Do you whistle in the car or around the house? Whistling is
an art form that anyone can partake in but few can make it artistic. There is
one woman who can her name is Carole Anne Kaufman aka The Whistling Diva.
Carole is a two-time International Whistling Grande Champion. She is also a very busy woman. Whistling is hard work is you do it right and
she is doing it right as she was named 2012/13 Women’s International Whistling
Entertainer of the Year award winner by the International Whistlers Convention.
That’s the big time in the whistling
world.
I first heard of Carole when I saw an episode of
“California’s Gold” in which she was featured. The always amazed Huell Hauser
was flabbergasted by her musical ability; quite frankly I was too. I did a bit
a snooping and found her website (www.whistlingdiva.com)
and contacted her. At first she was a
little surprised that a punk rock magazine would be interested in her as she
doesn’t really perform punk rock songs but I explained the DYI aspect of punk
rock and what is more DYI than whistling?
Many people don’t know about
whistling and its place in the music world. As a whistler how do you explain
the art of whistling?
Whistling is the world’s most popular melodic instrument.
Almost everyone has tried to do and many have succeeded. It is also the most portable instrument in
the world. I tried another portable instrument in high school, harmonica, but you need a different one for each key and I can
whistle a whole song in the time it takes to take a harmonica out of its case. I played violin as a kid, and gave up because
there was too much practice involved for this kid. The only reason I became
proficient in whistling was because I was always practicing, but I thought I
was just having fun and expressing myself. The art of
whistling, in essence, is the art of music.
When executed on a world class level you get you see it at full
potential. Just as there are many interpretations when you sing a song, so too
for whistling. Not only is the musical
expression as unique as the instrumentalist, there are a variety of ways to
execute your music. I am a “pucker
whistler”. What you see is what you get - “just put your lips together and blow”. A palatal whistler involves the roof of his
mouth; a throat whistler does it the same way Mariah Carey’s gets her highest
notes.There are other world champions out there, Geert Chatrou,
from the Netherlands, has gone pro since winning. He plays oboe, sax and more –
you can really tell he knows his music. You cannot believe your ears with the
excellence of some of the stuff these artists put out. You should definitely
check out Mitsuhiro Mori, the baddest hand
whistler ever. I saw him perform when the International Whistlers Convention
and Competition was in Japan. That was
also the year I first won the title of International Whistling Grande Champion.
How did you become aware that you were
a whistler?
I guess I first
learned I was a whistler the same day I thought I could never be a champion. When I was ten, a champion whistler was
featured on TV. I was so excited until I saw him perform a very unique style
and I remember thinking I could never
win if I didn’t whistle like he did. Luckily I was wrong.
The biggest indicator was when I went to my first
International Whistlers Convention in North Carolina and came home with a
trophy for first runner up. From there,
of course, it was all about becoming champion.
I had to win 2nd place three times and then third place,
until I finally decided to prepare properly. Whistling has gone from something
I do, to part of who I am and how I express myself as a passionate artist and
person. After years of acting, improve and comedy performing, who would have
thought the whistling would be the thing that appeals the most to my audiences.
How often do you compete in
whistling competitions?
Every year there is one worldwide competition at the
International Whistlers Convention. It
was in Japan in 2008 and China in 2010. Its home base is in NC, where it
usually is held. This April is the 40th
annual convention.
Puckerama is a whistling performance event that has been
around for years, and is currently in Japan.
What are the competitions like?
In the first round you perform a popular and a classical
tune. If you make it to the final round you perform another pop and another
classical. Most of us bring a “backtrack” to compliment the performance. It is a very friendly competition but here
is definitely stress when getting dressed and listening to your music one last
time. My heart always starts racing before I even get up on stage. Luckily I
learned how to fake confidence many years ago. Keeping the audience comfortable
is rule #1, never let ‘em see you sweat.
What is your favorite song to
perform?
I love to perform standards, and old favorites. Haunting songs in minor keys are my favorite
and lively songs with a lot of pep keep the audience engaged. I am constantly
trying to modernize my act to appeal to a broader range of people and expose
the art of whistling to as many as possible.
How much time in your day do you
devote to whistling?
Whenever I drive I am practicing my music. I live in L.A. so we all know that is a fair
amount of time. As I near competition time I try to take as many road trips as
possible. Right now I am whistling constantly, to keep my lips and lungs
limber.
What would be your dream whistling
performance?
I guess the Hollywood
Bowl would be a good start. Ultimately to be invited to perform with great
musicians is the dream. I also love
produce shows where I can whistle, sing, tell funny stories and promote
other’s artistry. My real dream is that
people start to see whistling as a world class instrument. Back in the day, the
Big Bands would feature whistlers, and recordings. It would be great to hear
whistling in more than just commercials and a few pop songs.
I also want to get more women to whistle. Somewhere along
the line women were taught to stop whistling. If you look around you will find
there are less women whistlers, today I love the fact that we have a men’s
division and a women’s division for the International Grande
Championships. With an art form that is
under-represented, the more qualified ambassadors there are the better.
I think a win for whistling is a win for any artist that
brings something unique to the table. As we open ourselves to uniqe artistry,
it makes room for more art.
Do you have any advice to someone
who would like to be a whistler?
The more musical experience you can muster the better.
Practice as much as possible in private, pick a favorite song and whistle it
when you hear it instead of singing it.
Record yourself and listen to it. Work with a musical mentor so you can
find out if you are as in tune as you think. Breathe from your diaphragm if you
want to really get those long notes. Tune and tone are key. Keep practicing. You will surprise yourself
at the things your mouth can do! I have
been amazed to see my technique change and become more controlled in the last
decade.
Join Orawhistle on Yahoo Groups if you want to email
whistlers around the world. We are a passionate group of music lovers.
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