ALIDA ANNICCHIARICO

1. What are you reading?
I’m currently reading Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert. It’s all about getting past fear and allowing yourself to be creative.

I recently read “Your Body Your Voice, The Key To Natural Singing and Speaking” by Theodore Dimon which gives a comprehensive understanding of the function of the voice but also provides insight into approaching singing and speaking in a natural way

2. What are you listening to these days?
I grew up listening to everything from Luciano Pavarotti to The Beatles and Michael Jackson.  So my musical tastes include a variety of genres.  Currently, I am listening to Andrea Bocelli’s new album ‘Cinema’.  My favorite is “E piu ti penso” which is a duet with Ariana Grande.   I love Italian folk music and also contemporary Italian pop music. I am also listening to Gospel singers such as Callie Day and Karen Clark Sheard and Smokie Norful. I love the song “She Used to Be Mine” in Sarah Bareilles’ new musical “The Waitress”.

3. Where and what do you teach?
I have been teaching voice for over 7 years in Vancouver and also have taught piano for many of these years too. I teach singers and actors vocal technique as well as repertoire in the areas of pop, musical theatre, Jazz, R&B, and Classical.

4. What are your favourite websites, mobile tools, favourite singers?
My favorite website is musicnotes.com because it has a huge selection of sheet music and gives many options for key changes.

I also use an app called Audio Memos to record students’ lessons and email them their lesson so they can follow along with the lesson recording as part of their practice.

I also sometimes recommend an app called Voice Tutor which doesn’t replace voice lessons, but offers some great vocal technique exercises on the go.  It also has a ‘Riff and Run’ section that I recommend for Jazz or R&B singers to practice riffing.

5. Do you have a particular repertoire expertise and suggestions for members to explore?
I am getting to know contemporary musical theatre repertoire more and more lately.  I highly recommend composers like Jason Robert Brown and selections from the musicals The Last Five Years, Bring It On, and Bridges of Madison County.  Or Pasek and Paul who wrote the musical Edges or Jonathan Reid Gealt who wrote the song “Quiet”.

6.  What are your recent and upcoming performances?
I host and perform at a bi-monthly event called Broadway On Broadway open mic at Seven Dining Lounge which allows singers to come on stage and perform one song in a supportive environment with live piano accompaniment.

7.  What is your experience with NATS (volunteering, conferences, competitions, judging, etc.)
I am very new to NATS and I’m looking forward to attending more events and getting to know more of the teachers in our region.

8. What are your professional affiliations?
I am a member and Area Rep for Canada with Institute for Vocal Advancement, an international organization that provides training and education for teachers of singing.  I am also a member of SOCAN because I am a songwriter.