Sunday 27 September 2015

Week 33: Performance (Part 3)

Continuing my series: Healthy Practices regarding PERFORMANCE over the next few weeks. Warming Down & Recovery this Week #singing
1. Muscles should be warmed up before intensive use.  Similarly, they should be warmed down after intensive use.
2. Warming Down helps muscles to return to their normal length and condition. The muscles associated with singing must therefore be Warmed Down.
3. Singers should never experience discomfort through Singing. However it's important to realise that ALL muscles tire & need to recover.
4. The Vocal Folds themselves are muscular and similarly need a period of recovery after intense use, along with the muscles of breath support.
5. Gentle exercises such as the siren, sliding through the entire range, help the Vocal Folds & the muscles of the Vocal Tract to recover.



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- Ross Campbell
Professor of Singing, Royal Academy of Music, London

Director & Head of Singing, Musical Theatre Ireland, MTI
Award winning Author for ABRSM Songbooks 1 – 5
1-to-1 Vocal Training & Consultations available
www.rosscampbell.biz
www.musicaltheatreireland.ie
www.rosscampbelluk.blogspot.com

Sunday 20 September 2015

Week 32: Performance (Part 2)

Continuing my series: Healthy Practices regarding PERFORMANCE over the next few weeks. Stamina & the Importance of Rest this Week.
1. In athletes, Stamina develops by having a period of Rest after an intensive workout. Vocal Stamina is built in exactly the same way!
2. Muscles are used vigorously in a training or practice session, but the actual strength is built up in the recovery period which follows.
3. Constantly working muscles without allowing them to rest weakens them! Singers should do a vocal workout daily interspersed with Rest.
4. Warming up too vigorously, or constantly practising that worrying high note will not necessarily help the performance. Pace the practice.
5. When engaged in a series of night-after-night performances, Singers should go to bed instead of a party! Rest is vital between Performances.


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- Ross Campbell
Professor of Singing, Royal Academy of Music, London

Director & Head of Singing, Musical Theatre Ireland, MTI
Award winning Author for ABRSM Songbooks 1 – 5
1-to-1 Vocal Training & Consultations available
www.rosscampbell.biz
www.musicaltheatreireland.ie
www.rosscampbelluk.blogspot.com

Sunday 13 September 2015

Week 31: Performance

Covering Healthy Practices regarding PERFORMANCE over the next few weeks: Building Stamina, Importance of Rest, Warming Down, Health Issues.
1. Performances vary in their demands on the singer. For example: Delivering a folk song is far less energetic than singing an operatic aria!
2. Folk to Opera: The necessary years of technical training, building of vocal stamina & repertoire to performance standard is vastly different.
3. Daily practice routines are vital in maintaining the stamina levels sufficient to meet the demands of a performance practice.
4. Singers must build the strength to sustain whatever demands a performance may require during the rehearsal period as well as daily practice.
5. Musical Theatre Singers when performing 8-12 shows per week soon deteriorate if operating without a solid technique & daily maintenance.

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- Ross Campbell
Professor of Singing, Royal Academy of Music, London

Director & Head of Singing, Musical Theatre Ireland, MTI
Award winning Author for ABRSM Songbooks 1 – 5
1-to-1 Vocal Training & Consultations available
www.rosscampbell.biz
www.musicaltheatreireland.ie
www.rosscampbelluk.blogspot.com

Sunday 6 September 2015

Week 30: Individual Vowels

This is Week 2 on Vowels, paying particular attention to individual Vowels.
1. a pronounced 'ah', the most common vowel which tends to pull the tongue backwards & lower into the throat, sometimes depressing the Larynx.
2. a pronounced 'ah': Small mouth opening, tongue-tip against lower teeth, awareness of hard palate in upper mouth, back of tongue more raised.
3. e pronouned 'eh': The most naturally retracted of all vowels. Tongue-tip behind lower teeth, middle blade of tongue raised & forwards.
4. i pronouned 'ee': Tongue-tip behind lower front teeth, fully relaxed lips, sides of tongue pushing into upper molars when rising in range.
5. o pronouned 'oh': Tongue-tip behind lower teeth, lower middle blade of tongue, small mouth opening, and widely stretched pharynx.
6. u pronouned 'oo': Tongue-tip behind lower teeth, raised & forward placed middle blade of tongue, keeping lips relaxed & not overly pursed.


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- Ross Campbell
Professor of Singing, Royal Academy of Music, London

Director & Head of Singing, Musical Theatre Ireland, MTI
Award winning Author for ABRSM Songbooks 1 – 5
1-to-1 Vocal Training & Consultations available
www.rosscampbell.biz
www.musicaltheatreireland.ie
www.rosscampbelluk.blogspot.com