Overcoming Obstacles

and Understanding The Artistic Self

“She understands not only the “nuts and bolts” of producing refined sound, but also clearly perceives each student’s individual needs, problems and musicality”. (C. Forbes, Soprano)

In order to achieve full focused and stress/anxiety free performance,

I guide my students to:

1. •Renounce nonstop judgmental listening.
   

2. •Stop constant negative/positive mind arguments.
   

3. •Eliminate compensatory behavior leading to the use of unnecessary muscles in body or face.
   

4. •How to focus and achieve total awareness.
   

5. •How to overcome fear and frustration and be in the NOW.
   

Learn About Zehava Gal’s Holistic

Teaching Style

Over the years I have developed a unique method for voice training. What follows are excerpts from my pedagogical writings

The Voice As Process

Learning the art of singing is a journey that requires a highly engaged process.

I use anatomy, physiology, acoustics, mental imagery, kinesthesia, vocal demonstration and my own experience as a singer/actor/pianist to achieve our mutual goals.

I present a step-by-step fashion of teaching with a body, mind, spirit, emotion, and voice interaction and unity. This teaching method provides a framework to master each technical element at a time. Just in a few weeks you will become conscious of your instrument, each person to his/her own pace, and work towards a complete and integrated mastery of technique.

Learn to focus on what is important in your professional life.

Achieve full trust and joy by fully knowing/understanding your instrument’s capacity, gift and power.

Get the best out of your teacher: 

An honest evaluation, explored knowledge, inspiration, support, and a genuine interest challenging you to grow!

My Teaching Focuses Are:

Technique

“Superb legato, luminous timber, as in his (Handel’s Ariodante) acrobatic roulades, where she commanded breathtaking virtuosity”. (La Coix, Paris)

(a). Diagnosis and information.

Before establishing breath mechanism I do the following:

1. •Provide a wide-ranging vocal evaluation.
   

2. •Introduce and clarify the anatomy and physiology of the instrument.
   

(b). Replacing myth and vagueness with a conceptual method is fundamental.

I teach my students to:

1. •Establish an appropriate posture and muscles function.
   

2. •Sing with perfect legato.
   

3. •Reach instrumental equilibrium resulting with Ring, Buzz, Brilliance and allowing the true color of the voice to emerge.
   

4. •Search for their correct Fach, natural size and timber.
   

(c). Clear Diction - an inseparable part of vocal technique.

I train my students so that they can:

1. •Identify consonants and vowels as they differ in each spoken language, then address the unique tone/lilt of the lyric diction (singing).
   

2. •Understand the relations between articulation, pronunciation and legato.
   

3. •Deliver transparent text and apply vocal coloring according to the specific dramatic/psychological/musical necessities, rather than following the ego.
   

(d). Determining vocal agility.

I introduce students to agility, flexibility, and the ability to employ coloratura both technically and stylistically at a relatively early stage.

Musicianship

“The singer has a striking capacity to adjust, change and formulate her style according to the stylistic-idiomatic features of the music she performs. This adaptability seems one of Gal’s most precious assets”. (Jerusalem Post)

Repertoire Choices

(1).  Special attention is given to the first essential years of development, ages 16-22:

1. •I encourage students to explore different styles and languages(opera, oratorio, song) while searching for the right Fach. This builds self-trust.
   

2. •I discourage impatient young singers from singing inappropriate repertoire and practicing the act of being divas. This establishes the wrong vocal identity and leads to a damaged instrument.
   

(2).  I assist advanced students and young professionals to vigilantly expand their vocal repertoire appropriately beyond their comfort zone.

Music, Emotion and Artistic Freedom

“Vocal beauty, penetrating musical insight and a striking capability to create stylistic differentiation were the characteristic features of Zehava Gal’s recital with Music by Scarlatti, Rossini, Fauré and De Falla”.

From the phrase to the total oeuvre is the core of both my musicianship and pedagogy, therefore I direct my students to:

1. •Deliver according to the musical style and dramatic necessities.
   

2. •Discover personal artistic drive and delivery.
   

3. •Strive for the highest artistic level and be prepared to deal with conductors, stage directors, managers and competitions.
   

Conductors and musicians I have worked with:

Herbert Von Karajan, Claudio Abbado, Zubin Mehta, Daniel Barenboim, Pier Boulez, Seiji Ozawa, Sir Charles Mackerras, Vladimir Ashkenazi, Pinchas Zukerman, and more.

Acting

“Mezzo-soprano Zehava Gal made the most of Rosina, she proved an extremely engaging comedian”. (Washington Post)

Creating a Truthful, Organic Performance

I coach my students to:

1. •Learn facts, historical background, characters’ relationships and their objectives.
   

2. •Identify the characters as they emerge from the music.
   

3. •Maintain a free body.
   

4. •Keep the character alive rather than frozen, totally truthful to the now.
   

Stage directors I have worked with:

Peter Brook, (stage and film), Liubimov, John Cox, Dario Fo, Pier Luigi Pizzi, Fernando Arrabal, Joseph Losey, David Robert McDonald, and more.

“When the vibrant Zehava Gal sang, Carmen’s air with castanets, standing a few yards from me on the sand-strewn floor of Peter Brook’s scenery-less arena, I felt the music’s sinewy beauty take physical possession of me, and tears flowed gown my cheeks.”

(The Sunday Times)

Photos: Tom Waltz

Photos: Tom Waltz

Teaching The Demanding Aspects Of a Career

1. •I offer a precise method of learning music scores/songs.
   

2. •I share my own experience in dealing with stressful situations such as travel, singing different operas/concerts at the same time and keeping the voice healthy.
   

Photos: Tom Waltz

Photos: Tom Waltz

Text

“To have a lesson with Ms. Gal is not to be merely coached in technique, but to undergo an emotional and vocal catharsis”.

(C. Judd, Tenor)

One of the things I dread most is hearing/seeing a mechanical, dead performance. In searching for meaningful thoughts (preparing for excellent acting), I request that the student first:

1. •Separate the text from the music in order to feel its own pulse and rhythm.
   

2. •Create subtext.
   

3. •Analyze composers' rhythmic choices and word settings.