| Date sent: Fri, 28 Jan 2000 10:29:59 EST Subject: Re: TECHNIQUE: singing "ah" -THANKS! To: vocalist Send reply to: VOCALIST <vocalist>
In a message dated 1/28/00 6:30:42 AM Central Standard Time, peggyh-at-ix.netcom.com writes:
<< There are some choral instructions I'd have problems with, but there's nothing intrinsically wrong about asking singers tp drop their jaws and get theirs mouths to form the vowel. >>
There is something intrinsically wrong with this. It distorts the vowel and takes the ring out of the voice, and that's what its whole intent is. Many choir directors will dumb down good voices (by eliminating vibrancy through this method) rather than elevate the poor ones in an effort to create blend.
In fact, in a NATS column, Jean Westerman Greg addressing ethics in voice teaching stated that choir directors that use the hung jaw method were unethical because the litereature/research has pointed out the hazards of this approach and many continue to use it despite this fact.
Randy Buescher
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