Blog
How to believe in your ideas
I know you may not talk about it, but I know you have A Thing that's been on your mind for a while. That quiet vision, that unspoken desire, that shimmering dream, that kernel of an idea, that...
You already have everything you require.
If there is one thing I could teach you about the voice and singing, it is this: You already have everything you need. You can continue to acquire skills and knowledge, better coordination, musical...
Are you a Sacred Rebel?
As a young girl, then a teenager (oy), then a young adult, I would never in one million years have considered myself a "rebel." I have excellent manners, listen to instructions, pay my bills on...
The wisdom of Rest
I am taking some time away up on the coast of Maine with my family for two weeks. (Two weeks. It seems like two years!) It's such a vital reflection point, taking the space and time to remove...
How to be patient
Do you know Frog and Toad? They are *wonderful* anthropomorphic children's story characters (but really, these stories are for adults). In a story titled "The Garden," Toad comes to visit Frog one...
Finding inner harmony with your voice
It's so easy to get caught up in the little things. In life, and especially in singing. Do this. Do that. I should do this. I should do that. I didn't do this. I can't do that. They think this. They...
Personal genius
One time recently I was watching the Beatles documentary, Get Back. It's a long, arduous haul through a rocky period for the band. But there was one moment caught on camera that created a new...
Transitions can be hard.
One of the most exciting moments I experience as a voice coach comes when a student encounters what I call "The Wobble." It's when their voice goes all wonky as they learn something new. The...
Navigating the Messy Middle.
There is a place between your desire and its culmination. I call it the Middle. Otherwise known as in progress, in process, undergoing, unfolding, happening, rolling out, you get the idea. Years ago...
Secrets, Feng Shui, and the Art of Letting Go
The other day my client reminded me of one of the juiciest secrets I keep. (At least, it's not something I put on my resume!) But it's also one of the best memories I have, a reminder of something...
The outlet for your voice.
Have you ever thought... If only I knew exactly how I am supposed to use my voice! This is one of the most common questions I hear, borne from a deep, soulful longing mixed with some heady,...
Are you “the one” to do it?
You endlessly compare yourself to others, breeding either an inferiority or superiority complex, setting yourself up for disappointment, and ultimately, holding yourself back from what is truly important to you.
Leading in your own life
Leadership is a term that implies some kind of role, or top-tier position, or a person stepping into the spotlight to take charge. But I believe that true leadership, if understood at the personal...
The pursuit of greatness
What does the term greatness bring up for you? I believe we all strive to realize our best, and seek our own, personal version of greatness in our lives. But somehow, when it comes to music, art,...
Being courageous
One of my favorite movies of all time is The Wizard of Oz. I even had a mural of Oz painted in my girlhood bedroom! My parents were crazy about classic films, and we had a non-stop stream of movies...
Your voice purpose
Have you ever experienced that inner longing that hungers to know... How am I supposed to use my voice? It creeps within our consciousness, and bubbles up every so often (or sometimes very often),...
Can we talk about your breath?
When I say the word "breath," what is your first thought? For many, this whisks us away into the Badlands of Something I Should Be Better At. When I was 14 and began "formally studying" voice, I...
Where does your voice belong?
I recently hit a major parenting milestone: it was (finally!) time to crack open Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone with my little one, Adrian. 🪄 Some of my very favorite stories are centered on...
Perfectionism.
It was over dinner the other night that Adrian, my darling six-year old, eagerly reminded my husband and I that we hadn't yet asked him what happened at school that day. Well, it wasn't pretty. In a...
Ride the ups and downs
Like good days and bad days, we understand that life always changes, just like the weather. Weather is a state of external conditions that you cannot control. Rather, you adapt. But no matter what...
What is essence of your voice?
Tapping into your essence does not have to be a hit or miss situation. It is a radically simple formula and practice to be applied whenever you create the intention to do so. It can be a Thing You Do all the time.
How to make beautiful sound
W R I T T E N B Y Allison Mondel Last night I was scurrying home from the grocery store, and pulled into my driveway just after dusk. As I was gathering my bags from the trunk, I turned to look up...
Naked singing
W R I T T E N B Y Allison Mondel No, no, no. Not what you think. Not really, anyway. But why does singing sometimes feel so naked? Especially when you are going solo. Just you and your voice. You...
That time I sang for President Obama
I remember that time like it was yesterday: it was a frigidly cold January day, and I was equal parts Ready-To-Kill-It and Scared-To-Freaking-Death. For years I had taught singing at Washington...
How do you (actually) use your sacred voice?
W R I T T E N B Y Allison Mondel The purpose of the voice is to communicate. The purpose of the sacred voice is to send love into the world. That's right... love. You inhabit an instrument...
