Singing is so special.
It improves our breathing, helps us express our emotions and releases endorphins - the happy chemicals, making us feel really good.
The problem is when our voice doesn’t do what we want it to do…
The Method - The Science
The IVA technique is based on 17th and 18th Century principles of Bel Canto (beautiful song) singing developed by the Old Italian School of Singing. It is a technique that is now brought to the modern age through up to date, scientific understanding of the voice.
The goal is to train your voice to sing in a free and natural manner, smoothly, from the bottom of the range to the top of your voice with no breaks or sudden changes in quality.
By training in this technique, you will have access to all dynamics, with tonal clarity and flexibility. You will also find that it will improve your range, endurance, stamina, resonance, vocal strength and vocal quality across all styles of music without fatigue or damage to the voice.
The results are accomplished by training the singer to find a balance between airflow and intrinsic muscular resistance, all with a resting laryngeal posture. In other words, the right amount of air coming from the lungs, and just the right amount of vocal cords coming together, all the while with a larynx that doesn’t jump up or down when you sing!
With this objective, I can help you with the following:
A weak, breathy voice with poor projection —> I can show you how to sing more the way you speak, so you can access a full range of dynamics using a clear and healthy tone. YOUR voice will come through!
Strain while singing higher notes or have cracks in your voice —> I will show you exercises to blend your voice, so that you don’t have to pull up your bottom voice to reach those higher notes. Singing without strain is achievable!
A sudden break in the middle of your voice, as if you have two different voices —> I will give you exercises to strengthen the middle of your voice, so it will feel like you are singing with one voice… nice and smoothly from the bottom to the top!
These are all issues in the voice that can be addressed with the right exercises and guidance. Yes, singing is a learned skill! I can show you how to use your voice so you can develop a full, resonant and clear sound, so you can sing with more confidence, joy and ease!
Holistic singing?
Singing technique can only work if you address your voice as a ‘whole’! Lessons will approach singing as an embodied experience - involving the mind, body, emotional, and mental aspects of the vocalist. This is the balance between physical (science backed techniques), emotional (singing with connection and authenticity) and mindset + mental health (building the confidence to sing)!
At Portia Tang Vocal Studio, you will learn how to connect to your voice mindfully so you can feel totally present and ready to sing.
So how does this work? Depending on the student’s needs, vocal lessons can often be very cathartic when a student emotionally connects to a song or even a specific line in the song! When we can approach each line in a song using a different tone, colour or feel in our voice, we become great vocalists (with great ears too!), as well as developing a greater sense of self and the freedom to express!
