By Rosemary Conte
originally published: 10/19/2014
As a man soweth so shall he reap. What a person holds in his deeper mind powerfully influences his musical expression. In that subconscious storehouse lives fodder for melody and harmony, color and form; impressions based on everything you've experienced with your five senses as far back as the womb. From impressions come feelings--the ingredients of symphonies, hit songs, and great performances.
The voice is the original, organic instrument to deliver music. It's vulnerable on many levels because it's played with the mind. It can be impaired by self-doubt and fear, as in the case of my 52 year-old student Sherry, with a voice to die for. She suppressed her desire to sing all her life.
Sherry's mother was a frustrated singer who never realized her dream and couldn't tolerate her talented daughter's singing at home. Sherry grew up believing her mother: "You sound terrible and shouldn't sing!" That was echoed by an older cousin whom Sherry idolized, and who grew jealous of Sherry's talent. The cruel critique of those whom Sherry trusted as a child formed the belief she carried around all her life and extended beyond singing. Sherry believed she couldn't do anything.
Sherry's self-esteem suffered from the abuse of her mentally ill mother and others. The computer analogy is good to explain how Sherry's software and hardware had been damaged. She was obese and had difficulty breathing. The constant stress of fear and lack of confidence disrupted Sherry's immune system and she grew allergic to animals. Inhalants gummed up her throat with mucous and further inhibited breathing so she couldn't sing. Interestingly, the part of her that craved expression -- her vocal apparatus, is the part that became ill.
Sherry's case illustrates a universal truth: As above, so below. In other words, whasotever a man thinketh, so shall he be...and...what goes around comes around. The body is always listening to your mind. What you put out you get back like planting seeds.
Art is expressed in the human trinity. We are mind, body and spirit (soul). Whatever happens on our emotional and mental levels resonates and eventually manifests in our physical being. What we experience on any of the three levels creates or reinforces beliefs...and in life, belief is everything!
As a child, Sherry experienced emotional pain, then actual abandonment by her parents. Her fear of judgment kept the adult Sherry from venturing into the spotlight to sing. I coached Sherry for a few years as she developed her beautiful voice and was able to sing in public. As I was part therapist and part voice coach, Sherry benefitted from healing at the unconscious level which resounded in her body. In computer terms, Sherry made significant repairs to her corrupted operating system. Her singing grew better and brought her joy. She and her husband had even discussed opening a coffeehouse where she could do the two things she loved most...make pastries and sing!
When Sherry worked on her problems at the emotional level, where the seeds of doubt and fear had been growing, her physical world improved. She went back to school and earned a Masters Degree in Clinical Social Work. She was a fine therapist to victims of abuse. But then, she developed an aggressive cancer and died too young. However, not with the music still inside her.
I'm grateful for what she taught me. Our thoughts, beliefs and expectations do become our lives, and we can change our lives by changing all the above. Plant the seeds of the crop you want. Let's keep that in mind as we raise and teach our little Streisands, Springsteens, and Stravinskys.
Don Mclean & Lee Greenwood
Sunday, November 15, 2026 @ 7:00pm
Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC)
100 South Street, Morristown, NJTwo iconic singers perform their hits and celebrate America’s 250 birthday! Singer/songwriter Don McLean is best known for the classic hit “American Pie,” as well as “Vincent” and “Castles in the Air.” Country superstar Lee Greenwood has seven top charting singles, including “I.O.U,” “It Turns Me Inside Out,” and the patriotic favorite, “God Bless the U.S.A.”
Song Of The Meadowlark
Sunday, November 15, 2026 @ 2:30pm
Highland Design Farm
159 Van Dyke Road, Hopewell, NJA meditative rock odyssey weaving reimagined contemporary songs, stream-of-consciousness poetry and live painting.
The Nick Moss Band Featuring Dennis Gruenling
Wednesday, November 16, 2026 @ 7:30pm
Lizzie Rose Music Room
217 E. Main Street, Tuckerton, NJBlues guitar virtuoso Nick Moss and harmonica wizard Dennis Gruenling have been on a winning streak since they first joined forces in 2016. With relentless nonstop touring and the release of their Alligator Records debut, The High Cost Of Low Living, in 2018, The Nick Moss Band Featuring Dennis Gruenling has been playing for wildly enthusiastic fans and winning over critics and radio programmers worldwide.
Michael Mcdermott
Thursday, November 19, 2026 @ 7:30pm
Lizzie Rose Music Room
217 E. Main Street, Tuckerton, NJMichael McDermott’s brand of rock n’ roll brims with the kind of well-honed style and wisdom that can only come from a career on the road and a pedigree in the studio. Effortlessly blending natural folk sensibility, pop hooks, and honest rock, McDermott’s music is as much for the outcast as the congregation. It’s an exploration of the dark corners of life’s journey and it resonates middle class truths through the passionate filter of a kid that grew up on Chicago’s Irish South Side.
10,000 Maniacs
Thursday, November 19, 2026 @ 8:00pm
Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC)
100 South Street, Morristown, NJ10,000 Maniacs – 45 Years of Timeless Music
EVENT PREVIEWS
Forte Piano Music Company presents Exquisite Contrasts: Haydn & Schubert Piano Trios
(PARAMUS, NJ) -- The Forte Piano Music Company presents a Piano Trio Concert - "Exquisite Contrasts" - Haydn & Schubert on Sunday, November 15, 2026 at 2:30pm. This program brings together two landmarks of the piano trio repertoire, revealing the evolution of the genre from the Classical era to early Romanticism.
Mahwah Museum Hosts "Les Paul from Start to Finish" with Jim Wysocki
(MAHWAH, NJ) -- Come to the Mahwah Museum on Sunday, November 15, 2026 for a discussion of a 29-year friendship, rare memorabilia, and the story behind Les Paul's home with Mahwah Mayor Jim Wysocki from his nearly three-decade friendship with legendary musician and inventor Les Paul. The event begins at 2:00pm.
Atlantic City Punk Rock Flea Market - Holiday Edition to take place on Sunday
(ATLANTIC CITY, NJ) -- You can get your holiday shopping done on Sunday, November 15, 2026 when Anchor Rock Club hosts the Atlantic City Punk Rock Flea Market - Holiday Edition. The event runs from noon to 6:00pm.
Song of the Meadowlark takes place on Sunday in Hopewell
(HOPEWELL, NJ) -- Song of the Meadowlark takes place Sunday, November 15, 2026 at Highland Design Farm. This is a meditative rock odyssey weaving reimagined contemporary songs, stream-of-consciousness poetry, and live painting. Doors are at 2:00pm, showtime is 2:30pm.
Avenel Performing Arts Center presents Chris Smither
(AVENEL, NJ) -- Chris Smither will perform at the Avenel Performing Arts Center on Wednesday, November 18, 2026 at 7:30pm. Born in Miami, during World War II, Chris Smither grew up in New Orleans where he first started playing music as a child. The son of a Tulane University professor, he was taught the rudiments of instrumentation by his uncle on his mother's ukulele.
Rufus Wainwright to Perform with Princeton "Super-Orchestra" at McCarter Theatre
(PRINCETON, NJ) -- On Thursday, November 19, 2026 at 7:30pm, GRAMMY-nominated singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright takes the McCarter stage for one night only with the Princeton Playhouse Sinfonia, a dynamic new collaborative ensemble created specifically for this concert.
Princeton Folk Music Society presents Kate Taylor
(PRINCETON, NJ) — The Princeton Folk Music Society presents Kate Taylor on Friday, November 20, 2026 in an evening of upbeat and bubbling song filled with enthusiasm and love. The concert takes place at Christ Congregation Church in Princeton. Showtime is 8:00pm. A livestream option is available as well.
Private Eyes Brings the Greatest Hits of Hall & Oates to the Strand Center for the Arts
(LAKEWOOD, NJ) -- Few musical acts defined the sound of the late 1970s and 1980s quite like Daryl Hall and John Oates. On Friday, November 20, 2026, the Strand Center for the Arts will celebrate their extraordinary catalog when Private Eyes – The Premier Tribute To Daryl Hall & John Oates takes the stage for an evening of classic pop, rock, and blue-eyed soul. Showtime is 8:00pm.
NJPAC to Celebrate Ben Vereen's 80th Birthday with All-Star Concert on November 21st
(NEWARK, NJ) -- New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) presents Ben Vereen's 80th Birthday Concert on Saturday, November 21, 2026 at 8:00pm. This special one-night only celebration is part of NJPAC’s 2026 TD James Moody Jazz Festival (November 6-22). Several of today's leading Broadway stars and vocalists unite for a spectacular birthday bash performance toasting the legendary actor/dancer/singer Ben Vereen who turns 80 on October 10, 2026.
Musicians on a Mission to Celebrate 16th Anniversary with Gala Concert at Jersey Shore Arts Center
(OCEAN GROVE, NJ) -- Musicians on a Mission (MOAM) will celebrate sixteen years of friends helping friends through music with a special anniversary gala and concert on Sunday, November 22, 2026, at the Jersey Shore Arts Center in Ocean Grove.
