World Sound Healing Day

WHEN: February 14, 2007, join the Sound Healers Association and thousands of people throughout the planet as they tone an"AH" together for five minutes during that day, projecting the energy of Light & Love throughout the Planet. You will actually experience generating a field of transformational energy as this occurs. We have found that creating a Global Sacred Sound any time within a 24 hour period on the planet will create a coherent waveform that will affect the entire Earth. Therefore, any time you feel guided to sound for Planetary Peace on February 14th is a good time! In addition, local toning groups will be occurring throughout the Earth at various times during that day with the intention of assisting planetary consciousness through sound. There will also be several global toning events occurring via the Internet during that day, including at noon Eastern Time on www.healthylife.net and at 9 PM ET on www.allonenow.org.

WHY: To project peace throughout the planet.

What better way to celebrate this joyous day of Valentine's Day then to project Peace to Mother Earth and generate peaceful energy throughout the planet with sound!

Sound coupled with intention has the ability to heal and transform. We will sound an "AH" sending a heart wave of Sound that will resonate throughout the planet. Now is the time for you to be part of the Celestial Choir and resonate together for World Sound Healing Day. We can create major positive shifts on our beloved planet. Through sounding together we will make a difference.

HOW: Sound the heart sound "AH" for 5 minutes. We will simply sound an "AH" filled with the intention of Peace and Love for 5 minutes at your local noon time. The "AH" is a universal, non-denominational heart sound that when projected with focused energy is extremely powerful and effective.


AND: Pass this message on. If it's appropriate, forward this announcement about this event to your mailing list.

Tell your friends and loved ones to join our Celestial Choir and help bring peace to the planet.

There will be sound healing events throughout the world. Previous World Sound Healing Days were extraordinarily successful. We truly made a difference to the planet with our Sound, our Light and Our Love.

Rock Star Camp!

Here's an article from The Independent about everyday folks living their passion for music! I've been advocating music camps for years. As noted in this article, they are usually a life-changing experience for those who attend. For more on the adult music camp experience see my article, "A Baby Boomer Goes To Camp". And if you'd like to come to camp with veteran, Pro musicians, check out what Viva La Voice has to offer!

Here's an exerpt from the article by Louise Jury:

Wannabe Rockers Join Stars At Music Camps
By Louise Jury, Arts Correspondent, The Independent
Published: 29 January 2007

It sounds like the ultimate present for a man in a mid-life crisis - the chance to take the stage with some of the gods of rock 'n' roll.

After running a summer camp for musical teenagers, Mike Hurst created the RockMasters weekend in a country house near Tiverton in response to pleas from their parents that he do something for them. "I had various parents saying, 'It's wasted on the kids. Why don't you do it for adults?" Hurst said.

The grown-ups get catering from Chris Barber, formerly chef to Prince Charles at Highgrove, and clay pigeon shooting in a package retailing at £750 a head.

The rougher end of rock'n'roll it ain't. But the list of those signing up - from lawyers and businessmen to mothers - suggests that regardless of education or career success, in the era of X Factor and Pop Idol, everyone secretly wants to be a rock 'n' roll star.

Hurst said: "They'll all get individual attention and they get to play in the house band. It may attract people like the well-to-do in the City in a mid-life crisis kind of thing, but I think all the people will have one thing in common - they just love trying to play music."

And part of the pleasure was seeing the campers - who in America have ranged from a 17-year-old drummer to the president of an airline - enjoying themselves.

"It was life-changing for some of them," David Firshof (who presented The Band and The Monkees) said. "And they improve tremendously from the moment they sign up. They're given a list of songs they should prepare and they get so excited they start to improve straight away. Their passion comes out."

Are You Speaking Correctly?

Norman D. Hogikyan, M.D., F.A.C.S., who heads the University of Michigan's Vocal Health Center says, "many people take their voices for granted, and don't seek help until a problem with their voice starts interfering with their life. For people whose careers revolve around speaking, such as teachers, salespeople, clergy and receptionists, untreated voice problems can greatly interfere with their work."

Are you speaking correctly? Vocal coaching isn't just for singers anymore. In fact, more and more professionals from all walks of life are realizing the importance of safeguarding their voices while boosting their level of success. For many 'everyday' people in the workforce, their voice IS their instrument, and if damaged or impaired, they can't work!

During these cold winter months, give your voice some extra TLC with my Viva La Voice Tonic Recipe. It sooths tired, sore throats and helps with the healing process. Find it here.
Be Healthy!

ASLHA Association Advice - Voice Strain

Here's some advice from the American Speech-Language Hearing Association:

"Pipe down, please! - voice strain prevention
Healthy & Natural Journal, Oct, 2000


Trying to carry on a conversation at a noisy ball game or amusement park may strain your voice. In an effort to prevent laryngitis and vocal cord damage, the American Speech-Language Hearing Association is offering the following advice:

* Avoid yelling. If you feel strain in your neck or throat, you're too loud.

* Avoid constant throat clearing and coughing.

* Don't try to talk over noise.

* Avoid irritation caused by smoking or drinking alcohol.

* Drink lots of clear liquids."

If you have a dry, winter throat, or have already strained your voice, you've got to try my VIVA LA VOICE TONIC RECIPE! It's fantastic. GET IT HERE

Voice Beautification

I've been advocating Voice Coaching for years. Anybody, from a salesperson, to a trainer, to a bank teller can benefit from developing a more pleasing voice. Whether you like it or not, others judge you by the volume, tone and quality of your voice. Here's an exerpt from an article by Jennifer Saranow in the Wall Street Journal that confirms the growing trend in Voice Beautification for the common man!

"Speech therapy used to be for stutterers, lispers and other people with medically diagnosed language problems. But in a culture increasingly devoted to personal trainers, self-help books and cosmetic surgery, a new outlet for self-betterment is emerging: the personal voice trainer.

People have been wincing when they hear themselves speak since the dawn of the recording. Common complaints run the familiar litany of too high-pitched, too monotone, too nasal, too much like the opposite sex. For women, they often include: too shrill, too "valley girl," or too faint. For men, familiar grievances are too gravely or too weak.

Voice experts say that many voice "problems" are caused by unbalanced talking, or using too much of one part of the voice. (The components of the voice include breathing, vocal chord vibration and the sound of the voice as it resonates out of the mouth, nose and throat.) For example, hypernasality results from letting sound resonate too much through the nose. A gravely or harsh tone comes from excessive tension in the throat area.

The voice "is very similar conceptually to a person’s knee," says Joseph Stemple, a speech pathologist at the Blame Block Institute for Vocal Analysis and Rehabilitation in Dayton, Ohio, and author of a well-known voice pathology textbook. "It can become strained and weakened and unbalanced and you can do direct exercise to enhance it."

The key behind most voice exercise programs is teaching patients to find their "true" sound when emphasis isn’t on one part of the voice over others. Patients learn to breathe from their stomach and let the voice carry more fully out of their mouth. They learn to feel whether they are exerting their mouth, nose or throat too much when talking. They use relaxing exercises to relieve tension that may be putting emphasis too much on one area.

Patients say that the end result is a better voice and more- effortless talking -- but getting there takes a lot of work. Learning to talk with a "true" voice can mean anything from figuring out how to hold your tongue while speaking to breathing differently -- movements that feel weird and unnatural at first. It takes extensive practice to turn such changes into habit.

"The results are largely dependent on the amount of energy that they are willing to put into their practice," says Kate DeVore, a speech pathologist from Chicago, who estimates that personal training of normal voices now accounts for about half of her practice."

If you want to change your voice, look for my 'JOYFUL SINGING SERIES" coming soon! Based on my SEVEN PRINCIPLES FOR AN INTEGRATED VOICE, this series will give you the secrets of VOCAL MASTERY! Sign up for my monthly Voicegram to get updates on this fantastic product!

Singing Is Good For Seniors!

According to reports from the National Association of Music Merchants, picking up singing, or playing an instrument after dropping it earlier in life leads to such health benefits as an enhanced immune system, stress reduction and staving off depression and loneliness in older adults.

It's never too late to enjoy the benefits of music!

A Night at Fess Parker's

Thursday nights at Fess Parker's Wine Country Inn in Los Olivos are special. Fess and his wife Marcie host an evening of music. Lots of their local celebrity friends drop in; Fess is the MC and also sings a bit, and Marcie usually ends the show with a few songs.

Most of us baby boomers will remember Fess Parker in the Disney series 'Davy Crockett'. I bet you can still sing the theme song, "Davy, Davy Crockett, King of the wild frontier!" Fess was smart, and after his acting days, he got into real estate and development. He now has a beautiful winery in the Santa Ynez Valley among other resort properties.

My uncle often sings on Thursday nights; oh, did I mention that my uncle is 81 and has a beautiful voice! Singing is his passion, and he usually doesn't miss the Wine Country Inn gathering. Fess asked me to sing a couple of songs, which was fun. It's a nice atmosphere in the lobby with a glowing fire, couches; you feel like you're entertaining in the Parker's living room.

If you go visiting the Santa Ynez Valley, don't miss all the spectacular wineries in that area. Stay at the Wine Country Inn, it's lovely, cozy and you can drop in and sing a few tunes! And don't forget to say hi to Fess for me!

Find out about the Wine Country Inn and the Fess Parker Winery

Recording with Norman Thalheimer

While in California I spent several days recording with my dear friend and collaborator, Norman Thalheimer. Norman and I wrote music and lyrics for "Marilyn, An American Fable", which ran on Broadway at the Minskoff Theater. It's funny how many people loved that show.

I recently performed at a benefit for the Boys and Girls Club with Nyle Steiner (inventor of the EVI), and Richard Souther (4 time Grammy nominee), here in Utah where I sang "I'll Send You Roses" from 'Marilyn'. A man in the audience had lived in NYC and saw the show, which is always gratifying. I guess you can think of your art as a seed carried on the wind. You never know who has been touched by what you do, and where that little seed may end up, hopefully making a difference in the world.

While in So. California Norman and I recorded 15 songs. Some of them were from "Marilyn, An American Fable", and others were tunes we'd written through the years, but never got around to recording. So I'm excited to get them finished and mixed, and make them available for those fans of the musical (there was never a Cast Album done of 'Marilyn').

We also recorded some of our wacky, quirky, theatrical stuff. If you like weird, silly, punky music, hear some sound samples of our stuff (the other side of Beth Lawrence!) by Freud's Funhouse at: http://cdbaby.com/cd/twohandsmouth

For those of you who have my lullaby CD, "Land of Sleepytime", this is definitely NOT music for toddlers or children! These are crazy stories about aliens, peeping toms and other assorted weirdnesses!

Jim O'Neil & Rubicon Theater

On my recent trip to L.A. I spent the day with Jim O'Neil, Artistic Director of Rubicon Theater in Ventura. Jim and I grew up together in Santa Barbara, were at Cal Arts at the same time, and were 'roomies' in our early professional days in L.A. So we had lots of history to dredge up, and bunches of laughs recalling some of our 'finer' moments.

Jim and his wife, Karyl Lynn Burns have been instrumental in creating a fantastic venue in Ventura, California that features some of the best talent around. They've also been wonderfully successful in generating loyal support from both sponsors and the public. With the Endowments for the Arts and governmental support for the Arts dwindling, building an enthusiastic subscriber base is crucial, and not always easy to do. Rubicon uses seasoned professionals for their shows who love the convenience of being just an hour's drive from L.A.
Here's what the Times said about Rubicon:

"Rubicon Theatre Company moves the local stage to a level so many for so long had hoped for... the best theatre around."
Los Angeles Times

The day I visited, Rubicon was premiering a new show 'Back Home Again - a John Denver Holiday Concert', so I stayed for the opening and after-show party. What a great group of supporters! This photo is Jim and I at the party. Note his 'gentleman cowboy' shirt; everyone was in the John Denver rustic look, except myself, donning a Utah snow coat! Hardly needed in warm California.

I wish Jim, Karyl Lynn and their staff continued success. Read more about Rubicon at: http://www.rubicontheater.org

The Incredible Thoracic Diaphragm!

I was so thrilled to see the vocal and breathing mechanism in 3D at 'Bodies The Exhibit' while in Las Vegas! The first principle for great singing in my 'Seven Principles for An Integrated Voice' booklet is all about BREATHING correctly for proper support while singing or speaking.

So I was really excited to see the diaphragm in all its glory, and was surprised to see that it wasn't just a thin strip of muscle, but a huge muscle shelf that separates the thoracic cavity ( lungs and heart) from the abdominopelvic cavity (liver, stomach, intestines, etc.). The diaphragm is King!!

I have always advocated maintaining a soft belly so that the diaphragm can drop down (in its relaxed state it's shaped like a dome), allowing more air into the lungs. To actually see this giant muscle makes it so clear to me that what I teach has complete credence! I tell my students to think of the diaphragm much like a trampoline or strong platform that supports the tone, giving it strength and volume. When you actually see that it physically mirrors this image, that it is a muscle shelf that is designed for SUPPORT, it's incredibly exciting and gratifying!

When you breathe, your diaphragm area should expand. This is a hard concept for lots of singers to get, but you need to physically allow the diaphragm to drop and expand. You never want to 'push' the diaphragm or abdominals out, this creates tension, and with The Integrated Voice method, you don't want tension, anywhere!

Now that I've seen it (in the flesh, so to speak), I fully understand, and better realize, how to enlighten my clients about how to envision their breathing mechanism. I'm reminded again, it's all about the diaphragm! Not a lowly strip of tissue that supports the lungs and heart, but the King of muscles that stretches and expands to give you the glorious feeling of security in supporting your tone.

So honor your incredible diaphragm! By using the breathing mechanism correctly, you'll discover the miracle of great vocal support that will allow you to trust your voice, giving you the strength and confidence to be a great singer and dynamic speaker.

All hail the mighty diaphragm!!

If you'd like to know more about my Integrated Voice Method, see my article "My Story" http://www.vivalavoice.com

Guttman & Guttwoman!

While in L.A. I visited with my long-time friends, Gary Guttman and Rebecca Mills. We had a great dinner at the quaint, cozy Los Angeles restaurant icon, The Tam O'Shanter.

Gary Guttman is an incredible artist, musician and composer. He's working on an ultra-secret instructional product that I'll tell you about as soon as it's ready for release. From what he told me about it, it's something every composer is going to want to have! More news on that later.

Gary also creates incredible art. He runs the gamut of styles, but always with a slightly off-kilter, kooky slant. I love him!

Rebecca Mills is one of my dearest friends. In the years that I've known her she has astounded me with her art, her humanity, and her flamboyant apparel! (See photo of us at the Tam!) In fact, one of my most revered pieces of 'outerwear' was a gift from Rebecca. Once a year, I'll don my RED, SHEARED BEAVER coat with matching fur ear-warmer, and go Christmas caroling here in snowy Utah. I always think of Rebecca while staying warm, cuddly and oh-so-elegant in my gorgeous red fur. I must add here that I don't advocate the killing of animals for their pelts, but I will always cherish Rebecca's fur when I wear it on that one night a year.

For more information on Gary Guttman's music and art:
http://www.garyguttman.com

Bodies The Exhibit!

While in Vegas I had the rare experience of going to the 'Bodies, The Exhibit'. This fascinating display of real cadavers, elegantly preserved, and showing the body in various layers and poses is a MUST SEE. I was just enthralled seeing the muscles, internal organs, blood vessels, and bones in 3D rather than in a flat, text book illustration.

The human body is such a miracle! After spending hours in the exhibit, I was in awe of my body and the unbelievable systems that make it work. I also wondered how any of us make it past 20 with poor diet, injuries, bumps, bruises, illnesses etc. Somehow this incredible computer-machine we walk around in all day, and take very much for granted, manages to transcend our usually terrible treatment.

I left with a new found respect for this physical vehicle, and vowed to take better care of it!

The body is so incredibly delicate (the spinal cord looks like a bundle of silken, angel hair pasta!), yet so amazingly strong and resilient. I also pondered at who, or what, created such an amazing electro-magnetic machine.

Some folks might think that this 'Bodies' exhibit is creepy. Not in the least. It is so educational and awe-inspiring, and I learned so much about how all our 'parts' fit together so neatly!

Children, especially should see this to gain a better appreciation of their magnificent bodies, and hopefully treat their bodies with more respect and healthy habits.

'Bodies' has been around the world and may be winding down the 'global tour', but if this exhibit comes to a city near you DON'T MISS IT! It's still showing in major cities in the U.S. and around the world.

Go see it! http://www.bodiestheexhibit.com

Vegas - L.A. Tour

What a great tour of Vegas, L.A. and Santa Barbara! It's hard to imagine that I was walking on the beach in shorts in 77 degree weather just a couple of weeks ago, when the high here today in Utah is going to be around 26!

Las Vegas is always an adventure. I sang for the Center for Positive Living with their wonderful band, then did a 'Joyful Singing! Workshop' for an enthusiastic group. If you're ever in Vegas on Sunday, go hear Rev. Cynthia Clair for a fantastically inspiring message! For more info: http://www.thecenterlv.org/