Note-worthy Experiences Music Studio
F E A T U R E
Interview with Max Rydqvist
F E A T U R E
Interview with Max Rydqvist
How old were you when you first got interested in singing and when did you start voice lessons?
My parents enrolled me in a professional boys’ choir in Oslo, Norway when I was six years of age. I fell in love with choral music already from that early age and continued to pursue it throughout grade school. Despite this, I never really considered solo singing until high school and I didn’t start taking voice lessons until my freshman year either. And it wasn’t until my sophomore year of college that I reached the conclusion to devote my vocational activities to the art of singing. I had always considered it more of a joyous pastime before then.
What is your favorite genre of music to sing? To listen to?
The German Romantic art song remains my favorite to sing due to the sheer rhetorical expressivity of the poetry, the language, and the wonderful music that flourished there during the golden era of the 19th century. The Nordic art song also holds a special place in my heart when I sing since I am from that part of world. In terms of listening, this really depends on my mood. It can range from a Renaissance choral piece to a Mozart piano concerto to a Wagner opera or Mahler symphony to a modern hit tune on the radio.
What was your most memorable musical performance?
It is very hard to narrow it down to a single performance; yet I must say that some of my earliest performances as a kid, which profoundly sculpted my current outlook on music and singing, remain some of the most indelible. If I were to choose one, it would perhaps be my experience singing in the chorus of angels from Gustav Mahler’s titanic Third Symphony. The performance was led by Mariss Jansons, a world class conductor, and the Oslo Philharmonic orchestra. Singing this colossal music in a radiant symphony hall with renowned musicians throughout at the age of nine left a lasting imprint upon me as a singer and as a lover of music.
How often did you practice when you were a kid and how have your practices changed since becoming a professional?
When I was younger I was very competitive and used to strive for perfection in the practice room. Consequently, I would often spend one, two, or even three hours at a time practicing (which for any singer is A LOT) despite sensing that the quantity of practice time far outpaced the quality of my technique. I would get fatigued and increasingly frustrated as my daily goals were not reached. This only accumulated more stress, creating a sort of obstructive domino effect comprised of increasing tensions. As I’ve grown older and entered the professional world, I have gradually become more sensitive, patient, and realistic in my approach to practice. Moreover, I have sought to study the psychology of motor learning, the result of which has proved incredibly helpful. Based upon these studies and drawing upon my own experiences, I have increasingly found short, intensive, and varied practice sessions far more effective for vocal learning than my old routines which were normally long, static, and overall far less practical.
In summation: quality over quantity seems to be the secret to mastering a complex motor skill such as singing.
What is your best advice to students who want to learn a new instrument or improve their singing?
The first and arguably most important step, in my view, is simply to believe that you can do it. Disregard any extraneous feedback that may myopically look to classify you into the pool of individuals who don’t “have what it takes” or, simply, don’t possess the “talent.” Music making is a highly intricate motor skill. If you lack belief in your musical abilities from the outset you will immediately charge your mind with negativity and stress. Your brain will resultantly panic and shut down or severely limit your relevant muscular coordination, thereby rendering it near impossible to gain sufficient progress in your learning process. However, if confidence, volition, and a determination to master your instrument as well as an innate love for music already burn within you, you will not only improve your brain-muscle coordination but will also allow your mind to organically acquire the attention, effort, and motivation necessary to achieve your goals. These essential pedagogic tools, if kept consistent, will illuminate your pathway to success.
What do you hope students of today discover in music study?
Themselves: the art of music is a universal human manifestation of reality and each individual engagement with the artform represents that specific person’s nuanced relationship with their own existence. While this fundamental nature has never changed, today we have facile access to a plethora of music spanning space, time, genre, and style. The eclectic array of material available to the contemporary student of music should bestow them with a multitude of fresh perspectives regarding their lives and the nature of their existence. I think there is greater opportunity today than ever for us learners of this expressive artform to grow intellectually, creatively, expressively, and ethically not only as musicians but also simultaneously as human beings.
When you’re not performing or teaching, what other hobbies or interests do you have?
I really enjoy attending purely instrumental concerts sometimes in order to absorb the aesthetic of music from a different lens. They provide a beautiful contrast to all of the vocal music I work with. Beyond the realm of music, I am an avid traveler, explorer, and hiker. I also have a penchant for sports, reading a good book, or going to an art or science museum. Good food and pleasant cafes are two additional wellsprings of joy for me in my free time.
Learn more about Max on his Teacher Page.
My parents enrolled me in a professional boys’ choir in Oslo, Norway when I was six years of age. I fell in love with choral music already from that early age and continued to pursue it throughout grade school. Despite this, I never really considered solo singing until high school and I didn’t start taking voice lessons until my freshman year either. And it wasn’t until my sophomore year of college that I reached the conclusion to devote my vocational activities to the art of singing. I had always considered it more of a joyous pastime before then.
What is your favorite genre of music to sing? To listen to?
The German Romantic art song remains my favorite to sing due to the sheer rhetorical expressivity of the poetry, the language, and the wonderful music that flourished there during the golden era of the 19th century. The Nordic art song also holds a special place in my heart when I sing since I am from that part of world. In terms of listening, this really depends on my mood. It can range from a Renaissance choral piece to a Mozart piano concerto to a Wagner opera or Mahler symphony to a modern hit tune on the radio.
What was your most memorable musical performance?
It is very hard to narrow it down to a single performance; yet I must say that some of my earliest performances as a kid, which profoundly sculpted my current outlook on music and singing, remain some of the most indelible. If I were to choose one, it would perhaps be my experience singing in the chorus of angels from Gustav Mahler’s titanic Third Symphony. The performance was led by Mariss Jansons, a world class conductor, and the Oslo Philharmonic orchestra. Singing this colossal music in a radiant symphony hall with renowned musicians throughout at the age of nine left a lasting imprint upon me as a singer and as a lover of music.
How often did you practice when you were a kid and how have your practices changed since becoming a professional?
When I was younger I was very competitive and used to strive for perfection in the practice room. Consequently, I would often spend one, two, or even three hours at a time practicing (which for any singer is A LOT) despite sensing that the quantity of practice time far outpaced the quality of my technique. I would get fatigued and increasingly frustrated as my daily goals were not reached. This only accumulated more stress, creating a sort of obstructive domino effect comprised of increasing tensions. As I’ve grown older and entered the professional world, I have gradually become more sensitive, patient, and realistic in my approach to practice. Moreover, I have sought to study the psychology of motor learning, the result of which has proved incredibly helpful. Based upon these studies and drawing upon my own experiences, I have increasingly found short, intensive, and varied practice sessions far more effective for vocal learning than my old routines which were normally long, static, and overall far less practical.
In summation: quality over quantity seems to be the secret to mastering a complex motor skill such as singing.
What is your best advice to students who want to learn a new instrument or improve their singing?
The first and arguably most important step, in my view, is simply to believe that you can do it. Disregard any extraneous feedback that may myopically look to classify you into the pool of individuals who don’t “have what it takes” or, simply, don’t possess the “talent.” Music making is a highly intricate motor skill. If you lack belief in your musical abilities from the outset you will immediately charge your mind with negativity and stress. Your brain will resultantly panic and shut down or severely limit your relevant muscular coordination, thereby rendering it near impossible to gain sufficient progress in your learning process. However, if confidence, volition, and a determination to master your instrument as well as an innate love for music already burn within you, you will not only improve your brain-muscle coordination but will also allow your mind to organically acquire the attention, effort, and motivation necessary to achieve your goals. These essential pedagogic tools, if kept consistent, will illuminate your pathway to success.
What do you hope students of today discover in music study?
Themselves: the art of music is a universal human manifestation of reality and each individual engagement with the artform represents that specific person’s nuanced relationship with their own existence. While this fundamental nature has never changed, today we have facile access to a plethora of music spanning space, time, genre, and style. The eclectic array of material available to the contemporary student of music should bestow them with a multitude of fresh perspectives regarding their lives and the nature of their existence. I think there is greater opportunity today than ever for us learners of this expressive artform to grow intellectually, creatively, expressively, and ethically not only as musicians but also simultaneously as human beings.
When you’re not performing or teaching, what other hobbies or interests do you have?
I really enjoy attending purely instrumental concerts sometimes in order to absorb the aesthetic of music from a different lens. They provide a beautiful contrast to all of the vocal music I work with. Beyond the realm of music, I am an avid traveler, explorer, and hiker. I also have a penchant for sports, reading a good book, or going to an art or science museum. Good food and pleasant cafes are two additional wellsprings of joy for me in my free time.
Learn more about Max on his Teacher Page.