Yesterday I was back in one of my happy places, the Royal Academy of Music.
I love this place. From the moment you enter the building, music enters not only your ears but also your soul, the buzz, the beauty, it's great!
Sean and I went up as the RAM was hosting a really interesting Estill course on Contemporary Legit in Musical Theatre, something which I am extremely interested in.
When I was growing up, the world of musical theatre (MT) seemed a far off mystical place where I dreamt of one day treading. It was a land of mysterious terms such as 'belting' and 'speech quality' - words that were discouraged in the traditionally classical world in which I was educated. Still, the Legit style found in early musical theatre shows (think 'If I loved you' -Carousel, 'I could have danced all night' My Fair Lady etc.) was probably the most accessible part of MT for me at that time, and I fell in love with all the beautiful songs of the golden age. Happy days!
Now, Contemporary Legit describes a style of singing which maybe more familiar to the 21st century ear, think 'Love Never Dies' from Love Never Dies, 'In His Eyes' from Jekyll & Hyde, and most contemporary Disney songs. It combines a number of complex vocal techniques to produce an interesting, beautiful, consistent sound across the singer's entire range which makes for some excellent story telling abilities. I really enjoyed spending the day studying with one of the world's leading Estill experts, learning the method behind the magic. I can't wait to put my learning into practice next week in the classroom. Teaching Singing is truly one of the best jobs there is!
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