When Dutch tenor John van Kesteren woke up, it was said he could sing out a perfect top C.
You have to be kidding! That’s not normal……..or could it be?
I know it definitely wasn’t normal for me! When I woke up, all that would come out of my mouth was a breathy, squeezed and somewhat pushed tone.
Since as far as I can remember I have woken up with my sinuses full of mucus (sorry about the gory description) and would have to spend quite a bit of time coughing out the mountain of phlegm from my throat. This was my normal.
It was only after I warmed up for at least half an hour that my voice would start to move freely.
If I sang in a carpeted room, especially with the heater on, my voice would start to change again and I found it progressively harder to get the sound through, which would lead to some pushing. Many of the competition venues and some of the theatres I performed in were old, with lots of dusty curtains and carpet. I often felt that there was a thick wall in front of me as I sang. In some competitions the critique would say that the beginning of the note was not free and that I should support and prepare the note more. A fair statement….maybe. But no matter how many different approaches to breathing or support I used, it didn’t change the fact that my vocal tract and chords were swelling up. (Interestingly, I did very well in competitions that were in large new halls, winning some of them and always feeling better vocally.)
I spent thousands of dollars on singing lessons here in Australia and in Europe, learning so many different methods (which have come in extremely useful in my teaching!) to help me be consistent in my singing. I was referred to an Ear Nose and Throat Specialist who observed that I had swollen vocal cords and recommended I do some speech therapy. About a month after completing a course of Speech therapy, which was extremely helpful in terms of my vocal health, my problems reappeared. My teachers thought that it might have been a mind problem, so I did some counselling and kinesiology. These were all very helpful, but again, my problem persisted.
As I often had throat infections, it was suggested by doctors and naturopaths that I also try a number of different therapies.
I tried modifying my diet. I eliminated refined sugars, dairy products, wheat and introduced some herbal remedies. Although these enhanced my overall wellbeing, the problem was still there. I tried antihistamines for a very short time, but these had side effects and dried out the vocal tract, making it even more difficult to sing. I tried nasal irrigation, once again with limited success.
Looking back, I was trying to attack a problem, without really knowing what the problem was.
A GP eventually suggested I test for allergies. It was revealed by the specialist that I was extremely allergic to dust mite, some grasses, and terpenes (a chemical found in plants or flowers that gives them their particular scent). It was then recommended that I undergo desensitisation to dust mite and grasses. Desensitisation is an almost homeopathic treatment whereby they inject small doses of varying strength of the allergen into your system, and the body builds immunity to it over time.
To finally know the reason for the way my voice reacted was such a relief. To be honest, I spent the next couple of days crying out of relief, frustration and anger. Why hadn’t it occurred to me or to other professionals that I was suffering from these allergies? It would have helped me a lot more, earlier in my career. I was told that allergies and their effects hadn’t been well understood until the last 10 years or so. I calmed down and bit by bit, everything started to make sense. The better I felt the more I saw how the allergies really affected me.
After 6 months of desensitisation treatments, purchasing a fantastic whole-mattress dust mite protector and using some special breathing techniques, I realised I was waking up with hardly any mucus congestion in my throat. I could speak clearly first thing in the morning. Singing became so much easier. I could finally, consistently feel the resonance of “the hum” that so many had talked about. This was my new normal!
I had to get used to not pushing the sound through as I spoke or sang…. and as everyone knows, muscle memory and sound perception take a bit of time to change.
I finally feel I am winning!!!!!!!
I still undergo desensitisation once a month and avoid scented flowers, especially oriental liliums and jasmine (these almost knock me out!). Only in fairly extreme circumstances do I feel the allergy taking hold, but never in the same way it used to.
I can sing easily in carpeted rooms and …. after only a few minutes of warming up, I can also sing a pretty resonant, free top C, first thing in the morning!
I have written this because I know there are many singers who suffer from allergies and might not be fully aware of them. Hopefully my story can help and offer some hope.
Many desensitisation treatments only go for a period of 3 months. My specialist believes that the beneficial effects are felt with ongoing treatment. In fact, it was only after the 4th month of treatment that I felt a real difference in the way my body responded. It has really worked for me and I am so grateful that I can truly enjoy and have full confidence in my singing.
Written in 2009 for the ANATS Newsletter with a few amendments.