To: "VOCALIST" <vocalist>
Subject: Exercises for breathy singer
Date sent: Wed, 26 Jan 2000 09:30:04 -0500
Send reply to: VOCALIST <vocalist>

Dear Vocalist Teachers:

I'm looking for some additional exercises for a 17 year old student who has
an extremely breathy voice. Here's her background:

Has sung in a cathedral choir since childhood. The choir was formerly a
Men and Boys choir but now includes women and girls with no change in
approach. The girls are taught to sing in that white, hooty, breathy,
too-bad-you're not boys-but-we'll-make-the-best-of-it manner. She is not the
first student I have had from this particular choir, but she has been the
most negatively affected. I'm not blaming all her problems on the choir, of
course.

Her speaking voice is similarly breathy.

She suffers from allergies and asthma and has trouble overcoming that
"my lungs are collapsing" posture: shoulders forward and down, chest
collapsed and pressed down.

She has had only the choral training for many years and came to me
sporadically beginning last year. Any time I've been able to encourage her
to make a healthy sound, she gets a look on her face like she's doing
something that isn't allowed and making a sound that can't possibly be
pretty or acceptable. She wants to sing as a soloist, knows she needs to
approach things differently, but really has trouble embracing anything but
"that" sound.

I need suggestions for helping her get past her fear of change. I am the
most positive and reinforcing of teachers, and she swears she really wants
to work with me in this manner so I'm willing to continue. But I would
welcome any ideas you might have because I'm running out.

Now that's she's returned this year for study, I've also become concerned
that there might be some damage. Her first lesson on returning was last week
and she said she wasn't in very good voice - but she sounded like she was
trying to sing over laryngitis. I'd like to suggest that she see a
laryngologist to be certain that all is well before we proceed.

Thanks for your help,

Laura Sharp
Director of Children's Music
1st Presbyterian Church, Albany NY
lasharp-at-nycap.rr.com