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Welcome
to Oxford Singing Lessons
I hope that you find
something to help you with your singing from the free resources, articles
and links on this website. I also offer singing lessons to committed
students, and am happy to hear from enquirers who:
- already
have some experience of singing and performing, and a certain level of
musical confidence
- have
regular access to a vocal-musical environment where they can practise
applying what they are learning in lessons
- have
demonstrated the qualities necessary to consciously learn a skill
(musical, physical or other)
- recognize
that developing as a vocalist (and performer) requires regular
commitment over a sustained period of training and practice
- are open to
the idea that vocal development is a ‘whole person’
process
You can contact me on Alexander@OxfordSingingLessons.co.uk.
It is very helpful for me if you can fill in an enquiry
form and email it to me. My
phone number is 01865-716571.
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What I offer
How
I work
Who
I teach
My
background
Download
info
sheet (pdf) |
On
the
these pages, I describe what I offer, how I work, and the kinds of
singers / students who typically have lessons with me. If, after you
have read this, you feel that the description fits you, then please get
in touch with me. The most effective way to do this is to tell me a
little about yourself on the enquiry
form.
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Vocal
development
voice
training to
professional level - clear explanations of vocal
anatomy and function - mastery of register transitions - maintaining
optimum vocal function when introducing melody, words, interpretation,
and stage movement - methods that address the relationship between
voice, emotion and mental habits - thoroughly researched and
historically accurate tuition in the traditional, specialised
techniques of bel canto - a well considered response to and guidance
through methods such as Estill Voice Craft, Vocal Process, Vocal
Awareness, Natural Voice, Accent Method, Speech Level Singing, music
theatre styles, crooning, belting, pop / rock / jazz/ folk styles
Learning
methods
the
brain science
of learning a skill; techniques
for learning and automating new muscular patterns to replace old
habits; systematic methods for learning new music and memorizing
Vocal
rehabilitation
voice
care and
vocal recovery techniques; 'wounded' singers -
professionals who need a safe space to reassess their goals and
technique, and recover their sense of self, direction, and confidence
Performance
preparation
professional
appearances; interpretation, and adapting to musical
styles; stage roles (opera, musical theatre); professional auditions
(opera, musical theatre, professional choirs); Finals recitals; choral
scholarships; university and music college auditions; recitals;
microphone based performances; recording studio
Performance
skills and confidence building:
mastering
nerves -
the 'inner game' of performance psychology and the
cycle of improvement; preparation skills and checklists; mental
rehearsal techniques; stage presence and self-presentation; engaging
the audience; interpretation; working with other musicians; balancing
control and spontaneity / creativity in performance; handling the
unexpected; dealing with negative experiences
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Systematic
approach
Understanding
how the voice works, how to make the most of it, and how to look after
it are all essential - and that is the core of the work. But by
themselves, they are not enough. My first singing teacher always said
that singing was 10% voice, and 90% brains. It's all about having the
right information, and then the coaching and accurate, sufficient
repetition of muscular and mental processes so that we anchor the skill
in reliable, automatic memory (neural pathways - understanding the
neuro-science and methodology of
how
we develop new skills can
accelerate our learning. This also means developing practice routines,
and skills of self-analysis, self-monitoring and self-teaching.
Once
we have established a healthy, reliable way of producing beautiful,
evenly matched tone throughout the whole voice, we need to learn how to
maintain that when introducing melody,
vowels,
consonants, foreign
languages, meaning, emotion, character, story, and stage movement. We
must work with other musicians, master performance nerves, hold an
audience, handle the unexpected - and use each performing experience as
a way to learn how to improve for the next one.
Singing
involves the whole person
... emotionally, mentally and spiritually. Our work
together takes
account of the fact
that singing is about a human being expressing, communicating and
relating - and there may be long-held psychological blocks to overcome
as part of the journey towards vocal freedom
and
excellence. (read
more ...).
I have taught groups of psychotherapists
about voice and communication, and facilitated keynote
sessions
for organisations such as the Guild
of Pastoral Psychology
(founded by Carl Jung), Oxford
Psychotherapy Society, and Nordoff
Robbins Music Therapy (Australia),
and been a consultant on
voice documentaries for BBC Radio 3 and Channel 4.
Every
singer - and
student - is unique
Learning to sing requires a clear grounding in vocal anatomy
and function, and the psychology of learning, performance, and
how
we perceive sound. We need to know which singers it is safe to
imitate, know
how to look after our voices in all situations, and
master the fundamental vocal
principles that apply across all
vocal and musical styles. Every person is different, so while the
principles remain the same, the teaching methods must vary according to
the personality, learning style, strengths and needs of the student.
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WHO
I TEACH
A
significant number of my students are
professional musicians, singing teachers or studying music at
university or music college. Those who are not yet at those levels are
able to demonstrate they have the musical and vocal potential,
temperament and mental approach required to reach such levels (even if
they do not ultimately wish to be a professional singer). A high level
of commitment is expected from all those who work with me.
Before
you contact me, it is worth
bearing in mind that people
who learn with me typically have the following attributes:
- musical
confidence and reliability
- experience
of performing (not necessarily professionally)
- experience singing in a
group
and /or solo beyond age 17
- willingness
to work methodically and, if necessary, to review the foundations of
the technique they have used up until the point of coming to me
- willingness
to work on the technique of sound production first (i.e.
not repertoire, words and extended melody) until it is basically
healthy and secure
- openness to the holistic
approach described here
- take notes during lessons
- commit to
the process sufficiently that the approach is given a real opportunity
to make positive impact - this means, for example, practising between
lessons,
having lessons frequently
enough, sharing concerns with me, asking lots of questions, taking
resonsibility for your learning, taking seriously advice to consult
other professionals (e.g. Pilates, Tai Chi, or Alexander Technique
instructors, chiropracters, clinicians, therapists) looking after
yourself and your voice
- after solid
technique has been established, and applied to a small amount
of
repertoire, find an opportunity to perform this repertoire in a
'low-risk' setting in order to enhance learning and develop the next
level, which is honing performing skills
- do not
attend lessons with another singing teacher during the period of having
lessons with me (although sometimes we agree that the student is given
complementary musical and interpretive coaching for a role by a vocal
coach)
- availability for lessons
Mon-Fri, with the latest end time being 6.30pm
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MY
BACKGROUND OVER THE LAST 27 YEARS
My
teaching
has taken me into the classical and opera world, the music
industry and recording studio, universities, schools (also heading
school music and drama departments), colleges of further education,
choirs and opera choruses, and professional theatre. I have helped
well-established professional singers, singing teachers, speech and
language therapists, music students, undergrads and postgrads (e.g.
currently from Oxford Uni, Oxford Brookes, and Manchester Uni), and
recording artists and been a main presenter for the British Voice
Association and keynote speaker for the International Association of
Voice Movement Therapists.
"one
of the best-known singing teachers based in Oxford. Anyone who uses
their
voice would benefit from a session with Alexander"
Hugh
Vickers, music critic for the Independent,
Oxford Times feature
article
“I’ve
always felt that with you, I’m in a safe pair of hands.
You
have a really detailed
physical knowledge
of
the voice, understand the psychology involved
in
developing
as a singer.”
Undergraduate,
Manchester University
As
a professional
singer
(and multi-instrumentalist), I have worked across the musical spectrum
- in the classical world (e.g. Bach Evangelist, Verdi Requiem, Opéra
de Lyon
chorus
work, opera roles such as Don Ottavio, Peter Quint & Pinkerton,
recitals with David Roth from the Allegri
Quartet, lay
clerk
at Christ
Church Cathedral Oxford
and York Minster),
jazz (Philip
Clouts), folk (e.g Guernsey International Festival of Folk and Blues)
and world music (e.g.
At-Ma).
"Alexander
Massey was excellent" The
Independent; “consistently
thoughtful and
light of touch”
Oxford Times; "Eloquent ...
Alexander
Massey
projected
a honeyed tenor line"
Gloucestershire Echo
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