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Voice Studio News & Fun
October 6, 2019 | Issue #9
Voice Technique: What to Do When You Get Sick
Cold and flu season is coming! Singers are unique in that we have an instrument that can be working perfectly fine one day, then we go to sleep, and wake up the next day with a completely dysfunctional instrument. It's the thing singing performers dread, and sometimes there isn't much you can do about it - people get sick.

There is a lot of information out there about things you can do to shorten the duration of a cold, but the best thing is obviously to avoid getting sick in the first place.


If you do get a cold, it's important to evaluate your voice to see if there is swelling of your vocal cords. Your voice may sound breathy or scratchy. If this is the case, you should rest your voice as much as possible and hydrate with water and steam. Trying to push through swollen cords will only make it worse. And if it hurts, don't sing! Pain is a sign that you should stop.



Overall, wash your hands frequently, avoid touching your face, get enough rest and water, and when you do get sick, stay home so you can get better and avoid spreading germs to others.
Folk Song Favorites
Alouette
This week's folk song is the French Canadian favorite Alouette , about plucking a bird to cook, that helps with learning parts of the body in French.

Here are some fun versions of the song (text and translations might not appear on your phone, so check on your computer instead):




Click here to download the song and sing or play for yourself!
Name That Tune
Have fun sight-reading these folk tunes! Do you recognize them?
You've Got Rhythm!
Here are some exercises for rhythm practice - good luck!
Composer Spotlight: Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German pianist and composer widely considered to be one of the greatest musical geniuses of all time. His innovative compositions combined vocals and instruments, widening the scope of sonata, symphony, concerto and quartet. He is the crucial transitional figure connecting the Classical and Romantic ages of Western music. 

Beethoven’s personal life was marked by a struggle against deafness, and some of his most important works were composed during the last 10 years of his life, when he was quite unable to hear. He died at the age of 56.


Listen to some wonderful recordings: