Monday 11 August 2014

Stock take day three

I'm so tired and ready for a sleep but it's been a day of sucesses and revelations so I can't go to sleep without blogging my stock take for today!

Alexander technique 
1. Lucia Walker did a warm up session and group Alexander technique session with us all today.
2. I came out of the session feeling taller and freer! 
3. She explained that thinking of putting my shoulders back to correct my posture was doing me no good at all as I was over correcting and making everything tighter.
4. My shoulders should feel sort of thrown out to the sides... If that makes sense.
5. She helped to raise my back and help me make space!! 
6. Breathing exercises: whispered arr out through mouth and then release breath through nose - imagine diaphragm - use arms to imagine.
I tried these things out in Robin's class...
7. I felt I had more space to breath.
8. He extended this even further - by imagining and following instructions I imagined first my arms/shoulders touching each window and then my head reaching up to try and touch his hand above my head.
9.  Singing felt more relaxed, I could focus on the song and my hand was less twitchy!! 
10. Also my French was almost there (one word I keep changing to a rather rude one apparently!)
11. Make sure my head has space to move.
Things gathered from watching a session with Adrian Thompson.
12. Diminuendo - "don't think of it as pulling back,  think of a helium balloon going up" lifting up the arm as it's tied to the wrist.
13. Imagine a dog on one of those leads... The room, space and freedom to let it roam but still completely connected and you can pull it back at anytime! 
14. Important shape of mouth / use it to sing conservatively (save breath).
15. Panting exercise to engage the diaphragm. 
16. I sang in the evening concert tonight!!!!
17. I felt more aware of what my body was doing.
18. Less twitchy hand and I knew when I hunched up and tightened my chest (big link with not having enough breath!) (more time to work on this with Margaret I would imagine!!) 
19. I sang horcht right!!!
20. Lots of lovely and constructive feedback from some tutors and other students. Feel proud I got up there :-) 

Master class with Roderick Williams at 9.45 so I better get some kip! 

2 comments:

  1. From your comments about singing for Robin, I'm guessing you've had your class of singing French for Robin Bowman. He's a lovely man, with brilliant insights into the artform. I can hazard a guess as to which word sounded rude (it should mean kiss?). I've never worked with Adrian, but have heard him sing and loved much of what he's done. Look forward to your class with Roddy, he's a gent!

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    1. It was French with Robin Bowman yes. I sang le colibri and it was supposed to be kiss! How silly! Off to warm up now!

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