master classes:
an inside look

“At The Sharon L. Morse Performing Arts Center it was our great honor to host Linda Eder both as a performer in a sold out concert and as instructor of our inaugural Master Class. It’s challenging to truly express the level of talent, professionalism and congeniality displayed during her two days with us. Her remarkable concert was followed by a 90 minute autograph session/photo op, in which she signed every autograph of every fan that wanted to meet her. The following day she instructed a Master Class to ten participants and nearly sixty spell-bound observers. The skill Ms. Eder demonstrates as a performer is matched only by her skill as instructor, helping other artists to hone their talent as singers. She even took time to sign autographs and take photos with members of our staff, including myself. Prior to Ms. Eder’s residency, I was an ardent fan. Post her residency, I can easily classify her as one of the most talented, gracious, professionals I have had the privilege of meeting and working with during my three decade career in the theatre. She is among the finest of what the performing arts has to offer.”

I became an instant fan of Linda’s the moment I was introduced to JEKYLL & HYDE and her extraordinary talents later in my college years. At that time, I had never heard a voice that possessed so much in the powers of storytelling and audience connection, let alone sheer vocal power. To say that Linda was remarkably inspiring to me – a male, former college jock, and musical theatre newbie very much considered an outsider to his peers – would be quite the understatement.

Fast-forward 20 years after performing and touring professionally for the vast majority of that time – including two stints touring as Henry Jekyll/Edward Hyde in JEKYLL – it was truly a dream come true for my wife and I to have the opportunity to participate in a Master Class with Linda. In the interest of full disclosure, I am sometimes wary of artists that give master classes as the “class” is often lacking on substance and ends up being more of a profitable fan meet-and-greet session. Linda’s Master Class was the exact opposite! Not only was Linda beyond gracious, down-to-earth, humble and very giving, but the value of her insight and hands-on work with each performer was extraordinary. She took her time with each artist and not only praised their strengths, but was also able to identify unique areas for improvement as well as deliver her constructive suggestions in a way that was both positive and immediately actionable. Linda also took great care to ensure that others in attendance were active participants so that when she gave a piece of performance advice or a technique suggestion, all could benefit.

Success leaves clues. As human beings, no matter our current skill level, we must continually surround ourselves with people who are better in a particular area than we are if we want to keep growing and truly become great at something. From beginning performers to seasoned pros and everywhere in between, Linda’s remarkable insight, genuine care and hands-on work elevated the “game” of everyone in the room that wonderful evening and we are all the better for it. Not only do I recommend that everyone who is genuinely serious about growing their craft seek out the opportunity to work with Linda, but any time that Linda is offering a Master Class in the future and my schedule allows, I will be there again. Thank you, Linda, for being extraordinary.

The first time I heard the “Jekyll & Hyde” musical soundtrack, I was in awe of Linda Eder. What an incredible talent and she has been someone I’ve looked up to vocally for quite some time. When I found out she was coming to Florida for a concert and master class, I was overjoyed and knew I had to get a seat in her class. The morning to register as a student I had my alarm set to call the box office to try and ensure my spot. In one hand I was on hold with the box office and in the other I was trying to register online. Once my participant ticket was secured, I was overjoyed.

The day of the class I was a nervous wreck. After seeing her concert the night before the master class, this was all becoming more real. Not only do I get to meet Linda, I have the opportunity to sing and work with her! Once at the class I felt a little more at ease because it took place on the stage with a more informal setup for the eighty observers and the curtain was closed.

Showtime! Lucky me… I was the first one up! I sang “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again,” from “The Phantom of the Opera.” I thought it went very well and was a great way to start the night. Linda stated that I had a beautiful voice. She worked with me on some of my phrasing, how to find my voice and put “Erika” in there. I wish I would’ve had more time to work with her, but I am grateful for what I got. I was also able to learn a few techniques and tricks from watching the other participants as well.

What an amazing experience and a memory I will always cherish.

MY STORY

First, I’d like to thank you, Ms. Eder, and the staff of the Sharon L. Morse Performing Arts Center for coordinating and executing a most informative Master Class. As I flew in from North Carolina, the class met all my expectations, and I have great notes and techniques to apply to my own performing with my current big swing band here in Raleigh. I, like most of Ms. Eder’s followers and fans, are moved by her talent, her voice and her performance of music. I feel honored and privileged to have been able to participate in her class, but also to share the remarkable way she shaped my life almost 17 years ago.

I first met Ms. Eder 16 years ago at Mohegan Sun Casino and Resort in Connecticut. It was as this meeting that I asked her permission to sing her title track of “It’s Time” at Miss America. I was Miss New Hampshire 2000 and, like many contestants, felt her music was a great show-piece on the National stage in Atlantic City. Moreover, I was one of the first contestants to ever perform a Linda Eder vocal in competition. I was extremely honored to have the US Air Force band write an arrangement to be performed live for performances throughout that year. The last night of competition, I closed the show in Atlantic City with thousands in the audience to “It’s Time.”

That meeting 16 years ago forever changed my life, not just my performance career, but my family. I had introduced Ms. Eder’s music to my family, and especially to my grandfather. From that moment on, he never missed a performance of hers in the Boston Metropolitan area. He had tickets for every North Shore venue, for her performances with the Boston Symphony as well as the Boston Pops. (As I mentioned to Ms. Eder after the class, we have a mutual friend with conductor Keith Lockhart). My grandfather simply couldn’t get enough of her music and her talent and her heart. Sadly, he passed away a year ago this past August, but I have the greatest photo memory of him, his wife and Linda at her show in Boston a few months before his passing. I know how overjoyed he would be to know I full-filled a dream opportunity to study under THE Linda Eder.

I know you didn’t request this back-story, but it was important to me to share why I chose to fly from North Carolina to Florida last week; Ms. Eder’s Master Class was a way for me to not only improve my singing and performing, but a way to feel my grandfather smile one more time. He would have been proud. So thank you… and thank you to Ms. Eder for sharing her time and talents with the group; it meant everything to me.

MASTER CLASS

As the feature vocalist with the NC Reveler’s Orchestra, a big Swing Band in North Carolina, it is important for me to continually improve the quality of my singing and performing. To do this requires an understanding of voice fundamentals and vocal techniques which aide in improving resonance and tone. Equally as important is learning HOW to apply these concepts, modify previously learned vocal patterns and enhance vocal quality and sound. Couple these points with how to connect with an audience, and you have the perfect makings of a Master Class with Linda Eder.

Ms. Eder provided specific examples as to how to begin to improve vocal sound to the class with the following:

• Choose a natural and impactful voice
• Be emotional and connect
• Sing the way you speak- use a natural pronunciation
  • This point was specific to pronunciation of words and lyrics
• Lift the Mask Up
  • Referring to frontal facial muscles to get a clean “Ah” sound because rich tones come from vowels
  • Strengthen facial muscles
• Make the “I” in the lyrics the most beautiful thing we sing
• Remember singing is an Athletic Sport
  • A reminder to focus on breathing and improving lung and ribcage muscle expansion and capacity for air;
• And finally the “Secret to Belting”- sing like you are yelling with intent

Ms. Eder provided these and many more examples of how to improve the quality of the voice as we sing and application of these concepts. Additionally, I was impressed with her knowledge as to how sound is formed, her understanding of vocal resonance and where to place the sound as we sing; the goal being to sing songs in the “middle” of the head, not too forward to the mask and not too far toward the back. She provided great examples to “fatten” the sound of the voice by opening the palette—all of this to add coloring and arc to the sound quality.

For any and all students studying the styles of Broadway, Classical, Jazz, and others, if you have the opportunity to enroll in a Master Class with Linda Eder, you will learn how to improve the fullness, color, warmth, brightness, power and strength of your singing.  You will have the opportunity to learn from arguably the best vocalist in the business, to learn from her experiences and what she believe works well for vocalists.  You will be taught by an accomplished professional, a warm-hearted and down-to-earth teacher; a singer who loves her career and loves her family and wants to make YOU the student, truly a better singer.

Thank you to Ms. Eder for this opportunity. I will be forever grateful.

Linda made such an impact on me, not only working with me personally, but also watching her with the other participants. She was able to “read” each person and hear and see perfectly what they needed to work on to better their performance and sound, taking both to a new level! She is very down to earth and even though we were nervous, somehow she made us feel at ease.

I have already felt more confident in expressing the different “colors” of my singing voice as well as the high belt that I am known for… making it clearer and more my “own voice.” I am in the process of returning to my roots, which would be the big beautiful ballads, jazz, and Broadway. The song that we worked on, “Maybe This Time,” I will be performing in my show on December 14th at the Savannah Center. I have already felt stronger about both my higher and lower notes… and really telling the story. Last night, I had a rehearsal for “Guys and Dolls” as I am playing the lead Adelaide also at the Savannah Center; several of the people in the cast were observers Wednesday night and they too, were exploding with excitement and awesome comments about Linda’s teaching style, her instinctive knowing about each singer, and also calling her a “real person!” I have even taken some of Linda’s wisdom to my character of Adelaide and added “colors” to the way my character would say her lines. I also found some guidelines for voicing commercials and talking on air… all about “The Voice!!”

It was great to visit briefly with Linda after the class and we had a chance to talk about horses… dogs and horses, my favorite topics! Linda is just so cool and I am very grateful to have had the chance to take the class and meet her in person!!

Having the opportunity to work with Linda Eder was a dream come true. I first fell in love with her “Broadway My Way” album and sang several of her signature songs for various performances. In fact, it was her song, “Gold,” that earned me the talent award and 1st runner up at the Miss New Hampshire pageant.

Beyond that, Lucy in Jekyll & Hyde is a dream role of mine. As you can imagine, having the chance to work one-on-one with such a legend was an opportunity that I couldn’t pass up.

As a professional performer and voice teacher, I am always looking for ways to hone my skills. Linda’s Master Class reiterated several invaluable points, and the way she brilliantly explained certain concepts to other students gave me new ways to explain difficult concepts to my own students as well.

As a singer, Linda helped me pinpoint several specific areas to direct my work on my own voice as well. She is so down to earth and easy going, immediately putting her students at ease, making the transition from singing for a star to star-pupil work comfortable, effortless, and fun.

“This was my second time taking the Master Class with Linda Eder. I had people ask me why I decided to take it again. For me, I am always a student. There is always something to learn, or simply something that I need to be reminded of.

“I have been a fan of Linda Eder since my father brought me home a CD of the Broadway recording Jekyll & Hyde in the 90s. Her voice still remains to be like none other. What impresses me most is even in concert, she sounds identical to her recordings. So any opportunity to learn from her in my mind should be taken advantage of. Not only that, but I am in awe of how kind and humble she is in person. So many times you idolize celebrities only to find they aren’t who they appear to be. It’s so refreshing to know that though Linda Eder is as famous as she is, she is still very much down to earth! It only made me a bigger fan!”

“From the minute I sat down, I realized I was the only non-singer there. I am an actor who sings. And a very nervous one to boot! But what I loved about Linda was that she was very ‘real.’ She put us all at ease immediately with her sense of humor and her genuineness. I was the last to go so I had plenty of time to worry about whether anything would come out of my mouth when it opened, but I also had plenty of time to listen to all the advice she was giving the others. And believe me I did listen. I knew going in that I was not a great singer, but I also knew that there was a chance I could be a better singer. Honestly, I don’t sing in public without a costume and it showed when I got up to sing. She picked up on that immediately but made me feel good when she pointed out that I was an actor and a good one. She didn’t point out that my voice was shaky or off key. She picked out the positive not the negative. So, if you asked me would I do this again? Did I learn anything? Did I accomplish anything? I would answer yes to all three! I would encourage anybody who is a singer or an actor to try a Master Class with Linda Eder. I know I walked away with far more than I walked in with… more knowledge, more courage, and a sense of who I am and where I was going from there!”

“Just a brief note to tell you and Linda how much I enjoyed the Master Class with Linda. With the limited time frame to work with, she did a wonderful job! Every participant learned something. I know I did I’ve already used some of her tips on breathing techniques, use of vowels, and getting involved with the lyrics. I’ll be happy to attend the next class in The Villages.”

“It was such a privilege and a pleasure to meet my favorite female singer in person at the Master Class. Her concert the night before, as always, was superb. To have the one on one experience she gave me to perfect my singing presentation was “priceless.” I also found observing her assisting other singers very beneficial to me. She provides such excellent feedback that I too could benefit from her expertise. I send my heartfelt gratitude to Linda and everyone that made that experience possible.”

“Linda Eder is a class act and the real deal. She was able to analyze the strong points of a vocalist and areas of improvement. Using her vast experience and intellect she was able to give specific instruction to her student. She also engaged herself with the student and took the time to teach and help her student. She takes her immense stage/voice talent and becomes a gifted teacher. Her heart was in her teaching. She had the same commitment for teaching as she did for performing her concert the night before. As I said a class act. I enjoyed her Master Class. “