Testimonials
"Vera gave me great insight...through the Russian point of view. As a musician, she is sensitive to the best possible production, vocally as well as stylistically."
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Dr. Kimm Julian, Baritone
Columbia Artists Management Prepared for title role of Eugene Onegin in Russian with Vera Danchenko-Stern |
"Vera is uncompromising in striving for the highest and truest possible musical, linguistic and dramatic standards...together we served the great Russian composers...at the level they so richly deserve. My singing would not have reached its level without the benefits of Vera's musical intelligence and instincts."
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Vladimir Ekzarkhov, Bass
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"Vera was an invaluable colleague as Russian diction coach for 'the Tsar's Bride' in 1992. Her musical expertise gave credibility to meticulous detail, exacting a linguistic fabric of whole cloth from a cast of varied and variable acquaintance with the Russian language."
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Edward C. Purrington
Administrative Director The Washington Opera |
"Vera's efforts show Americans that the language is not insurmountable for non-native speakers. Often after a concert I've had native speakers walk up to me and begin to speak in Russian only to have me tell them that I don't actually speak the language. At least not yet."
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Timothy Mix, Baritone
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"I have worked and performed with Vera Danchenko Stern for over 4 years now. Vera is an accomplished pianist and a fantastic, energetic coach. She works especially well with singers. I have benefited immensely from her knowledge of the Russian repertoire and the specifics of singing in Russian. It has been an absolute pleasure to learn how to pronounce Russian and how to write a proper transliteration of a Russian song. I can say with authority that Vera has taught me to sing in Russian so that a Russian audience is impressed! Working on diction with Vera has brought my singing in every language to another level. The detail with which Vera listens and responds to the singers sung text and the level of proficiency that she demands has helped me to become not only fluent in pronunciation but also a better singer."
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Jennifer Casey Cabot, Soprano
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"I can speak of Madame Danchenko-Stern’s work both as a colleague, and as a student. A coaching in the Russian repertoire with her is never limited to mere pronunciation and phrasing, but ventures deeply into poetry, drama, culture, and tradition. It is rather like an extended musical conversation about a work within the context of a great heritage, and ranges from highly detailed work to genuinely earned abandon. As a teacher, she is warm, nurturing, and highly energetic.Her love for the repertoire is infectious, her knowledge profound, and her musical qualities remarkable. As a voice and diction teacher myself, I commend her on the artistic gestalt of her work, and as a performer and student I am grateful for her expertise and insights, as well as her musical partnership on stage, which have opened the door to a repertoire that once seemed elusive for a non-Russian speaker, but has become most dear to my heart. I endorse her highly to anyone wanting to explore this treasure of a musical legacy. Whether one is just starting one’s discovery of Russian vocal music, or already seasoned in it, Vera Danchenko-Stern is sure to help open one’s eyes, ears, and musical voice."
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Nils Neubert, Tenor
Faculty: The Juilliard School Mannes College The New School for Music Manhattan School of Music William Paterson University |