Mark Your
Calendar ! |
Christmas Sing-Along Benefit for Lookout Homeless
Shelter |
Admission by donation to the shelter |
Tuesday Dec 18, 7:00 with
Simple Gifts Choir |
Wednesday Dec 19, 7:00 with
High Spirits Choir |
both
at the Community Hall of
Holy Cross Japanese Anglican Church
4580 Walden, just east of Main & 30th |
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Winter
Concerts |
Simple Gifts Choir
Sunday, Jan 20, 3:00
Knox United Church
5600 Balaclava (at 40th)
Tickets $10
Net proceeds to Sheway |
High Spirits Choir
Sunday, Jan 27, 3:30
Unity Church
5840 Oak (at 42nd)
Tickets $12/$15 in advance
$20 at the door |
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Find Your Voice Class |
class starts:
Feb 28 |
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Consider
the Gift of Music |
Gift
Certificates are available for
lessons, classes, or choirs. |
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Voice Care
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Here are some things that you can do to care for
your voice.
Be healthy and "wet"!
- Drink lots of water, every day. This helps
keep your vocal folds moist. Two litres a day is a good amount, in addition
to any other beverages.
- Avoid things that dry or irritate the
throat - salty food, coffee, smoke, and perfume. Throat lozenges don't
really work except while they are actually in your mouth. A surprising
number of people are sensitive to perfumes, lotions and essential oils.
- Do the things that keep you fit, healthy
and relaxed. Being healthy is good for your voice. And singing is good for
your health.
Sing lots!
- Sing with the radio, sing in the shower,
sing to your family, sing loud, sing soft, sing in funny voices, sing higher
or lower than you usually do, groan and sigh and laugh out loud. Got a
melody running through your head? Sing it out loud! Sing by yourself and
sing with a friend.
- Give yourself a gift every day - some time
to sing and practice your vocal exercises.
Have fun! - Relax, breathe,
be gentle with yourself
- Notice if you are feeling strained when you
sing. Keep your shoulders down and back, your neck loose and tall, and your
knees soft.
- Be careful not to thrust out your chin and
jaw. This puts strain on the voice.
- Breathe. Expand your ribs.
- Don't push yourself too high, too loud or
too long. Develop at your own pace.
- Keep your eyes bright, and eyebrows up.
This also looks good, and helps you be more present to your audience.
Enrich your musical palate!
- I always encourage my students to try songs
in other languages. Italian is especially good for voice training, because
of the clean vowels. And other languages give you a chance to try out songs
where you don't have emotional baggage or a fixed idea about how the song
should sound.
- Listen to the music around you. Animal
sounds, city sounds, rain, wind, the babble of voices in a room or
playground. Go down to the beach near a sailing club and listen to the music
made by the ropes slapping the masts of sailboats.
- Listen to singers in a new way. What is the
singer doing with the vowels? Are they singing in chest voice or head voice
- or a blend? Does the voice sound free or are they pushing or straining? Is
the sound clear or breathy?
- Find opportunities to learn about different
styles and periods of music. The world has much to offer - your life will be
fuller with more sources of pleasure.
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