How to Sparkle in the Dark

 

Dear Friend  How to Sparkle in the Dark Sending lots of singing sparkles to you, wherever you are and however you're feeling at this moment on the Coronacoaster ride.  At this time of year in the UK, we would usually be gathering with friends and family to enjoy the tricks and treats of the festive season.  As we face a second lockdown with many different levels of loss, it is absolutely understandable to be experiencing grief, anger, anxiety and disorientation.  So here's a little offering to help us sparkle in the dark. 1. Connect with Contagious Joy and Laughter Joy is a fundamental part of our being, of our psyche, because it’s just such a WOW experience. - Joe Hoare, Laughing Yogi, Vocal Revolution Zoomcast We've all seen how the infectious burbles of a baby laughing can get everyone smiling.  Humour is an incredibly contagious tool in tough times.   I've long wanted to share the wisdom of my inspirational friends and colleagues and lockdown has given me the space to do it - as we've all now become Zoom Video Stars, I've created a monthly Vocal Revolution Zoomcast.  My first guest is Laughing Yogi, Joe Hoare, because laughter, as they say, is the shortest distance between two people and we all laugh in the same language.  Do enjoy chuckling along with us on the video, where Joe shares his top tips for staying connected to joy in tough times and shines light on how there's been lots of the right sort of contagiousness from some of the wrong sort of contagiousness. 2.  Be Guided by Shining Lights We had to play because the Red Cross came three times a year. The Germans wanted to show its representatives that the situation of the Jews in Theresienstadt was good. Whenever I knew that I had a concert, I was happy. Music is magic. We performed in the council hall before an audience of 150 old, hopeless, sick and hungry people. They lived for the music. It was like food to them. If they hadn't come they would have died long before. As we would have. - Alice Herz-Sommer In times of great challenge, we can draw solace from the wisdom of shining lights who endured, survived and found a way to alchemise great suffering.  Listening to their voices can bring us hope, encouragement and guidance. On our Zoomcast, Joe told the inspirational story of pianist Alice Herz Sommer, who describes above how music supported her to find joy and survive in the horrors of the Holocaust.  Alice lived to the age of 110, and her wisdom has been shared in many documentaries where she says:  Life is beautiful, love is beautiful, nature and music are beautiful. Everything is a present. 3.  Groovy Gratitude Celebrates Everything!  Stop and smell the flowers And lose it in sweet music and dance with me Cause there is beauty in the world - Macy Gray, Beautiful World Gratitude is an essential part of any self-care toolkit and helps us celebrate ourselves, our lives and each other.  During lockdown I learned to treasure every small victory, every beautiful thing - seeing a friend in person is now a five star deluxe treat and autumnal walks are a technicolour feast.   As music can help tune us into thankfulness, here's my Gratitude Grooves Playlist.  What and who would be on your sparkly Gratitude Playlist?   As the word compliment comes from Latin meaning to fill up or complete, who can you uplift and celebrate by gifting them a big thank you? Together, we can sparkle in the dark and spread contagious joy, wisdom, laughter and gratitude. Thank you for being sparkly you! Come Sing and Sparkle!  All sessions are taking place online via Zoom in November Singers Salon - Being the Song - develop your special solo singing sparkle - 6 Weds evenings starting Nov 4th Creative Coaching - claim the joy, power and magic of your voice. Choirs - connect with sparkly singing communities Sunday Session - Chai Day- November 22nd 3-4.30pm - dedicated to helping end gender violence - bring a cup of chai, poem, story, song or reflection. Donations welcome to The Circle. More info on my website Thank you so much for staying tuned!  Be well, be safe, breathe deep, sing loudly  Lots of love, virtual hugs and good singing vibes info@therosewindow.org

Shine Up Your Voice This Autumn

 

Dear Katie  Shine Up Your Voice This Autumn   Shine Bright Like a Diamond We're beautiful like diamonds in the sky - Rihanna As Autumn leaves start to fall in the UK, many of us are feeling understandably anxious about the prospect of a long socially distant trek through to spring.  More than ever, it feels important to soak up nature's consolation for the loss of summer - the abundant harvest of flame coloured leaves on cool crisp days.  Like squirrels, we can trust our natural instinct to hunker down and gather resources for the time ahead (that doesn't include stockpiling loo roll!)  There are so many forms of self-care and creativity to help us rise and shine together - inspiring choir members in their 80s are up doing early morning yoga.  To help shine up your singing radiance here's... 3 Ways to Sing and Shine  1. Breathe Deep Breathe in the sweet air of limitless possibility, and make life as rich as you know it can be - Ralph Marston Our voice rides the waves of our breath and our breath is the foundation of life, so it's fundamental to breathe deep when singing.  This helps alleviate nerves, steadying our being so we can fly on the wings of song, swooping through melodies and enjoying the richness of each musical moment. You've been doing it from the moment you were born - so there's nowhere to go, nothing to do or be - you just come present to the magic of each breath. Right now put your hand on your belly, allow yourself to receive a deep breath, then let go, give, express. Cultivating this long soft belly breath gives us the foundation for singing - gently open into a hum, a sigh, a vowel, a phrase.   2.  Warm Up - Breathe, Move, Intend, Sing Allow some warm-up time each day to stimulate your creative flow. A pianist does keyboard exercises. A gymnast stretches. An artist needs to loosen up, too. It takes a few minutes to shift from the real world into a creative mode. - Nita Leland Singing is a whole body, whole being experience and a good warm up sets us up to sing by aligning our mind, body, spirit and voice in a creative, fun way.  My favourite daily warm ups include getting my mind and spirit tuned with meditation, intention and gratitude practices, getting moving with yoga, dancing, a walk /run in nature and getting my voice in gear with scales and vocal straw exercises. These help me feel relaxed, centred, energised, focussed and ready, not just to sing, but for life! Top to toe warm up - I made this video for members of my choirs with shorter session times in the time of covid - more videos and audios coming soon! 3.  Shine from within Let your light shine bright, believe in yourself, believe that you can rise - Khushaal Sharma One of the amazing benefits of singing is that it brings us into the present moment, quietening down the distracting voice of our inner critic.  Take the reins of your mind before singing,  focus it towards a positive intention and be your own cheerleader - find your own singing mantra: I can do it, I love singing, I sing and shine!    When singing for others set a clear intention to gift your listeners with love, happiness, joy, calm - whatever it is you want to beam out to them through song.  Your love, passion, purpose and the present moment experience of singing is far more powerful than fear and self-consciousness.  When you share your singing shine you make the world a lighter, brighter place! I am cheering you on!  Go get em Tiger! Warmly inviting you to Shine Up Your Singing this Autumn Singers Salon - Being the Song - starting Nov 4th - for those wanting to explore solo singing in a safe supportive small group Creative Coaching - bespoke 121 coaching for those looking to claim the joy, power and magic of their voices for singing, presentation and creative projects. Choirs - heartwarming community singing in a hybrid of on /offline options More about all of that below or head over to my website Thank you for shining your light and staying connected, I really appreciate you staying tuned! Be well, be safe, breathe deep, sing loudly  Lots of love, virtual hugs and good singing vibes info@therosewindow.org