Early music Convocation today at 12:20

The Sine Nomine Consort will offer a Convocation today as a "teaser" for this Sunday's concert. Hear our newly-refurbished harpsichord in action, as well as a lovely recorder consort!

SNATS meeting today at 4:30

Meeting today at 4:30 in my office! See you then.

The Power of Your Speaking Voice

From Carol Kirkpatrick's web site: good food for thought!

I recently heard an interview with Tina Fey on NPR Radio about speaking voices and the effect their sound can have on how one is perceived. She told the story of being in an acting class with a very beautiful young woman who had this high, little girl voice that was simply annoying. She felt this wasn’t the natural voice of this young woman but had created it to generate some type of effect. This young woman was working in a scene in acting class and the teacher finally said to her, something like, “Why don’t you try using your grown up voice this time.” And apparently her voice dropped into its natural pitch/place and was beautiful. She didn’t realize she was doing this and this transformation helped her understand why she had not been getting jobs. Her little girl voice was the reason.

Have you ever thought about what type of person others consider you to be when listening to your speaking voice? You might look stunning, have an impeccable professional PR Packet and an amazing vocal technique and the ability to tell one hell of a story when performing. However, that might not be enough to seal the deal of making that complete accurate impression of you as the person and artist. When you enter an audition space, meet a vocal or repertoire coach for the first time or are networking within our industry, there is another element that tells others volumes about the type of person you consider yourself to be. It’s the sound of your speaking voice, which can be very different from your singing voice. If your speaking and singing voices are not the same, it can confuse those you are communicating with.

A recent Stanford University study found that people “hear” personality in the voices of others when they were speaking. The sound of one’s voice can actually bias the opinion of others about everything from your credibility to your intelligence. Whether you’re a suave-sounding person or a speed demon when you speak, stop to think about your current pitch of the voice and pattern of speech. Does your speech match your singing voice?

Check out this information to see what your speaking voice says about you and what you can do to start the process of changing it so you sing and speak with one voice.

High-Pitched Speaking Voice - People who speak in squeaky, high voices (little girl or boy voices) often sound insecure, inexperienced, and can give the illusion of not being confident. Whether you are a man or woman, it often sounds like you are talking like a child that needs lots of attention and reassurance and no one needs one of those around when time is of the essence during rehearsals. After only a few sentences you might turn others off because they consider you too aggravating to be around.

Career Quick Fix: Contrary to popular belief, if you are one of those people using this type of speaking voice, you can make a change. The first part of changing anything is to recognize that it is happening in the first place. Really try to be aware of it each time you open your mouth. Notice when you are speaking this way how it makes you feel emotionally. This is a very important element in crafting change because what you are presenting now has become the habit and not only affects others but yourself as well. You are giving others permission to treat you like the child that you sound like. You are giving permission to others to have authority over you. And partly because of this, you are telling yourself you don’t deserve to be treated as an adult and are become increasingly interested in trying to please others because having them like you is more important than you liking yourself. So start finding your adult voice and consciously use it. Obviously it will seem strange, a bit affected and very different in the beginning. It’s like practicing anything; you have to do it consciously to make it stick. And some of you might still have higher pitched voices, but you will notice that it stops sounding helpless and childlike because you are connected to breath and are using both the “chiaro/oscuro” parts of your voice like in singing.

Deliberate & Low Talker - A lower pitched, and deliberate, powerful voice, whether man or woman, exudes strength because you appear calm and confident so others are drawn in to what you have to say. If you wield your low, deep voice properly, it commands much more attention. You’re also soothing and pleasant to speak with because you appear relaxed, in control and ready for dealing with challenges. However, as a deliberate and low talker you might also mumble or use a monotone stream of speech.

Career Quick Fix: If you don’t speak up or mumble, notice how you are feeling emotionally when you do either. It may be that God gave you a great speaking voice that needs some confidence in the person in whose body it is living. Often, we have been told as children to “tone it down” or that we are talking too loud or we are trying to be the center of attention. Notice if that is the case and realize that you are an adult that has the right to add to any conversation in an adult manner with an adult modulated voice with confidence. Jump in and notice how you feel emotionally about the results. It’s not easy to change, but by compelling yourself to use it at least once a day, it will become more familiar and user friendly so you start enjoying it. And if you find you are speaking on just one pitch (monotone), take a crack at imitating some of your favorite TV characters and notice how there is modulation of pitch and more inflection in your voice. Then go out into the world for a test drive. It’s a fun exercise.

"She had a voice so husky it could have pulled a dogsled, and the gun she was holding gave me a bad case of barrel envy.” - Patrick Major Dallas

Style of Speech: Fast Talker - Speaking too quickly gives others the idea that you are not really interested in what’s going on outside of yourself. Fast talkers usually seem self absorbed and spend lots of time in their heads instead of being out here in the world. It often turns others off because it’s obvious that you are not interested in or notice when someone is trying to get your attention when they have something to add to your point. It’s almost like you are talking stream of consciousness without editing anything out so others may not even understand where you are going with the conversation and lose interest. Fast talkers may also appear nervous and juvenile.

Career Saving Quick Fix: If you find your speech speeding up, try taking a deep breath before you speak. You can also slow your speech down by working on other positive communication skills while you speak, like practicing eye contact, taking pauses, and stopping every few sentences to ask what others think. Also, do some fast editing in your head before you open your mouth. Another idea is to truly listen to the other person talking before you jump in or start forming your answer or angle before they are done.

NATS forms and $ due Friday

Just a friendly reminder: NATS forms and money are due Friday!

Memory Health Tip

We singers need to have sharp memory...here are a few tips from Dr. Weil. 

To keep your memory young, your neurons also crave a few growth factors. One of these factors happens when you do something deceptively simple: unplug. Researchers speculate that being constantly connected to digital devices deprives your brain of the downtime it needs to process information and consolidate memories. In lab studies, rats need breaks to form strong memories of new places they explore. You may, too. It's another reason to turn off your iPhone at dinner, leave your BlackBerry behind when you take a walk, and disconnect from the Internet frequently on nights and weekends.

Here's how to get four more stealthy brain boosters off the endangered species list and back into your life:

• Less noise, more silence. Noise ages even 19-year-old brains. Loud noises during the night (planes, trucks, trains, the party next door) can disturb deep, restorative sleep enough to make your reaction times "old" in the morning. Try running a white noise machine to muffle disruptive noises at night. Exposure to high-decibels causes surges in blood pressure and stress hormones, and both can be major brain-agers. If you work in a noisy environment (factories, construction), wear a protective headset (hey, they even look cool). Cover your ears if a loud noise erupts near you (jackhammer, siren, low-flying jet, vuvuzelas). And when you've got to focus, turn off the radio and shut the door. Your brain is less able to screen out distracting sounds with age, making sharp thinking and recall more of a challenge if you're trying to balance the checkbook while listening to the ball game. 


• Less artificial light, more natural light. Sun salutations aren't just for yoga class. When your prehistoric ancestors peeked out of their caves each morning to check for saber-toothed tigers, that first burst of natural light woke up the sweet spot deep in their brains that was responsible for daytime alertness. Same thing happens now: Greeting the day gets your brain in gear, boosting your ability to concentrate and turn out stellar work. The lightbulb over your bathroom mirror can't do this. It takes intense blue light, a wavelength so far found only in Mother Nature's homemade morning light.
  
  Scientists are working on artificial versions; there's early evidence that exposure to extremely bright blue-white light may reverse dementia and depression. For most, a few minutes of natural morning light may be all that is needed to feel bright eyed and bushy tailed.


• Less stuffy, smelly air . . . more fresh breaths. You spend 90% of your time indoors, where stale air causes mental fatigue and even some diseases. The cause? Anything from mold or mildew to substances released by fresh paint, new carpet, cleaning products, and artificial smells, including, disturbingly, some air fresheners. The fix? Choose scent-free products. Open your windows regularly; open vents on air conditioners; and ventilate well when using cleaning products or scented sprays (even fragrances) and, of course, when you're painting anything or replacing carpeting.


• Less clutter, more wide-open spaces. Visual clutter slows down your brain. That's why clusters of road signs double the chances that you'll miss the one you're looking for and why designers of Websites and hospitals aim for simplicity. We instinctively look at something uncomplicated while wrestling with tricky problems (which is why you'd rather gaze at a blank wall than a Jackson Pollock painting when you're doing your taxes). Clearing up the clutter in your files or on your desk, bureau, or shelves could do wonders for your bookkeeping, not to mention help your brain stay closer to age 18. Is there a hoarder in your life?

Health Tip from Dr. Weill: headaches

A pill bottle isn't the only way to stop your head from pounding louder than the stereo in the Camaro that just passed you. Try these strategies:

To relieve it now: Press here. Next time your head is pounding, apply pressure to these points to release muscular stress (but don't do this if you're pregnant):

• Between the eyes: Pinch the tissue just above your nose with your middle finger near one eye and your thumb near the other, and slowly push upward so you feel pressure near your eyebrows.
• Behind the ears: Locate the points on the base of your skull, just past the bones behind your ears. Use your thumbs to massage in a circular motion for 2 minutes.
• Belly of your temporalis muscle: Place your fingers across your temples and clench down on your molars a few times. You'll feel the belly of your temporalis bulge. Use your first and middle fingers together to press the tension out of that spot.

To prevent it next time: Pull the trigger. Some foods are known to trigger migraines, including coffee (or caffeine), wines, cheese, smoked meats, sugar, chocolate, and anything with the chemical MSG. Most of them aren't all that good for the rest of your body, either, so it shouldn't be a surprise that they can wreak havoc on your head, too. If you're prone to headaches and regularly indulge in ache-inducing foods, eliminate them one by one to see if you can find the link between what you eat and headache pain.

Performance Class & Jury Schedule

Performance Class Schedule (Fridays, 12:20 pm, Hulsey Recital Hall)                      

February 1           Class

February 8           Class

February 15         AlaNATS festival in Tuscaloosa; NO CLASS

February 22         Studio Voice Recital dress rehearsal. Plan to stay until 2:15 pm.

March 1                Class

March 8                Class

March 15              Class (Spring break begins March 16, not today!)

March 22              Spring Break, no classes

March 29              Class

April 5                  Concert Choir on tour; NO CLASS

April 12                Class

April 19                Class

April 26                Last class

VOICE JURIES are Wednesday, May 8, starting at 9 am.

This is during the official UAB Final Examination period. Make arrangements NOW.