30 September 2003

Singing Workshop...session 1b

Session 1a

Last weekend, the staff and I attended a singing workshop held by ANATS and conducted by Dr. Jean Callaghan, a lecturer, singing teacher and researcher of the singing voice.

We did four intensive sessions over two days. Over the next couple of weeks I will be reviewing what we covered in the sessions, so keep watching this page.

Day 1 - Saturday 27 September, am

Session 1b

In the second half of the section on vocal technique we covered more areas relating to the singer's voice. Today we look at one of those subjects, vibrato:

Vibrato

Vibrato is an aesthetic feature in singing which adds colour to the tone (sound). It can be described (incorrectly) as a wobble, but it sounds more like a very quick wave-like movement of sound very lightly either side of the note.

Although there is little research on this subject in terms of how it is done, Jean did mention vibrato happens at the larynx (voice box) level and the larynx moves to create it. Therefore the larynx cannot be high and tight which is necessary when belting for example. So, if vibrato is required when belting, the larynx will need to be relax but still maintaining stability (which comes with the application of neck support).

Vibrato can be heard in the following spots in these songs:

Born To Try Delta Goodrem

"Doing everything that I believe in, going by the rules that I've been to-ld. More understanding , of what's around me, and protected from the walls of love"

Fallin' Alicia Keys

"oh, oh, oh-I never felt this way, how do you give me so much pleasure, give me so much pain..."

I Turn To You Christina Aguilera

"When I'm lost, in the rain, in your eyes I know I find the light to light my way. When I'm scared, losing ground..."

More tomorrow...see you then....

Australian Idol Update

Last night we said goodbye to Cle and Lauren from Sunday night's Australian Idol Aussie No 1 Hits.

Both did really well to get this far. Out of 10,000 singers they managed to make the top 10. Not bad at all! Good luck to the remaining 8 singers-only one of whom will go on to be our first Australian Idol.

29 September 2003

Australian Idol

Unfortunately I missed the first two acts of last night's Australian Idol Aussie No 1 Hits due to the Singing Workshop I attended this weekend. I did however, enjoy the remaining acts:

Guy's version of Everything I Do I Do It For You was 'covered' superbly. He turn what could be a 'flat' song into a piece of vocal art. His voice, well suited to the song, made his excellent improvising (of the melody) even more chilling.

Paulini's Eternal Flame may not have been the best choice to show off her voice, however her pure natural talent pulled it off extremely well. Cle, as we know also has a brilliant voice, but her choice of song That's The Way Love Goes did not do it justice.

Levi, is such a crowd pleaser, they love him! and although I thought his choice of song was not as good as last weeks, his popularity seems to carry him. Good for you Levi! Lastly, Shannon, what a dreamy voice, a pure natural talent. He sang What About Me so convincingly. Good luck to you Shannon.

I will let you know tomorrow the 2 performers from last night's show who do not make it through.

Singing Workshop...session 1a

Session 1b

Last weekend was one of learning and networking for myself and the teachers.

The Australian National Association of Teacher of Singing (ANATS) hosted a singing workshop which was conducted by Dr. Jean Callaghan, a lecturer, singing teacher and researcher of the singing voice.

We had four sessions over two days. Over the next few week I will let you know what we covered at each session, so keep watching this page.

Day 1, Saturday 27 October, am

Session 1A

Vocal Technique

Jean Callaghan covered the all important subject vocal technique. This included the physical skills required for singing such as posture, breathing, resonance and articulation.

Some interesting points I got from this session were:

• correct and efficient breathing technique is required for singing, especially when singing classical as these singers start a song at 70% lung volume. Speech-like quality which is heard in contemporary singing requires about %40 lung volume (more is used when belting).
• before singing and breathing the singer must first 'set-up' the technique mentally. This means the student should 'hear' the note in their head, set up the articulators (lips, tongue, teeth, jaw) and all necessary technique before the first note is sung.
• technical terms for the body parts singers and singing teachers use (and refer to) are: costal=ribs, mandible=jaw, internal costal muscles=muscles in between the ribs, (well, I found this interesting!)
• learning how to sing in the abstract can be boring for the student e.g. only doing exercises and technique for long periods without singing (applying it to) songs. I (Leanne) believe technique can be applied to songs soon after learning it. Admittedly, the technique should be isolated and taught to the student until they have  grasped it, but once this has been achieved, they can apply it to the context of a song (which can be different to the context of the exercise).

Keep watching this page for reviews on the remaining sessions.

26 September 2003

Work experience...day 5

Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4

My (Danielle Lawson) 5th and final day of Work Experience with LHSS has gone exceptionally well!

Leanne and I spent a good portion of today organizing everything for Jean Callaghan's Spring Workshop. There was lots to do and little time to do it but between Leanne and I, we finished everything that needed to be done in preparation for the workshop tomorrow (27 September, 2003).

My Work Experience with the Studio has been terrific and I feel that it was very beneficial to me. I learned a lot about the requirements and work involved in running a business.

I am going to miss working here at the studio and before I go, I would like to say thank you to Leanne for making me feel so welcome and teaching me so much about her business in the short week that I have been here.

Spring workshop

Tomorrow, the staff and myself (Leanne) are attending a weekend Workshop hosted by ANATS and held by Dr. Jean Callaghan from Sydney.

more...

I'll keep you updated over the next few days.

25 September 2003

The future of business

A friend from the Breakfast & Business group I attend asked me along to a breakfast held this morning at the Adelaide Hilton to hear Dr. Deane Hutton speak on "The Future of Business"

Deane's work on television has included 18 years as a writer-presenter of the award-winning Curiosity Show, and 7 years as science presenter on Australia's top variety program Hey Hey It's Saturday.

After hearing him speak, I wasn't surprised to learn he is a member of the National Speakers Association of Australia - holding the CSP (Certified Speaking Professional) which is the highest level of accreditation.

Deane looked at three new materials with great potential, three scientists to watch and three business issues to consider.

The three business issues to consider were

• office geography-by 2015, one third of workers may work from home
• privacy-selling of email lists will become more common. Health and genetic profiles will become more comprehensive. Big Brother is watching!
• ageing-by 2020, one in five Australians may be senior citizens. There will be a desperate shortage of younger workers. We will need to keep capable, skilled people working into their 70's & 80's.

You may ask what does this have to do with singing?

From a business perspective, and as principal and director, I believe that it is important to be aware of what is happening in the wider business world. This affects the Studio's marketing, our services and planning for the future. We believe that successful businesses need to be proactive (moving with the times, constantly tailoring services to population trends and staying ahead of the curve) rather than reactive (deciding what to do when the time comes and change hits us).

In addition, the contacts and inspiration that come from networking and meeting influential people at such events can also be extremely beneficial and I usually always go away with some useful tips and ideas.

Work experience...day 4

Day 1  Day 2  Day 3  Day 5

Work Experience is continuing to go very well for me (Danielle) here at LHSS.

Most of today was spent researching the Phonographic Performance Company of Australia (PPCA) licensing information for the studio followed by the writing of an article for the LHSS website.

This was very interesting and extremely informative and it also gave me a chance to look at the articles previously written for the website on the other three licenses required by the studio (APRA, AMCOS, ARIA).

This was a good opportunity for me to gain understanding about some of the legal requirements needed to run a business of this nature.

Last day tomorrow, I'll see you then.

24 September 2003

Singing competition

Auditions for the 2nd Pop Vocalist Contest are now underway for the competition on 6 March 2004 at the Dom Polski Centre in Adelaide.

Age groups are 6 - 11yrs, 12-15yrs, 16-21yrs, 22-80yrs. 1st prize is a recording package.

Cost is $25 to enter and proceeds go to charity.

For more details contact David Mac ph 8186 3070.

Work experience...day 3

Day 1  Day 2   Day 4  Day 5

I (Danielle Lawson) am finding Work Experience with the Leanne Hoad Singing Studio to be very informative and beneficial. I am enjoying the experience of being immersed in the work force and am learning a lot about all the different aspects of running a business.

Leanne and all of the singing teachers here at LHSS are making me feel very much at home here in the studio and so far I have really enjoyed my first 3 days of Work Experience.

Today:

•  Leanne Taught me how to burn cd's (the studio is licenced to do this).
•  I made copies of the Showcase 2003 Rehearsal Choir Songs CD for the singing teachers to use in lessons.
•  Did data entry (entering enquiry forms into a computer program).
•  Cleaned many of the studio's cd's and backing tracks.
•  Picked up a laminated A4 advertisement sheet along with a tax invoice.
•  Printed out pamphlets for Dr. Jean Callaghan's Singing Workshop

Leanne and I will keep you updated in the following days.

23 September 2003

Australian Idol update

Last night we watched the first two performers from the top 12 who wouldn't make it through to be the first Australian Idol.

Matt and Peter were the two who will be going home. Congratulations are due because these guys made it through to the top 12 out of 10,000 auditionees.

As the elimination process unfolds, it is going to be heartbreaking for 8 of the the remaining 10 performers who will follow in their footsteps.

I only hope they realise just how lucky, fortunate and extremely talented they are to have got this far. Perhaps more of the finalists than just the winner will end up with a recording contract from Ian Dickson of BMG (one of the judges).

22 September 2003

Work experience...day 1

Day 2  Day 3  Day 4  Day 5

LHSS student 15 year old Danielle Lawson is currently spending the week at the Studio doing work experience.

The teaching of singing, although a very important part of the business, is only 50% of the total picture. We will endeavour to give her a glimpse of the broader picture of running such a business.

After the induction this morning, we did some administrative jobs and then she sat in on some singing lessons to observe lessons being conducted.

We started the day going through the Staff Induction to familarise her with the Studio surroundings and facilities.

The rest of the day involved:

• labeled and inserting the recent CD and  Songbook purchases into our Music Catalogue software programme.
• printed out LHSS promotion Flyers.
• observed staff member Katie Packer editing the Ain't No Mountain High Enough backing track on our Cool Edit software programme. This song will be used at our Showcase 2003 Concert. (We will then licence this duplication with AMCOS).
• observed a singing lesson also conducted by Katie.
• got a brief overview on various aspects of the business.

Danielle says about her first day:

Danielle and I will keep you updated on a daily basis with each day's happenings.

Australian Idol 70's Show

I thoroughly enjoyed the standard of talent, and listening to the performers interpretation of them on last night's 70's Australian Idol.

My choice of the evening was Cosima who blew me away with her new look, the flattering outfit and her interpretation of Hot Stuff. It was a good choice of song which brought out the best in her gifted voice.

Levi was another contestant who sang a song that suited his voice, Stevie Wonder's Superstition. His moves and stage presence match his vocal talent.

Paulini's version of Please Don't Leave Me This Way was sung in true 70's black soul female fashion. Her voice matched that of the greats of that era.

Tonight we will see which two performers go home, leaving 10 contestants to fight it out for the title of Australian Idol.

I'll let you know the outcome tomorrow.

18 September 2003

Vocal Health

8 Steps to Vocal Health

All professional voice users need to be aware of their voice. School teachers, preachers, aerobics instructors, music teachers, public speakers, singers; all these professions, and many more, use their voice intensively on a daily basis.

It is crucial, and perhaps self evident, that professional voice users be aware of what they can do to develop their voice to its fullest potential. It is equally important to know how to manage the voice; when it needs remedial care, or even complete rest.

Our 8 Steps to Vocal Health article, advocated by Speech Pathologists and Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) specialists can provide a useful framework to help promote and maintain a healthy voice.

17 September 2003

Breakfast & Business Networking Group

This morning, I (Leanne) enjoyed my regular breakfast, in Gays Arcade in the heart of Adelaide's CBD, with a dozen other women in small business.

We meet fortnightly and thoroughly enjoy the fellowship, brainstorming, networking, support, motivation, inspiration and ideas we offer each other.

I usually leave the meeting totally inspired and full of ideas.

This morning I was reminded of all the little details (the 'one percenters', as my husband puts it) that are imperative to providing a professional service and being a successful business.

Some of the small initiatives which have worked for us over the years include:

• up-to-date magazines in the waiting area
• waiting room music, computer slideshows of photos from our concerts and videos to help new people feel comfortable and set an inspirational mood
• follow up letters to all enquirers and students when booking lessons
• cancellation and payment policies
• attending conferences and workshops whenever possible to keep our skills and knowledge current
• a short manual of standard in-house procedures (available on the computer network at all times) so everyone knows what to do in the office without having to ask
• detailed budgets and carefully managed finances using QuickBooks Pro accounting software
• professional, clean, fully equipped Studios
• utilising technology (computers and sound equipment) wherever possible to enhance the students' experience of us and the efficiency of the business
• simple, independent procedures to backup computer data onto different media, performed daily
• this blog (News page on the web site)

I never cease to be amazed how daily attention to detail can lead to big results down the track.

In the planning stage, a small idea in isolation has often seemed quite trivial and irrelevant in the big scheme of things.

However, many small ideas have led to a favourable impression with clients e.g. having each clients' lesson times and other information at our fingertips (via the computer network).

These small things have also given myself and the staff a feeling of being a coordinated, like-minded team working in professional surroundings.

16 September 2003

Australian Idol Update

The winners from the 'Wildcard' show of Australian Idol last night were:

Judges choice- Cosima

Viewers Choice - Levi and Rebecca

Well done guys!

Search For A Star & Battle Of The Bands update...

Full details here

We reached a milestone last Thursday night as it was the last heat of the series.

Congratualtions to Tori Jaeger who won the encouragement award on the night, consisting of a 1 hour singing lesson at our Studio.

The Semi finals run for 3 consecutive weeks from Thursday 25 September, 7pm at Fellini's Cafe, O'Connell Street, North Adelaide.

The Grand Final will be on Friday 31 October.

The job of judging the talent quest has been a most enjoyable one for Katie and I. We have met some wonderful people, particularly in the industry (check out the photos) and we also gained professionally.

15 September 2003

REMINDER: Singing Workshop

see full details here

ANATS is hosting a weekend of workshops and masterclasses for singers and singing teachers presented by Dr. Jean Callaghan, one of Australia’s most respected vocal experts, on Sat 27 & Sun 28 September at Seymour College, Adelaide.

The weekend will include sessions on:

• vocal technique including body alignment and breath management
• teaching the male voice including a masterclass of adolescent and mature male singers
• masterclass and demonstration of the Opera/Music Theatre crossover.

• different methods of teaching and learning singing

• new "Sing&See" computer software about to be released in Australia.

Click here to download PDF flyer with Registration Form

Dr Jean Callaghan

Sydney-based Dr Jean Callaghan is a singer, teacher of singing and singing performance, researcher and writer. She has advanced degrees in singing. Her book, Singing and Voice Science, explores modern voice science and scientific findings in the context of the musical concerns of the singer.

for full details click here

14 September 2003

Australian Idol

I had my reservations on the 'wildcard' show this evening on Australian Idol surprisingly I found it extremely enjoyable viewing.

I must admit, I was skeptical and wondered how they could make an entertaining 1.5 hours from something which was an opportunity to prolong the series, the audience's attention, for the purpose of ratings.

I am sure some viewers believed there were performers worthy of a semi-final placing who did not get through. This gave these performers a second chance.

My favourite of the night was Cosima who sang Delta Goodrem's Predictable. Her voice, interpretation and presentation on the song were high class.

My second choice goes to Bek who sung Whitney Houston's Shoop and Courtney who sung ACDC's All Night Long. Although I thought Courtney did not have the heavy rock quality in her voice which we so often expect when with this song, her presentation of the song overshadowed this.

Once again, I also thought a few performers choice of song did not help their chances of getting audience votes.

I'll let you know the winners tomorrow night!

12 September 2003

Child and Adolescent Voice

The following points are from the notes I took on the Child and Adolescent Voice while attending an Australian Voice Association (AVA) Conference in Brisbane in 2000.

You may find them interesting.

Should one teach children?

Teaching growing singers can:

• keep them mentally alert
• encourage correct habits and vocal techniques, particularly if they are singing anyway
• be an alternative to sport if the child is not this way inclined
• gives them confidence

Some characteristics of the child voice and body:

• The larynx sits much higher. Instead of sitting within the neck area, it is placed almost under the chin.
• Lungs are much smaller. By the end of pubescence they expand 4.5 times.
• The vocal folds develop till puberty and during this time they change in structure & strength. Different sounds can be heard as a result.
• Resonating tract very small & sinuses need to develop (to get bigger)
• Male pitch drops dramatically from 10 - 20 yrs old.
• Female voices do change also but is not audibly as obvious

An understanding of the child's voice can be useful to singing teachers who teach the younger singers.

Here are a few resources I have found useful in my quest to learn more about the subject:

Phillips, Kenneth (1992). Teaching Kids To Sing, New York; Macmillan Library Reference.

ISBN: 0028717953

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

ISBN: 0874141230

9 September 2003

Australian Idol winners...

Congratulations to Rob and Paulini who were the winners in heat 5 of Australian Idol.

Congratulations to...

Kelli-ann Blakers and David Brady on their recent engagement. Kelli-ann did lessons at the LHSS for 2 years before moving to Sydney to pursue a career in the industry as a performer.

Congratulations to LHSS student Kylie Playford who is getting married this month, in Greece where her fiance has family ties.

8 September 2003

Australian Idol

My (Leanne) winning choice from the 5th and final group oh heats of Australian Idol are Anton who sung End of the Road and Paulini who sung a favourite of mine, Barbra Streisand's version of Somewhere.

I also enjoyed the performances of Adelaide contestant Alex, who did a great job interpreting Leonardo bride's Even When I'm Sleeping, and Rob who sung Angels.

I'll let you know who won tomorrow, after the winners are announced tonight, 7.30pm on Channel 10.

Search For A Star & Battle Of The Bands update...

Full details click here

LHSS is one of the proud sponsors of this long-running Adelaide competition held at Fellini's Cafe, 102 O'Connell Street, North Adelaide.

The last of the ten heats will be held this Thursday night. This will be followed by three semi-finals concluding with the Grand Final on Friday 31 October.

Contestants include bands, instrumentalists, dancers, actors, and of course solo or a group of singers.

The judges who are professionals in the industry include myself (Leanne Hoad), and LHSS teacher Katie Packer.

We (LHSS) give away an encouragement award at every heat. Last week we gave it to Amy Davis who did a good rendition of one of Whitney Houston's songs considering she has never had lessons before. The encouragement award is a 1 hour free lesson at the Studio. In Amy's lesson, we will go through some basis singing techniques that will help her vocally, and also look at the 'performance' and 'interpretation' aspects of her performance.

All proceeds go to the Make-A-Wish foundation.

5 September 2003

Song writing competition

The deadline for the International Songwriting Competition (ISC) is less than two weeks away!

Great prizes, in conjunction with a lot of promotion and exposure, are only some of the reasons to enter your songs into ISC.

ISC offers both amateur and professional songwriters the unprecedented chance to have their music heard by some of the most influential and high-profile leaders in the music and recording industry.

For more information and to enter online
or via mail, please go to their website.

4 September 2003

Success Update

Check out Jac Dalton's website and listen to his songs

Click here for LHSS profile on Jac.

One of our recent success stories is country singer and musician, Jac Dalton, who has just recorded his first CD after fine-tuning his voice for four months at the Studio with a program we tailored specifically for his needs.

Two tracks on the self-titled CD, recorded at Ramrod Studios in Sydney , are original songs written by Jac: Exhale and Second Time Around. The recording also includes a cover version of Elvis Costello's Girl's Talk and Nobody Wins, an original song written by renowned Nashville songwriter Radney Foster.

Three of the singles from his CD - Second Time Around, Nobody Wins and Girls Talk - are all currently in the top ten of the Sydney and Melbourne country music charts.

A video of Girls Talk is currently playing on CMC (Country Music Channel) via Austar. It is also playing on RAGE, VH1, MUSICMAX and MTV TV music segments. Girls Talk is currently being played on Triple M radio nationally.

Jac performed on AM-Adelaide in August, and has been given the thumbs up and is waiting on confirmation dates for Kerri-Anne's morning show, Good Morning Australia hosted by Bert Newton and Rove-Live.

3 September 2003

A Day in the life of a Singing Studio Principal

When people ask me (Leanne) what I do in my job, people are very intrigued (or perhaps it is more a matter of surprise).

Apart from taking people out of the shower and into the public eye...singing, I also believe that learning to sing provides life skills as a by-product of singing lessons. After all, if you can sing in front of an audience, you can do almost ANYTHING! We give people the confidence and skills to achieve these goals.

As the principal, my role goes beyond the four walls of the singing Studio:

Beta testing software

We are currently 'beta testing' (the testing of software programmes before they are released on the market) for a Sydney based software programme called Sing&See. It is designed to give visual feedback about the loudness, pitch (singing in tune) and timbre (quality of sound) when singing.
The programme will assist our Studio in teaching the 25% of people who respond better to a 'visual' approach to learning.

Writing articles

We also write articles for industry journals. I am fine tuning our very popular 8 Steps to Vocal Health article for publication in the next "The Music Stand" publication which is distributed by the Music Teachers Association of South Australia.

Judging competitions

Some other roles include judging at local singing competitions including AMP Search for a Singer and Battle of the Bands at Fellini's Cafe.

Professional development

Attending conferences and workshops to keep updated with latest advances in singing techniques and the voice and, of course, passing this information on to our staff at staff training sessions which in turn is passed on to our students via constantly updated teaching material in lessons.

Promoting students

I am submitting articles to help with the promotions of our student Jac Dalton who recently launched his Album.

It's great having such a diverse role and having so much fun doing something I love.

2 September 2003

Australian Idol Update

Cle and Lauren won the 4th group of Australian Idol which was on Sunday night.

Congratulations to all those who are going into the semis.

1 September 2003

Australian Idol

I enjoyed last night's Group 4 of Australian Idol who performed and competed for a position in the semi finals.

I thought there were some singers who selected songs that were not suitable for them.

Fortunately the singers who have sung in the previous groups have chosen their songs well. I assume those who needed to, changed their song choice when advised to do so (possibly by the show's Voice Coach?). But this did not seem to happen last night.

Tips when choosing songs, especially for auditions:

• avoid songs by high profile singers with identifiable voices such as Celine Dion, Mariah Carey & Whitney Houston.
  These divas' voices are brilliantly distinctive and deeply ingrained in our psyche; to the point where we still 'hear' the original artist singing the song even when we are listening to someone doing a live cover version. The live performance will inevitably be compared to the CD by the audience and, therefore, will struggle to live up to expectations.
  There's no need to put yourself under this extra pressure at an audition.
• avoid songs with lyrics that you cannot identify with; such as an 11 year old girl singing about the traumas of a relationship. The interpretation of the song will never be convincing and will hold little credibility. Consequently, much of the message and power of the song, which made it a hit in the first place, will be lost.
  As Marcia Hines keeps saying on Idol (paraphrased): you need to own and feel the song inside you for it to move your audience and work for you.
• Choose a song that shows off your voice. The dynamics (loudness and softness) of your voice and your tonal variations (strong 'big' sounds and the pulled back variations) should be displayed.
• Never sing a song in an unsuitable key. If you struggle with any of the high or low notes, change the key or, if appropriate, change the melody.

My choice out of last night's Idol is Brandon who sang Robbie Williams' Better Man. Admittedly, Brandon chose a song beyond his years of experience but I loved what I heard of his voice.

My second choice is Brielle. Although her version of Even God Must Get The Blues did not do it for the judges, I thought she had a beautiful voice; possibly one of the best in this group.

Tonight, we will know who goes through to the semis, and see how close I was to Australia's choice.

24 August 2003

Singing Workshop for Our Saviour Lutheran Church

We are excited to be able to provide tailored Singing Workshops to groups.

The next workshop will be for Our Saviour Lutheran Church at Aberfoyle Park and commence on September 6. It will be conducted by our workshop expert, LHSS teacher Lisa Simonetti.

The following will be covered at each session: