By Daniel Docherty
I am enamoured with the *pulchritudinious art form that is singing and I am an avid writer in my spare time. Singing is my main passion. I aspire to one day be a professional singer. My prefered genre of singing is classical/opera and swing.
I take immense influence from some of the greats such Luciano Pavarotti, Andrea Bocelli, Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. I have profound respect for these highly prestigeous artists and idolize them. I am currently studying psychology with arts in Waterford Institute of Technology. I am majoring in psychology and taking both Sociology and English as my minors. I feel that this has improved my writing abilities and has certainly allowed me to articulate my command of the English lexicon to its optimum potential. I also recently joined the W.I.T Musical Society. This has presented me with another avenue to express myself musically and helps me exhibit my talent to a wider audience. I am extremely grateful for all the opportunities that have come my way and strive to take full advantage of them to become successful in my various areas of expertise.
*Editor’s note: pulchritudinious means breathtaking, heartbreaking beauty. I had to look it up.
Bio:
My name is Daniel Docherty. I am 18 years old and reside in Kilkenny, Ireland. I am an aspiring singer and also go to the gym 3 times a week. I study psychology in Waterford Institute of Technology and have and interest in story writing and poetry. I have been singing for as long as I can remember. I was diagnosed with autism in March, 2014 at the age of fourteen. It was a moment of relief for me. I was diagnosed with ASD from the DSM V, but I was told that if I was diagnosed under the DSM 4 I would be diagnosed as having Aspergers syndrome.
Dear Daniel,
You doubtless have many talents to explore in the course of your life. There will be time for all of them. Remember, an opera singer is always learning [being coached/ critiqued]. Learn from several singers. Dame Kiri Te Kanawa did. You are interested in two diverse genres – opera and cabaret. You may have to make a choice – Kiri did – and was always sorry she chose opera. Her heart was in cabaret….. another Tina Turner at heart. Ah, well, that’s life.
I am both a painter and musician [organist / choral conductor / musicologist] and have only been able to work at one at a time. Now is painting time – bigtime – and I am 76 – lately aware of a lifetime as an undiagnosed Aspie wondering what was “wrong” with me. You are so lucky to have an early diagnosis. Go well.
By the way, a great voice for an eighteen year old. Good breathing. Good pitch. Still a young voice yet to develop. Don’t thrash your voice. Need to relax a bit more in your voice production. But that will come. By your twenties, I will look forward to hearing you on stage. Prepare for study in London in the meantime, including music theory. Guildhall or similar. Make contact with Bryn Terfel.