Our Singing Bodies provides a platform for singers to explore, discuss, and make art about their bodies in singing, with dual aims to celebrate the (super)human craft of singing and to critique the discipline in which we make art.
As singers, our bodies are often considered fair game for discussion, whether we like it or not. Is our voice too big for our bodies? Does our gender expression align with the character we are playing? Do we hide our pain well? Do we look anxious, depressed, or hesitant?
As singers, we also learn to use our bodies in extraordinary ways, extending the boundaries of human capacity, and, in the process, developing a stronger sense of ourselves and our mind-body connection. This relationship to our bodies can lead us to feel more confident, grounded, and strong.
Talking with other singers, I am frequently aware of the multi-faceted ways that we think about our bodies doing singing work. This has led me to the idea of a project which forefronts the singer’s experience of their body. The project is a creative and radical initiative that allows singers to share their experiences, bringing these conversations into sharper focus. It is my hope that this project will amplify the voices of singers to help people understand the deeply physical and mental work that we do, and how this can bring us pleasure or discomfort based on our positionality and experiences.
Latest Work
OSB x OIR
Our Singing Bodies has partnered with Opera InReach and Gwenna Fairchild-Taylor to create a workshop for inclusion in professional development or DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) curricula in voice undergraduate and young artist programs. Through the workshop, facilitators will lead students through a series of exercises that help to envision a more equitable, exciting, and alive future of opera.
“Jardena and Gwenna have created a thoughtful, generous space for young singers to explore their dreams for their futures as artists. This workshop is a crucial invitation to blossoming singers, one that allows them to explore their own agency in a safe space. It is undoubtedly a positive contribution to the future of our field and every young person who participates.”