Sing
"Singing is Sharing".
According to Icelandic Singer-Songwriter Teitur (quoted above), if you're not willing to honestly and openly share something of your experience when you sing, then 'you're taking, not giving'. For Russell, if we're hung up on 'how we sound', and 'getting all the notes right' when we sing, we're always going to be holding back from sharing as generously as we might. We'll be pouring energy into 'trying to impress' people, rather than really communicating through song, which is an altogether more powerful experience for all involved. I aim to encourage and give you the skills to support you in using your voice effectively and healthily, but also specific tools to enable you to really 'enjoy the sound of your own voice', and to find style that is rooted in meaning, rather than unconscious mimicry.
My approach is broad, and flexible, drawing both on my personal experience of the classical tradition and also to a large extent on my considerable experience of the Roy Hart approach to voice, which is far less conventional and more organic. I also incorporate a range of ideas drawn from other contemporary approaches to voice, such as those of Kristin Linklater, Cicelly Berry and Patsy Rodenburg and others, as well as elements of Feldenkrais, Alexander, Tai Chi and Shiatsu. I am currently midway through additional official training in the Fitzmaurice approach, which, alongside Linklater, is the other most widely used approach in theatre training in American universities, as well as being widely applied in the field of corporate training in speech and presence, worldwide.
I help clients identify the techniques that best suit them, catering for a range ages and abilities, desires and styles, from classical to Musical theatre to rock, pop and traditional, challenging and coaxing all singers beyond their current limits.
Singing for fun, confidence, and the supposedly tone-deaf.
For those who simply wish to sing for the sheer pleasure of making sound, or to explore their musical ability, I often work with people who have been told they are tone-deaf, or who have little or no confidence in their musicality.
Singing for professionals. Technique and song interpretation for audition preparation and performance.
For professional singers, I aim to provide precise, intuitive and incisive technical feedback, guidance and suggestion, as well as drawing on my considerable theatre experience, imaginative ways to enliven delivery of songs, further unlocking already significant musicality levels, aiming to give the singer an extra edge in performance.
Audition Preparation
I offer a one off individual session for preparation for singing audition, generally a minimum of 2hrs, depending on needs and requirements. I recommend at least one preparation session well in advance where possible, as a follow up session is often invaluable.
Choral speech and song, Musical direction and arrangement.
When working chorally, Russel guides groups towards meaningful dynamic shaping and musical precision, aiming to add a sense of theatricality and drama into performance, and find ways to move beyond merely impressing audiences, to raising hairs on the backs of necks! Russel also works as a music writer, arranger and accompanist.
According to Icelandic Singer-Songwriter Teitur (quoted above), if you're not willing to honestly and openly share something of your experience when you sing, then 'you're taking, not giving'. For Russell, if we're hung up on 'how we sound', and 'getting all the notes right' when we sing, we're always going to be holding back from sharing as generously as we might. We'll be pouring energy into 'trying to impress' people, rather than really communicating through song, which is an altogether more powerful experience for all involved. I aim to encourage and give you the skills to support you in using your voice effectively and healthily, but also specific tools to enable you to really 'enjoy the sound of your own voice', and to find style that is rooted in meaning, rather than unconscious mimicry.
My approach is broad, and flexible, drawing both on my personal experience of the classical tradition and also to a large extent on my considerable experience of the Roy Hart approach to voice, which is far less conventional and more organic. I also incorporate a range of ideas drawn from other contemporary approaches to voice, such as those of Kristin Linklater, Cicelly Berry and Patsy Rodenburg and others, as well as elements of Feldenkrais, Alexander, Tai Chi and Shiatsu. I am currently midway through additional official training in the Fitzmaurice approach, which, alongside Linklater, is the other most widely used approach in theatre training in American universities, as well as being widely applied in the field of corporate training in speech and presence, worldwide.
I help clients identify the techniques that best suit them, catering for a range ages and abilities, desires and styles, from classical to Musical theatre to rock, pop and traditional, challenging and coaxing all singers beyond their current limits.
Singing for fun, confidence, and the supposedly tone-deaf.
For those who simply wish to sing for the sheer pleasure of making sound, or to explore their musical ability, I often work with people who have been told they are tone-deaf, or who have little or no confidence in their musicality.
Singing for professionals. Technique and song interpretation for audition preparation and performance.
For professional singers, I aim to provide precise, intuitive and incisive technical feedback, guidance and suggestion, as well as drawing on my considerable theatre experience, imaginative ways to enliven delivery of songs, further unlocking already significant musicality levels, aiming to give the singer an extra edge in performance.
Audition Preparation
I offer a one off individual session for preparation for singing audition, generally a minimum of 2hrs, depending on needs and requirements. I recommend at least one preparation session well in advance where possible, as a follow up session is often invaluable.
Choral speech and song, Musical direction and arrangement.
When working chorally, Russel guides groups towards meaningful dynamic shaping and musical precision, aiming to add a sense of theatricality and drama into performance, and find ways to move beyond merely impressing audiences, to raising hairs on the backs of necks! Russel also works as a music writer, arranger and accompanist.
