The younger generation of singers....catch them in time ...

When I first started 'helping' singers with my quirky (as one 'singing teacher' labelled it ..!) Extended Breathing and Vocal Focus routine, it was found to be most beneficial to more experienced singers, actors, and members of the general public with respiratory and phonation problems, who'd been referred to me by physicians. It all started when I made a remarkable recovery after a devastating fire accident, which 'kippered' my lungs. My instinct invented exercises and procedures which eventually restored the semblance of a lifegiving breathing system - which was great, because that's how I learned the simple process of respiration and I've never looked back !! Over the years I've had some wonderful moments of sheer magic when helping a person enjoy an enhanced quality of life, especially with the voice...whatever their occupation or profession. Much more frequently now, I'm approached by the younger generation who've heard the results of 'Simsonic Ping' and are eager to discover it's secrets....well, there are no secrets to it, just a careful connection and synchronisation of air and body - simple as that - and there's the rub. The most difficult thing to explain is - simplicity - ever tried it ..? Eleanor (Hemmens) a dedicated undergraduate at The University of London, reading English, attended a Master Class given by Rosalind (Plowright) at the Royal Academy of Music, London, and as some of you regular bloggers will know, was the 'baby ' of the class - deemed too young by some members of staff, but Rosalind took her on, sensing a latent talent. We've been breathing regularly since then and Ellie has just been cast as 'Belinda' in Purcell's 'Dido and Aeneas', promoted by the music dept.. O.K.? The irony is that Ellie, and the ' Dido', are the only un-trained (or as I see it, unpolluted by 'singing teachers') members of the cast - naughty, naughty Sims.... if you took my hint and viewed Emma (Grimsley) yesterday on You Tube you may agree with me..? Congratulations Ellie, I wish you every success, you truly deserve it for your application, determination and inspiration - my breathers always inspire me - the feeling is mutual. In Stockholm recently, Anna 'la la ' Larsson, winner of the Swedish Opera Magazine 'Artist of the Year 2008', and I enjoyed a very happy, fun session showing Beatrice Orler, a gifted young singer studying at Kulturama, that unconventional "Palace of Creativity" (my title for Eva Haglund's domain) where Anna regularly gives Master Classes - I repeat - 'Catch them in time' and so, k..p b.......g and warm.....