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In-house course reports...
Kentwood Show Choir training day
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the recent PEVoC6 conference in London, delegates were
wowed by the Kentwood Show Choir’s spot in the Great Hall
of St Barts (in fact, certain distinguished delegates
were seen humming and bopping…). |
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Sheila
Harrod, Kentwood’s director, has been working with Gillyanne
since 1998, and has implemented a number of Singing and the
Actor techniques in the choir's vocal training. Gillyanne
returned to Swindon recently to give the choir a top-up session.
Click
here for a detailed account of her day.
The Vocal Process visit to Tel Aviv
"You appear to have
a head in your suitcase"
The Vocal Process
visit to Tel Aviv at the end of July began with a small flurry of
activity at the airport due to the presence of Ed, our half-head
anatomical model. Having successfully negotiated airport security,
Gillyanne and Jeremy began with a day in the voice clinic, filming
their vocal folds in different voice qualities and onsets. Many
thanks to our laryngologist friend Moshe Harrell and to his
colleague Ari Hoffman, whose company
DCS Medical Ltd
provided the equipment for scoping. Look out for excerpts on the
video coming soon to the website.
For the first day of
courses for the Stage-Center organisation, we moved to the
Performing Arts Centre, home of the New Israeli Opera. The first
course, for amateur singers, began with a detailed warm-up
incorporating some of the vocal techniques to be used during the
day. We discussed the search for vocal identity and for emotional
connection - universally accepted goals - and worked with the group
on where a voice is made and how it works. We also introduced
different sounds and voice qualities using group exercises and
individual coaching.
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The second course, a
three-day training on Musical Theatre skills, was attended by 35
professional singers, actors and singing teachers. We began with an
unannounced audition session - your best 16 bars to be sung in front
of the group. This exercise shows how singers react under pressure,
and helps identify the problems that need attention.
With all the participants eager for personal attention, we divided
the group into two and spent the remaining time coaching individuals
under glass and creating small-group exercises.
Gillyanne introduced
the participants to creating different voice qualities under the
title of ‘vocal generics’ and brainstormed some problems of
technique experienced by the group. Jeremy then explored this work
further, finding characterisation using different voice qualities,
discovering the song landscape, and identifying the song journey.
Many of the participants gained new perceptions of the genre:
"I have discovered
how specific you need to be about voice, mood style and character."
"Small and accurate is strong!" "I have gained things that can help
me through difficult times".
"There is no law
about using differences and combining voice qualities in songs, and
it's comforting that there is not one right voice."
On the final day,
Gillyanne and Jeremy were invited, along with Theatre de
Complicité founder member Jos Houben (creator of The Art of
Laughter course) to give a lecture presentation on their work at
the Givataim Theatre. The audience of 300 included representatives
of the European Union and the British Council (who had
part-sponsored our visit). Our thanks to all the participants for
their enthusiasm and sustained focus and generosity of spirit. We
hope to return soon.
CSSD Pedagogy Module
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The MA Voice Studies course at CSSD includes a regular module
created by Gillyanne for these trainee voice teachers. The students
come from a range of backgrounds, including professional story
telling, classical and musical theatre singing and various branches
of theatre. This year's course consisted of 2 full day workshops 10
days apart. |
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The aim of the first
workshop was to give a practical introduction to the four vocal sets
- Speech, Falsetto, Cry and Twang.
(Click
here*
for examples of different voice qualities). This generated much discussion of habitual vocal
patterns that are encountered in different social environments and
in different vocal genre. Although the MAVS students are well-versed
in anatomy and physiology, the day provided a chance to recap on
certain elements of vocal function as the vocal sets were
deconstructed into their components. Small group work on the vocal
sets helped to develop personal accuracy as well as auditory skills
that will be useful in the future in their teaching.
For the second day,
the students were asked to identify challenges they meet during
their teaching practice and bring them to the workshop. Teachers
often feel that they are isolated from each other and that they need
to know all the answers. This is felt all the more keenly by new
teachers. Using this format, an arena for discussion and exploration
was created. The students left with an increased understanding of
the possible causes of vocal difficulties and felt that their own
diagnostic skills had improved as a result.
*
Links will take you to our resources section pages which contain
spectrograph illustrations and downloadable sound file
demonstrations.
South West Voice SIG
25 people attended
the Voice SIG day held at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital, Exeter,
with Gillyanne Kayes and Jeremy Fisher.
The SIG were all
Estill or Voicecraft experienced and had requested developmental
work on vocal sets and specified vocal figures. As well as improving
their own vocal skills, the group wanted ideas for application in
clinical practice: for working with singers, for general voice use,
for functional voice problems and possible pathologies.
The day began with
the group inputting an 'Application of vocal sets' chart led by
Gillyanne and Jeremy. The aim was to make a list of topics that
might come up in the varied clinical practice of those attending. A
substantial list of 'vocal symptoms' was elicited from the group,
ranging from vocal fatigue in teachers to singers' problems with the
gear change, 'weak' voice, puberphonia, nodules and vocal fold palsy
(to name a few). Further information was added to the chart under
the headings 'possible causes' and 'strategies'
Physiology was reviewed where necessary and the group were able to
revisit and practise new vocal skills relevant to their topics in
small groups with Gillyanne and Jeremy giving input.
Using the 'Wasp' and
Multi-Speech™ voice analysis programmes, Jeremy Fisher demonstrated
what to look out for on screen in a number of vocal set-ups such as
modal to falsetto voice, pressed phonation and twang.
Following the
course, all participants were sent a completed copy of the
'Application of Vocal Sets' chart and a template of Jeremy Fisher's
movable larynx which had
proved very popular on course!
Useful links:
Chart for Applying vocal figures and vocal sets
Jeremy's computer voice articles
Sound files:
Happy Birthday in 4 vocal sets
INSET - Somerset Music
Services
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A group of 10 teachers attended the full day
INSET with Gillyanne
Kayes. The teachers were working at Key Stages 1-4 and 16-19.
Additionally some were giving one-to-one singing lessons, preparing
pupils for exams, while others were running choral groups. |
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The teachers had
requested some 'science with direction'; help on dealing with range
and registers; learning about voice qualities for different music
genres; tips for classroom and rehearsal; vocal health and a case
history brain-storm.
The day began with a list of burning questions that Gillyanne
elicited from the group. Categorised under simple headings, the list
was an excellent jumping off point for the 'science with direction'
section of the INSET. Throughout the day, as new topics were
discussed and new techniques learned, the list became a key point of
reference.
The day concluded with a fun session on four vocal sets - Speech,
Falsetto, Cry and Twang, with discussion about application in
different genres. The course was supported by handouts, and the
teachers were encouraged to keep talking and listening together.
Read our Testimonials
Motherwell College, Singing and the Actor training.
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The Performing Arts department of Motherwell College wanted their
students to have input on their vocal performance during their
second year of training. The college has a social inclusion
programme, so one of the challenges was to work with a very diverse
range of abilities. |
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Over four visits Gillyanne was able to work with
the students in an informal master-class setting.
This enabled her
to talk generally to the group about performance values, style and
interpretation and to give specific technical input to each student.
With the course vocal tutors attending whenever possible, this
series of visits enabled the students to increase their
understanding and vocal skills, and the department itself to develop
creatively.
Read our
testimonials
Liverpool Institute
for Performing Arts
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Gillyanne Kayes
returns each year to LIPA to give the BA Acting students a
foundation course in vocal production.
The main focus of the course was to enable the students to
understand that 'good voices' can be developed and that everybody
can sing. The students took a lively interest in the mechanics of
voice, and enjoyed the video-endoscopic footage of the larynx. |
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This
course was taught in a group format, enabling students to listen to
each other and observe each others' progress. The culmination of the
course was in a mini master-class on the final day, with each
student singing a short song or song extract a cappella for the
group, with guidance from Gillyanne.
Singing and the
Actor work translates well into a group setting and students cover
the following topics during the 15 hours of tuition:
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Why voices are
different |
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What moves where? |
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Avoiding
constriction (retraction of the false vocal folds) |
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Managing range
(breaks, cracks and range development in the male and female
voice.) |
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Awareness and effort
monitoring |
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5 steps to song
learning |
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Airflow and the
recoil breath |
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Finding resonance -
the nasal port and the oral cavity |
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The voice-body
connection. |
Escola Superior de
Musica de Catalunya
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'ESMUC' has a regular Singing and the Actor course taught by
Gillyanne Kayes for its department of Jazz and Contemporary Music.
Performers from outside the school can also attend by invitation,
and range from heavy rock singers to Flamenco and classical artists.
The November course focused on the mixed vocal sets described in the
second edition of Gillyanne Kayes'
Singing and
the Actor, including Belting and its variants. |
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The format was part presentation and part
group practical work, with translation provided by ESMUC course
tutors. The course ran for 12 hours over three days, allowing ample
time for questions and feedback. Each day concluded with a
performance masterclass.
Staff
development at RSAMD
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This course was set
up to develop the MA Performance in Musical Theatre that began in
September 2003. It was an opportunity for staff to find out more
about what is currently expected of Musical Theatre singers and how
to help prepare them in vocal training. |
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The requirements for
Belting were of particular interest and concern.
The day began with a short exchange on differences and similarities
in classical and musical theatre vocal training and continued with
the following topics:
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Belting - the
science behind the sound |
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Audio and video
footage of belting |
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Deconstructing
Belting - Speech and Twang qualities |
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Practical
demonstration with students |
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The passaggio to Belt - practical demonstration with students |
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The afternoon session, chaired by Head of Vocal Studies Christopher
Underwood, enabled singing tutors to discuss and compare different
approaches in teaching practice. The day proved helpful in building
a strong interface between the staff of two different departments at
the Academy.
Read related articles
Professional development at the London Studio Centre
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The London Studio
Centre requested a day's in-training for their vocal team. Gillyanne
Kayes and Jeremy Fisher created a course that enabled the staff to
discuss the challenges faced by their students and to explore a
common language for dealing with them. There was a short
presentation on fundamentals of anatomy and physiology with
video footage of the vocal folds in different vocal sets.
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The day included
discussion on safe techniques for belting, and staff witnessed
techniques being put into practice with students from the college.
Specific topics included in this course:
Key principles of vocal function
Videos of the voice in different vocal sets
Challenges in teaching
Language
Techniques for dealing with specific problems.
Essex
County Music Services -
Singing in the
Classroom
Deirdre Trundle
presented an interactive workshop to teachers London-wide as part of
Essex County Music Services 'Singing in the Classroom' event.
For the morning
session Deirdre led the group through her 'fast track' warm-up, an
accessible, fun and effective routine. Many teachers are now
employing the routine in the classroom. It has the additional
benefit of warming up the teacher's voice at the same time, making
for healthy voice use throughout the day.
During the afternoon
sessions Deirdre presented an interactive workshop on the challenges
of adolescent voices in change. Teachers report that young singers
tend to drop out of choral and other singing events during these
years. Using Deirdre's information and techniques, both boys and
girls can keep singing throughout the challenging period of
adolescent change.
INSET -
Hertfordshire Music Services
Introduction to Belting
More than 20
teachers attended the session, which was led by Gillyanne Kayes and
Jeremy Fisher. The aim of the evening was to introduce the group to
the concept of Belting, to establish some of the techniques, and to
generate discussion. The teachers' concerns included vocal health,
suitability of repertoire for young people and the place of belting
as part of a programme of vocal development.
The session began
with audio examples of both male and female singers belting, and
included children singing in a gospel chorus.
The topics then
covered were:
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Physiological
factors that contribute to belting |
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Belting as another
'register' of the voice |
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Range, repertoire,
do's and don'ts. |
The evening finished
with Gillyanne leading the group through a vocal warm-up appropriate
to belting.
Resources relating
to Belting
Belting Explained - Range and Repertoire
A useful repertoire list for Belters
Read Belting, Range and Register
A Practical Introduction for Singers
Information that accompanied
Gillyanne Kayes' workshop on Belting,
delivered at PEVoC 5 in Graz, August 2003
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