David's Teaching Corner

I began the teaching part of my work in 1998 when I was invited to join the Voice/Opera faculty of The University of Texas' Butler School of Music and retired in 2020. During that timeI was honored to be one of 4 nationally chosen Master Teachers in NATS' Intern Program and voted by University of Texas alumni, campus-wide, as one of the 'Texas Ten' for the positive impact of my teaching. After moving to Boston, I was invited to join the faculty of The Boston Conservatory at Berklee in 2021, where I currently teach singing, two performance seminars, and a course of my own design called "The Mindful Performer."

My fundamental goal in teaching is to help my students continually improve the physical efficiency, beauty, expressivity, and health of their singing so they are better able to express what they want to express with their music. I consider myself a primary consultant in my student's small business, not an owner. One quote that informs every aspect of my work is from Joseph Campbell who said, "The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are." The purpose of our work together is that the student discover, develop and fully life out that privilege.

I do have a private studio and I encourage you to reach out if you are interested in working together. (To be upfront, the Boston Conservatory and my own performing career makes it difficult to teach more than a few private students.)

Please reach out to me at: davidarthursmall@gmail.com if you want more information.

EDUCATION

Artist Diploma in Opera and Master of Music in Voice Performance, University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (under the tutelage of the great Italian Metropolitan Opera basso, Italo Tajo.
Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance, DePauw University's School of Music, studying with Thomas Fitzpatrick (a protege of the American baritone Mack Harrell.
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction graduate (through Jon Cabot Zinn's Mindfulness Center)

"The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are."

Joseph Campbell

"A singer cannot delight you with his singing unless he himself delights to sing."

Kahlil Gibran

"There is a vitality, a life force,a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique.

And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and be lost. The world will not have it.

It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable it is nor how it compares with other expressions.

It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly
to keep the channel open.

You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work.

You have to keep open and aware directly to the urges that motivate YOU.

Keep the channel open…
No artist is pleased…

There is no satisfaction whatever at anytime
There is only a queer, divine dissatisfaction
a blessed unrest that keeps us marching
and makes us more alive than the others."

– Martha Graham to Agnes DeMille