Overview

How well do you know your body? Well, the “here’s how” and “what’s what” of your vocal instrument – your entire body, not just the larynx – are contained succinctly, clearly, and simply in this practical new book.

What Every Singer Needs to Know About the Body gives singers and their teachers a Body Mapping resource – from anatomy and physiology to body awareness – that helps them discover and correct misconceptions about the way their bodies are built and the way they function. In doing so, it provides maps with detailed descriptions of the structures and movement used in breathing, phonation, resonance, articulation and gesture – illuminated with numerous illustrations and supported by many exploratory exercises.

Because the structures and movements inherent in the vocal instrument are the same for every singer, they apply equally to every kind of singing. Differences in style result from differences in the choice of movement. Understanding and mapping the structures and movements used in singing provides the technical foundation for all singers. The purpose of this book is to provide singers with that foundation. This book does not espouse a single method or attempt to teach singing techniques. Rather, it describes the movements of singing with accuracy and detail so that singers may experiment on their own and communicate with each other more effectively. This has never been done before and it is a substantial contribution to music education in general and the education of singers in particular.

In one author’s words, “This book is needed because singers deserve to know the truth about their bodies. There are many pedagogy books that present the anatomy and physiology without helping singers find its practical application. There are books that take a holistic approach without sufficient anatomical and physiological detail. What Every Singer Needs to Know About the Body will strike a balance, giving singers the information they need and the tools to embody it so that they can use the whole body for creative vocal expression. It will de-mystify the process of singing, opening up a world of artistic choice.”

This title is also available in a Japanese translation.

Reviews

• Rona Commins, Mu Phi Epsilon, International Professional Music Fraternity, (2009):
  "... Describes the movements of singing with accuracy and detail so that the singers may experiment on their own and communicate with each other more effectively. This has never been done before and it is a substantial contribution to music education in general and the education of singers in particular."

• Donald Callen Freed, Choral Journal, (2009):
  "There are excellent tables and anatomical illustrations, and both can be readily perceived by the layperson. Vocal registration and its muscles and cartilages are also explained in clear ways that this author wished for years earlier."

• Patrick Gundry-White, Statnews, (2010):
  "I found the last two chapters of Kurt-Alexander Zeller's the most compelling on many levels: warm, informative, articulate, displaying a wealth of experience and respecting his reader - I could read his prose all day long"

• , Singing, (2009):
  "The book is very practical, with many mapping exercises, lots of discussion about common misconceptions, and is full of illustrations."

• Debra Greschner, Journal of Singing, (2010):
  "... An excellent introduction to Body Mapping. It is an exceptional resource for the singer and teachers of singing to understand the anatomy and physiology of the voice. Singers and teachers unfamiliar with Body Mapping will find the text both a useful introduction to the process, and an all-purpose reference text for the anatomy and physiology of the body. The book is highly recommended."

• Anne Leatherland, Communicating Voice, (2010):
  "... The reader is encouraged to go at his/her own pace and to return to material until ideas are grasped and the body "mapped." ... This practical book would be an excellent addition to any teacher's bookshelf whilst being accessible and useful for committed students."

Audience

Primary Subject: Singing & The Performing Arts / Singing
Secondary Subject: Speech and Language Pathology / Voice and Voice Therapy
Audience Level: Professional/Textbook - 90 Days

• Introduction
  Barbara Conable.
• How to Use this Book
  Melissa Malde.
• acknowledgments
• Body Mapping, Kinesthesia, and Inclusive Attention
  MaryJean Allen.
• The Core of the Body: Mapping the Six Places of Balance
  MaryJean Allen.
• The Singer’s Breath: Mapping the Structures of Breathing
  Melissa Malde.
• Creating a Singing Sound
  Melissa Malde
• Resonating the Voice
  Melissa Malde.
• Singing as Communication: Mapping the Structures of Articulation
  Kurt-Alexander Zeller.
• Physical Expression for Singers
  Kurt-Alexander Zeller.
• Appendix I Eliminating Performance Anxiety
  Barbara Conable.
• Appendix II Scientific Basis of Body Mapping
  T. Richard Nichols, Ph.D.
• References
• Index

About The Authors

Melissa Malde, D.M.A.

Melissa Malde, D.M.A., is a certified Andover Educator and an active performer in opera, concert, recital and musical theatre. She has presented papers and clinics at numerous national and regional conferences. She received her D.M.A. in Vocal Performance and Stage Direction from the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati. Other degrees are from the Hochschule für Musik in Munich, Northwestern University and Oberlin. She taught at the University of Wisconsin at Platteville and Luther College before returning to her home state of Colorado, where she now teaches Voice and Vocal Pedagogy at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley.

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MaryJean Allen, M.M.

MaryJean Allen M.M. is a certified Andover educator and a private voice teacher in Chicago. She holds a Master of Music and an Artist Diploma in vocal performance, with a minor in piano performance. MaryJean travels frequently to teach the course What Every Musician Needs to Know About the Body to all kinds of musicians in colleges, universities, high schools, and church choirs. She is also a first year trainee to become an Alexander Technique Teacher at Robin Gilmore¹s teacher training program in North Carolina. MaryJean performed leading roles in opera and operetta throughout the United States, and was competitively selected to sing in two Art Song Festivals, coaching with Dalton Baldwin, Elly Ameling, Gerard Souzay, and others.

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Kurt-Alexander Zeller, D.M.A.

Kurt-Alexander Zeller, D.M.A., is a certified Andover Educator and performs frequently as a singer of theatrical, concert, and early music. He currently serves as Director of Opera and Vocal Studies at Clayton State University and is active throughout the country as a vocal adjudicator and clinician. Dr. Zeller holds undergraduate degrees in Music and Theatre from the Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University. His graduate degrees are from the College-Conservatory of Music of the University of Cincinnati. He has done further study at the Early Music Institute of Indiana University and the 1995 National Association of Teachers of Singing Internship Program at Florida State University.

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