If you have questions feel free to send them to me. Wether its a simple question or one that requires an actual post, I’d love to answer.

So you’ve made it through another semester in college, good for you! Now what are you going to do over the summer, tan, read, road trip? Whatever it is that you’re going to do, don’t forget that  you need to include some practice time somewhere in there. I don’t want to be the party pooper but your vocal chords are a muscle. That muscle needs to be worked or it will weaken. 

Now I know some people will tell you you’ve worked hard and really deserve a break, yes. You absolutely deserve a break, however you also deserve for your hard work over the last term not to go to waste. In the fall when you go back to school it will be like you took 12 steps back, sure you’ll catch up, eventually. But really who has the kind of time with being a music major to redo work you’ve already done? I know I certainly do not.

In the summer I suggest you take voice lessons from your regular voice teacher, if possible. A lot of programs (music departments) prohibit you to take outside instruction without permission. While I personally love my voice teacher and am thrilled with her I will be taking lessons with her over the summer. If your situation is not like mine and you’re either not doing well or simply don’t get along with your teacher then I suggest you find one who does work well with and for you. Remember that they may be your teacher but you  (or your financial aid or parents) are paying them. Therefore you should be getting what you are paying for, if you are not then I suggest you request a change of studio with who ever is in charge of the voice department (a post on how this should be and usually is handled will be coming soon). But I digress, if you choose to seek a voice teacher for the summer that is not from your department make very sure that you are upfront with them and explain the situation, if they are comfortable with it and choose to take you on then you’re set, if not then you should have a second choice.

The beauty of working over the summer is that there is less stress, you have more time to learn the music and maybe even learn stuff ahead of time. I usually tackle more challenging but fun things over the summer so in the fall I’m not only ahead of the game as far as learning my repertoire but I can focus on learning additional material in my other classes. In the summer you also don’t have the horror of juries hanging over your head, there are no mandatory performances (usually) but you should really consider this. I cannot tell you how its helped me in the past, theres a reason why I keep doing these things you know ;) 

The first time I worked with an accompanist I was utterly terrified. Not because she was mean or rude but because I had no idea what to expect or how to work with one. Here are the things I’ve learned from working with the same accompanist for three years and then switching to different accompanists once I moved on to undergrad.

1. If you can find out about them before hand, do. The first accompanist I had was the department accompanist, so she knew all the vocalists and was very sweet. She liked our names and numbers on each song in case she misplaced something. 
2. Number each page if its cut off in copying the music. This makes it easier for them when they are organizing it in their binders, which benefits you.
3. Ask how they’d like their music copied. I’ve had accompanists who liked it single sided and others who liked it double. It really depends on their organizational style, it’s not  a “one size fits all” kind of thing.
4. One of the best pieces I’ve done was to take my rep books to Kinkos and have them cut the binding and set it in spiral binding. Which makes it easier because the books lay flat on the piano and music stand. Additionally it makes it easier for you to copy.
5. You may be a soloist, but when you perform with accompanists its an ensemble, treat it as such. Once you work with an accompanist and you develop a chemistry the performance changes because you learn to play off each other. Which in turn makes the performance even better.
6. If your accompanist cant sight read, don’t hire them. While I’ve never had this issue, I knew someone who hired a pianist and didn’t find out the pianist couldn’t sight read until they were in audition. Avoid this!
7. Get your music to them as early as possible.
8. Finally, don’t miss rehearsals unless you have to. I don’t mean you’re stuck in traffic, I mean something along the lines of you’re in a hospital or have no voice. They need the practice time with you as much as you need it with them.

Back to school I go! It’s been really nice having a break for as long as I did. I know other people have been in school for about a week or two, if not longer. I was blessed to have a 40 day break! A much needed break, I might add. It’s been really nice to be able to read books for fun and not just school books. I will say this, the first thing I’ve had to do is get my sleeping schedule back on track. I have been dealing with a lot of family issues and one of them is the fact that my stepfather has been in the hospital for the majority of the last three weeks. The stress of dealing with that and taking care of my mom has been more than a little trying. However, it has forced me to build routines among chaos. Here are some tips for organizing your calendar.

Tip #1Have more than one calendar: The reason I say this is because I practically live online and usually have my computer on hand while I’m at school. Now I have a Mac which syncs the calendar with my iPhone and this also backs up my calendar(s) and tasks via iCloud. I also have a physical calendar that is actually for my homework assignments, due dates, deadlines, rehearsals(*though I put the rehearsals on both my agenda and my phone), practice with my accompanist, and so on…

Tip #2 Carry a water bottle: I love the one I mentioned in my previous post, Bobble. I use this constantly. It’s actually become one of the things I need to carry in my handbag, even when I’m not at school or singing.

Tip #3 Keep raw honey handy: My school provides lockers for music students, find out if they offer it at your school. I cannot tell you how many times honey has saved people’s recital and jury grades. I do not recommend buying the honey from places like Walmart, unless it clearly states that it’s raw. Reason is that it has added sugar, what you want is to hydrate your throat not coat it with sugar. I don’t know about you but sugar makes me thirsty.

Tip #4 Keep and use hand sanitizer: I cannot tell you how many times this has saved me. People at my school are always getting sick and always spreading germs, not to mention we have approximately 140 something students sharing about 20 practice rooms.

Tip #5 Develop your own emergency kit: I use Airborne or the Walgreens brand of it and it helps fight colds if you catch them early. I like the berry or strawberry flavor because lemon tastes weird to me. In mine I also have Throat Comfort Tea from Yogi Tea, I swear by this tea. It has saved my voice many times, and it will help you too.

Below I’ll have links you might find helpful and I will add to these tips later on as the term continues.

Stay healthy and happy singing!

Being as singer’s have their instrument within their bodies we cannot practice for 4 or 6 hours a day. Granted, practicing consists of so much more than just practicing singing the song. We practice rhythms, language and emotions for the character, among other things. 

I suggest breaking it up into increments: practice rhythms and notes for 20 minutes then move on to diction and do that for 15-20 minutes. Then practice the notes and actually singing it, if you know it enough to do so.

This is good because you work on all aspects of your pieces but you also aren’t practice so much that your hurt your voice.

I like keeping a practice journal/voice lesson notebook. Of course, I record my voice lessons but there’s something about actually reading notes that somehow makes things stick around in my memory for longer than a few minutes. I figured this was a good idea when I noticed it worked for my other classes.

Water: personally I love drinking water (now, I used to hate it) and I use a water bottle called Bobble. I purchased it at Target for about $10. This is actually a good purchase because you only have to change the filter about once every three or so months. You don’t waste plastic on disposable bottles and you get cleaner water, what’s not to love?

Below I have links for the water bottle and I suggest looking on amazon too, since they tend to sell things cheaper sometimes.

I read somewhere “whatever you’re feeling affects your instrument”  This didn’t really make much sense to me at the time. Now I feel completely different about that statement. I’ve found that my emotions affect how I sing, even when I’m doing what I’ve been taught to do (good posture but not stiff, drop your jaw, breathe and expand the ribcage, lift soft palate and so on..) When I’m feeling frustrated with anything or focusing on something else I can’t get anything right. Listening to a song that I’m not working on, something I enjoy like Chopin or Beethoven completely changes my mood and thoughts. 

If you’re having this issue, I’d suggest to give this a shot. Believe it or not your thoughts affect your feelings and your feelings affect your instrument and practice.

‘Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond imagination. It is our light more than our darkness which scares us. We ask ourselves – who are we to be brilliant, beautiful, talented, and fabulous. But honestly, who are you to not be so?

You are a child of God, small games do not work in this world. For those around us to feel peace, it is not example to make ourselves small. We were born to express the glory of god that lives in us. It is not in some of us, it is in all of us. While we allow our light to shine, we unconsciously give permission for others to do the same. When we liberate ourselves from our own fears, simply our presence may liberate others.’

- Marianne Williamson in Return to Love: Reflections on a Course in Miracles

I don’t know about other singers but as much as I love the winter and the Christmas season, I hate when the weather gets cold enough to require the heater. It messes with me on so many levels. It makes me congested, dries me out even though I drink entirely too much water as it is, and my least favorite; it makes me sound like a bass in the morning.

It’s simply awful! Here are tricks I’ve learned for surviving winter, especially before juries and final performances.

I. Hydration

The vocal folds need to be lubricated with a thin layer of mucus in order to vibrate efficiently. The best lubrication can be achieved by drinking plenty of water. A good rule of thumb (if you have normal kidneys and heart function) is to drink at least two quarts of water daily. Dr. Van Lawrence, world renowned Laryngologist, often said, “Drink until you pee pale.”

Caffeine and alcohol pull water out of your system and deplete the vocal folds of needed lubrication. Caffeinated drinks include coffee, tea, and soft drinks. Small amounts of these beverages are acceptable but must be counterbalanced by drinking more water.

Another factor that can affect lubrication is a dry air environment. The cause can be from gas furnaces, air conditioners, and climates with a low amount of moisture in the air. Using a humidifier at night can compensate for the dryness.

The air in airplanes is extremely dry. It is recommended that you avoid alcoholic, caffeinated beverages and drink at least 8 ounces of water per hour while flying.

Dr. Lawrence often recommended a favorite gargle recipe: 1/2 tsp. of salt, 1/2 tsp. of baking soda, 1/2 tsp. of clear corn syrup, and 6 oz. of warmed, distilled water. Gargle quietly and gently for two long, boring minutes. Do not rinse and use as often as necessary to help your dry, irritated throat.

In addition, Entertainer’s Secret^® (800 308-7452) throat spray is an effective way to help moisturize the vocal folds (follow the directions on the label).

II. Throat Clearing & Harsh Coughing

Throat clearing and harsh coughing are traumatic to the vocal cords and should be reduced as much as possible. One of the most frequent causes for throat clearing and coughing is thick mucus (due to dry vocal folds) or too much mucus (as with a cold) on or below the vocal folds. The safest and most efficient way to clear mucus is by using a gentle, breathy productive cough where there is high airflow with little sound. This can be achieved by using the following strategy: take in as deep a breath as possible, momentarily hold your breath, and produce a sharp, silent “H” sound while you expel the air.

III. Drugs

Antihistamines: Antihistamines are sometimes prescribed to treat allergies and are present in some over-the-counter cold medications. Antihistamines should rarely be used because they tend to cause dryness. Prescription nasal steroid sprays such as Nasacort^® (Phone-Poulenc Rorer), Nasonex^® (Schering), Flonase^®(Allen & Hansburys), etc. will often relieve the symptoms of nasal allergy without the drying side effects of antihistamines.

Analgesics: Aspirin products and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen) should be used with caution as they cause platelet dysfunction and this may predispose to bleeding. Tylenol^® (McNeil Consumer Products) is the best substitute for pain relief.

Mucolytic Agents: The most common expectorant is a preparation of long-acting guaifenesin to help liquefy viscous mucus and increase the output of thin respiratory tract secretions. Drugs, such as Mucinex^®, may be helpful for singers who complain of thick secretions, frequent throat clearing, or postnasal drip. Awareness of postnasal drip is often caused by secretions that are too thick rather than too plentiful. Mucolytic agents need to be used with a lot of water through the day, to be effective.

Local Anesthetics: Avoid the use of over-the-counter local anesthetic preparations for the throat. Singing under their influence is like trying to play the piano with gloves on.

Progesterone: Question the use of progesterone-dominant birth control pills. They may cause virilization of the female larynx and a loss in the upper vocal range. There may be no other alternative for your individual situation, however, so consult your gynecologist.

IV. Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Disease and Recommendations to Prevent Acid Reflux

What is Reflux?

When we eat something, the food reaches the stomach by traveling down a muscular tube called the esophagus. Once food reaches the stomach, the stomach adds acid and pepsin (a digestive enzyme) so that the food can be digested. The esophagus has two sphincters (bands of muscle fibers that close off the tube) to help keep the contents of the stomach where they belong. One sphincter is at the top of the esophagus (at the junction with the upper throat) and one is at the bottom of the esophagus (at the junction with the stomach). The term REFLUX means “a backward or return flow,” and refers to the backward flow of stomach contents up through the sphincters and into the esophagus or throat.

What are GERD and LPRD?

Some people have an abnormal amount of reflux of stomach acid that goes up through the lower sphincter and into the esophagus. This is referred to as GERD or Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease. If the reflux makes it all the way up through the upper sphincter and into the back of the throat, it is called LPRD or Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Disease. The structures in the throat (pharynx, larynx, vocal folds and the lungs) are extremely sensitive to stomach acid, so smaller amounts of reflux into these areas can result in much more damage.

Why Don’t I have Heartburn or Stomach Problems?

This is a question that is often asked by patients with LPRD. The fact is that very few patients with LPRD experience significant heartburn. Heartburn occurs when the tissue in the esophagus become irritated. Most of the reflux events that can damage the throat happen without the patient ever knowing that they are occurring.

Common Symptoms of LPRD:
Hoarseness, chronic (ongoing) cough, frequent throat clearing, pain or sensation in throat, feeling of lump in throat, problems while swallowing, bad/bitter taste in mouth (especially in the morning), asthma-like symptoms, referred ear pain, post-nasal drip, singing difficulties (especially with high notes).

Medications for LPRD:
The most effective treatment for LPRD may be drugs in the class known as proton pump inhibitors. Included in this group are Prilosec^®, Prevacid^®, Protonix^®, Aciphex^®, or the new medication known as Nexium^®. Ask your physician which may be appropriate for you.

V. Self-Destructive Behaviors

Avoid smoking cigarettes. They are bad for the heart, lungs, and vocal tract. Also, avoid other irritant inhalant substances and mind-altering drugs. Tobacco and marijuana are irritants to the vocal tract. When you sing you must be in control of all body systems: physical, spiritual, and mental. Smoking is disastrous for the speaking and singing voice.

VI. Requirements For A Healthy Voice

• Try your best to maintain good general health. Get adequate rest to minimize fatigue. If you do become ill, avoid “talking over your laryngitisee” - see your physician and rest your voice.

• Exercise regularly.

• Eat a balanced diet, including vegetables, fruit and whole grains.

• Maintain body hydration; drink two quarts of water daily.

• Avoid dry, artificial interior climates and breathing smoggy, polluted air.

• Limit the use of your voice in high-ceilinged restaurants, noisy parties, cars and planes.

• Avoid throat clearing and voiced coughing.

• Stop yelling – avoid calling from room to room.

• Avoid hard vocal attacks on initial vowel words.

• Use the pitch level in the same range where you say, “Umm-hmm?”

• Speak in phrases rather than in paragraphs, and breath slightly before each phrase.

• Reduce demands on your voice – don’t do all the talking!

• Learn to breathe silently to activate your breath support muscles and reduce neck tension.

• Take full advantage of the two free elements of vocal fold healing: water and air.

• Vocal athletes must treat their musculoskeletal system as do other types of athletes; therefore, vocal warm-ups should always be used prior to singing. Vocal cool-downs are also essential to keep the singing voice healthy.

Some additional suggestions for good vocal care are:

• If you need to get someone’s attention, use non-vocal sounds such as clapping, bells or whistling.

• Move closer to those with whom you are speaking.

• Face the person(s) with whom you are speaking.

• Use amplification, as needed, if possible.

• Reduce your speaking time in noisy environments, such as in automobiles and airplanes.

Optimal Speaking Techniques:

• Use good abdominal/diaphragmatic breathing and support.

• Learn to use your voice with as little unnecessary effort and tension as possible.

• Take frequent breaths when speaking long sentences.

• Maintain a smooth legato speech pattern with clear articulation.

• Allow the neck, jaw, and face to be relaxed.

• “Place” or “Focus” the voice appropriately.

• Speak at a normal rate of speed.

• Use good vocal inflection.

Water

75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated.

37% of Americans mistake thirst for hunger.

Even MILD dehydration will slow down one’s metabolism as much as 3%.

In a University of Washington diet study, one glass of water before bed prevented midnight hunger pangs 100% of the time.

Lack of water is the #1 cause of daytime fatigue.

Preliminary research indicates that 8 to 10 glasses of water daily significantly eases back and joint pain for 80% of sufferers.

A mere 2% drop in body fluids can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on a computer screen or printed page.

Drinking at least 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risks of colon cancer by 45%, breast cancer by 79%, and bladder cancer by 50%.

(Source: http)