Your Body Breathes! The Relationship Between The Body, Breathing And The Voice
Thursday 27th April 2023, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM (London Time)
We all know that singing is deeply connected to our breathing and we all understand that good singing involves deliberate use of the breath, but there are many opinions on how these things intermingle. How does one know which is best or even which is useful?
We will look at the anatomy of the torso – including the ribs, the lungs and the alignment of the spine and we will examine the muscles of the ribcage (intercostals), the abdominals to understand how they function.
Beyond that, we must investigate the vocal fold movement involved in various kinds of singing because the vocal folds control the airflow and their action has a direct impact on how air is used and how we feel it in exhalation, in sighing and in singing – all different activities. And we will do them to see how that works.
Each body is unique. Everyone experiences their body in their own way. How can breathing be the same, under all circumstances and in all activities for everyone? Hint: it can’t! We will take a look at body types, physical conditioning and typical kinesthetic use in sports, dance and in daily activities. What do YOU experience?
All of this matters to those of us who teach or sing. Let’s investigate breathing and the body together!
Jeanie LoVetri
Jeannette LoVetri is a singing voice specialist in New York City who began teaching in 1971. She has taught throughout the USA, Europe, Australia...
Attend this course for as little as £22 as part of the Voice Professional Training CPD Award Scheme.
Learn MoreSorry, this is an archived short course...
We have plenty of upcoming short courses coming soon. See details of some of them below or look at the full list of short courses.
Thursday 26th June 2025
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Tuesday 1st July 2025
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There are evolving expectations for vocalists, who now need to perform in a variety of styles beyond traditional classical music. In this two-part course, Page Stephens argues that voice teachers should incorporate contemporary repertoire and techniques into their lessons to help singers grow in expressivity, flexibility, and economic opportunities. The course will cover industry trends, cultural pressures, and economic benefits of contemporary music, and provide tools for integrating new music into vocal education. Interviews with professionals will highlight the strengths and weaknesses observed in the field, and strategies for teaching new music will be discussed.
Wednesday 2nd July 2025
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
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The identity politics of accent learning!
Jenru Wang
Jenru Wang has an MFA in Voice Studies with distinction from The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London - in this session, he will begin to explore the complexities accent coaches might face in their work, examining the intersection of language, identity, and cultural sensitivity. Participants will explore how to navigate challenging situations in different contexts and understand what to do—and avoid—when working with diverse clients and materials.
Thursday 3rd July 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Vocal “Decathletes” – inside the hidden world of Session Singing!
Kim Chandler
What is a session singer? Officially it’s a freelance, short-term “singer for hire” brought in to be part of a live or recorded musical project. However, it’s more generally understood to be the “behind-the-scenes” singer who is regularly booked for paid recording work. The type of work (and pay) varies a lot. Session singing is a side of the music industry that is largely hidden from the public and isn’t easy to find out much about, even online. Join Kim Chandler as she unpicks this topic, based on 35 years of session singing!