A Soprano on Her Head: Right-Side-Up Reflections on Life and Other Performances

Rating:
Summary: So much fun practicing - a simply fabulous book
Review: I really don`t know how to praise this book enough, and I highly recommend it to anyone, who would like to increase their results in playing the piano, the cello, the oboe, singing or playing any other instrument, and surely the book could be more than interesting to other people practicing "performance" like actors, entertainers, footballplayer and so on. I was a bit puzzled by the title of the book, and bought it curious to find out, what was hidden behind these words. What I found was the most interesting book about practicing I have ever read, and I am amazed and sad about the fact, that the author is passed away years ago, wondering how the principles of this book can remain unknown to all the teachers I have had. The book has 16 chapters, each chapter taking you on a fabulous journey in practicing in a lot of different ways. The author gives you all the material you need to explore the music and more important your everyday life in a new and different way. She talks about handling inner judges, inner clowns, dancing your music, handling your symtoms of stage fright, giving up "playing it the right way" and finding out your way to play and sing the music, and gives plenty of examples of students finding their way through. And when it all comes down to final it is strictly about being aware. During the authors experience teaching, she makes you realize, that often we are so busy and messed up thinking about what people will say, how we will sound or what someone else would have done in our place, that we don`t even have the ability nor the energy to make a single decent tone, whereas if we put all that energy into awareness of what we are doing, we could really make something out of it. The book gives you a lot of diffent tools to try and get more out of your practice time and be more happy about it. Yesterday I went to my first songlesson at my conservatory in Italy after reading this book, and my voice was strong and free and I felt joy for the music for the first time in months. No one can garantee you, that it lasts, but if it dosn`t I can always go back and do another experiment guided by the book, there are plenty left for me to explore. So if you want to feel more comfortable about yourself and your instrument or your voice, do yourself a favor, and buy this book.

Rating:
Summary: Useful for any creative medium
Review: I skimmed through this book and thought, "well, this isn't really much." Then I started reading it again and found many helpful things. I especially liked the chapter "Drink your milk; don't drink your milk" - on how to ignore the endless amount of expert advice and technical guidance available, most of it contradictory. As a visual artist, I found myself feeling much lighter and happier about my work process since reading this book.

Rating:
Summary: Useful for any creative medium
Review: I skimmed through this book and thought, "well, this isn't really much." Then I started reading it again and found many helpful things. I especially liked the chapter "Drink your milk; don't drink your milk" - on how to ignore the endless amount of expert advice and technical guidance available, most of it contradictory. As a visual artist, I found myself feeling much lighter and happier about my work process since reading this book.

Rating:
Summary: A must for the hyper-perfectionist
Review: I was recommended this book by my voice teacher when I would consistently over-control my voice trying to do everything "perfectly". It not only helped with that problem, it helped with my stage presence and just about everything else. Anybody who has lost their love of singing because of the need to "get it right", anybody with stage fright (or even just a severely stiff stage presence), anyone who doesn't believe they can really perform should read this book. It's written with warmth, humor, and great clarity and lots of personal examples. Any musician (and a lot of other people) would benefit.

Rating:
Summary: right side up at any age!
Review: I'm 15 years old and had to read this book as homework from my voice teacher. I thought it was going to be a really lame book, so she told me to just read a few chapters. I thought " fine, I'll read 1 or 2 and be done with it". But once I started,I couldn't stop! I was increadible! It has helped me not only as a singer, but as a cellist, an actress, a dancer, a performer in general, and as a whole peson. This book isn't just for musicians and performers, it's for anyone who loves music and movement. For anyone who loves life! Because just as you will learn from Eloise in her masterfully written book, life is a performance. This book has changed my life in such a significant way, and it will change yours, too. Now my teacher keeps bugging me to give it back! Open your heart to this book. Sing and play and dance and discover and laugh and cry with it. She exposes the passion inside you and coaxes it out so gently and beautifuly. You will never be the same!

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Summary: Exquisite!!! A life saver!
Review: I'm a Freshman at Portland State University. After playing the trumpet for upwards of eight years, I decided to major in music. I had finished off most of my first term when it came time to play a robust and quick piece infront of my collegues. I froze. I had never had an experience like this before and it was terrifying. I wanted to perform for a living, and this was threatening to stop me. The next day, a dear friend of mine, and a graduate student here, set this book on my case. "Try this," she said. "It helped me." She was right. After reading this book, I discovered secrets that not only have helped me unlock my music potential, but also helpedme in the competitive world of English Horseback riding. I remain forever greatful to her for her recommendation, and I make the same one to anyone with a fear of performing.

Rating:
Summary: Quirky but worthwhile
Review: The author suggests unconventional ways of dealing with musician's nagging problems, such as, self doubt or technical plateaus. Her approach and ideas are a bit quirky but useful. She challenges musicians to step outside the conventional pedagogy box to explore solutions in fresh ways. Hidden under this new way of addressing problems is the feeling of empowerment musicans will gain if they listen to her advice.

Rating:
Summary: Tough to put down
Review: The first chapter of this book was a reading assignment for my voice pedagogy class. I wasn't completely sold by the title (or the cover), but I was instantly hooked once I started reading. This book will be loved by all musicians as well as anyone engaged in any sort of practice. Through her exciting and light approach to dealing with "serious problems," Ristad shows us that our harshest critics are those "judges" within us, those inner voices to which we currently worship. When we are willing to put those voices aside momentarily and give ourselves permission to try, to experiment, even to fail once in a while, we actually give ourself permission to grow and excel. An inspiring message to all.

Rating:
Summary: Tough to put down
Review: The first chapter of this book was a reading assignment for my voice pedagogy class. I wasn't completely sold by the title (or the cover), but I was instantly hooked once I started reading. This book will be loved by all musicians as well as anyone engaged in any sort of practice. Through her exciting and light approach to dealing with "serious problems," Ristad shows us that our harshest critics are those "judges" within us, those inner voices to which we currently worship. When we are willing to put those voices aside momentarily and give ourselves permission to try, to experiment, even to fail once in a while, we actually give ourself permission to grow and excel. An inspiring message to all.

Rating:
Summary: Get inside your head with "A Soprano on Her Head"
Review: This book was an unofficial "required reading" for my teacher's viola studio in undergraduate and is one of the best books I have ever read! It can help you change your approach to practicing, auditioning, and your approach to music problem solving. It also may make you examine the way you approach other aspects of your life. This is a book about keeping ideas fresh, keeping your spirit free, and not being afraid to try something new (and {gasp} potentially unorthodox). You do not have to be a professional musician to enjoy this book. Wonderful!