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The Vocal Athlete: Application and Technique for the Hybrid Singer.

Second Edition

Marci Daniels Rosenberg, Wendy D. LeBorgne

Details: 157 pages, B&W, Spiral Bound, 8.5" x 11"

ISBN13: 978-1-63550-164-3

© 2021 | Available

A new edition is available


The Vocal Athlete: Application and Technique for the Hybrid Singer, Second Edition
 is a compilation of voice exercises created and used by well-known voice pedagogues from preeminent colleges, established private studios, and clinical settings. The exercises focus on various aspects of contemporary commercial music (CCM) including bodywork, mental preparation, registration, and much more.

New to the Second Edition

  • 20 new singing exercises
  • Updated and expanded exercises, figures, and references throughout
  • Access to a PluralPlus companion website with audio and video files to enhance understanding of exercises

Wendy D. LeBorgne and Marci Daniels Rosenberg join the VocalFri Podcast to talk about The Vocal Athlete, a landmark voice pedagogy text that was the first of its kind to fully incorporate contemporary and musical theater singing pedagogy alongside classical voice pedagogy in a fully evidence based manner. Listen here

Related Textbook

The book is designed to accompany the textbook, The Vocal Athlete, Second Edition, a first of its kind in singing science and pedagogy developed for singers of all styles with a particular emphasis on CCM.
The Vocal Athlete text and workbook are invaluable tools for anyone who uses or trains the singing voice or works with CCM singers.


 

Preface           

Acknowledgments      

Contributors   

 

Section I. Preparing the Singer’s Mind and Body

Introduction and Overview    

 

Chapter 1. Exercises for Mental Focus     

Centering the Breath 

Barbara J. Walker
 

The Voice Scan         

Robert C. Sussuma

 

Dialogue with Your Voice     

Joanna Cazden

 

Your Voice in Real Life: A Vocal Exploration Through Laughing and Crying       

Jeremy Ryan Mossman

 

Mental Focus and Vocal Preparation 

Martin L. Spencer

 

Scale of Vocal Effort 

Marci Daniels Rosenberg

 

Notes  

 

Chapter 2. Physical Stretches and Alignment       

Body Movement to Achieve Vocal Freedom

Sarah L. Schneider

 

Semi-Supine with Spinal Jiggle and Pelvic Bowl Slosh/Slide          

Marya Spring Cordes

 

Freeing the Neck and Shoulders

Marina Gilman

 

Balancing Your Head

Marina Gilman

 

Climbing the Ladder 

Caroline Helton

 

Anterior Chest Openers to Improve Posture

Jill Vonderhaar Nader

 

Lower Back Expansion

Sarah Maines

 

Postural Alignment, Core Strength, and Breath Support

Suzan Postel

 

Re-Organizaing the Entire Vocal Tract        

Robert Sussuma

 

Notes  

 

Chapter 3. Stretches and Exercises for Breathing

Physical Stretching for Optimal Rib Cage and Respiratory Muscle Expansion       

Erin N. Donahue and Wendy D. LeBorgne

 

Finding the Abs         

Joan Melton

 

Breath Management Strategy for Vocal Percussion  

Bari Hoffman Ruddy and Adam Lloyd

 

Breathing Body Release Visualization 

Suzan Postel

 

Breath Stamina Exercise for Aging Singers

Barbara Fox DeMaio

 

References     

Notes  

 

Chapter 4. Stretching and Relaxation for Tongue and Jaw        

Jaw Exercises for Singing      

Miriam van Mersbergen

 

Jaw Opening/Tongue Tension Isolation        

Miriam van Mersbergen

 

Reducing Jaw Region Tension and Cramping

Walt Fritz

 

Tongue Stretches for Singers 

Maria Cristina A. Jackson-Menaldi

 

Staccato and Legato Tongue Release

Tracy Bourne

 

Increasing Vocal Resonance by Decreasing Facial Tension

Catherine A. Walker

 

Guy-La Tongue Release and Flexibility

Edrie Means Weekly

 

Reference       

Notes  

 

Section II. Training the Hybrid Singer      

Introduction and Overview    

 

Chapter 5. Vocal Warm-Ups and Cool-Downs     

The Motor Boat 

Caroline Helton

 

Blowfish        

Marci Daniels Rosenberg

 

Descending 5-Tone on Lip Trill                  

Norman Spivey

 

Middle Voice Palate Stretch               

Beverly A. Patton

 

Mirening         

Thomas Francis Burke, III

 

The Gargle Exercise: Calibrate and Condition         

Jennifer C. Muckala

 

Straw Phonation to “Floaty” /u/ for Vocal Cool-Down

Kari Ragan

 

Vocal Cool-Down Exercise for the Hybrid Singer

Renee O. Gottliebson

 

Lifting the Palate

J. Austin Collum, Emily Dunn, and Bari Hoffman Ruddy

 

References     

Notes  

 

Chapter 6. Laryngeal Strength and Coordination           

Connecting the Voice to the Body and Breath           

Stephanie Samaras

 

Clari-Bees      

Katherine McConville

 

Messa di Voce for Musical Theatre/CCM Singers    

Mary Saunders Barton

 

Cup Phonation: A Semioccluded Vocal Tract Exercise        

Marci Daniels Rosenberg

 

The Elusive Whistle Register: Hanging Out Up High 

Jonelyn Langenstein and Brian E. Petty

 

Finding Efficient Vocal Fold Closure with Glottal Fry and Creaky Voice

Amelia A. Rollings

 

Notes  

 

Chapter 7. Registration and Vocal Tract Modification   

Head Voice Stability             

Sarah Maines

 

Head Voice in the Passaggio 

Beverly A. Patton

 

You Send Me  

Kathryn Green

 

Pinball Wizard           

Kathryn Green

 

Released Vocal Regulation    

Martin L. Spencer

 

Swing Arpeggio         

Michelle Rosen

 

Speech-Like Arpeggios

Norman Spivey

 

Sustained (2nd, 3rd, 5th, and Octave) Glide 

Bari Hoffman Ruddy and Adam Lloyd

 

Accessing “Mix”                      

Jeannette L. LoVetri

 

Vocalizing the Speaking Mix

Mary Saunders Barton

 

Four Exercises for Simple Speech                   

Beverly A. Patton

 

Register Transition Exploration         

Aaron M. Johnson

 

Honking          

Sarah L. Schneider

 

Meow Mix                  

Kelly M. Holst

 

Fix It in the Mix         

Starr Cookman

 

Slidy aa’s                  

Lisa Popeil

 

Hoot-n-Hollar             

James Curtis and Brian E. Petty

 

A Three-Part Exercise for Bright Vowels in High Tenor Voices

Billy Gollner

 

Belt Tactics: Physical Cues for Success        

Ann Evans Watson

 

The Three Birds         

David Harris and Laurel Irene

 

References     

Notes  

 

Chapter 8. Training Vocal Styles   

Bratty Twang  

Norman Spivey

 

Closed Position for High Conversational Music Theater 

Benjamin Czarnota

 

Woah Yeah!                

Patricia M. Linhart

 

Belted “Hey”               

Joan Ellison

 

Belt High Notes Like Oprah Winfrey

Jennifer DeRosa

 

Blissful Belting           

Joan Lader

 

Layla and the Canadian Surfer—Belting in Four Easy Steps

Chris York

 

Boom Ba Chicka         

Matthew Edwards

 

Phrase Shifting

Marcelle Gauvin

 

R&B Riff Exercise      

Jeffrey Evans Ramsey

 

Multiple Personalities Vocal Exercise           

Wendy D. LeBorgne

 

Register Isolation for Choral Singers

Edward Reisert

 

Light Chest Mix for Mixed Choir      

Thomas Arduini

 

Acting Through Song: Discovering Connections to Express Ourselves Clearly as Artists

Naz Edwards

 

The Ultimate Rock Sound     

Sheri Sanders

 

Verbal Diadochokinesis Exercise for Postmenopausal Women and Aging Male Voices

Barbara Fox DeMaio

 

Creating the Logical 16-Bar Audition Cut    

Robert Marks

 

References

Notes  

 

Conclusion

Marci Daniels Rosenberg

Marci Rosenberg, MS, CCC-SLP, is a singer, speech pathologist, and clinical singing voice specialist. She has worked clinically for over 20 years at The University of Michigan Vocal Health Center. Additionally, she serves as the on-site vocal health consultant to the Department of Musical Theatre at the University of Michigan. Ms. Rosenberg teaches workshops and lectures nationally and internationally on a wide array of topics. She is a featured author in several voice pedagogy books. Among the first cohort to receive the PAVA-RV distinction, Ms. Rosenberg is an active PAVA member serving as Chair of the PAVA Symposium Oversight Committee. She was recently a featured voice expert on the award-winning Canadian science documentary program The Nature of Things - A User’s Guide to the Voice. In addition to her clinical practice, Ms. Rosenberg maintains an active private voice studio and consulting practice. Her varied clients include performers, executives, and teachers spanning the boardroom, Broadway stage, Metropolitan Opera, and everything in between. 

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Wendy D. LeBorgne

Wendy LeBorgne, PhD, CCC-SLP, is a renowned voice pathologist, international speaker, bestselling author, and executive communication coach with over two decades of experience. She combines the artistic and scientific aspects of voice to profoundly impact communication and vocal performance. Dr. LeBorgne’s work on Voice Branding™ gained attention through her influential TED talk, emphasizing authentic communication. As CEO of Professional Voice Consultants, LLC, operating as Dr. Wendy Voice, she evaluates and treats vocal injuries and enhances communication skills. She is also an associate professor at Mount St. Joseph University and an adjunct at Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Dr. LeBorgne has authored over 10 textbook chapters and 20 articles, and delivered over 200 lectures worldwide. Her private coaching studio caters to vocal athletes from various platforms, including radio, TV, film, Broadway, and opera globally. Her holistic approach to vocal and communication maximization has established her as a pivotal figure in helping performers excel and maintain vocal health and audience engagement across diverse settings.

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Purchasers of this book receive complimentary access to supplementary materials hosted on a PluralPlus companion website.

To access the materials, log in to the website using the URL and Access Code located inside the front cover of your copy of The Vocal Athlete: Application and Technique for the Hybrid Singer, Second Edition.

The Evolving Singing Voice: Changes Across the Lifespan

First Edition

Karen Brunssen

Details: 331 pages, B&W, Softcover, 6" x 9"

ISBN13: 978-1-63550-043-1

© 2018 | Available

Vocal Health and Pedagogy: Science, Assessment, and Treatment

Third Edition

Robert T. Sataloff

Details: 984 pages, B&W, Softcover, 8.5" x 11"

ISBN13: 978-1-59756-860-9

© 2017 | Available

Vocal Technique: A Physiologic Approach

Second Edition

Jan Bickel

Details: 248 pages, B&W, Softcover, 8.5" x 11"

ISBN13: 978-1-94488-333-1

© 2017 | Available

Vocal Hygiene: Maintaining a Sound Voice (Online Access)

Second Edition

Barbara D. Weinrich, Renee O. Gottliebson, Wendy D. LeBorgne

Details: Online Access

© 2017 | Available

Rating Laryngeal Videostroboscopy and Acoustic Recordings: Normal and Pathologic Samples (DVD)

Second Edition

Wendy D. LeBorgne

Details: DVD

ISBN13: 978-1-59756-802-9

© 2017 | Available

Vocal Hygiene: Maintaining a Sound Voice (DVD)

Second Edition

Barbara D. Weinrich, Renee O. Gottliebson, Wendy D. LeBorgne

Details: DVD

ISBN13: 978-1-59756-800-5

© 2017 | Available

Exercises for Voice Therapy

Third Edition

Alison Behrman, John Haskell

Details: 289 pages, B&W, Softcover, 8.5" x 11"

ISBN13: 978-1-63550-183-4

© 2020 | Available

Diction in Context: Singing in English, Italian, German, and French

First Edition

Brenda Smith

Details: 345 pages, B&W, Softcover, 8.5" x 11"

ISBN13: 978-1-63550-120-9

© 2021 | Available

A Systematic Approach to Voice: The Art of Studio Application

First Edition

Kari Ragan

Details: 246 pages, B&W, Softcover, 6" x 9"

ISBN13: 978-1-63550-223-7

© 2020 | Available

What Every Singer Needs to Know About the Body

Fourth Edition

Melissa Malde, MaryJean Allen, Kurt-Alexander Zeller

Details: 312 pages, B&W, Softcover, 8.5" x 11"

ISBN13: 978-1-63550-261-9

© 2020 | Available

Singing and Teaching Singing: A Holistic Approach to Classical Voice

Fourth Edition

Janice L. Chapman, Ron Morris

Details: 620 pages, B&W, Softcover, 7" x 10"

ISBN13: 978-1-63550-339-5

© 2023 | Available