The IT Advantage October 30, 2009
Posted by Ria Keen in life issues, singing stuff, teaching stuff.Tags: education, internet, life, singers, social networking, teaching, worcester, work
add a comment
I’ve recently been on holiday, spending many a happy hour taking in the sights and sounds of Devon and Cornwall. A particular favourite of mine is Tintagel, which has the most wonderful atmosphere, and of course some of the best views that the UK coastline has to offer. Every time I visit the countryside or our beautiful coastline, I think how much I would love to live a quieter life, away from the city.
As I’m originally from Beckenham, which is either in Kent or in South East London, depending on which newspaper you read (it’s in Kent. The end), 20 minutes from Central London, and now live in Worcester, which is a small city, I am used to city life. But as I have got older I have wished more and more for ‘my little cottage in the country.’
People often ask me how would I manage my very busy working life if I made such a move. Well, it’s easy isn’t it? Assuming that there’s an internet connection and that I have a car, I would manage in the same way that I do now!
As a lecturer, I spend a lot of time in the car, driving to the drama school where I teach as a freelancer. As Principal of VIDLA (Vocalist International Distance Learning Academy), I work from my handy computer – at home! The head office of the Academy is in SW London, but as all of our business is (currently) conducted online (it is a distance-learning college), there is rarely any need for me to make the trip to SW19, unless it’s to watch some tennis in the summer……..
I love technology, and recognise that, used efficiently, it has opened up our working lives in ways which I would never have thought possible as a child, when computers probably existed, but certainly not in the lives of ‘ordinary’ people. In fact, I didn’t see a computer until long after I left school, and found myself vaguely terrified of these strange new beasts. “But”, I argued, “I am an intelligent and capable human being, and if other people can learn to operate these things then so can I.”
So these days, I run my businesses from a variety of computers. I’ve learned (slowly) how to put a website together. I run an online network for my students, I record AV resources on my trusty and wonderful Mac (yes, I’m a converted Mac bore). I teach via skype – not that I like it much – I’m much more at home with a student in front of me! But that aside, Skype has proved invaluable for conducting meetings when one person is in the United States, one in France, one in Greece and one in Scotland. Technology has in some ways created new constraints, but it has also created boundless opportunity. So, little cottage in the country, here I come.
Meanwhile, it continues to sadden me when I encounter 18-year-olds who don’t know how to open, never mind set up, their email. Come on guys, catch up! If I can do it, I promise you anyone can – and it will open up your world if you just let it.
You want my life? Get your own! October 30, 2009
Posted by Ria Keen in VIDLA, performing, rants, singing stuff, voices unlimited.add a comment
I’ve become increasingly alarmed, in recent years, about the number of people who say to me ‘I want to be you!’ or ‘I want your life’!
Now, I know that they’re (probably) not saying this out of spite or malice, and I should probably be flattered or something….. but actually, it just irks me!
I am a very fortunate human being. I do a job that I love. I get to indulge all of my favourite past-times – teaching, arranging, recording, writing, developing, designing, occasionally performing. And people pay me to do all of those things, which is a great privilege. But you know, nobody handed me that privilege. I wasn’t born to it. It wasn’t given to me by some benevolent trust. I earned it – all of it. I learned my craft, year on year (and still do), I gave up other things and spent what seemed like forever scratting around to make enough money to pay the bills.
Poor me? Of course not! It’s what you do isn’t it? You pay your dues. And you keep paying until you have earned the right to a good reputation and a reasonable income.
So when people who look about 12 but who are probably in their late teens tell me that ‘I’m so lucky’, I would like to politely remind them that being ‘lucky’ involves years of hard work and dedication, and never, ever taking anything for granted.
Curmudgeonly rant over 
When work is a privilege…. October 30, 2009
Posted by Ria Keen in Uncategorized.add a comment
People in the performing arts industries can often be heard complaining about how tough the industry is (it is), how hard they work (they do), the long hours, the huge amount of unemployment, and so on and so forth, ad infinitum. We all find a million reasons to grumble and gripe, and convince ourselves that we’re hard done by.
For example, I can often be heard moaning about how much work I’ve got to do and not having enough hours in the day to write arrangements, record vocals, learn songs, teach my private students, lecture at drama school, work as M.D. for the choir, run my college (VIDLA), etc etc. Then this week, I was told by a colleague whose ear I was bending about how much work I had on “You shouldn’t moan, you know – it’s better than the alternative.” How right she was!
Thus, suitably chastened, I found myself on Saturday 10th October
Steve Maitland
lined up to do a charity show at the lovely Pershore No.8 Theatre, working for my buddy Steve Maitland, doing his Michael Buble Tribute show in aid of the childrens’ charity Acorns and Breast Cancer Awareness.
Also on the bill was a small troupe of dancers, three of whom (Lizi Chambers, Laura Edwards, Jon Salthouse) were graduates of the drama school where I teach and were a complete joy to work with, plus the Voices Unlimited Contemporary Choir, for whom I am the musical director, and local singer / songwriter Ady Marshall. A fabulous pianist with whom I have worked before, a great stage manager and the legend that is Dan Reeve on sound, completed the team.
So we all spent the day in a lovely, comfortable theatre, sang / danced / played to an appreciative and sold-out house, then had an after-show party in the hotel across the road. OK, so there had been a LOT of work leading up to the show – in my case writing arrangements / recording parts for the choir, and learning stuff to sing with Steve. But the day itself, and the fact that so much money was raised for these good causes, reminded me not to moan about the privileged position I occupy, in doing a job which I absolutely love. Note to self: moan less, celebrate more!
Dena Murray Talks VIDLA! October 3, 2009
Posted by Ria Keen in singing stuff, teaching stuff.Tags: dena murray, education, singing, teaching, the modern vocalist, VIDLA, vidla bookstore, vocal technique
add a comment
Dena Murray
In my role as Principal of VIDLA, I have been lucky enough to get to know the lovely Dena Murray, who is a Master Vocal Coach and celebrated author. She became Patron of VIDLA earlier this year and of course we were delighted!
This week, I received a lovely communication from Dena, basically talking about how we met and why she’s committed to what VIDLA does. She also talks about the long-awaited release of her new book, which is due out in November 2009. This is what she had to say:
I learned about VIDLA from the website The Modern Vocalist. Dr. Keen and I are Subject Matter Experts for that site.We began correspondence and to my surprise and delight, found out that her teachings are very similar to mine.
The idea that there is a distance-learning Vocal Academy for students all over the world to train and learn from that caters to any singer who wants to learn how to sing and/or teach thrilled me. I was also impressed that the school is accredited, with access to degree level study.
I work on my own. However, I, too, teach singers from all over the world. Some of them come to the United States just to study with me. Others I teach online via SKYPE (from the U.S. all the way to China). I also teach those who want to be vocal instructors how to start and set up, many of whom have gone on to instructing in music schools located in their countries.
After Dr. Keen told me she had read my books and was aware of my work, it was then that I became familiar with more of hers. I can assure you, we had a lot to chat about with one another!|
I have recently completed my third, and last book, on Vocal Technique, “Vocal Strength and Power” to be published by Hal Leonard Corp. in late November. Dr. Keen is one of the few who recognized where I was headed with all my work.
The first book, “Vocal Technique, A Guide to Finding Your Real Voice” instructs how to build up the muscle groups that control the stretch of the vocal cords (also known as Vocal Folds). The second book, “Advanced Vocal Technique: Middle Voice, Placement and Styles” co-authored by Tita Hutchison, instructs the singer with a step by step description of how to gain placement in the mask, bridge the breaks, and styles. And now with this third book, “Vocal Strength and Power”, it completes the series by instructing how to take in the air properly for the support needed from the diaphragmatic region. Between the three books, we now see that the entire voice works as a unit, how one region supports another and cannot work without the other.
This latest book has already received a rave advance review by acclaimed voice scientist D. Steven Fraser (to be published shortly before the book’s release). I hope to not only help singers with this last addition, but instructors as well. It includes a glossary of dictionary-defined words used to teach voice by all of us. This was an eye opening experience for me, realizing that so much misperception with regard to different methods of teaching on the part of the student all comes down to the true meaning of a word.
I hope any of you who have questions you’d like to ask of me will take advantage of it by e-mailing me:
To be affiliated with one of the world’s most foremost Academies for vocalists is nothing less than an honor and privilege. To be working alongside the very gifted Dr. Keen is a dream come true.
A big hello to all who are already studying, and a big welcome to those just coming aboard.
Thank you Dr. Keen for such a wonderful opportunity to be of service.
Dena Murray
