Repetitive Voice Injury

Are you using your voice correctly? It's not only singers who develop vocal problems. More and more service personnel who use their voices all day long are suffering from a new syndrome called REPETITIVE VOICE INJURY. Folks in call centers are particularly at risk, especially when they are straining their voices by speaking incorrectly.

If you're a teacher, clergy or salesperson who's on the phone, or using your voice extensively during your work day, you could be at risk for developing this syndrome. Here are a few tips to protect and preserve your voice:

- Keep hydrated! Working in an air conditioned building can dry out your vocal chords.

- Breathe fully! Make sure that you are consciously breathing and actively supporting your voice

- Sit up straight! If you sit while you're speaking or on the phone, make sure that you 'pull up' and maintain your posture.

- Don't push! Trying to speak loudly or 'project' your voice will only lead to strain. Instead, use your breath support for vocal power.

- Use your body voice! Visualize your voice resonating in your body, not your head.

- Relax your jaw! Unclench your jaw and let it drop naturally as you speak.

- Open your mouth! You'll be surprised at how much more volume you'll get from this one simple trick.

- Take breaks! Give your voice a rest. Stop talking when you're not 'on the clock'.

- Get coaching! Most importantly, learn the basic skills that will help you to speak correctly so that you won't suffer from a strained or fatigued voice.

With just a bit of conscious effort and some basic voice coaching you'll be able to avoid Repetitive Voice Injury.

For more information on Voice Coaching and avoiding vocal injury, see my website articles at vivalavoice.com

Music Soothes an Elephant's soul

For those of you who think that animals can't feel pain, are stupid, or immune to grief, please open your mind and read on!

I recently read an article about 45 year old Suma, the Elephant, in a Croatian zoo, who had lost her pacyderm partner of 10 years to cancer. Suma was inconsolable; wouldn't eat or sleep and was clearly suffering from extreme grief and depression. Who said animals can't FEEL??

The zoo had organized a concert of classical music that happened to be opposite Suma's compound. At the sight of the five musicians with instruments, Suma began to pelt the tuxedoed musicians with small pebbles fired from her trunk. Then something totally incredible happened!

"But as soon as the concert started, what we saw was fascinating. Suma leaned against the fence, closed her eyes and listened without moving the entire concert," Mr. Anic (head of the Zagreb Zoo) said.

Suma now gets a daily dose of Mozart, Bach and Vivaldi, and seems to be coming out of her depression, consoled and comforted by her musical prescription.

Don't ever think that we human beings are the superior race! Animals feel, hear, smell and taste things that we're totally oblivious to. We humans, though, have lost our connection with nature; and our senses, as well as our instincts, have become dull. Elephants, in fact, communicate (as do whales and other sea creatures, just to name a few!) in subsonic ranges that we 'superior' humans can't even hear!

Take a lesson from Suma. The next time you're angry or depressed put on some uplifting, magical music and let your soul be healed.

Open Up Your Words!

The next time you sing a song, or give a presentation, become conscious of 'opening up your words'. So many times I'll hear a singer or speaker, and can't understand most of the words they're saying or singing! What you've got to realize is that people may not have heard your song before, so all your words, your entire story, is new to them. If you're presenting, everything you'll be saying to your audience is brand new!

Do your audience a favor and let them CLEARLY UNDERSTAND YOU. No one will be focusing on your message if they're straining to hear your words.

The way to make yourself clearly understood is to open up your words. I don't mean to open your mouth in phony, exaggerated movement. All you have to do is simply make more space INSIDE your mouth. By imagining an orange (or some other small fruit!) inside your mouth, you'll lift up the soft palette and open up the words. Elongating your vowels will also make it easier to hear every word.

It's also important to slow down your speech, or slightly overemphasize your pronunciation. What is clear to you, may still be hard to understand for someone who's unfamiliar with your words and topic.

Singers, especially, need to open up vowels and make space for their words so that lyrics are clear and understandable. If you're telling an important story with your song, you want it to be understood, otherwise, your audience won't be able to relate to your music and you will have lost a very important emotional connection.

Remember that what sounds clear to you in normal speech or singing, may not be clear to an audience who has never heard your presentation or music. Open up your words to clearly communicate your message and the emotion that is the key to your success as an effective performer!

Sing. Dance. Be Happy!

In the Path of Your Happiness....
A Master's story from Illusions, by Richard Bach


....And the Master said unto the people, "If a man told God that he wanted most of all to help the suffering world, no matter the price to himself, and God answered and told him what he must do, should the man do as he is told?"

"Of course, Master!" cried the many. "It should be pleasure for him to suffer the tortures of hell itself, should God ask it!"

"No matter what those tortures, nor how difficult the task?"

"Honor to be hanged, glory to be nailed to a tree and burned, if so be that God has asked," said they.

"And what would you do" the Master said unto the multitude, "if God spoke directly to your face and said, 'I COMMAND THAT YOU BE HAPPY IN THE WORLD, AS LONG AS YOU LIVE!' What would you do then?"

And the multitude was silent, not a voice, not a sound was heard upon the hillsides, across the valleys where they stood.

And the Master said unto the silence, "In the path of our happiness shall we find the learning for which we have chosen this lifetime. So it is that I have learned this day, and choose to leave you now to walk your own path, as you please."

And he went his way through the crowds and left them, and he returned to the everyday world of men and machines....

WHAT A GREAT STORY. It exemplifies the truth that we are all responsible for our own happiness. No one else can make you happy; no one else can make you unhappy unless you choose to let them. When you are fulfilled and are feeling good about yourself; when there's harmony in your world, only then can you reflect that harmony back to others.

Is it time for you to SING, to DANCE, to COME ALIVE AGAIN? Don't waste another minute standing on the sidelines of life! Take control and do those things that make your soul sing. Do it for yourself, and your whole life will change. The joy you experience will be a joy you can SHARE with others. In being our authentic self; in singing and dancing through life, we enable and empower others to do the same. Just by living our lives fully we are a shining example to others. Implicitly, we give them permission to do their own singing!

Can you see that neon sign in the distance flashing "HAPPINESS!"? Is the path to that happiness strewn with rocks and boulders that stand in your way? Then it's time to clear away all those boulders and learn the lessons that are there for us in this lifetime! Every boulder has a valuable lesson for us. You may roll one boulder away, only to have it reappear again later. Is there a reoccurring boulder in your life? Something that stops you from living life to its fullest?

I believe that we're responsible for only one thing in life - to be happy! An astoundingly simple solution to everything that ails the world. It's not written anywhere that you have to play the victim. You have the power to choose how you react to everything that happens in your world. Is there some lemonade that needs to be made from all those lemons??

What if God; the Mighty I Am; the Universal Presence in all its glory spoke directly to your face and said 'I COMMAND THAT YOU BE HAPPY IN THE WORLD, AS LONG AS YOU LIVE!' What would you do then??

Sing. Dance. Be happy.

Pungent Lily's first CD!

After being together just a few short months, Nyle Steiner, Kristin Lish and I have finished our first CD as Pungent Lily. This compilation of songs is incredibly eclectic, and all the songs were done live. We have a great way of working, and love just improvising our music. Four of the ten tunes were created on the spot; we just turned on the recorder and started playing!

It's amazing what can come out of you when you totally trust not only your instincts, but your fellow musicians. In order to effectively improv, you've got to be fearless. You've got to be so open that you're almost unconcious. It's like you're speeding down the rapids on a raft you have no control over; YOU JUST GO WHERE THE RIVER TAKES YOU. It's so exciting. We'll play a song back after we've recorded it and won't even remember what we'd done! All true inspiration comes from a higher power, and when you're really flowing with that, IT takes over. You become the vehicle for the music to flow through.

Tomorrow night we'll be doing an event at Harvest Lane where we'll be creating music for meditation and reflection - a Solstice celebration to honor Midsummer. All of us in Pungent Lily are looking forward to creating Solstice music that will never be played again. It will be created spontaneously, then, like a sunset, will just blaze away, poof!

We're going to record the evening's music, though. Look for some sound samples on my website soon!

Stage Skills 101 Workshop - Stand Still!

Have you ever thought about the power of JUST STANDING STILL when you talk to an audience, or share your music?? Most of us feel we have to DO something when we're on stage; that we have to dazzle everyone with our great performance ability. It's just not so. I teach my students to STOP moving around on stage unless it's called for from an emotional standpoint; they need to connect with a particular section of the audience; or, they just feel that it's time to move because the speech or lyric dictate that.

This afternoon my Stage Skills 101 workshop was really exciting. I had a diverse group of speakers and singers ranging in age from 10-60! It's always neat to have a wide age range because we can learn so much from each other. One of the things everyone needed to work on was learning not to shuffle their feet around on stage. It's a common thread among performers/speakers to be in constant motion. They don't really move, though, using their stage; instead they take a small step, drag the other foot, rock back and forth; you get the picture. What that does is steal the focus from your message, and distract the audience. Subliminally, your audience is pulled off your message by all this shuffling around. They can't concentrate on what you're saying when they're distracted by your inconsequential movement.

So be brave next time you present or sing; try standing still! It will allow your audience to completely focus on your message, not your feet. A performer who stands still and only moves when it's important shows mastery and command. Focus on your message, and have the confidence to stand still when you have something important to say!

Making it YOUR song

I worked with a really talented young gal today who is getting ready for a state Pageant here in Utah. She wanted coaching on her song presentation, so we worked initially on opening up her words (so that the judges and audience can understand what her story is!); then on 'subtext' - what emotion was underlying the words she was singing; how and when to move (there's a definate art to this, and it has to be motivated by emotion, not by the pressure to 'use the stage'); finally, and most importantly, we worked on MAKING THE SONG HER OWN.

How do you make it YOUR song? Very simply, you BECOME the character who is telling the story. You aren't singing the song from someone else's view, you sing it from YOUR point of view. It has to be your life, your pain, your joy, your story! Get into the lyrics and feel the emotion; see the visuals in your mind, let the story be your story.

This particular song was from a musical and sung by a character full of hope, emotion and excitement. When we really got down to the nitty gritty of it all, I pointed out that it truly was my student's song! I helped her see how it was exactly her life, her hopes, her dreams she was singing about! The change in presentation was miraculous! She was so honest, so mesmerizing, so convincing that both her mother and I were in tears at the end of the song! It was incredibly powerful. When you tap into your true emotions even your voice is changed and enhanced. The high notes are effortless and supercharged; you use your voice in new and adventurous ways; you stop thinking about technique and start feeling the song.

I always tell my students to sing with their hearts, not their heads. It's great to be technically perfect, but I would much rather hear a singer who touches my soul with their raw emotion, rather than hear a perfect, but emotionally cold performance.

So how do you make it your song? You sing it from your personal perspective. You relate the story to something that has happened in your own life that has touched you, changed you. Do you see how important it is to choose your material carefully? If it doesn't mean anything to you, it won't mean anything to your audience. Make it matter! There are millions of great songs out there. Don't waste your time, or your audience's time with fluffy material that has no emotional mileage. The greatest gift you can give someone is a song and performance that touches someone's heart. Make each song YOUR song.

Conscious Breathing

Recently, an adult student mentioned to me that it was a challenge to make the skills he'd learned in private coaching his 'new habits'. I replied that lifetime habits, even when they don't serve you, take time to reprogram. It's hard letting go of those constrictions, tensions and bad vocal habits, mostly because they've become your comfort zone, and two, because those bad habits are now firmly entrenched in your muscle memory.

So what do you do? First, become CONSCIOUS. Private coaching helps you to become aware of destructive habits that hinder your full expression. Once you become aware, you move on to reprogramming a new, positive habit. If Tiger Woods has to change his grip (and yes, even Tiger Woods still has a coach!) he must repeat the new grip and movement over and over until it becomes a natural part of his muscle memory. After considerable conscious effort, the new grip becomes the norm.

Start by doing what I call 'conscious breathing'. Obviously, we breathe without thinking about it; it just happens. But when we're speaking or singing, we must consciously take slow, low, relaxed breaths. We need to 'fill up' with air, not just take a quick, shallow breath, then plunge back in to our speech or music. Your breath is energy; it supports your tone; it gives you volume, power and inflection. If you don't take time to breathe, your listener won't either. They'll adopt your rhythm and feel tight, and literally, out of breath. You want your listener to be focused on your message or story, not on a subconscious nervousness that is urging them to relax and take a breath!

Work on one element at a time. Become conscious of your breathing. When you're breathing correctly (which will most likely solve many of your other vocal challenges!), then move on to another challenge, like voice placement. When you've become consciously aware of your voice and it's natural placement, and get to a place where you no longer have to think about it, move on to the next challenge, and so on. Don't overwhelm yourself with all the details at once. Rome wasn't built in a day!

Don't get frustrated; take it one step at a time. A lifetime habit is resistant to change. Be kind. Perhaps that habit has served to protect you in some way, but realize that it's time to release it, and replace it. Don't stress; practice 'conscious breathing'!

Guest Speaker - Midvalley Chamber Luncheon

Pictured in this photo are MidValley Chamber CEO, Marie Marshall, Marketing Director, Shahar Boyayan, Beth Lawrence and Nashlah Boyayan, VP Membership at the monthly Chamber meeting in Midvale.

Your Voice Speaks Volumes About You!

That was my topic for the day, and as usual, I just love talking about the psychology of voice, sound, and the power of authentic presentation. In the corporate world, a lot of time and money are spent on professional training, business cards, marketing tools and equipment. How much time is spent in personal development? Generally, not much. And yet, you are your best business card!

Business owners, trainers, reps and salespeople would be well served to understand the power of their VOICE. It is as individual as a fingerprint; each voice is unique, and is our means to express in the world. Subliminally, we are judged on the quality of our voice; whether our delivery is relaxed, clear and confident; whether our tone is pleasing or strident.

If a speaker's voice is breathy or difficult to hear, where is your focus? It's on trying to hear the person's message, not on the message! If the voice is scratchy or abrasive, you'll want to get away from that person rather than be attentive to the product information. I've heard professional speakers who were so energized that they overwhelmed me with that energy. I was exhausted by the end of their talk! It seemed that they tried to pack so much content into their presentation, that they never took a breath. YOU'VE GOT TO BREATHE! If you're a presenter, and you take short, high breaths, your audience will mirror that behavior; give them a chance to relax and breathe!

Most of our communication is preverbal, so it makes sense that we respond to the sound and tone of a person's voice. Every sound is made up of a combination of vibrations that hit our ear mechanism. If the voice is not soothing, or is too soft or too loud, we tune it out, tuning out the message with it.

Learn to breathe consciously when you speak. Do some vocal warm ups before you start your workday. Be aware of the pitch of your voice, and consciously relax and lower the pitch if you find your voice pitched in a high or 'pinchy' range. You want your listener to relax and enjoy what you're talking about, not be distracted by an unappealing voice.

Remember that your voice is a crucial component in your 'total' package. If you're spending more time developing your professional wardrobe than developing your professional voice, you should reconsider your priorities, and begin to think about the impact of your voice on potential clients. Your voice should represent the confident, commanding, expert presence that is your ideal self; that ideal self that needs to be revealed through your strong, clear, resonant voice! Your voice speaks volumes about you.

Sound Sandwich!

Have you ever done vocal improv? Just making sounds and rhythms with your voice? It is so fun! Last Friday 10 of us got together for a VOICE JAM here at Harvest Lane. We started out doing 'unison' rhythms, then as everyone got comfortable and more brave, we opened it up to just jamming with our voices.

I'd throw out a suggestion like 'Brazilian' then start with a vocal rhythm and the jam grew and evolved into a very cool mix of rhythms and African sounding chants. This went on for two hours as we emulated various instruments and musical styles.

When you're doing a vocal jam like this, it's crucial to LISTEN to each other. You'll hear a line, sound or rhythm, pick it up or add to it. It really is a communal endeavor and a great team builder. Throughout each improv we'd swell together, come down, and just flow with the song we were creating. It's very organic!

We did some straight 'toning' where we sounded long vowel sounds. I encouraged everyone to find their own tonalities, and it created some fantastic overtones and harmonies. I coined a phrase that fit perfectly with the interweaving tones: A SOUND SANDWICH! Bear in mind that this had nothing to do with Voice Jam....har har; a sound sandwich with voice jam. hmmmmm.

This kind of vocal improv helps the singer and musician get free of convention, allowing them to jump into their structured music with innovation and the ability to scat or do riffs without fear. After the Voice Jam, we all sang a bit, and everybody tried new approaches with their voice with bravery and confidence. It's a great way to loosen up and start stretching out as a singer, or a musician developing dynamic solos!

Special Musical Guest, Salt Lake Council of Women

Here's a photo of Marilyn Tang (Past President) and I at Monday's Salt Lake Council of Women's Installation of Officers. I was the special musical guest, and it was a lovely luncheon. It's always nice to sing for service groups, as you can choose material that is uplifting without being corny. These women do so much for the community, helping women and children with a miriad of projects, so it feels good to be able to celebrate and honor them with special music.

Marilyn Tang, pictured, is an inspiration to me. I met her this summer at the Salt Lake Chamber's WNET group for women in business. Marilyn was so supportive of all the participants and even had a monthly brainstorming session at her own business, Certified Handling Systems. She has the refreshing knack of cutting right to the chase. And I love her because she just speaks her mind in no uncertain terms! She's a Past President of Soroptimists; NAWBO; and Salt Lake Women's Council, among others. She's a fantastic woman who has boundless energy and a passion for helping other women in business. I don't know where she finds the time, but she serves, serves, serves! I'm grateful for her friendship and support.

This summer I'll be supporting other women musicians by hosting monthly concerts at Harvest Lane. Among the guest artists will be Pungent Lily, singer/songwriter Anke Summerhill, and pianist/composer Elise West. I think it's important that women in music promote and encourage each other. The music world is rather dominated by male energy, and I want to expose the public to those great female artists who don't get the recognition they deserve, especially in the jazz and songwriting fields.

Master Class, Washington

Everybody's still smiling after a three hour Master Class intensive on Monday, May 1st at the home of Tricia Thompson in Snohomish, WA! From R to L, Emily Pickrell, Ravi Mantena, Laura Lagerstadt, Beth, Linda Page, Hannah Thompson and Tricia Thompson. Missing from the photo are Lee Summerfield, Dan Miller and Laurie. Also note the beautiful photo taken at Beaver Lake in Sammamish!

It was great to see everyone again after my eight month absence from the Northwest. One of the challenges that came up for many of the group was inspiration, and keeping motivated. Ravi commented that when I was in Bellevue and we were doing our weekly Songhop class, he was motivated to write something each week. When you're not involved in an ongoing class or writer's circle, it's difficult to make time for your art, and yet, that's your passion.

It's so easy to let the everyday stuff of living get in the way of your creativity. Sometimes, when you're done with your day, it's the last thing you feel like doing. I think most of us would agree, though, if we just start working on a song, whether you're a singer or songwriter, the time flies and the music works as wonderful therapy. We de-stress, forget the concerns of the day, immerse ourselves in right brain activity, and feel great. It's a fantastic way to end the day.

I suggested setting aside an hour or two once a week to do music, even when you don't feel like it. Put it on the calendar, and commit to that time. It's rewarding time for yourself, and you'll feel better when you make that an ongoing 'date' with yourself. Also, during your work day, take 15 minutes to work on lyrics, music, or a song you'd like to share. It will free your mind, and you'll return to work more open, more productive, and able to 'think outside the box'. Take a moment to be inspired by the beauty of nature around you, by the sounds of life happening right where you are.

It's easy to let our passions assume a place of lowest priority in our lives; but when this happens we suffer. We feel out of balance, unfulfilled and resentful. Take time, make time, to indulge in those activities that you love, that bring you joy and peace; that make you feel good about yourself. Instead of thinking about music as a 'hobby' that you do when you have time once in awhile, think of music as the driving force in your life! Only you can give it that place of importance in your schedule. It's not a hobby, it's your life blood; it's what makes you a creative, vibrant, artistic human being! Don't diminish the importance of your artistic outlets. Your creative spirit, your playful spirit is always there, tapping on your shoulder, reminding you to come out and play.

We all have responsibilities, but don't let those responsibilities rob you of the joy of expression through music and art that makes you who you are. We communicate through art, it is part of our collective psyche as human beings. Take time to express yourself! You will feel so much better, so free, so open when you integrate your creative spirit back into your life!

Featured musician - Spiritual Enrichment Center, Bainbridge Island

Rev. LeeAnn gave a great talk today on 'inspiration'. I especially loved one concept that she brought up, about being inspired to live life fully. She said 'there's no such thing as failure; so you try something and it doesn't work out; SO WHAT????' Isn't it so true?? There really are no risks in life, so we really have to go for it so that there are no regrets. there's nothing worse than not trying; not living with passion, not going after your heart's desire. So do it! If you want to sing, sing; if you want to play guitar, play guitar; if you want to dance, dance!

Here's a pic of Me, Rev. LeeAnn and Music Director for SEC, Bainbridge, Kathryn LaFond. And how about this great view from 'The Public House' grill; can you see Seattle in the distance??

Tomorrow, Songshop Master Class in Seattle.

Skagit Valley Tulip Festival

Unless you've been here in Mt. Vernon, Washington to experience the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, it's hard to describe. There are fields that seem to stretch forever, filled with blooming tulips of every hue. They fill the horizon, where all around are snowcapped peaks and green valleys!

These are photos from today, April 28th, the last weekend of the festival, which begins April 1st each year. There was no lack of late bloomers in every variety. As I looked at each flower, I couldn't believe the miracle of nature; every tulip was different, with swatches of color variation unique to each blossom. It should remind us all that we, too, are unique. Each one of us has our own variation in looks, personality and innate talents. So just as we celebrate the beautiful tulip, we should celebrate the differences in each other! What a wonderful world that offers so much diversity.

In my Diva Training weekends and workshops, we do lots of exercises and processes that lead us to this same conclusion. What we may see as a 'fault' or outside what our culture determines is the 'norm', is really a lovely variation that makes us unique in the world. How special we all are! So I say 'let's celebrate the variations!'

Marymoor Park, Redmond, WA

Is this place great, or what??? Here I am in Marymoor Park yesterday, where the entire 170 acre park is WiFi ready! So you can sit by the river, take a stroll through the park, or check your email before a soccer game! This is great!

It was in the low 70's yesterday and so green (well, I'm pretty green, too; unfashionable in my green jeans and T!). I'm awestruck by the beauty here. Everywhere you look there are streams, rivers, lakes, and trees, flowers...everything's in bloom. It is lush and peaceful.

On to Mt. Vernon and the last few days of the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival!

Portland P'nai Or Choir Workshop

What a fun group here in Portland! (There's me in black in the middle!) Tonight's workhop for the P'nai Or Choir was really exciting, and attended by about 24 eager participants. We worked on several of the foundational concepts of The Integrated Voice method; active/conscious breathing; 'the pyramid'; opening the vowels; linking words and proper voice placement.

Everybody liked the concept of the 'pyramid', as it helped them think 'down and wide' rather than high and pinched on their octave jumps and ascending lines. It's really an effective concept, as it helps open up the voice and take mental control of that fear of 'high notes'. Singing is 90% mental, so when you take charge of the mind you free the voice to soar as it was meant to.

I really appreciate the warm welcome I received here in Portland, and thank Bruce Morris for inviting me, and Eric, the P'nai Or Choir's illustrious leader!

Portland - Seattle trip

Here I am at the Bitter Creek Alehouse in Boise; first leg of the Portland Seattle trip! You may notice a frosty Hefeweizen in the picture, (served by perky, darling waitress, Lee!). What would you expect after a long day on the road with my two pups, Levi and Chevette? Boise, downtown is really cute. They've completely revamped and gentrified it. Tomorrow, on to Troutdale/Portland where I'll be leading a choir workshop in Portland. 'Joyful Singing!' is spreading around the world!

Panache Soiree with Pungent Lily

Kristin Lish, Nyle Steiner and I had a great night at the chic downtown club Panache. We provided 'ethereal jazz' for their posh Soiree featuring the art of Diane Cliff and the gourmet artistry of guest chef Jonathan Ruppert of Simon's in Midway. To the right you can see the place setting with all the various wine glasses at the ready!

There were 7 fabulous courses each with a special wine paring. John Engen enlightened us about the alchemy of wine, while Shauna Engen, also co-owner of Panache, was an elegant host for the evening. We even had an English Butler dressed in red tails who would announce each course in very proper English, and even began the evening with "Ladies and Gentlemen, Dinner Is Served!" Almost otherworldly!

The food was fantastic and it took over three hours to complete the meal! Nyle Steiner, inventor of the EWI (electronic wind instrument), and EVI (electronic valve instrument) has been all over the world and worked with the likes of film composer Maurice Jarre, joked about his dining experiences while in France. He said "the more expensive the restaurant, the worse the cheese is!" Evidently he was referring to 'stinky cheeses' which I personally love!

Our trio, now called Pungent Lily, had a great time doing standards that always take on a twisted life of their own! We love doing improv and get on these musical jags that lead us into some pretty interesting territory. We're always a bit stymied when asked what our 'genre' is, so we've decided that we do 'ethereal jazz'. It's beautiful, evocative, evolving and arty. I love it. It's so fun to just let the music take you on a moody journey. Nothing about Pungent Lily is linear; we're definately outside the box!

My article in the Park Record

The Park Record in Park City, Utah picked up my article "Sound Healing - Not Just For Britney Spears!". If you haven't read it, here's an exerpt:

Recently, the press was all over a story about Pop Diva Britney Spear’s visits to a Los Angeles Sikh Yoga Master for ‘sound healing’ sessions. Does Britney know something we don’t?

Reportedly, as part of their session, clients like Britney are exposed to sound vibrations as they lie on a special couch. Sound like weird, Hollywood hocus-pocus? Not really, say experts who see alternative health medicine, especially sound healing, gaining wide acceptance in the medical community. “Sound and voice healing are really becoming an accepted means of therapy,” says Beth Lawrence, sound therapist and CEO of Viva La Voice in Midway, Utah. “Sound has been used since ancient times by medicine men, tribal shamans, and figured heavily in the medicine of ancient Egyptians and Greeks.” Lawrence, talking about her upcoming Chakra Tuneup Workshop states, “I want
to make sound healing accessible to everybody. It’s not just for Pop Divas, it works for the common man, too!”

Please go to my website: vivalvoice.com and email me for the complete article, or sign up for my monthly Voicegram,which will feature this article next month!

Brush Up Your Vocals Class #1

What a great class we had tonight! I get so energized when I can help people open up and 'find their voice'. In my 'Brush Up Your Vocals' class there were seven students, which is a really good size; everyone can get lots of personal attention. There were several students who had told me before class that they were 'terrified' to sing in front of others. How amazing that everybody sang solo lines tonight, and by the end of class everyone was volunteering to do more!

We worked a lot on 'releasing' the voice, and everybody had great breakthoughs. When you are able to trust that the body and breathing mechanism is going to support you, you're free to let the voice relax and place it naturally. It was really difficult for a couple of the gals to get the concept of 'soft belly'; they were breathing just the opposite of what they should be doing. Most folks have spent a lifetime 'sucking in' when they inhale, breathing high in the chest and even raising the shoulders. So it's hard for them to soften the belly, open the chest and allow the diaphragm to drop down. I liken correct breathing to 'filling up a balloon'; when you inhale, you fill up, the inbreath is relaxed and low. When you exhale, your abdominal area 'deflates' or slightly flattens. The concept is like a bellows; the ribs expand, the area opens up. It gives you such incredible, relaxed support. That's when the throat can open up, relax and allow the warm, natural, easily produced voice to soar.

I love seeing how excited everyone is after the first class. It's like a collective sigh of relief when they face their fear and anxiety and see that they CAN sing, and sing well! I work really hard on helping them lose their negative, limiting thoughts about singing, so that the whole class becomes positive with lots of positive reinforcement to get them over those old tapes that are running in their heads. It's very rewarding for me as I see the students growing in confidence right before my eyes!