Vocal Warm Up Exercises

At the beginning of every class, we take part in various singing exercises to warm up the throat and to use our breath as a way of controlling how long we can hold a note. It is essential that we do these techniques to ensure that our vocal chords are well stretched and prepared to take on the challenging singing exercises that lay ahead.


These are a few examples of some of the exercises that we engage in:
-Breathing in for 4, holding for 4 and releasing for 8 through a ee or aaaa sound
-The balloon exercise; sucking in air like a balloon and releasing as long as you can. (This exercise is all about learning to control your breath)
-Be Banana exercise (singing different notes)
-Tongue twister exercises
-Scale singing
-Lip Trill
-Humming


These exercises are fun and educational, and have helped me learn the importance of these warm ups. They have helped me how to use my voice to its best potential.

Musical Theatre

THE LION KING

"Musical theatre is a form of theatre that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The story and emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an integrated whole." [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musical_theatre]

My favourite all time favourite musical is THE LION KING. The movie itself is meaningful, spiritual and humorous at the same time, and the musical reflects all of this. I went to see The Lion King at the Lyceum Theatre in London, and it was a wonderful experience. The production is fun, vibrant and keeps you captivated right until the very end. The cast and designers have been inspired by the culture, landscape and richness of the African landscape, and portray exactly this.  The cast consists of 40 people all including, dancers, actors and singers.

"It tells the story of a young lion cub called Simba and his journey to adulthood. Along the way he learns about personal responsibility, pride, trust and growing up in general. Using puppets, masks, lavish sets and a strong cast of human actors, The Lion King musical has adapted the film into a simply thrilling stage version." [http://www.boxoffice.co.uk/Arts-and-Theatre-Tickets/Musicals/The-Lion-King-Tickets.aspx?gclid=CLPHs4fG368CFUxlfAodYWcGEA]