Student being coached on an operatic aria
during a Master Class with Timothy Morningstar

Master Classes and Workshops

"Healthy Vocal Production Through Breath Management And Body Alignment"

Topics addressed in this class deal with the four stages of breathing for singing and the release of tension through basic principles of the Alexander Technique. The class structure consists of a short presentation and distribution of printed materials to allow a "common ground" awareness of vocal terminology and a basic understanding of the physiology of the vocal mechanism. Develop a new thought process with regard to the old idea of "just relax and sing." Group exercises with both teachers and students reinforce the concepts presented. Individual coaching with students singing a variety of literature and applying these processes.

"Keeping The Voice Healthy—Vocal Hygiene"

This class will address issues of misuse, abuse and overuse of the singing voice. The class structure will consist of a lecture presentation and the distribution of printed materials including photos of various pathologies. Topics addresses will consist of the difference between vocal abuse and misuse, medications and their adverse affects on the vocal mechanism, hormonal effects on the singing voice, inappropriate repertoire and its consequences on the voice and lifestyle changes to maintain optimal vocal health.

"AAII—A New Model For Voice Teaching"

This class is geared primarily for teachers of voice. The class will examine differences in cognitive learning and the presentation of a new approach to teaching. The focus is not on a specific "technical" approach to singing. The thrust of the class is to provide teachers of singing with a specific means of communicating and imparting technical information. The ultimate goal of this model is to guide students of singing through the various stages of learning, leading to the integration of the voice teacher’s technical singing methods.

"Learning A Song Once—And Learning It Correctly!"

How does one go about learning a new song or aria? Should we listen to a recording, have the teacher play the melody or sing the vocal line in to a tape recorder? Or should a student develop a systematic method of learning new music, upon which he or she can rely to ensure rhythmic, tonal and textual accuracy. This class will address these issues and present an organized five-step method for learning a new piece of vocal literature. The structure of the class consists of a presentation and the distribution of printed materials. Exercises with both teachers and students reinforce this five-step approach to correctly learning a song.

"The Art Of Gesture In Singing—What Do I Do With My Hands?"

One of the greatest areas of confusion for students of singing is how to approach the use of gestures in singing. This class will focus on the use of clarity and specificity to aid in effectively communicating the text of a song or aria to an audience. The class structure consists of group exercises and one-on-one coaching. During both group exercises and individual coaching, students will gain an awareness of unnecessary "mannerisms" in their use of gestures. Students will learn how to construct a plan of "tuning" in to their organic means of communication and develop a consistent way of translating this organic process into a reliable means of vocal communication enhanced and clarified through the use of gesture, regardless of the performance venue.

"Bringing A Song To Life—What Am I Really Saying?"

This class will address basic theatrical principles in order to give students reliable tools to use in their interpretation of songs and arias. The class structure consists of the presentation of the fundamental concepts of subtext, objectives, actions and obstacles. Group exercises and theatre games with both students and teachers reinforce these concepts. Individual coaching with students on a song or aria in which the singer begins to internally connect with the song to produce an external, committed and convincing performance.

"Healthy Singing and the Church Choir Singer"

This workshop will address vocal considerations unique to the church choir director. Methods and specific technical tools will assist the singers in developing a "vocal plan" upon which they can rely to improve awareness of their singing and contribute more to the choir. Issues addressed in this workshop will include: connecting to the breath, the release of physical/vocal tension, minimizing excessive vibrato which may affect pitch accuracy, effective diction and clarity of text, and how to conduct rehearsals without vocally exhausting yourself or the members of the choir. The workshop format consists of a brief examination of the anatomy of the vocal mechanism, followed by group exercises, which focus on the issues identified above.