Yesterday Finding Your Voice had it’s first musical afternoon since moving to Perth. It was so much fun! Sharing music, story and song (not to mention frutollo, food, and a glass of champagne) is one of the most amazingly satisfying ways to spend an afternoon. An intimate supportive group, and amazing courage shown especially by the student making her first ever public performance. She shook with nerves, and yet sang beautifully, and really delivered the song to the audience.

I love this work!!

I have also begun leading a singing group at Curtin University. Every Wednesday at lunchtime peels of happy laughter can be heard to suddenly erupt mid-session as up to 25 of us gather and sing songs of varying complexity, just for the fun of it. The idea is enjoyment, revivification, community and confidence.

Like I said: I LOVE this work!

Sadly if you are not a postgrad student there (like me), or a staff member, you can’t join

But don’t despair!!! I am leading a similar one off event at Finding Your Voice in Leederville, Wednesday 28th March 7-8.30 pm. $15 Exactly what we do will depend a little on who shows up and what they want. Vocal games, singing in harmony (singing in unison), explorations, technique. It’s all a possibility……

I REALLY LOVE this work!

Contact me at raelenebruinsma@yahoo.com for more details.

These days I rarely sing anything remotely classical. But when I do I find the same principles regarding breath apply. In fact too much breath in the lungs can sometimes traumatise the vocal folds with all that built up pressure.

The thing is, if you are not using your diaphragm, then you are probably not breathing at all. I say probably only because I have met one person with an injury who has actually learned to breath with a non-working diaphragm. But I doubt there are many like her at all. The diaphragm is an involuntary muscle, and it knows how to do it’s job. Our job is to learn to not get in it’s way. And there are a range of skills we can learn to support this.

It actually takes relatively little actual breath to create most long notes. What it does take is fully closed vocal folds (the term I use for what are often called vocal cords due to my training in the techniques of Jo Estill), and usually the engagement of some muscles in the back (back anchoring) and possibly in the neck (neck anchoring). Many students are surprised when they discover how “back anchoring”, one of Jo Estill’s techniques, helps the sound to stay there with a feeling of effortlessness (although there is often considerable effort going into the back anchoring). Of course these are not the only things involved and please MAKE SURE YOU LEARN THEM UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF A QUALIFIED TEACHER. But they are often a great starting place for many students.

Next Blogg: performance skills, and the art of exuding joy on stage. (Look at the calendar for details on my upcoming performance skills workshop 18th March 2012).

I began teaching for the year last Tuesday, and am loving it already. The departure from Monday teaching is temporary while people dribble back from their summer breaks and I participate in a storytelling course through the Blue Room http://www.pacs.org.au/ which will lead to a series of Summer Nights Performances called “Barefaced Stories.” http://www.barefaced.com.au/Barefaced/Barefaced_Stories.html (I’ll let you all know which date I’ll be performing when I do!)

Term one at Finding Your Voice begins in earnest Monday 30^th January. I am currently in the process of organising timeslots and teaming them up with students, so if you want lessons in term one, now could be a good time to get in with your preferences. Especially if you wish to enrol in the special term 1 package deal.

Additionally to whet your appetite for first term, I have a free event for current and past students, some workshops, and of course the usual 4 and 6 week blocks, and one off lessons.

Then, after Easter I am heading to do a performance at a storytelling conference in Prague (which will include songs and verbal storytelling) and will tie this in with visiting a couple of my other favourite European places, while writing a draft of my PhD performance. The performance will hopefully take place later this year, or early next year. This trip will mean a short break from teaching, but I will be back, no doubt with renewed vigour for teaching in the second half of the year.

Alongside all this I am starting a singing group at my university, and doing a small amount of music therapy work in my spare time. So I have a lot to keep me busy, and creatively energised.

Details of the term one package deal are given below, and the various workshops are given on the calendar. Workshops are open to anyone, but at reduced price to students taking the term one package deal. The Sunday Soiree is only available to current and former students. Here is a brief summary:

Monday 30^th Jan – Monday 2^nd April: FYV term 1

Sunday 18^th March: 1-3pm Performance Skills Workshop ($35/$20 with package deal)

3.30 – 5.30pm FREE Sunday Soiree

Wednesday 28^th March: 7-8.30pm  Drop in and Sing  ($15/$10 with package deal)

Saturday 31^st March: 10am – 1pm Introduction to Songwriting ($50/ $35 with pacakage deal)

2-6pm make up singing lessons (for package deal reschedules)

SPECIAL TERM ONE PACKAGE DEAL

As you know, I am offering singing lessons on Tuesdays for most of January as we all dribble back from our summer breaks. However, the Finding Your Voice singing term starts again in earnest on Monday 30^th January and finishes Monday 2^nd April (just before Easter). In addition to the usual four and six week block options, I will be offering you the chance to do a “nine out of ten” week block between these dates for $550. As well as 9 singing lessons this deal entitles you to a 40% (almost exactly) discount on as many of the term one workshops as you wish to attend. (The soiree is free for my current and former singing students and not available to others. Workshops are open to my singing students, and to anyone who wishes to attend).

You do not have to nominate in advance which week you will not attend. This is the one and only time you can cancel at the last minute without incurring a fee! (Though do please call or SMS to let me know you are not coming). If you do not miss any week then you can finish the term a week early, or pay for the final week as a one off session.

In addition to this “one free cancellation”, you can have, if needed, a reschedule of up to one additional lesson, so long as you give a minimum of 24 hours notice. I have put aside the afternoon of Saturday 31^st March (following the songwriting workshop) for these reschedules.

Any further missed lessons (or failure to give 24 hours notice) will result in a lesson forfeit.

And that’s this month’s theme – “Hooked”. There are all sorts of ways to be hooked. When I write a song, I hope there’s a hook in there somewhere – a musical handle that the audience will remember my song by. And I’m hooked on singing and camping, and sailing, and folk festivals.

But being hooked isn’t always good – there’s being hooked on a relationship that’s bad for you, or those really unhealthy lollies, or for the really unfortunate, drugs and alcohol. If my exhausted late night brain isn’t too sluggish, this blogg may even have hooked you 0n wanting to know what sort of hook my story will hang on for the next performance…

So why am I writing about this in a singing blogg? Well, storytelling is an important part of the singer’s art. Especially the singer songwriter’s art. Telling stories to introduce your songs, and connect with the audience is a valuable skill for the singer to have. As is the ability to tell a story by the way you sing your songs. The story is not just in the lyrics you sing, but in the passion and emotion, or lack thereof, in the tone of voice and even the technical vocal choices you make at each point in the song. Every decision conscious or otherwise can add to the effectiveness of your storytelling: where you place your breaths; how loudly or softly you sing at a given moment; whether you join the words and notes up inj a flowing lyrical line or choose to accent each note and make it short. Singing in tune is important, but the way in which you sing the song, connect to the feelings in the song, and communicate your song to the audience is, in my opinion, even more so.

In short whether you’re telling a story through spoken words, or through a song, you want to take your audience on a journey – one where they are moved, amused and/or simply entertained.

The next Barefaced Stories evening is Tuesday 29th November 8pm, at The Bird. 181 William St Northbridge. Performances are monthly and new storytellers are always welcome to pitch a story for performance. www.barefaced.com.au

It can be a daunting experience singing in front of other people. We’ve all heard the maxim that most people are more afraid of public speaking than death. I think we could probably triple that for singing in public. And yet many of us are drawn to it – there is sometimes something driving us to want to have our voices heard. I think that that very same something is what makes it so terrifying for many. Our voices are part of us – having our voice criticized can feel like having our very Self criticized. That’s why I make the first occasion so protected. We need to practice being nervous – and overcoming it before going out onto a wider stage.

My own first singing performance was in high school. I was doing the elective subject called “middle school choir” with the amazingly inspiring Vicki Watson. She arranged contemporary songs (or contemporary-ish sometimes) so that the verses would be sung by students as solos, and the chorus was sung in harmony by the whole choir. She would arrange the songs to suit the array of students she had – and would even include us in choosing the songs that she would arrange. After stating I would NEVER sing a solo I did the very first term I belonged to the choir. I stood on stage and literally felt as though my body was melting and flowing down through the cracks of the floorboards on the stage. I don’t know how I did it, but I managed to keep holding the microphone and got through the whole verse. I did a solo every term after that. I loved to sing. For years though I didn’t completely understand why my voice never sounded as good when I performed as when I practiced. A few tips may have helped me:

• Look at the audience, then  breath in AND OUT before you sing
• Don’t try to not be nervous, but try to keep the anxiety levels below panic and use the energy as excitement (a friend once said “fear is excitement without the breathing)
• Stand your ground
• Enjoy yourself as best you can
• And again, remember to breath OUT

If you have any extras that help you, feel free to let me know at raelenebruinsma@yahoo.com with “performance tips” in the subject line.

As a registered music therapist I am well aware of some of the ways in which singing can promote health – the sense of community that can be gained by singing in a group, the oxygen that can be brought into the body, the endorphins that can be released from the enjoyment, the memory that can be stimulated, the pathways in the brain that can be reconnected after an accident to restore speech.

Currently I am undergoing a flare up of an illness I have had since a teenager, first officially diagnosed in my 2o’s, but for which my worst episode was at the age of 30. It is called fibromyalgia, and the main symptom of this is widespread pain throughout the body. I experience in many diverse ways – a dull throb in certain pressure points, a creeping burning feeling under the skin, a raging burning sensation around my neck, muscles that go into spasm that need constant care and attention. The medical profession currently see fibromyalgia as the brain distorting pain messages which results in a cycle of poor sleep, increased pain, and muscle spasms (and a range of other common symptoms which are distributed across the fibro population in unique and individual ways.) Alternative systems see it as an imbalance in the body’s systems. As it was alternative methods that got me well last time, I’m throwing my lot in there.

At the age of 30 I became so unwell that I couldn’t read a book – turning pages and inclining my head slightly were far too painful, and although some other bigger movements were easy, sitting at a computer, doing house work became impossible.

One thing that was always possible though was singing. And, as I realised terrifyingly that maybe this wasn’t just going to be around for a few weeks before it went away, and it may require a total change of life direction, I became aware that actually I could still sing, and that was what I wanted to do more than anything in the world  – I just didn’t know what style of music -yet. Approximately 9 months later (some people may see symbolism in that) I realised I wanted to sing my own songs. Thus began my journey of retraining my classical singing voice into styles I felt suited me better, writing songs, recording, touring …… and – teaching singing, which I enjoy at least as much as performing.

This process was healing. As I began writing songs, I slowly regained the capability of playing guitar – something I had lost completely at the onset of the episode. And I ended up doing things with my life that left me feeling much more fulfilled. COnnecting with a wonderful music community, travelling around the country to festivals and gigs, and making music which brings me so much joy.

This time around I am lucky. The flare up is not nearly as severe, though some new alarming symptoms have emerged, and I know what worked for me last time. I have a range of self treatment techniques that bring me significant relief on the bad days. I am also beginning to explore the idea that I probably have a range of food intolerences, though here I digress.

I am also lucky because music is already a significant art of my life. And when I sing I don’t notice and feel my pain so much. After a really good sing, I usually have a few pain free days. Is it the endorphins, or is it just a placebo affect?

Who cares!

Shortly after returning to Perth from my longish trip overseas, I got together with a musician friend of mine – Giuseppe Reina – and started the process of putting together musical duo. I am loving working with another musician, particularly one as accomplished as Giuseppe, who plays 3 or 4 types of guitar, mandolin, piano, and his main instrument, violin, and who can play in pretty much any musical style I throw at him. Though he doesn’t much think so, Giuseppe can also sing, and I’m hoping to convince him to share the singing with me from time to time. I think he will.

Giuseppe moved to Perth with his wife and daughter some three months before I did. He came from a little further afield though – Italy. Ever since my three months in Italy some twenty plus years ago, I have loved all things Italian (well most any way), so we are hoping to have a little Italian flavour weave through some of our music. We have only had about 3 rehearsals, but are both also very keen. We have just begun to think about names. Any ideas? Our current front runner is Quasi no BReina (pronounced Brainer), as it combines our surnames and has a slightly Italian flavour. Any ideas will be gratefully received.

I am hoping to enlist Giuseppe into some music making for my PhD performance as well. Stay tuned on that one.

So what does this have to do with singing? It is reminding me how much joy singing can bring into my life, and I am especially enjoying pulling out my blues songs again, now that I have a guitarist who can do great blues licks.

In other news I am wanting to put together a community choir some time soon. Any interest out there? Do you prefer a weekday, a weekday evening, or a weekend?

And then, some would say synchronistically, as I came close to returning to Perth, I began to receive a few enquiries about singing lessons. I was delighted. Now, I get to enjoy that passions as well. I love to teach singing. I love the challenge of working out each voice’s idiosyncrasies, each person’s best way of learning, and trying to come up with the best plan of action – flexible to the moment – to help grow the voice, or should that be, assist the person to grow into the voice. The truth is all of our voices are so unique, and yet all of our voices have the capability of being used in different ways. We can choose to work with the voice that comes most easily to us, and just make sure we are using it in a vocally safe way, or we can decide we have a different vocal aesthetic and work at learning how to use it in other ways too. Many students are surprised at how physical using their voices can be, but those who stick at it, even when they find it confronting, always seem to find some benefit.

I’m looking forward to getting my own voice fit again after a few months away.

And, as I am only teaching one day a week, the rest being for my PhD, I will commit to a monthly my blogg, so I can get on with other aspects of the business in the intervening weeks. I may even plan a workshop or two! Stay tuned! And keep singing!

Blogging about singing is something that’s new to me, and I’d love to hear any feedback, or requests for me to ponder a particular topic or idea at raelenebruinsma@yahoo.com Please put “findvox blogg feedback” in the subject field so I know it’s not spam!

I have only recently begun taking students here in Perth, and after a three month break from teaching due to moving and a range of things, I realise how much I missed it. It’s exciting to watch a student grasp a few skills and suddenly find that the voice responds. To hear the student look forward to sharing what he or she has learned with friends or family, and thrill at being able to do what he or she thought was out of reach. Of course the experience is different for and with each student, but I am looking forward to more!

As a final thought, I am always struck by one of singing’s greatest paradoxes – that it is both harder and easier than ever expected. And that when you work hard with the most helpful muscles, it suddenly feels easy and not much work at all… But finding those muscles and getting them to do what you want them to, there’s the challenge!