Today’s guest and my very first guest on the Thriving singer podcast is non-other than the great David Jones, who has developed an international career as an author, vocal pedagogue, teacher of singers, and teachers in Europe and the U.S.  David is celebrating 50 successful years of teaching the fall of 2022 He has trained singers performing at opera houses and festivals such as the New York City Opera, San Francisco Opera, the Metropolitan Opera, Chicago Lyric Opera, Berlin Staatsoper, Vienna Staatsoper, Opera North U.K. the Royal Opera House at Covent Garden, the Glyndebourne Opera Festival, Salzburg Festival, and L’Opera Bastille in Paris. David Jones is a graduate of Texas Christian University with graduate research at the University of North Texas. Having also researched at the Groningen University Hospital (Groningen, The Netherlands) and the Laboratoire de la Voix Voice Clinic in Paris, he has had the opportunity to study how Old World concepts can be therapeutic in treating voice disorders. He also works in conjunction with the practice of Laryngologist Dr. Benjamin Asher in New York. In 1979, he studied with internationally known vocal pedagogue Allan R. Lindquest (1891-1984), founding member of NATS and the Amercian Academy of Teachers of Singing. It was through Mr. Jones’ study with Lindquest that he learned the concepts of Lindquest’s teachers, which included Enrico Caruso, Mme. Ingebjard-Isene (teacher of Flagstad), Joseph Hislop, Maestro Rosati (teacher of Gigli), and Mme. Novikova. Additional instructors of the Lindquest concepts with whom David Jones studied include Virginia Botkin, Dr. Suzanne Hickman, and Dr. Barbara Mathis, who performed scientific research on the therapeutic benefits of the exercises. It was through this study that Mr. Jones studied the concepts of the Swedish-Italian School of singing. In 1982, Mr. Jones studied with Dixie Neill, the primary teacher of Ben Hepner, and later with Dr. Evelyn Reynolds. Dr. Reynold's teachers included Lola Fletcher (student of Herbert Witherspoon), tenor Hollis Arment, William Vennard, author of “Singing: The Mechanism and the Technique”, and Ralph Erolle, instructor of the well-known soprano Arleen Auger. David Jones has trained singers performing at such opera houses and festivals as the New York City Opera, San Francisco Opera, the Metropolitan Opera, Chicago Lyric Opera, Berlin Staatsoper, Vienna Staatsoper, Opera North U.K. the Royal Opera House at Covent Garden, the Glyndebourne Opera Festival, Salzburg Festival, and L’Opera Bastille in Paris. Mr. Jones has been published by both European NATS and Classical Singer Magazine. Presenting seminars for teachers twice yearly in New York City and in Europe, he now dedicates his energy toward sharing information with teachers, writing articles, and teaching in his New York Studio and in Europe. In our interview we travel far and wide, exploring how he got into the world of singing and how he gathered and refined the concepts he now teaches.  We talk about vocal trauma and what causes it, the importance of sensations in singing, diagnosing Fach, and what a voice type consists of. We talk about collaborative teaching, and problem-solving together with the student, making them aware of the process.  We dive into the realm of feeling safe in a voice lesson and what not to put up with. How some teachers might be qualified in their information but not in the psychology of teaching. Connecting mind and body through work such as Feldenkreis or Alexander Technique and the importance of identifying and releasing tension whatever the cause may be. And last but not least how to work with different coaches while keeping your technique. And many other things connected to healthy singing. Links to resources mentioned: Connect with David Jones david@teacher.com | Facebook : The David Jones Voice Studio | Website : voiceteacher.com Article: Taking a professional coaching and protecting your voice David’s Book: A modern guide