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 22: We’ll eat again
Today had the potential to go either way. I woke up with hayfever, feeling like I could sleep for a thousand years. I didn't, but made it to a pretty strong 9.45am before dragging myself out of bed to find an antihistamine. Thankfully, I perked up after that and got on board with Nobby's 90-day …
Day 21: Hey y’all
I'm pretty proud of myself for one of my little lockdown achievements... I've been working on one of Lady M's arias from Verdi's Macbeth which is traditionally sung by sopranos. As a mezzo who started out not being able to sing above E5, I didn't think I'd ever comfortably trip out B flats and top …
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 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 …
Grace Lovelass 