Hopeful and prospective singing students are faced with the daunting task of finding a truly knowledgeable mentor. When we recall that 40 years ago, Marcella Feroni of Santa Cecilia, Rome, stated unequivocally that E.H. Caesari was the only living exponent of the Old Italian School of Singing - the odds are against the student.

However, the search can be significantly narrowed if the student asks the following questions of their prospective teacher. These questions are well documented and explained in my book.

1. Do you teach passagio?
2. Do you teach chest voice?
3. Do you teach 'Dans le masque' i.e. frontal or forward placement and projection?
4. And the most common giveaway of all, do they use the term 'cover'?

(‘Cover’ is one of the most non-sensical and pernicious terms related to voice production. In the dictionary cover means to hide, cloak, veil or disguise. Why would any right-minded singer wish to do any of these things to their voice?)

If you receive a positive answer to any of the above questions - MOVE ON! Don't let this person interfere with your voice.

Do not despair! Truth will ultimately prevail; seek and ye shall find!

My book, ‘Bel Canto’ the Essence of Vocal Art, condenses all of my 50 years of teaching and reinforces E.H. Caesari's enormous contribution to the resurrection of Bel Canto.

Caesari's books have been distributed and purchased world-wide. Of the countless singers and teachers of singing I have met who have admitted to owning one of more of his books, ALL were unadulterated advocates of his teachings. However, upon further questioning I have observed that many simply did not understand his writings, or did not want to accept anything that would conflict with their own theories and personally invented methods.

This book is intended to make ALL of the ‘Old School’ teachings available in an interesting and easy to digest format. It is my hope that this small but vital book will eventually be readily available for study by all those seekers of the Eternal Vocal Truth.

“In ‘Bel Canto - The Essence of Vocal Art’ I annunciate nature's vocal laws without fear - even knowing it is against what some may think. My justification of this, being the primacy of one's conscience depends on its identifying and accepting Truth.”

Vernon L. Mackie, 2004