vocal technique research

Jeannette Nelson

Jeannette Nelson is known for being the  voice at the National Theatre, she’s worked in theatre and TV. Nelson had taught some of the warm ups that she was taught as a trained singer, she then developed a career out of this. After studying a course at Central School of Speech and Drama, she spent the next ten years of a career with Patsy Rodenberg, before studying at the Royal Shakespeare Company and Sydney Theatre Company, Nelson applied for the title of ‘Head of Voice’ at the National Theatre, and was offered the job after meeting up Nick Hytner, another practitioner. Personally, I think he work is very beneficial in the sense that she was taught as a trained singer so she has that background and clearly she will know what she is talking about since she must be well educated. After watching the video which is linked below, I like the way that they start by opening up the body and stretching it completely so the body is fully awake.

https://uk.video.search.yahoo.com/video

Patsy Rodenburg

Patsy Rodenburg is the Head of Voice at the Guildhall School and has been for the past 30 years and until recently at the National Theatre. She trained in Voice Studies at the Central School of Speech and Drama and is well known as one of the world’s leading voice teachers and coaches.  She was previously involved with the Royal Shakespeare Company and has worked with the Royal Court. Patsy has also worked  with many international theatres such as the Moscow Art Theatre and Comedie-Francaise.

Elsie Fogerty

Eloise Fogerty trained under ‘Hermann Vezin’ and at the ‘Paris Conservatoire’. Fogerty in 1889 became a teacher of elocution at the Crystal Palace School of Art and Literature then at London School of Acting. In 1906 she founded the ‘Central School of Speech Training and Dramatic Art in London’, which she directed until she passed away in 1945.  She adapted and produced a number of classical Greek plays to support her studies and the use of choral speaking. She also pioneered in speech therapy.

Vocal Techniques

• Breath in and out without moving your shoulders up and down, if you are this it indicates shallow breathing & will result in too much air pressure onto your vocal cords.
• Your breathing should start much lower down with your stomach & diaphragm muscles expanding like bellows.
• Lie on the floor, relax & breathe normally. You should notice as you breathe in your stomach & rib age rise and as you breathe out they get smaller again.
• Practice doing short mini laughs with a breath in between then practice this in slow motion to help develop control with your air pressure and flow. Think of squeezing a tube of toothpaste from the bottom up to keep that steady flow.