Helen Bazzard's Review of Canto and Paul Deegan's Masterclass:
Canto Song and Voice School - top voice and singing tuition on our doorstep!
Newly opening in Lewes, Canto Song and Voice School is run by Lucinda Houghton and Sara Gourlay and held in wonderful rooms and garden at the top of School Hill.
In search of a 'works outline', Firle Choir chose a masterclass run by Canto looking at how to improve musicianship in amateur choirs. Held this time at Pelham House, I brought a bottle of white to start the evening on the terrace and we later met in the bar to discuss the class!
The speaker Paul Deegan, had taken on a small choir when asked by the group to step into the shoes of their director who had sadly and unexpectedly died. Having trained at Trinity College, Dublin and formerly Head of Vocal Studies at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, Paul noticed the choir's lack of musical vocabulary was inhibiting their understanding and therefore their singing of the music. In his frustration, he set about creating simple but effective ways of building the basics needed to read and better understand a score. He also looked for simple ways of caring for and improving their singing voices.
He talked of the disadvantages of only learning by ear, that result in singing by rote tied to the guide recording, as well as only knowing the basics of their own singing part. Grimly hanging onto a line doesn't lead to the full rewards of group singing! Singing in a choir can lead to the enjoyment of hearing the part played in the harmony.
My understanding is that beginners may well start in this way and show courage in trying at all. It has been so exciting to hear both new and more experienced singers improve through practice and see them move into a greater sense of musicianship. Of course there's always much more to learn but like any language, the more you can express, the more you feel part of the sharing.
Once you're able to work a little with a score - and it really doesn't have to be that hard, you are free to add all the expression within tone, pace and loudness that grows into your choir's version.
By the interval, we had sung musical terms within their format, ('This is a major chord!' to Doh-Me-Soh and so on,) and rediscovered several scales, chords and cadences. The real relevance for me was how becoming familiar with the more unusual chords and note progressions leads to better staying in tune when they're part of a piece. We may br happy singing our part in a major chord because we know the harmony well but may struggle to hear what's 'right' about a diminished 7th chord - until we're thoroughly experienced at recognising it.
So back to the point of the talk - being able to identify, name and sing groups of notes, helps our pitch and performance, especially useful for beginners.
After the interval Paul coached 3 young singers from Canto who bravely sung their grade pieces.
Firstly 'warming up' the voice. This turns out to mean focussing on the muscles used in singing, rather than any note producing, so the stretching and relaxing of the muscles surrounding and containing the larynx or 'voice box'. The 'warm up' also includes the muscles used to amplify the sound and send it out, so the jaw and the cheeks. There's the word-forming muscles, too, so we need awareness of the tongue and lips to check for restriction or tension.
Another insight for amateur singers is the relevance of the whole body. Feet well grounded, support the posture needed to add the space around our breathing fully when standing still, relaxed but 'held' posture helps when moving.
Paul would often help the young singer physically by encouraging the lengthening of the back and neck or drawing more attention to the muscles in the lower abdomen referred to as 'using your support'. He'd pinpoint so quickly the main hurdle and place a hand to bring into focus what was needed.
'What about the song!' you may wonder? Through my experience as an actor and stage singer, I know that we can feel deeply the sentiments of a piece but be unable to properly express it. My own teaching helped me realise that a few strongly rooted techniques, once made your own, lead to much more choice and freedom, leaving more energy to 'sing the song!'
Paul insisted on looking for the meaning in the words, adding helpful stage moves and of course, substantiating it with technique, clearly enthusiastic when the singer improved! Paul Deegan expresses a lifetime of music theory, practice and performing experience. His wish to extend this to all, from professional musicians to the newest of beginners, gave us a Masterclass indeed!
More please, Canto!
Helen Bazzard - Firle Choir Leader
UKCP Reg - HIPS; BEd (Hons); former EQUITY
Integrative Psychotherapist and Trainer for Public Speaking and Performing
Canto Song and Voice School - top voice and singing tuition on our doorstep!
Newly opening in Lewes, Canto Song and Voice School is run by Lucinda Houghton and Sara Gourlay and held in wonderful rooms and garden at the top of School Hill.
In search of a 'works outline', Firle Choir chose a masterclass run by Canto looking at how to improve musicianship in amateur choirs. Held this time at Pelham House, I brought a bottle of white to start the evening on the terrace and we later met in the bar to discuss the class!
The speaker Paul Deegan, had taken on a small choir when asked by the group to step into the shoes of their director who had sadly and unexpectedly died. Having trained at Trinity College, Dublin and formerly Head of Vocal Studies at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, Paul noticed the choir's lack of musical vocabulary was inhibiting their understanding and therefore their singing of the music. In his frustration, he set about creating simple but effective ways of building the basics needed to read and better understand a score. He also looked for simple ways of caring for and improving their singing voices.
He talked of the disadvantages of only learning by ear, that result in singing by rote tied to the guide recording, as well as only knowing the basics of their own singing part. Grimly hanging onto a line doesn't lead to the full rewards of group singing! Singing in a choir can lead to the enjoyment of hearing the part played in the harmony.
My understanding is that beginners may well start in this way and show courage in trying at all. It has been so exciting to hear both new and more experienced singers improve through practice and see them move into a greater sense of musicianship. Of course there's always much more to learn but like any language, the more you can express, the more you feel part of the sharing.
Once you're able to work a little with a score - and it really doesn't have to be that hard, you are free to add all the expression within tone, pace and loudness that grows into your choir's version.
By the interval, we had sung musical terms within their format, ('This is a major chord!' to Doh-Me-Soh and so on,) and rediscovered several scales, chords and cadences. The real relevance for me was how becoming familiar with the more unusual chords and note progressions leads to better staying in tune when they're part of a piece. We may br happy singing our part in a major chord because we know the harmony well but may struggle to hear what's 'right' about a diminished 7th chord - until we're thoroughly experienced at recognising it.
So back to the point of the talk - being able to identify, name and sing groups of notes, helps our pitch and performance, especially useful for beginners.
After the interval Paul coached 3 young singers from Canto who bravely sung their grade pieces.
Firstly 'warming up' the voice. This turns out to mean focussing on the muscles used in singing, rather than any note producing, so the stretching and relaxing of the muscles surrounding and containing the larynx or 'voice box'. The 'warm up' also includes the muscles used to amplify the sound and send it out, so the jaw and the cheeks. There's the word-forming muscles, too, so we need awareness of the tongue and lips to check for restriction or tension.
Another insight for amateur singers is the relevance of the whole body. Feet well grounded, support the posture needed to add the space around our breathing fully when standing still, relaxed but 'held' posture helps when moving.
Paul would often help the young singer physically by encouraging the lengthening of the back and neck or drawing more attention to the muscles in the lower abdomen referred to as 'using your support'. He'd pinpoint so quickly the main hurdle and place a hand to bring into focus what was needed.
'What about the song!' you may wonder? Through my experience as an actor and stage singer, I know that we can feel deeply the sentiments of a piece but be unable to properly express it. My own teaching helped me realise that a few strongly rooted techniques, once made your own, lead to much more choice and freedom, leaving more energy to 'sing the song!'
Paul insisted on looking for the meaning in the words, adding helpful stage moves and of course, substantiating it with technique, clearly enthusiastic when the singer improved! Paul Deegan expresses a lifetime of music theory, practice and performing experience. His wish to extend this to all, from professional musicians to the newest of beginners, gave us a Masterclass indeed!
More please, Canto!
Helen Bazzard - Firle Choir Leader
UKCP Reg - HIPS; BEd (Hons); former EQUITY
Integrative Psychotherapist and Trainer for Public Speaking and Performing
