30 March 2004

Australian Idol Auditions

Australian Idol is returning to Network TEN and the producers are holding auditions in Adelaide on:

Saturday May 15

Hotel Adelaide International

62 Brougham Place, North Adelaide

Auditions commence at 8.30am. Be early so you don't miss out!

Unfortunately auditions are limited. Once they have reached the daily capacity, auditions will close. However a further audition day may be announced at each venue subject to demand.

Click here for full size version (625KB JPG)

Click here for full version of back cover with full audition details (401KB JPG)

Click here for Leanne's Aust Idol auditioning tips

26 March 2004

Voice transformation in female adolescents

Part 1

Voice Transformation in female adolescents Part 2

There has been a lot of research on the transformation of the adolescent male voice. Comparatively, there has been very little research about the changing female voice.

"One possible reason for this lack of information may be that the voice transformation process is not nearly as noticeable in females as it is in males. The speculative assumption was that female voices do not really "change", but instead merely "develop" during the adolescent period.

" Evidence for this assumption is the absence of a noticeable change in pitch range, as is the with boys with the low pitch change, and the breathy, thin quality of many adolescent girls."1

The changes in a male and female voice are different. In Part 2 of this series, we will look at the actual changes the female voice goes through.

Keep watching this space!

1. Thurman, Leon., Welch, Graham, eds. (2000). Bodymind & Voice: Foundations of Voice Education, Minnesota, USA: The VoiceCare Network, pg 739.

24 March 2004

Delta compared to Kylie

The Australian Herald Sun report these recently:

She conquered the ARIA awards in 2003, now Delta Goodrem looks about to do the same with the Logies in 2004.

Goodrem has been nominated for two Logie awards -- gold for most popular personality on TV and silver for most popular actress.
Goodrem will have to overcome a strong field, including McLeod's Daughter's Lisa Chappell, Rove Live's Rove McManus, All Saints' Georgie Parker and Blue Heelers' John Wood.

Melbourne's Wood has been nominated for the Gold Logie eight consecutive times and has never won it.

With Goodrem favourite in 2004, he looks like missing out yet again.

In the previous years, Wood faced the might of Lisa McCune and Parker, now it is Goodrem's turn to thwart him.

Chappell has a pragmatic approach to Goodrem's favouritism.

"Put it this way, I haven't written an acceptance speech," she said.

If Goodrem does win both the gold and silver for her role as Nina Tucker in Neighbours, it will draw comparisons with when Kylie Minogue won both in 1988.

After her Logies win, Minogue moved to London where her popularity exploded, a lead Goodrem could well follow.

Beyonce's best

SINGER Beyonce Knowles has cleaned up at the 18th Soul Train Awards in Los Angeles, winning the gong for Entertainer of the Year.

The award was presented by fellow Destiny's Child member Kelly Rowland, and Beyonce couldn't control her tears.

The talk on the red carpet was of Beyonce's stunning, curvaceous figure, much better than the stick-figures we've become used to.

19 March 2004

The benefits of singing lessons

The benefits of becoming a proficient singer and performer go beyond the obvious-being able to express yourself through song and enjoy the process.

At our Studio, we find the life skills attained with going through the training process significantly changes the person.

The most obvious character improvement is the confidence issue.

The process of developing a nice voice, becoming confident with performing in front of people, and applying the skills to perform successfully give you quite an amazing sense of achievement. Over a period of time, this confidence becomes a part of the individual and filters into every aspect of your life.

When the next students stops their singing lessons and performing, and their parent says "we have invested so much time and energy into their singing and they have now stopped and not taking it further!", they can be reassured that the time spent in training has added benefits.

15 March 2004

World-class musician to teach at Darwin Uni

Published yesterday on ABC News Online:

An Indigenous music program at the Charles Darwin University has attracted a world class Australian pianist, composer and director, who will be involved over the next two years.

Paul Grabowsky is best remembered for his role as music conductor on the Tonight Live television program with Steve Vizard.

Mr Grabowsky will help mentor and teach staff and students, while expanding his knowledge of traditional Indigenous music through the University's remote music program.

12 March 2004

George Michael to post songs online for free

2 stories published yesterday on ABC News Online:

British singer George Michael says he is retiring from the music business and intends to put all his future songs on the Internet for free.

The 40-year-old pop star told BBC radio he would never make another album for sale in record shops, because he did not need the money and wanted to be less famous.

Michael is currently promoting his latest album Patience but revealed it would be his last.

"I think it's going to be my last commercial promoted release," he said.

"I've been very well remunerated for my talents over the years so I really don't need the public's money."

He says he would "really like to have something on the Internet with charitable donation optional, where anyone can download my music for free".

"Believe me, in the modern world if you take yourself out of the financial aspect of things, ie. if you're not in anybody's chart, you're not making anybody any money, you're not losing anybody any money.

"Believe me, I'll be of very little interest to the press in a certain number of years. I'll hopefully be a happier man."

Nicole Kidman and J-Lo to team up as swing musicians

Oscar-winner Nicole Kidman and US diva Jennifer Lopez will team up on the big screen to play members of a groundbreaking white female swing band in pre-World War II America.

Entertainment industry bible Daily Variety said the unlikely duo had signed up for the period drama American Darlings , which Kidman has been championing and which she will executive produce.

The movie, which has been bought by Hollywood's New Regency Films, tells the story of two women who shatter the race and gender barriers of the 1930s by joining forces with black and Hispanic musicians to conquer the male-dominated nightclub scene.

The movie, which has yet to be written, will be produced by partners Craig Zadan and Neil Meron who were responsible for 2002's Oscar-winning musical Chicago, of which Kidman was a big fan.

10 March 2004

Student Success

Congratulations to LHSS students Kristen Bode for winning the Adult Catagory and Sam Tenwith for winning the Youth catagory of the Pop Singing Competition held at the Dom Polski Centre last Saturday.

Well done to the many LHSS students who also competed.

Straw Poll: singing reference books

What are the most essential reference books on the bookshelves of ANATS (Australian Singing Teachers Association of Teachers of Singing) singing teachers around the country?

See the Top 10 voted by ANATS members here...

and the rest of them here

4 March 2004

Copyright & Licencing: ARIA

Copyright & Licencing: APRA

Copyright & Licencing: AMCOS

Copyright & Licencing: PPCA

As part of our Copyright & Licensing for Singing Teachers series, today we look at the last of the four licencing bodies a singing teacher may need to be aware of: the Australian Record Industry Association (ARIA).

About ARIA

ARIA is a non-profit organisation which represents the record companies included in ARIA's Schedule of Record Companies. Some of these include EMI, Universal, Warner and Polystar (owned by Warner).

ARIA has more than 80 members ranging from small "boutique" labels typically run by 1-5 people, to medium size companies and very large companies employing thousands of people.

In broad terms ARIA performs four main functions:

• ARIA acts as an advocate for the industry, domestically and internationally
• ARIA collects statistical information from members and retailers. It compiles numerous ARIA charts with data provided by over 700 retailers
• ARIA is a focus for industry opinion and a compiler of industry information and views
• ARIA provides in certain cases, a "blanket" licensing function on behalf of it's members for various copyright users

About the ARIA licence

ARIA issues licences for the reproduction (dubbing) of certain sound recordings.

Do you need a ARIA licence?

You will need an ARIA licence if you are 'dubbing' music onto CDs for any reason. These reasons might include performing or for ease of use in lessons.

An example of such use is the recording of songs on a student's 'practice' cassette tape for the purpose of home practice.

Another example may be the reproduction of tracks to create a compilation CD for concert or performance use.

As a singing teacher what license(s) do I need from ARIA?

The Leanne Hoad Singing Studio has a blanket dubbing licence for the reproduction of certain sound recordings for use during singing lessons

.

The following conditions apply to this licence:

• The licence shall apply to any sound recording other than those owned or licenced to the companies listed
• The singing studio does not sell or export the product
• Use: Reproduction on to compact disc for use during singing lessons
• Fee: A fee of $55.00 (GST inclusive) applies
• Term: (to make reproduction): One year

For further information, contact ARIA on (02) 8569 1144 or email at aria@aria.com.au

2 March 2004

Singer wanted for rock band

1 March 2004

Musical greatness under scrutiny

Reported yesterday by ABC News Online:

Performers from a variety of music genres have volunteered themselves for a new study that is trying to determine what makes a great performance.

Researchers at Griffith University in Queensland will consider how crucial a musician's choices are in performing well.

Queensland Conservatorium Research Centre director, Associate Professor Huib Schippers, says the focus is usually on written music.

He says this study will help aspiring performers play better.

"Many students are quite deluded into thinking if you just practice the piano for 10 hours a day you'll be a great performer," he said.

"You'll be technically perfect with 10 hours of practice but it won't make you a great performer and what we're trying to uncover, at least partially, is how this process of making, separating, great performances from mediocre performances actually works."

Researchers will spend four years working with musicians to see what makes them tick.

He says several musicians have volunteered to be observed.

"[We will] follow them around with video recorders and interviewing them while they're practicing," he said.

"Recording both their brilliant moments and their mistakes, because it's in this balance that you find out how a piece of music is actually developing and we're looking at both Western-style classical musicians but we're also working with Indigenous musicians and we'll be working with pop musicians and jazz musicians."

 Mary-Anne Foster with guitarist Alexei and backing vocalist and teacher Allison Bourke at LHSS Performers Concert 2003 No.2

click image above for full size photo