Voices and Choices
Students will begin to understand the separation of the ‘developed’ or ‘habitual’ voice from the ‘potential’ voice. This leads into work on articulation and an examination of the vocal equipment. The International Phonetic Alphabet will be used to explore Pronunciation in students own accents, the accents of their classmates, and to add to their repertoire of speech sounds in readiness for accent work. A Standard English accent SEA Accent (sometimes referred to as neutral (or New) Standard English Accent) Standard Southern British English and the imaginary language ‘Omnish’ will be used as a teaching framework and learning tool for developing greater skill and understanding of speech sound formation. You will develop articulation alongside phonetics and extend the building blocks of accent acquisition. The study of SEA is not in any way intended as a replacement for students’ usual accents – unless required for the performance of a character or text. We will work on finding muscular, affecting speech when speaking text in both, your home accents and in an accent on the SEA spectrum.
Body & Breath
You will begin by exploring the relationship between posture, breath and voice with a practical focus on understanding and releasing the accumulation of habitual tensions in the body, moving into developing spine and rib flexibility and discovery of the centred impulse for breath and sound support. In the second term you will work on developing greater rib flexibility, abdominal and pelvic release and will learn to identify the use of a free throat whilst extending your pitch range. Exercises will be used to connect breath to voice while developing abdominal support and increase of energy without increasing tension/aggression. By the end of the module you will have developed a cohesive working attitude to warming up and stretching the voice, and effective understanding of vocal health and safety for the performing artist.
Exploratory Voice
Students will explore issues of resonance and resonant placement through a variety of approaches. You will begin to apply exercises to voice work to stretch the voice beyond confines of the habitual, and to explore and develop the musicality of expressive language through pitch range, resonant balance, pace, volume, rhythm and cadence. In Term Three you will add range to their understanding of resonance and emotional pitch through the application of more complex theories and techniques to voice work.
Text Work
Beginning with an ‘I’ text/poem spoken in your home accent and moving into the use of rhythmic text, you will be introduced to textual issues such as phrase, sentence structure, use of words and imagery. As the course progresses, you will study sonnets with the aim of bringing practical work to rich texts, exploring the expression of passion through the use of released and energised body, voice, language and articulation. You will consider the connections between breath and thought, rhythm and emotion, word energy and articulation. In the second term of the course you will connect text work with technical and practical work through the choice and performance of Political Speeches, demonstrating flexibility and manipulation of the voice for deliberate emotional effect. You will use your home accent as part of the passionate identity and authenticity and creative inner voice to persuade your audience and developing an understanding of Rhetorical Skill. Here you will explore what is needed to make your arguments clear and able to affect your audience. In articulation the focus will be on Narrative texts. In the third term you will do scene work on Shakespearean texts to prepare you for the demands of the second year and to include working with vocal response to your scene partner. It also challenges your stamina to maintain good vocal skills yet creative spontaneity through the length of a scene.