Peter Cousens AM

FIVE - AUTHENTICITY LEADS TO SUCCESS 'There is a strange paradox on the journey toward revealing authenticity and that is - we want less of you to see more of you'. A song presents initially, to an artistic interpreter, (yes a singer), as a series of black marks on paper; the hard labour of composer and lyricist. It once lived in their hearts and minds. It is now committed to a written form ready to be shared with others. This is a near daily occurrence for professional singe

FOUR - WHAT IS SUCCESSFUL SINGING? 'Successful singing is the entwining of souls, entangling them in a web of collusion between you and the song'. You will hear lots of thoughts and ideas about how to sing with success. It is such an elusive skill we sometimes think we have it covered and then suddenly one day it becomes difficult again. As we learn new songs, as we grow older and learn new things about ourselves, have new experiences, fall in love, fall out of love, eat diff

THREE - MORE INTRODUCTION! 'Singing is the heart and mind coming together to make a sound'. My learning experience with Rita Hunter and John Thomas was both disciplined and profound. There was no turning back. I at last came to own my voice. The next step was to apply this voice to the work I was doing. This ended up being 12 years of musical theatre that required the skills of actor/singer. My training as an actor and singer combined to fulfil the requirements of musical the

TWO - AN INTRODUCTION 'For the young singer as well as the experienced, it is often a turn of phrase or a new angle on an elusive concept that can turn on the light of understanding' I don’t know about you but for me, singing didn’t come easy. I loved doing it but I was fearful, self conscious and debilitatingly self critical - a terrible combination. It was at least six or seven years after graduating from the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in Sydney, before I beg