Courses

UK COURSES FROM OCTOBER FROM JANUARY 2012 -JULY 2012

 •    Payment buttons active at the end of September.
 •    Experience. Expertise. Excellence.
 •    All of our courses include hands on participation to encourage a practical understanding of the day’s subject.
 •    All courses are held at the Royal Academy of Music, Marylebone Road, London NW1 5HT

Cancellation terms & conditions are listed at the bottom of the page.



1. Belting – The Basics Explained
 
Date: Sunday 22 January 2012
Registration: 10.00am-10.30am
Course Duration: 10.30am-5.00pm
Teacher/Associate(s): Anne-Marie Speed – Vanguard CCI (Service Distinction)
Fees: £95 (Early Bird fee of £75 applies if paid and booked before 01/11/11)
Student Rate: £40 if nominated by a teacher
 
Overview:  This day will identify the key physiological requirements for successful, healthy and sustainable Belting as uniquely identified by the Estill Model. It is specifically designed for those who are new to Belting and who are looking for explanations about Belting technique. It will also address the myths concerning the supposed dangers of Belting and where to best use this exciting voice quality.
 
The day will include:
•   Short introduction to the Estill Model
•   Overview of the physiology of Belting
•   Video and audio examples
•   ‘How to’ session and problem solving
•   Short master class
 
Anne-Marie is one of the most experienced teachers of Belt and the Estill Model in the UK and Europe and presented the first Belting workshop based on the Estill Model in the UK in 1997.
 
Suitable for: People new to the model; those familiar with the Model, looking for clarification and consolidation; singers and teachers; students and professionals.




2.  Breathing, Support and the Estill Model
 
Date: Sunday 19 February 2012
Registration: 10.00am-10.30am
Course Duration: 10.30am-5.00pm
Teacher/Associate(s): Anne-Marie Speed – Vanguard CCI (Service Distinction)
and Ed Blake (Specialist Physiotherapist)
Fees: £95 (Early Bird fee of £75 applies if paid and booked before 01/12/11)
Student Rate: £40 if nominated by a teacher
                                                                                              
Overview:  This day follows on from previous Breathing and Support workshops in response to many requests for further information on the physiology of breathing when performing, acting and singing. The teaching of ‘support’ is still an area fraught with misunderstanding and misinformation. The key to effective teaching of this crucial area of vocal technique is clear understanding of the physiological basis for the need to ‘support’, what is being supported and the most efficient ways to achieve this. Building on information given on earlier courses, we will identify which muscles are needed to support the voice by clarifying the relationship between breath and vocalisation. By using ultrasound techniques, we will also identify those muscles which undermine vocal support and those which are essential to sustained, vigorous voice use, in speaking or singing. Using real time ultrasound, we will demonstrate which muscles tend to be overactive, overwhelming those which are necessary to efficient vocal function. The day will conclude with a short master class, demonstrating the application of the day’s principles in the teaching studio.
 
The day will include:
·   Defining ‘support’ physiologically
·   Use of ultrasound to identify key support muscles
·   Demonstration of teaching techniques
·   Myths and misinformation – disentangling fact from fiction
·   Audio and video examples
·   Short master class
 
Suitable for:  For people both new and familiar with the Model, looking for clarification and consolidation; singers and actors; teachers of voice and singing; students and professionals.



 
3.  Advanced Belting Day
 
Date: Sunday 18 March 2012
Registration: 10.00am-10.30am
Course Duration: 10.30am-5.00pm
Teacher/Associate(s): Anne-Marie Speed – Vanguard CCI (Service Distinction)
Fees: £95 (Early Bird fee of £75 applies if paid and booked before 01/02/12)
Student Rate: £40 if nominated by a teacher
 
Overview: Belting continues to be a staple of West End and Pop & Rock singing. Once the basics have been mastered, many people still find it difficult to extend their belting range over the ‘break’ or experience problems in certain repertoire.
 
Today we will address high end Belting on demand in difficult repertoire, identifying the underlying causes of inconsistencies and limitations and offering practical solutions.
 
This day will be very practical and hands on; the afternoon session will be given over to a master class.
 
The day will include:
•   When to Belt for maximum effect
•   Problem areas and solutions
•   Belting over the break
•   Improving the Belting aesthetic (aka making it sound nice…)
•   Audio and video examples
•   Live demonstrations from West End singers
•   Short master class
 
Suitable for:  NOT suitable for beginners. For people familiar with the Model, looking  for clarification and consolidation; singers and teachers; students and professionals.



 
4. Common Voice Problems & their Solutions
 
Date: Sunday 22 April 2012
Registration: 10.00am-10.30am
Course Duration: 10.30am-5.00pm
Teacher/Associate(s): Anne-Marie Speed – Vanguard CCI (Service Distinction)
Fees: £95 (Early Bird fee of £75 applies if paid and booked before 01/02/12)
Student Rate: £40 if nominated by a teacher
 
Overview: This highly interactive day is offered in response to the many questions from teachers especially, arising from previous workshops. We will address common problems encountered by teachers, students and performers and offer solutions based in the Estill Model and other physiological based regimens. This day will be interactive with the afternoon given over to a masterclass. Questions may be submitted prior to the course. Participants may also nominate students for the open session. Some of the areas covered will include: problems with range, taking specific voice qualities higher, breathing, loss of support, singing louder without strain and other questions submitted by participants.
 
This day will address problems in both speaking and singing, both teaching and performance and will include:
 
•   Brief overview of the Estill Model
•   Physiological causes of problems
•   Visual and aural clues and how to interpret them
•   Estill Solutions and their application
•   Q&As
•   Afternoon master class
 
Suitable For:  Those new to the Model, anyone who working with the voice; singing teachers, professional singers, students and amateurs; voice, speech & drama teachers; actors. Suitable for all styles of voice, singing & speaking
 


 
5. Estill for Singing Teachers
 
Date: Sunday 20 May 2012
Registration: 10.00am-10.30am
Course Duration: 10.30am-5.00pm
Teacher/Associate(s): Anne-Marie Speed – Vanguard CCI (Service Distinction)
Fees: £95 (Early Bird fee of £75 applies if paid and booked before 01/04/12)
Student Rate: £40 if nominated by a teacher
 
Overview:  Always a popular course, this day will look at the integration of the Estill Model into traditional singing teaching approaches, addressing common vocabulary and practical exercises.  The day will focus on the most common problems encountered in the teaching studio and how to bring those solutions into performance, live and recorded. Analysis of the causes and solutions for commonly encountered vocal difficulties will be addressed, demonstrating the unique advantages the Estill Model can bring in identifying specific vocal problems. There will also be demonstration lessons at different levels of proficiency, students and professionals, with practical help and advice ‘in Camera’.
 
The day will include:
Brief overview of the Estill Model
•   Common problems; traditional answers and the Estill equivalent
•   Audio and video examples
•   Q&As
•   Short master class
 
Suitable for:  Those new to the Model, anyone who teaches singing or who is a singer, either professional or student.
 



6. Complete 5 Day Course in the Estill Model

Date: Monday 09-13 July 2012
Registration: 9.00am-9.30am 09 July 2012
Course Duration: 09-12 July 9.30am-5.00pm; Open Session 5.15pm-6.45pm, 13 July 9.30-5.00pm
Course Ends: 13 July 5.00pm
Teacher/Associate(s): Anne-Marie Speed, Paul Farrington, Kiereen Lock – Vanguard CCIs (Service Distinction)
Fees: £810 (Early Bird fee of £750 applies if paid and booked before 01/04/12)
Venue: Royal Academy of Music, Marylebone Road, London NW1 5HT

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