My name is Alain Herriau and I am a professional opera singer. I am 39. Two years ago 2 ans I was talking about vocal technique with a singing colleague.
I shared my problems of voice projection and lack of high frequencies, as I sometimes would hear colleaugues saying that on listening to my spoken voice they had the impression that I would have a big voice but in fact as soon as I was in the hall they were quickly disappointed. They would say it’s as if you had half your voice ! Or, sometimes you sing a little flat. It’s not really flat but your lack of harmonics make it sound a little under the note.
Well, all this as a means to saying that this friend talks to me of Alfred Tomatis and the ear and the relationship of the Ear to the Voice. I therefore decide to take an appointment at The Audio-Vocal Centre in the Vésinet. I choose this Centre because Dominique was Tomatis’s assistant for the audio-vocal work. My status as “intermittent du spectacle”, means the course is paid for AFDAS which is very practical as well.
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. On arrival I see sitting in armchairs with headsets on. Most are drawing. How strange it is !
I first have to undergo a listening test and I am astonished to see what the test reveals. It can be seen that I function too much with the left ear (the ear linked to the emotions) more than with the right ear (the one that directs).
It will be necessary to reeducate the right ear so as to rebalance all that. Tomatis used to work with filtered sounds of Mozart and Gregorian chant. I now understand why all these people have a headset on. So for a few days I listen, like my fellow “course colleagues” Gregorian chant and Mozart, in sounds increasingly filtered and ever more directed on the right ear. And, if you please, drawing concomitantly, so as to occupy and express myself whilst evacuating any stressful thoughts.
I have with me an air stewardess who has come to reeducate her ear, a young man who wants his tinnitus diminished, another looking to improve his concentration in class…, and as well as an opera singing colleague.
After some days with the headset on, I start reading aloud exercises, with the lips well pushed forwards so as to add timbre to the voice. Difficult to go into all the details on paper, you will discover all that coming to do the course. Justin who works with Dominique is alsays there to check that I am correctly doing my diction exercises and helps me with the pronunciation of the scores on which I am working.
The last days of the course I work with Dominique on breathing and singing : becoming more aware that the voice will only be “protected” if it vibrates in the whole body. Dominique who is not a professional singer emits a small vibration. And there I am truly amazed. I feel her whole body vibrating, her whole skull as well. And this small vibration seems to me already enormous in the room. I try in turn.
The Tomatis techniques Tomatis are an education, which implies daily practice and if one stops one stops progressing.
Back at work no one talked to me again of being out of tune – oof ! – and my voice is starting to become larger over time, without effort, without pushing or straining as I used to, trying to project as best I could. I now try to concentrate on the vibration and the voice which vibrates in all the body. I can’t say for the moment what will be the results on forthcoming auditions, the most benificial as possible I hope. In any events I will work my hardest for it.
Justin and Dominique will accord you the warmest welcome and I wish you a “good journey” with the Tomatis techniques or rather a “good listening”.
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