December 2007

Tutors of Tech Music Schools. “We Are Family…”

First of all I want tell you about my tutors. It’s a fantastic feeling when you realize:” I’m in the right hands”. In my opinion it’s significant that they are working like a team, which is united by the same objective (mission): “…enabling people of all backgrounds, styles, levels and aims to reach their goal. This means unlocking the individual’s potential in order to maximize his or her performance.”(Director Francis Seriau). Every lesson is like a big excursion and tutors/musicians/singers… of Tech Music Schools can really take you places you’ve never been before. http://www.vocal-tech.co.uk/TheWayWeSeeItFS.html

For example, Kim Chandler is one of them. Kim, who teaches Advanced Concepts, has researched in depth about how our instrument (voice) works, she can give you an answer to any complicated question that you’ve got, but her objective is to make us go through different styles of music, to make our own analysis to find and understand the difference between them, also similarities and connections. I’d say it’s a breathtaking journey where you’ll never feel bored and you better strap yourself in, because the speed is rapid. She recorded 4 CDs with different warming up exercises, licks, based on music theory (scales, scale modes, triads etc,). All exercises are supported by a live band, which plays the groove, that’s why they are called “Funky n Fun” . You can have alook at them on her page www.myspace.com/kimchandlersinger  and if you’re interested just simply send her a message. Kim is also a fantastic singer.

So is Annabel Williams, another of our vocal tutors.  She assesses us on Live Performance Workshops every week where we present a new song with a band. Right now we’ve got a Blues/Rock Term and our repertoire is in it’s context. I’d call it a weekly jam-exam, because nobody knows who they will be performing with. Of course everybody plays and sings the same tune, but it is not rehearsed beforehand with a band. The form can be changed by one of our tutors just before the performance. I find it very interesting and important to be ready for any changes. We are not allowed to use lyric or music sheets, so all these songs (with 6 different verses and choruses, sometimes in odd meters 5/4 or 7/4:) should be individually rehearsed extensively before. As a vocalist you should be focused on many other different things, like your pitching and intonation, vocal control, timing and phrasing, stylistic delivery, audience communication, movement and gesture, mic technique, diction etc. Oh, and I almost forgot the backing vocals duties you are called upon to do.

Karen Grace is one of those unique people for me who make the life of vocalists easier, sometimes when we are practicing, doing breathing exercises, working on our sound quality, I think to myself: “that’s the way how it should be”, because she is a specialist on this subject and you have to trust her like you trust your doctor or someone who is very close to you. I haven’t as yet taken any of my private lesson allocation with her but I will next term for sure.

I will try to write about all of our tutors, but the most interesting for you could be the performance itself. How do we prepare for it then?

We’ve got two people  who are responsible for preparation for the Showcase: Simon Carter (our music director) and William Lester (Stage Techniques, Showcase Prep). I might need to write a separate blog about this, because he is our energizer and motivator, he is just brilliant!

Simon Carter is also a marvelous keyboard player, who toured extensively with Jamiroquai, Craig David, Anastasia and Atomic Kitten. He helps us to find interesting unusual solutions in our live arrangements. His experience is just so huge, that he sometimes with one or two changes can fix the problem that a band might have.  Every bit of feedback is very valuable for us.

William! How can I save my time and write about him simultaneously? Hmm… It’s just not possible. He is one of those persons, who gives you all he’s got. Now I understand why one of our tutors before I started to study here said, pointing to William’s picture, “He’s great”. William is our son of fun, our nerve and psychologist, our oldest stage brother, singer, actor and he makes us go crazy on the stage (if needed).  Working with a group of 13 singers/performers, he always pays attention to everyone individually, involving the others in discussion. I definitely will write about him and our lectures with William in a later blog.

Every week we should be ready to play and sing one new tune with a band, which is formed for 5 weeks (half a term) then we swap and play with new members of our Master Performance Course.

A few words about the admin staff. They are also a very important part of the college, because if they don't work efficiently, for one you wouldn’t be reading this blog. They are our guides in “this journey”, another set of people we trust, who understand our individual situation, are patient when we approach them with a problem and try their hardest to sort the problem out. We see them every day and together with the tutors we already know, it’s like one big family.

Vocaltech - it’s a nice place with a friendly environment. It’s got immensely professional tutors, great facilities, but the best thing is that: they will not stop improving and upgrading things, always striving to be the best. The key of the schools is in what they teach and how they teach, but you should have your own opinions, get your own experience here.

  
***Nicol’ ***

*Contact details: www.myspace.com/nicolstyle