Margaret Harshaw was among the finest classical and operatic voice teachers of the latter half of the 20th century. Her skill as a teacher was legendary, and she trained many outstanding singers who achieved international careers, as well as numerous others who became excellent voice teachers. One principle that Harshaw was adamant about was that none of her students should ever write a book describing her teaching. She firmly believed that no one could adequately learn to sing at a high level by reading a book, as many aspects of vocal technique could easily be misunderstood or misinterpreted.

The youngest of her students are now in their sixties. There was concern that the wealth of knowledge and skill she developed—building on the work of Manuel García II (1805–1906), one of the founders of modern vocal technique—would be lost as her students pass away. To preserve this legacy, it was important to interview as many of her students as possible on video. From these edited video interviews, a documentary record of her teachings was created. This video serves as a repository of Harshaw’s pedagogical approach and vocal technique, documenting as accurately as possible her methods as conveyed directly by her students. While the first set of interviews—with eleven singers and teachers—is complete, the project is ongoing and likely to remain open-ended.