Dear Colleague …

Welcome to our third Vocal Process ezine, hot on the heels of issue two. If you are a recent subscriber, back issues are available on the web site in the About Us section.

This issue contains information about our 'Integrated Voice' training programme, 'Singing and The Actor' and 'Belting Explained' in Birmingham …

'Integrated Voice Training Programme'

Those of you who came to the Core Training at Benslow Music Trust earlier this year, may remember Gillyanne hugging a document to her bosom (literally) as she spoke about the progress of Integrated Voice.

"I was lucky enough to work early in my career alongside two talented theatre-voice trainers, now at the RSC. We shared many ideas about voice techniques, and I am still committed to the idea of a training that is inclusive of spoken and sung voice. Currently, Integrated Voice is a unique programme, certainly within the UK. I hope that it will create confident vocal educators, able to inspire others to enhance performance, communication and quality of life."

The Integrated Voice programme comprises courses, assignments and assessments grouped into three Modules. Highlights of the programme are 'With One Voice' (Gillyanne Kayes and David Carey), exploring the differences in training for spoken and sung voice; Jeremy's 'Introduction to Computer Voice Training', and Meribeth Dayme's 'Vocal Anatomy for Voice Professionals'. Several courses have been created especially for the Programme, including an 'Endoscopy Study Day', overseen by Tom and Sara Harris, and 'Studio Voice Work' with Gillyanne Kayes and NPL Master Practitioner Elisabeth Stirling. The programme concludes with an opportunity to develop and research in your chosen field with a practical project and dissertation. Each Module has its own level of certification.

Module One begins in February 2004. The full prospectus, with descriptions of each module, is online in the Training section of this web site.

'Singing and The Actor'

Demand for Gillyanne's book 'Singing and the Actor' continues to be high with the publishers currently printing additional copies to maintain our stock. You can order a copy through this web site or by telephoning +44 (0)20 8291 1758.

David Lennox (The Association of Teachers of Singing) has the following praise for 'Singing and The Actor': "Exceptional clarity. It’s an achievement unlike anything else I’ve yet met in the field. A must for all who teach musicals and music theatre, and a bit of lemon zest for any reader."

'Belting Explained' in Birmingham

If you need to belt but don't know how, mark the 1 November 2003 in your diary. Gillyanne and Matthew Reeve will guide you through discovering your own belt voice in our practical and informative Belting workshop. The day will cover what motivates us to belt, the science of belting (including recent research), a warm-up appropriate to belting, creating vocal qualities that contribute to belting, and putting belt into a song.

Many teachers have told us that this is an important topic for young singers. If you are attending the course and have a student that you think would benefit, you can take advantage of our Teacher+Student Scheme (see the Training section of this website for more details): teachers may bring a student along for a discounted price.

And finally …

remember to monitor your effort levels!