And they're off!

It's moving day today. The van is parked outside the house and we're standing in a slightly bemused huddle as we watch our surroundings disappearing into the cavernous maw.

Actually, I think it's been fun. And since we're moving from a four-bedroom house to a six-bedroom house, we really don't have enough furniture!

We're really looking forward to living and working in such a peaceful and beautiful environment. Gillyanne and I have signed up to write books 3-6 in the Singing Express series with co-author Ana Sanderson. Singing Express is designed to introduce healthy, simple singing concepts to 6-11 year olds and their teachers. There are new songs, song vehicles (vocal chants and exercises based around one aspect of the song), backing tracks, video films, cartoons, tips and advice. Book 1 is already out and Book 2 is being filmed this week.

We're also planning some brand new training retreats for the Spring and Summer. So if you'd like to join us in our wonderful house and garden (see the previous blog for a photo), and you are serious about working on your voice and performance skills, keep your eyes peeled for more news, or just join our eZINE mailing list.

Got to stop now, I'm surrounded by people brandishing bubblewrap - I assume it's for the computer...

The Vocal Process "opening your throat" techniques appear on the new sell-out Constriction and Release Training DVD
The brand new voice training DVD Nasality and the Soft Palate has just been released!
The Vocal Process website has 280+ pages, including a series of free articles on vocal technique and style, memorising and different musical genres.
Visit http://www.vocalprocess.co.uk/ for the latest downloads:
the Vocal Process eZINE (free electronic magazine)
86 things you never hear a singer say (free ebook)

On a tree by a river...

If you recognise the quote from a song in the title, award yourself one D'Oyly.

It's from Tit Willow, courtesy of Koko in the Mikado, and it's there for two reasons:

One is that I'm an incurable Gilbert and Sullivan fan, and spent a couple of happy seasons working with the D'Oyly Carte in London.

The second is that we're moving house, with a garden that has a willow tree by a river.

The river actually runs through the garden, and through the river itself runs the Welsh/English border. The house itself is about 10 feet into Wales, and is on a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

So why the move? Are we retiring?

Absolutely not! In fact our schedule is busier than ever. We've been on the lookout for a training retreat for years, and this year we had the opportunity to upsize to a six-bedroom house in the most beautiful setting (that's part of our garden in the photo). For photographs and more details, have a look at the Vocal Process eZINE edition 40 (visit the Vocal Process homepage and click on the amazing appearing box to get your copy delivered straight away).

We'll be back in London every fortnight coaching in the West End, working with actors, singers, teachers and performers, offering technique lessons, audition coaching and repertoire, and vocal rehabilitation. We've put the dates for our singing lessons up to April on a new live online diary, and the spaces are already booking up. You can see what we're doing from January by going to the Vocal Process Private Consultations page and clicking on the live coaching calendar link.

Incidentally, we're running a "competition" in the eZINE (edition 40) for Christmas. You can either to send us a Happy House Move email or to add a caption to a photograph of Jeremy and Gillyanne. The prizes are a copy of Gillyanne's new book Singing Express 1, and any one of the Vocal Process DVDs.

Check it out, and send us an entry by December 20th!

The Vocal Process "opening your throat" techniques appear on the new sell-out Constriction and Release Training DVD
The brand new voice training DVD Nasality and the Soft Palate has just been released!
The Vocal Process website has 280+ pages, including a series of free articles on vocal technique and style, memorising and different musical genres.
Visit http://www.vocalprocess.co.uk/ for the latest downloads:
the Vocal Process eZINE (free electronic magazine)
86 things you never hear a singer say (free ebook)