Voice, Singing & Alexander Technique - Day Workshop in London, Islington, N1 0NX. September 9th

What do I offer and what is my background?
What happens in a typical lesson?
Who do I teach?
Further information and contact details

What do I offer and what is my background?

I can help you to free your singing voice - to sing with greater ease, clarity, resonance and power. I can help you reduce performance nerves and to develop increasing confidence as an amateur of professional performer.

I have been teaching since 1982 and have taught a combination of Alexander Technique, NLP, voice-work and singing at some of London s top drama and music schools the Arts Educational Drama School, the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and the Royal College of Music.

"In my twenty three years at the Royal College of Music, nearly every one of my students has been advised at our first meeting to put their name down for Alexander lessons! It is the perfect starting-point for learning about the physical facts of the art of singing and how to put them into practice."
Professor Lyndon Van Der Pump- Professor of Singing, Royal College of Music

What happens in a typical lesson?

Vocal placement & posture
Pitch & volume
Rhythm & smoothness
Understanding the story
Internal stage management
Alexander Technique active resting position

Vocal placement & posture. The lessons starts with gentle vocal exercises based around gentle humming and open vowel sounds. This is accompanied by delicate Alexander Technique hands-on guidance to improve posture, poise and vocal placement. Please see below for an article and link on Alexander Technique & Voice.

Pitch & volume. Using simple scales to smoothly lower and raise the pitch of your voice whilst maintaining awareness of posture and alignment. Exercises for making a smooth transition from quieter to louder and back again to quieter volume. Gradually extending your vocal range and comfort zone.

Rhythm & smoothness. Working with the text of songs and poetry to develop rhythm, pace and smoothness in the vocal line.

Understanding the story. Understanding the song text. Bringing the story to life in your own mind and in the mind of the audience.

Internal stage management. Confidence boosting techniques and mental rehearsal skills drawn from the worlds of psychology, physiology and the theatre Alexander Technique, NLP, energy and breathing awareness etc. Please see below for an article and link on NLP & Voice.

Alexander Technique active resting position. The number one favourite exercise of my drama and music students over the years! Why? It yields benefits way out of proportion to any effort that you put in. In addition to being restful for the spine and soothing for bad backs it is also a great stress alleviator. Not to mention being a great position from which to do some of your vocal exercises.

N.B. I am not a pianist and do not provide piano accompaniment for songs.

Who do I teach?

Anyone who wants to free their voice. I have taught everyone from the so-called tone-deaf to principal solists at the ENO and Covent Garden: Those who just want to give their voice a spring-clean; the brave non-singer who wants to take the plunge; amateur and professional choral singers; pop-singers; actors and opera singers who just want to get that extra edge.

Further information and contact details:

Contact: Alan Mars, 26 Ventnor Villas, Hove, BN3 3DE
Phone: 01273 747 289 or 07930 323 057
Web: www.thetechnique.co.uk

Individual Sessions: London - 36 pounds per individual lesson (50 minutes). 300 per block of ten lessons paid in advance. Hove - 33 pounds per individual lesson (50 minutes). 250 per block of ten lessons paid in advance.