The Impulse to Sing

Karen’s class explores how our voice grows from an impulse— an utterance — to a fully formed sustained tone. If you’ve ever been surprised by a vocal sound you’ve made unintentionally, for instance, a mouse sighting (EEEK!) or, you stub your toe (OOOUCH!) you have an idea of the range of vocal expression that is yours already. Let’s clarify what happens in these moments and see if we can turn it into conscious intention— fueled by the imagination— and learn better how you organize yourself to speak or sing.

Karen Clark, contralto holds degrees from the Indiana University School of Music where she studied opera and early music. She has taught in the music departments at Princeton University, Swarthmore College, Sonoma State, UC Berkeley, and in the Thornton School of Music, University of Southern California. Karen studied the Feldenkrais Method under Russell Delman and Alan Questel (1999) and since has presented workshops across the U.S. Karen’s articles on singing, The Impulse to Sing, and, Sounds Unfamiliar are published in the Feldenkrais Journal. Considered a leading interpreter of medieval and modern music, Karen has performed and recorded worldwide with eminent ensembles, such as, Boston Camerata, Sequentia, the Joshua Rifkin Bach Ensemble. Most recent recordings— on the Music & Arts label— include 12th century music of Hildegard von Bingen with her ensemble Vajra Voices, and the song cycle, Dream Drapery— Songs on Thoreau, written for her and the Galax Quartet by Pulitzer/Grammy award winning composer, Joseph Schwantner. Karen is staying home in Petaluma, CA with her partner, Roy Whelden, and cat Molly and looks forward to blackberry pie season.

Karen Clark, contralto, sings a moving rendition of Hildegard von Bingen's antiphon "O Virtus Sapientie."