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Katharin Rundus, Cantabile. A Manual about Beautiful Singing for Singers, Teachers of Singing and Choral Conductors. San Pedro, CA: Pavane Publishing, 2009. Paper, viii, 189 pp., $59.95. ISBN 978-1-934596-03-6 www.PavanePublishing.com
Voice teachers and choral conductors share more common goals than dissimilar aims; how to achieve shared purpose has been the topic of conversation in recent years, as evidenced by a special panel discussion at the 2010 National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) National Conference entitled "Solo and Choral Singing: A Symbiotic Relationship." Katharin Rundus, who has experience as both voice teacher and choral conductor, makes a masterful contribution to the dialogue with Cantabile. As the subtitle indicates, the volume is a manual about beautiful singing addressed to singers, teachers of singing, and choral conductors.
Rundus states that singing is a skill-based activity that must be fostered, and the volume is a guide to honing those abilities. In the opening pages, she offers a diagram that neatly summarizes the book. The paradigm is a spiral, symbolizing the nonlinear nature of learning. Students revisit the same subject matter again and again, and gain a deeper...