It's the start of a new week in Lovelassland and I'm trying out a slight tweak to the 'singing from home' format, especially now I'm learning more about video editing. I hope you can forgive me for what might be tasteless experiments with filters and sound effects! So, on day 19, Pete (the bike) and …
Day 18: Girls on film
Today marks the 18th blog post in the 'singing from home' series and having videoed myself talking nonsense for the vlog that many times, I was feeling reflective about the process. What started off as a way to structure my days during lockdown, has become a massive learning curve. Not only am I learning more …
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 16: Should we put the chocs away?
Happy Easter! Those of you following me on Facebook and Instagram will have seen my Good Friday greetings and I'm back after the holiday weekend with a new and very topical topic for today's blog post. Do singers really need to avoid chocolate and dairy products? I aim to offer singers and non-singers, opera-lovers and …
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 14: To vibrato or not to vibrato
Today I was asked by my neighbour and friend, Simone, what the blog would be about. I was hell-bent on discussing phlegm (in what will probably be the grossest blog post yet)! But the accompanying tip involved touching your face and since the message around protection against COVID-19 is very much "don't touch your face, …
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 …
Friday aria: Mon coeur s’ouvre à ta voix
It's been weeks since my last public engagement so I've manufactured my own! It's time for the first of your lockdown Friday arias. I was planning on singing something from Greek antiquity and even wore my Cretan earrings in readiness but the sun came out and I decided to go for something naughtier. So, here's …
Day 8: Taking it down a notch
At the weekend, I was marking an aria, trying to keep it down while Mr Lovelass (Nobby) was checking some emails. Afterwards, he said: "That was nice. I like it when you sing like that." Well, tiptoeing over a melody under my breath isn't going to get me heard in an opera house but it …
Grace Lovelass 