Broadway Star’s Tips for Getting Through Winter

Any musician knows that winter can take a serious toll on your ability to perform. Cold air dries out your lips and potential colds make our throats hoarse. Luckily, some Broadway stars told Playbill.com their tricks for getting through winter as a performer.

When You Need to Beat Winter Blues:
Vocal coach Liz Caplan stresses the importance of being careful what foods you take in. While you may want to eat spicy foods to clear up any phlegm or mucus caught in your throat, these can create a lot of acidity in your throat and make singing harder. A few foods she thinks are great to eat during winter are squash, dark leafy greens, and sweet potatoes.

Tony nominee Melissa Errico advises staying hydrated. “I must have had a half gallon of water myself every single day,” she remembers. Being well-hydrated will help your vocal chords stay lubricated and help keep you feeling refreshed.

When You’re Sick & In a Pinch:
Liz reminds performers to limit coughing and clearing your throat as much as possible, as this irritates your vocal chords. She suggests gargling salt water, inhaling steam to clear congestion and emphasizes the importance of sleep to help cells reboot and heal when you’re sick.

Former Les Miserables star Ramin Karimloo offers this advice for performing when you don’t feel 100%: Stay positive. “Our minds and spirits can totally take over our bodies,” he says. Remember that you’re doing what you love, so try to enjoy it no matter what.

When You Need Quick Tips
Liz closes out by giving us some tricks and tips to surviving winter. Her biggest pieces of advice are to get plenty of sleep, drink tons of water, and eat a healthy diet. When possible, do your best to cut down on stress since this breaks down your body and can negatively affect us mentally and physically.

Another big tip from Liz – talk to your vocal coach for their tips to getting through winter as a performer. At Grace Music school, our experienced music and vocal teachers can help train you to beat winter blues and use your voice properly. For more information about our music lessons, call our Fort Salonga location at 631-239-6169 or our Melville location at 631-470-9705.