor Stephen Chaiet
NATS National Assoc. Teachers of Singing
The National website for NATS dedicated to encouraging the highest standards of singing through excellence in teaching and the promotion of vocal education and research. http://www.nats.org/
Vocal Instructors with the NATS represent those voice teachers exhibiting the highest levels of training and expertise. The website link below will direct you to those teachers affiliated with the Toronto Ontario Great Lakes Chapter. The Toronto contingent of NATS voice teachers represents one of the largest bodies of highly trained professionals assembled from both Canada,USA & worldwide. http://www.natsontario.org/
VOICE REHABILITATION FOR THE MODERN,
CLASSICAL, OPERATIC & LITURGICAL SINGER
The Human Voice
The Human Voice is both socially, physically and even spiritually, one of our most special attributes. Your voice cannot be touched, tasted, smelled or seen. Yet throughout human history, it has been responsible for influencing the course of music, art, religion and politics. Whether spoken or sung aloud the result of hearing the voice in speech or song has inspired men and women to greatness in every human field of endeavor. Your own unique expression of vocal sound through vocal acculturation and rehabilitation is one of the goals of this website.
There are those of us who have always wanted to learn how to sing. Regardless of your singing style the first rule of thumb is : ‘prima non nocere ‘ – firstly to do no harm. This website and its links will always promote this rule both through instruction and emphasis on vocal hygiene. During his active career this has always been Cantor Stephen Chaiet’s vocal philosophy both in performance and studio instruction. Any questions relating to these aspects of the vocal art may be conveyed via the guest page of this website . Responses will be for the purpose of dispensing valuable information concerning the Bel Canto teaching methods, holistic therapies, and the nutritional preservation of the vocal instrument. Website links are provided toward this end on this site and will be modified as the need arises. Best wishes for success in your search for vocal health, fitness and fulfillment!
Recommended Sites
Singing for a Living Marta Woodhull
http://www.singingforaliving.com/
The VoiceTeacher with Maestro David Jones
THE VOICE DOCTOR (pre/post operative orientation site)
http://www.voicedoctor.net
NATS Professor Richard Miller in memoriam (especially for our NATS Students)
https://www.oberlin.edu/conservatory/divisions/vocal-studies/obsvac/emeriti-faculty
https://www.singers.com/vocal-coach/Richard-Miller/
NATS Official Website National Association of Teachers of Singing of America NATS America
http://www.nats.org/
Lisa Popeil Voiceworks
http://www.popeil.com
Antonio (Anthony) Frisella in memorium
Cantor Stephen Chaiet – Singer & Voice Teacher
‘…his flexibility and range are positively astonishing’ Jacob Siskind – The Ottawa Citizen
‘…the art of Cantorial singing is alive and well’ Jacob Siskind – The Canadian Jewish News
Cantor Stephen Chaiet is an acclaimed lyric tenor, liturgical singer, cantor, and operatic – classical singer for over twenty years. Although presently , no longer a practicing Cantor, his performances at the Canadian Museum of Civilization, the National Gallery Concert Hall of Canada, the National Arts Centre, Nepean’s Centrepointe Theatre, on CBC Arts Radio hosted by Shelly Solmes and on CJOH television’s Regional Contact were enthusiastically received and were firsts for a Cantor in Ottawa, Canada. As an acclaimed Concert singer, Recitalist, Voice teacher and Adjudicator for the National Association of Teachers of Singing NATS for many years in Ottawa Ontario CANADA and in Toronto Ontario CANADA, his specialty is in voice restoration, vocal rehabilitation, classical and modern singing instruction and liturgical/ cantorial coaching. He has been a much sought-after speaker and writer on these subjects, while having maintained an active career as a Cantor (precentor) . His voice students (whether seeking rehab or vocal training) have been performers from a variety of musical genres – cantors and cantorial soloists (with CDs produced), popular blues singers (Maples Blues Award Winners performing on stages worldwide), operatic and concert-oratorio performers, popular swing and hip-hop artists, jazz and reggae musicians as well as many ethnic-language singers.
In consultation with prominent otolaryngologists he has had great success in preserving the voices of both popular classical and modern singers. (previous link above from The Voice Doctor) Singers possessing vocal tremelos (wobble), poor pitch-intonation or singers displaying nasality, unconventional tonal concepts, dysphonia, stuttering, or pre- and post- operative surgical nodules have sought him for voice therapy. He also has specialized in restorative nutrition for singers, dancers and actors utilizing the latest herbal, holistic and homeopathic protocols. In addition to successfully auditioning for the Canadian Opera Company and the Opera Company of Hamilton, he also had a distinguished career firstly as an Associate Cantor in Toronto, Canada (1983-1989), and as later as a Senior Cantor in Ottawa (1989-2003) in the National Capital of Canada. Cantor Chaiet has worked with some of the finest choirs in Canada, concertizing with the Canadian Centennial Choir https://ccc-ccc.ca/history-of-the-choir/ under the baton of James Caswell, with the Statistics Canada Choir and with other numerous choral ensembles . He has performed with combined choirs at the National Arts Centre for two performances with conductor Franz Paul Decker to wonderful reviews in the national media (CBC radio and the Ottawa Citizen).
He was accepted as an honoured member and alumnus of the NATS National Association of Teachers of Singing (Montreal Chapitre Quebec, Ottawa Chapter, Toronto Ontario Great Lakes Chapter), the National Music Council of America, and the CCA Cantorial Council of America . He received his Cantorial Ordination and Diploma, approved by the Toronto Cantorial Council, from the late world famous Cantor David Bagley after lengthy study, and a Cantorial designate diploma from the Cantorial Council of America CCA Belz Institute New York. After being influenced by the Bel Canto style of the late Cantor Louis Danto in his choir as a youth, he later continued his classical training at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto with Madames Irene MacLellan and Fanny Levitan along with vocal coach and accompanist Bram Goldhamer. He also holds certificates from the National Association of Teachers of Singing of America NATS in Vocal Pedagogy and Rehabilitation using the techniques of the late Professors Richard Miller and Antonio Frisella of the Metropolitan Opera Co.
He has also acted as an Adjudicator for the NATS annual vocal competitions held annually throughout Canada and the United States. In the area of Technical Designation and Direction for the acclaimed production of Shakespeare’s ‘Merchant of Venice in Auschwitz’ , he acted as the musical/cultural consultant for the production which has been performed worldwide.
Cantor Stephen Chaiet has been a contributor of articles for the Cantorial Council of America’s – 40th Year Commemorative Book, writing extensively on Voice Rehabilitation, Hygiene & Nutritional Protocols for Vocalists. He has also been an advisor to the Canadian Musical Heritage Society as a contributor, especially in the production of the Sacred Choral Music Volume III available to doctoral students of music globally. He is featured and interviewed in the book From Chantre to Djak: Cantorial Traditions in Canada authored by Robert B. Klymasz , Curator at the Canadian Museum of Civilization. https://www.amazon.ca/chantre-djak-Cantorial-traditions-Canada/dp/0660178346
The Challenging Future
Since having been affected by RP – Retinitis Pigmentosa, a presently progressive form of blindness, Cantor Chaiet is now currently registered with the CNIB (Canadian National Institute for the Blind) and the FFB (Foundation Fighting Blindness). While awaiting FDA approval for new clinical trials for genetic and stem cell therapies, Cantor Chaiet eagerly anticipates the availability of these clinical trials which will usher in a new era of visual restoration for himself and untold thousands with degenerative retinal disorders like RP , AMD (Macular Degeneration) and other associated dystrophies of the retina. http://www.blindness.org/
We are encouraged by this website – a testimonial of his multi-faceted career, his present challenges and aspirations. We hope it will enrich your own personal quest for vocal excellence as it is updated with medical and ‘musical’ breakthroughs.
The FFFB /Foundation for Fighting Blindness is receiving your generous donations towards finding the cure for Retinal disorders such as RP and AMD … A Cure is in Sight!
http://www.blindness.org/
Current Research
https://www.fightingblindness.org/research/retinitis-pigmentosa-research-advances-3
https://health.ucsd.edu/news/releases/Pages/2017-04-21-crispr-reverses-retinitis-pigmentosa.aspx
https://www.splice-bio.com/the-first-therapeutic-use-of-crispr-may-be-for-retinitis-pigmentosa/
The Singer's Voice Cantor Stephen Chaiet 