The Human Nature of the Singing Voice: Exploring a Holistic Basis for Sound Teaching and Learning Book

Preface xi Acknowledgements xii Illustration Credits xiv Part I Civilisation of the Human Voice Chapter 1 Sounds of Life 3 Introduction The primacy of the ear Aural perception and the voice Musical, tonal and aural imagination Hearing versus physical or visual information The natural vocal monitor Chapter 2 Sounds Intelligible 11 Intelligent strangers The need to voice our feelings Hijacked voice Voicing text Faulty speech transmission The mind-body split Laryngeal collapse and support The emotional connection Passaggi Only for singing Messa di voce Chapter 3 The Stifled Cry 23 The repression of emotions Self-revelation and the power of singing Emotional and vocal physiology Demons, diamonds and guilt Chapter 4 Bowing to Life 29 Posture and how the structure of the body suffers from neglect and misuse Self-determination and the human spirit Reasons for not giving the body due credit Adverse effects of a sedentary life-style Chapter 5 The Inspiration of Life 35 The relationship between the larynx and breathing The experience of breathing out and breathing in The relationship of breathing and singing Breath control and management The importance to freedom of having a sense of scale Chapter 6 Unavoidable Conclusions 46 Individual capacity Vocal liberation and personal exposure The natural voice debate Compensating for incapacity Part II Sounding the Self Chapter 7 Making Connections 55 Connecting uncoordinated spheres of vocal action The importance of antagonistic forces Defining the singing voice in terms of its structure Redefining 'support' and legato Chapter 8 Mixed Objectives 61 A unique instrument requiring unique treatment The crucial difference between vocal training and makingmusic How the two activities can complement or confuse one another The process of un-mixing objectives Chapter 9 Vocal Liberation 67 Towards a definition of vocal liberation Healthy design and training An individual journey Dedication and radical treatment Tension audible and invisible Vocal athletics Chapter 10 Training Ground 74 Larynx Suspensory mechanism Breathing apparatus Diaphragm Posture Chapter 11 Hearing Our Way 88 Outlines of an 'aural picture'
Mixed voice The missing link Beginning the aural quest Neutral throat as prerequisite Portamento Breath and breathing Energy, vibration and movement Sounding emotion Vowels and 'placing'
Mimicry Chapter 12 Trial and Error 103 The need for process Creative tension The spiral of work Imagination and perception Tone sense Imagery and hearing Hearing and physical sensation The value of play Voice first Laughter Gestures, movements and inner rhythm Embodiment of feelings Progressing towards music Improvisation of means Hearing versus thinking Attention, distraction and confusion Sequences and starting points Types of vocal sessions Various Italian terms Chapter 13 Muscle Training and Fitness 129 Working with muscles How to approach training exercises Chapter 14 Singers' Health 136 General health Ingestion Digestion Weight Water Dryness and the mucous membrane Immunity Breathing Sleep Stress and worry Talking Chapter 15 Gurus or Guides? (Teaching) 142 Introduction Responsibility The teacher's voice Talent and trainability Relationship and trust Communication Healthy criticism and evaluation The voice rings true Specialist knowledge Fresh beginnings The 'feel good' factor Barriers to progress Chapter 16 A Clean Slate (Learning) 156 A personal journey Equipment Technique Scale and skills Tackling contemporary music In between lessons Living rhythm Hearing and other sensations Seeking models of healthy vocalisation Six obstacles to liberating the singing voice Posture revisited Assessing the teacher Part III The Communicating Imperative Chapter 17 Attributes of the Liberated Voice 177 Introduction The voice's innate skill Singing joyfully?
Some of the qualities and characteristics of a liberated voice Chapter 18 Attraction and Repulsion 187 The voice and communication Projection Sexuality and communication The listener Emotional involvement Chapter 19 Being Fully Prepared 194 Stage fright Learning to perform without singing Criticism Coping alone Spontaneity Learning, memorisation and preparation Chapter 20 Going Deeper 207 The source of the singing voice Before words Musical authenticity and the singing voice The diminishing power of singing The ethics of performance Chapter 21 The Ego and the Egoist 213 Self-esteem, sharing and creativity The need for prima donnas Training for survival Pigeon-holes and tessitura Repertoire Specialisation and the authentic self Part IV Back and Beyond - Redefining Bel Canto Chapter 22 Healthy Communication 221 Being naturally expressive Heart and mind in sound Being fully alive The simplicity of being The vital present Chapter 23 Redefining Bel Canto 225 What happened to bel canto?
Bel canto as a basis for progress Benefits of psychology Self and other Collective unconscious Gender balancing The idea of perfection Chapter 24 'Beauty is Truth, Truth Beauty' 231 Equating beauty with truth Looking for the beautiful Being the truth Taking care of beauty and truth Postlude 234 Endnotes 236 Bibliography 241