All my goodbyes and thank yous are in the vlog so not much more to say without getting weepy! Retrospect is a funny thing and I'm already feeling nostalgic for the last few weeks in lockdown. I'll never forget this experience and sharing my life as a singer with you. Stay cheered, stay healthy, lots …
Day 32: Hotting up
There's been a general lack of singing on the 'singing from home' blog. Oh the irony. I thought it was high time that you joined me for a vocal warm-up. My warm-up takes about 10 minutes but I've compressed it into two for today's vlog. Watching it back, I have a very definite concentration face …
Day 30: Open sesame
Hooray! I finally found enough time to put together day 30 of the 'singing from home' vlog. I've been busy working on some repertoire as well as having ideas and planning what I can do while I wait for public performances to start up in the future. By the time I've done some creative thinking, …
Day 29: Happy baby
Oh what a beautiful morning! Dorset basked in glorious sunshine today so I started it with a steady flow on the lawn. As you know, I've been suffering from a bit of tummy trouble so I've eased up on tri training this week - my Ironman has been cancelled anyway and entry deferred to next …
Day 23: Restraint & readiness
Ugh. Some days are just a bit naff, aren't they? Having slept fitfully, run slowly and breakfasted unsatisfactorily - mainly because I'm missing the copious amounts of sugar that I normally load into my body throughout the day - I was feeling frustrated by lockdown and emotional about all the performances I would have been …
Day 17: Let it go
One of the first things my teacher, Patricia Taylor, taught me was to SPLAT. She picked it up from an American singer who was judging at the Bournemouth Music Competitions Festival and I've since heard it used by many coaches. SPLAT is an acronym for 'singers please loosen abdominal tension' and is aimed at achieving …
Day 15: Tummy trouble
From the age of 14, I was big into rowing and spent my spare time messing about on the river. I carried on with sport into my 20s and whether it was running, hockey or Zumba, I had developed a habit of tensing my rectus abdominis at the start of a race, match or workout …
Day 13: Back in the game
I'm back out on the road and inspired by daily exercise - today, a bike ride. Reaching forward onto the handlebars opens up the back and makes me very aware of the additional expansion that we can access if we exercise these muscles. Some singers use the terminology "breathe into the back" and it's often-forgotten …
Day 12: Operacise
I think I've just found a new name for the blog! I'll change it when lockdown is lifted. Today's a bit of a sweaty one - or should I say glowing? I decided to take the blog out on the road with me for a morning run. As you know by now, I love sport …
Day 9: Wait for the drop
A week ago, we started on our breathing journey. We looked at a basic 'out-breath'. We began with an explosive breath out while in a yoga cat, pulling our belly buttons through to our spines before translating this to a standing position. Today, we can finally breathe in! I guess the natural order would be …
Grace Lovelass 