Voice Monday: 49

EDITORIAL

I have loved Musical Theatre for as long as I can remember, not just for the enjoyment of being immersed in a new world for two and a half hours, but for the community - the spirit and passion of all its patrons, you, and the creatives who build such beautiful stories. I feel enriched and empowered by all your joy for this industry, and I wanted to do something special to celebrate you, us, and all those within our incredibly artsy bubble…
For the last year or so my company, Rayvox, has been publishing a free digital newsletter - ‘Voice Monday’, which is now loved by over 14,000 readers every single week. We curate the very best articles and explore performance, singing, and artistic mastery, providing insights, stories, and inspirations from the vibrant world of music, performing arts, and beyond.
Today, as we celebrate the world of Musical Theatre here at MusicalCon 2023, we decided to do something special and transform our Voice Monday into a physical tabloid, with articles written by some of the industries most wonderful performers, teachers, and thinkers. Within this special edition you’ll find vocal care tips by current Elphaba, Alexia Khadime, advice for the best audition songs by prize-winning author and vocal pedagogue, Jeremy Fisher, to a brilliant article about reframing your performance and practice with “3 Good Things”, written by the West Ends most wonderful vocal coach, Claire Underwood. We have thoughts on the benefits of performance exams written by a LAMDA examiner, Georgina Hart, an analysis of why you forget lyrics and how to fix it by coach, Hannah Howie, insights into how movement can boost performances by Chris Johnson, some thoughts on ADHD by Stephen King, as well as tips to release tension in your voice by influencer Lara Chapman, and finally an article about singing straws, written by me (obvs).
I truly hope you enjoy reading, and if you do, please don’t forget to signup to our free digital version too. It’ll be your weekly dose of articles, resources, and voice tips to help get you inspired, master and love your voice, and unleash your vocal potential.
Oren
 
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What is a singing straw?

What is a singing straw?

If you've never heard of singing straws, you're not alone. But singing through a vocal straw (SOVT) isn't just some wacky trend - it might just be one of the most beneficial things singers and vocalists can do for their voice.

Lyric loss - why it happens and what to do

Lyric loss - why it happens and what to do

We have all forgotten the words. Be it on stage, in an audition, at a gig - that T shirt is well worn. So firstly, let that humble you. And secondly, let it remind you; memory loss is something we have to work with, accept and prep for. And it’s manageable.

Are You Shouting Instead Of Belting? Try This!

Are You Shouting Instead Of Belting? Try This!

While belting is a vocal tone and technique that’s totally ok for singers to do (no, it doesn’t hurt your voice!) we do need to make sure that you’re actually belting, and not shouting. So, listen up!

The Benefits of Performance Exams for Young Musical Theatre Performers

The Benefits of Performance Exams for Young Musical Theatre Performers

One of these valuable steps is taking performance exams, a practice that offers numerous benefits to aspiring young musical theatre performers. With so many to choose from, including RADA Messenger Awards, Rockschool, Trinity Exams, and LAMDA, here is some insight into what young performers can seek to gain from performance examinations.

Most of what you see about ADHD is wrong

Most of what you see about ADHD is wrong

There’s a lot of content on TikTok and Instagram about people living with Attention Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and not all of it is true, and not all of it is helpful.

Movement In Singing - It’s quite literally a ‘no-brainer’!

Movement In Singing - It’s quite literally a ‘no-brainer’!

Most books and voice training programmes are built around techniques that directly work on how the vocal folds function, or the parts of your body nearby. Think throat opening, breathy vs non-breathy, chest voice and falsetto, twang or cry… and many other very ‘vocal’ things. Then you've got the ‘all about the breath’ brigade. And let's not forget the vowel shape enthusiasts.