From Singer to Musician: A Talk with Arbender Robinson

Where did you start on your performance journey?

I grew up singing. There are those lucky few that started singing and work when they were five. As for me, I was in the church choir and did plays and musicals in high school. But I started training in college. And learned about proper diction and placement, how to read music and scales.

Post college, I was hired by Disney to sing with Voices of Liberty. That’s where the training really began. Where to match pitch and match vowel sounds. Not to be just a singer but a musician. And then the more training that I received the more I had to translate what that training meant.

When I got to Broadway, the training continued. Then it became more about style. I learned from those around me who were masters of their craft already.

What is mastery to you?

Mastery is an understanding of where you are in your skill set and your craft. To hone what you understand and seek out the things that you don’t. Especially being honest with yourself on the things that you don’t know. 

What do you still struggle with in your vocal practice?

I struggle with dialect and accent work. I spent so much of my training was getting rid of my Chicago accent. It’s a huge mountain to climb and relearn what comes naturally.

I also struggle with embracing the lower register of my voice. I have a great upper register and that’s usually what I’m hired to produce. I have to constantly go back and maintain the lower register. If I’m learning a new song, I’ll even start singing it and then take it the octave up.

What are your daily vocal practices? And other practices for good vocal health?

I used to think that warming up, hydrating and getting rest was all I needed. But after I took NYVC’s workshop with Dr. Michael Pitman, I’ve started embracing warming up in a new way.