Photo courtesy Brenda Quinn
Adele Borouchoff
Adele Borouchoff was a mainstay of the arts community since she arrived here in 1968. Singer, actress, teacher and mentor, Adele worked with some of the world’s best-known musicians, and taught hundreds to sing in Milwaukee. As told to Brenda W. Quinn.
I had a teacher who was a specialist in early music, and he taught me to like every kind of music. He taught me to know what was good and what wasn’t, whatever the genre. I love church music; Bach, Beethoven, Mendelssohn. I love opera and lieder. I studied Italian, French and German. I also sang in Latin, Hebrew and Yiddish.
My style of teaching is rather than superimposing my ideas on someone, I try to meet them in the middle and join forces with them. That’s why I have spent a lot of time studying human nature. Modalities I’ve studied include yoga, tai chi, Feldenkrais, the Alexander Technique, chiropractic, and process oriented psychology. I think teaching singing is 85% therapy and 15% technique.
I studied piano for many years before I became a voice major. For a long time, singers were regarded as stupid, not real musicians. I was determined not to be thought of that way.
It’s good for (children) to learn about music itself, or study an instrument or piano. They should listen to music a lot. I went to my first concert performance of opera at 8. Don’t start children (on voice lessons) too early, not before 12. Children’s choir is okay. Why don’t I approve of starting earlier? Because the voice is physically vulnerable. Also, you need to be mature to take criticism.
As for adults, don’t be limited. If you can hear, you should be able to sing. Find your own voice, don’t try to imitate anyone else. Go for your passion. You need a sense of rhythm and a love of language. I absolutely recommend that people study another language. When I was in Europe, I studied at the Alliance Française.
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The important thing about being in Europe, Boston, New York, here even, is I had the opportunity to hear great singers perform constantly.
Teaching keeps me vital. I meet wonderful people interested in music, art and acting. Both my children are fine musicians, and my grandchildren are budding performers, so I want to pass on what I can. I’m always bumping into people I taught.
