Kathleen Connell

In 2024, the studio and our singers achieved much success. Most regular singers returned to lessons and we welcomed many new singers. This year, I’ve had the pleasure of working with singers who have sung in choirs and bands, those who are passionate about taking their singing capabilities further and […]

I have previously written about the importance of a relaxed jaw in singing. So much of a singer’s clear resonance and articulation hinge on a freely moving jaw. Any tightness in the jaw muscle, tongue root and pharynx (back of the mouth) can pull the soft palate down, resulting in […]

In my commitment to coaching singers in safe, evidence-based voice technique, last year I introduced Accent Method Breathing (AMB) in our lessons. Most instruction on better breathing techniques for singers can be too broad, not properly explaining the specific process of breath coordination. With AMB, your in-breath ‘drops’ deeper into […]

When I recently advised one of my singers to listen less to their voice as they practice, and learn to trust the feeling of their singing technique, they asked what I mean. So, I thought I’d share my explanation. As singers, we want to sound good, to be in tune. […]

June and July saw a few firsts for our studio singers. At our concert, singers Aleks and Celeste made their performance debuts. Another singer, Anne, gave her first recital at a Sydney city church. Part of growing as a singer is daring to step out of your comfort zone by […]

Before last month’s studio concert commenced, our singers participated in a group warm-up, which helped them release more nerves, prepare their voices for their individual performances, and feel supported by their fellow singers. Vocal warm-ups are essential before any singing, whether it’s practice, performing, or after a cold or other […]

The title for this year’s upcoming studio concert, To Fancy, is inspired by the John Keats poem, Fancy, and the song ‘To Fancy’, by Australian composer Colin Brumby – which will be sung by Alex Malubag. With ten singers and 19 songs, our program this year is a diverse mix of […]

Resonance is essential for singing that people – including yourself – love listening to. Beginner singers can find resonance confronting though, as they get used to the idea of being loud and being heard. When I ask singers to make a ‘resonant sound’, they can be perplexed by the term; […]

Singing in performance is a completely different experience to singing when you practise.  Nerves, the environment, acoustics and other variables can get in the way. In fact, when you perform, it’s thought you lose 20% of the skill, zing and focus you have when practising. So, using a studio singer’s […]

Consonants in singing can be tricky, but learning how to position them is necessary for clear and precise singing. While much emphasis is placed on sounding vowels in singing, consonants shape the words you sing so they are understood. This is part 1 of two blogs exploring consonants. Why it’s […]

During my singing training, I recorded every lesson, using a heavy old cassette recorder. Later, I’d listen back and mostly, it drove me nuts, itching to fix this sound, fix that move, change that vowel, get that consonant out of the way, and oh! That weak breath control! It made […]

As a new year approaches, it’s helpful to reflect on your singing achievements and plan your goals for the coming year. First, be sure to celebrate your achievements! As a singer, you’re taking risks others don’t. Putting yourself out there with your voice and performance takes courage, so do acknowledge […]

In last month’s article, I introduced Accent Method Breathing (AMB), an efficient way to quickly take in breath to support singing and increase your versatility as a singer. The article included a few beginner AMB exercises, which you can try here. This month, I introduce some advanced breathing exercises for […]

Whether you’re an aspiring, beginner or advanced singer, you know that sustainable breathing is crucial to singing. The science of breathing and the voice has seen many developments over the decades, and recently, I’ve introduced a technique called Accent Breathing Method (AMB) into training my studio singers. Over the next […]

We humans are creatures of habit, and convenience can be key to forming good habits. This is especially true for singing training. Regular lessons and singing practice are essential to developing your vocal skills and technique, and anything that makes this easier is a good thing. This is one reason […]

There’s nothing like working towards a live concert to develop your singing and performance skills. And last month, 12 of our talented, committed singers showcased their work at our annual concert, held at The Flute Tree in Sydney’s Leichhardt, performing 24 songs to 50 appreciative guests. The concert offers a […]

How often do you see a singer performing with a sheet of song lyrics in front of them? Rarely, I’d guess. Performing singers memorise song lyrics to free themselves to be in the moment, to better interpret a song and its character, and to engage with their audience. Many of […]

Choosing repertoire, i.e. the songs you sing, requires a range of decision making, based on a singer’s ability and various other reasons, such as cultural and technical appropriateness. Here, I’ll explore some songs currently being sung in the studio, and why I have selected them for singers. Sometimes, singers come […]

Singing in or out of tune can make or break your development as a singer. Here, we’ll learn how interval training helps. What are intervals in music? When you sing a song, you are technically singing a group of pitches, i.e. notes. Those pitches are formed using intervals. An interval […]

Belt and mixed voice singing are popular styles, featuring in many contemporary genres. And while they are challenging to learn, you’re rewarded with a greater versatility in repertoire. Let’s look at developing these skills, using songs two of my singers are working on to demonstrate some techniques. Belt singing usually […]

In life, we’re always learning. As we age, though, we might let go of some goals, thinking we’re too old. But adages like ‘It’s never too late’ and ‘You’re only as old as you feel’ ring true with learning a new skill later in life – like singing. Sometimes we […]

When you were a child, if you pursed your lips and vibrated them to make a ‘broom, broom’ sound when pretending to drive a car, you were performing a lip buzz. These, along with tongue trills, humming and similar voice warm ups are often referred to as semi-occluded vocal tract […]

Expand your song choice and hone your technical skills with these classics from The Great American Songbook When it comes to song choice, the simplest option is to return to your go-to song list; those familiar, well-worn songs you know like the back of your hand. But as they say, […]

As singers, we sometimes have the privilege to share our talent with friends and family at special occasions. That’s been the case for several of my students this year, with two of them serenading their new spouse! Read their stories.