YOUR VOICE & THE CLASSROOM

Course Code: 328-PD-2122

Location: Judd

Instructor: ELIZABETH PERRYMAN

Hours: 2.0

Date/Time:

4/27/2022 3:30:00 PM – 4/27/2022 5:30:00 PM

Teachers rely on their voices daily. How we speak and breathe affects our work. We will explore habits/exercises that preserve the voice. Bring questions for individual feedback.

Class Objectives: Participants will explore basic vocal production elements.  We will discuss and explore speaking into the core of the voice, vowels to access clarity, efficient use of breath flow, and application of voice registers as it relates to vocal health. We will troubleshoot vocal issues and practical tips to preserve and sustain the voice. 

PRE-TEST QUESTIONS: 

(Answer what you can/reward for the most correct answers)

1. Essential Question:  What does healthy vocal production sound like?
2. Essential Question:  How can we preserve our voice for optimal health?
3. Personal Vocal Inquiry:  Describe a time when your voice didn’t work.  What did it feel like, sound like?  How long did it take to recover? What did you do to assist?
4. What does it mean to breathe with an anchored, healthy breath?
5. What are the Italian vowels?  How can they help non singers?
6. Do you speak high, medium, or low? What are the 2 main speaking registers?
7. (Info given by me) In what part of your voice do you speak?

VOCAL HEALTH ABCS

A. All affects our throat. From parties to emotional experiences, your throat will react. Aging also makes an impact on vocal health.

B. Build strength with intentional exercises. Choosing tacit often wins the race.

C. Core sound endures. Pushing is wasted on the young. You will need a core sound to rely on especially as you age.

D. Deep and free breathing is essential to a healthy speaking voice. If you speak off the balance of the registers without vibrating with breath, you may develop modules (calluses on your vocal cords.)

E. Express yourself by not overusing your speaking voice and developing signals.

F. Find “your” voice. Don’t fight a losing battle mimicking others (Barry White).

G. Gauge your stamina. What percentage day is your voice? 

1. BMW DAY: My voice is in top form. 100% throat
2. UNDER WARRANTY DAY: My voice works like a solid Costco appliance. 75-80% throat
3. TLC DAY:  With careful warm up, I can speak adequately. 60% throat
4. SHUT UP DAY: I can barely speak.  My cords won’t come together.  40% throat

H. Hydrate often.

I. Insist on rest; it often cures a weary throat=).

J. Just do it. Body work is very helpful for releasing the throat eg. stretching, yoga, Alexander Technique…..

K. Keep lozenges and water with you to keep your throat moist.

L. Listen to recordings of yourself speaking. Do you hear yourself strain? 

M. Maintain your allergies. They can wreak havoc on the throat. (Scotto yawn)

N. Notice vocal fatigue and make adjustments. Warm up at the level of your fatigue. What exercises free your voice?

O. Objectivity and intuition is important.  Try not to speak too much if you sense dis-ease in the throat. 

P. Plan meals wisely at the end of the day. Be cautious of acidic food  before you go to sleep. Gerd is no joke and can eclipse the voice.

Q. Question if your voice doesn’t feel good. Speak by sensation.

R. Rest well and elevate your head. 

S. Speak on your interest, not principal or pushed sound; crackly/breathy sound is no bueno.

T. Take time to develop a handful of exercises that always work for you no matter how you feel. Carry them everywhere. (Ng and fee)

U. Utilize Apple cider vinegar, Neti pot, steamer, local honey, tea with lemon, and a couple Tylenol if needed when your cords are thick.

V. Vowels are helpful. Use your best one to help the others (my ee saves me.) Attach a voiced or unvoiced consonant to focus and move the air.

W. Weather affects the voice. Wear a scarf and stay warm. What would be a worse case speaking scenario? (Italian premiere)

X. X-ray (scope of cords) may be needed if you are excessively hoarse. 

Y. You are unique and the best judge to assess how it feels when you sing. 

Z. Zone in on where your voice functions the best. Your authenticity will help you to sustain a healthy voice.

• 

How will you know when you’ve reached your happy weight for your mind? When my satiety matches my intuition and joy.

How will you know when you’ve reached your happy weight for your body? My blood work doesn’t stink. My feet aren’t swollen. My waist doesn’t have similar measurements as my hips.

How will you know when you’ve reached your happy weight for your whole self? My mind and body (and elephant Pat) are constructively coexisting.

E. Perryman #akintsucrooner

4.24.22

Be not afraid. Do not fear. I am with you.”

These words often soothe me when my fears take over. Believing that I am worthy of love carries me through my anxiety. But oftentimes life’s roulette challenges my ability to cope.  

A year following the death of my father, I experienced the other side of fear. 

My father visited me in a vivid dream. The message he left from this meeting has never left me.  

He was waiting for me at the back door by our utility room. His eyes were sad and his cheeks were stained with tears. When I opened the door, his comfort and compassion flooded the room. 

He said “What would you like to do today? We can do anything you want. We have all day.”

The day was a blur that felt endless.

I remember relief. I remember hope. I remember gratitude.

We shot 9 holes of golf carrying our clubs at par 3 like we used to do. 

I had this overwhelming feeling that my Dad came back to reassure me that he is always with me and that he deeply feels our loss. 

The memory of his face at the back door has never left me. 

The feeling of his empathy was ever present. 

And when I sing, I feel especially close to him. 

These gifts help me transcend fear. 

Thank you, Dad.

My day with less Noom structure……

I was ne’er too pleased about yesterday’s noom challenge to log off. I did the best I could but still needed my double blade skates and skating walker.

Full transparency….

Despite less Noom guidance, I did log, weigh in, and drink my water. It’s automatic now. I have stuff that I eat and have established since January and it just works as a habit; makes me feel good; sleep well; move easily. My emo elephant Pat felt heard and satiated within the framework of my rider.

During this challenge, I am currently visiting my mom at my childhood home. I have never had an easy food relationship with food here. It was either binge or deny since childhood; food hoarding since I was in grade school. I lived with much food shame and conditional accolades if I was being “good” on my diet.

In the past couple days, I have felt the triggers of wanting to numb out emotionally but I have had more accessible options and haven’t reacted as I did in the past which is brand new for 53 year old me. Distorted food thoughts have been quite the pattern. Noom has helped me build psych tricks and reconcile with my elephant Pat (who tried to help me cope in the way they thought was best when I was growing up.)

On my visit this week, I have had enjoyable chicago food from deep dish to Portillos but not in the same quantity. I’ve added low caloric dense food to it (soup/veggies). I’ve been much more mindful as I eat; chewed more; relished the food more; and drank water.

Yesterday to honor the Noom experiment, I allotted 2 of my favorite maple donuts in my daily food log. Normally I’d eat these donuts mindlessly while doing other things. Instead I planned a time just to eat and enjoy them. When I did, I got full so much sooner and they felt very decadent; like something I wouldn’t want all the time. In the past I ate these donuts without thinking but never felt like it was special.

The continued exposure, consolidation of information, non judgmental approach, and yes, noomalicious humor, has been a blessing on this less traveled road. Giddy up, Noom. #akintsucrooner

#akintsucrooner

You know the one….the catchy Johnny One Note tune from the classic 1937 broadway show, Babes in Arms. Johnny could only sing one note but he sang that note extremely well. Alas it is probably not as big of a hit in 2022 but it’s a fun tune nevertheless.

My opera version would sound like this:

Poor Johnny one note sang with legato, bel canto all over the place…..Poor Johnny one note, banished the diphthongs; his coach had a smile on his face; for singing one note was his ace!

Well, it’s a given that we singers need to be able to sing many notes well. But coaching p1 from Desdesmona’s Ave Maria aria from Otello made me rethink this novel one note showtune.

Perhaps Johnny got a raw deal; singing one note may not be as easy as you might think.

On page one of Verdi’s Ave Maria, the traditional Catholic prayer has been set, you guessed it, with over 50 repeated Ebs. Needless to say singing this page needs more than just the ability to sing Eb in a nicely blended chest mix (which for my dramatic soprano throat is actually the easy part.)

So today I had a scintillating singing session with my fabulous musical coach whose nickname is ironically “Gianni.”

Below I present the Gianni cliff notes version of needed stylistic nuances for this particular opera aria…

1. Deliver the native intention and subtext of the foreign text sans my  midwest flat palate. 
2. Sing piano and dolce with chiaroscuro without losing core and color. 
3. Keep the phrase energized but don’t rush.  
4. Don’t aspirate T but sing an articulate T. 
5. Internalize the rhythmic framework but don’t sing too metrically.  
6. Fill in the rests but keep the rhythmic framework.  
7. Breathing is allowed if it’s musical. 

Thank you to my fine tuning muses like Giovanni Longo who keep this soprano trucker honest.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1b-7vWifuRA7kl13V1XXpic4Fqb0bgUjRvAHe_KpkrP4/edit

“I just want people to hear me and my story”

As an evolving Noom nerd, I’m in the weeds of unpacking my emotion driven food habits. My past attempts in making dietary changes has been to ignore the impulses my inner elephant; cloister that annoying mammoth. My steely motivation only went so far. The fact is that my inner elephant, just like Glenn Close, will not be ignored. Cue Madame Butterfly……This impetuous little tusker will always part of me and I am gradually beginning to make friends with my them…..

My elephant’s story includes not wanting to feel powerless, excluded, or anxious. Mindlessly shoveling tortilla chips however tasty has helped to numb out these unpleasant emotions.

It hasn’t been easy to isolate these challenging feelings. And they aren’t going anywhere. But as Noom guides me to expose myself to these unpleasant feelings, it is becoming less overwhelming when I inevitably face emotional triggers.

My Uncomfortable Truths:

If someone embarrassed my wife or family on national tv under a worldwide microscope, I don’t know if I would be able to control my anger.

I count myself privileged not to be under the relentless scrutiny of fame. I only have to look at those whose lives ended early to see the tragic impact.

If fame, wealth, and looks were the meaning of life, our world would really be in trouble.

If I was Commander in chief during ww2, I could only hope I’d be brave enough to globally announce that Hitler should be removed from office.

I believe society wants realness but can’t cope with real emotion. People mask their emotions and then we don’t understand why things happen to those who seemed so happy.

Real emotions are messy and uncomfortable.

Tools are built from being allowed to express difficult emotions. Tragedy evolves from our unexamined and unacknowledged shadow side.

In general, society operates superficially. Channels like investigation discovery exist as a result.

Beach gate memes never tire.

The Sorrowful Mother
Ukrainian Traditional
(Страдальца Мати)

Beneath the cross there stood a mother crying, shedding tears of sorrow while her Son was dying: oh Son, my Son, for what great transgression must you bear this trying hour of oppression on the cross?

With my bitter tears how lovingly I bathed you, when You were a mere child, from what foes I saved you: but now You leave me and my heart so grieves me, for my dearest Son, I will no longer see Thee. Oh my Son!