AaronJacobVance

November2,2015
TeachingVocalMusic

WarmUpSequence
1. Ragdoll
Activity:Over10counts,relaxintheorderofhead,shoulders,upperback,lowerback
anddangle.Thentakeanother10countstoperformtheoppositegoingbackup.
Purpose:Torelaxupperbodymusclesnecessaryforeffectivesinging.
Placement:Thiswarmupactivityisfirstbecauseitisnecessarytogetthebodyfully
preparedbeforethevoicecaneffectivelywarmup.
Concepts:MuscleRelaxation.
2. SqueezeRelax
Activity:Tenseupeverymuscleyoucaninthebodyandholdit,thenrelax.
Purpose:Toassistreleasingtensioninthebodybyunderstandingwhatcompletetension
andcompleterelaxationfeelslike.
Placement:Thiswarmupactivityfollowsragdollbecauseitreinforcesthepurposeof
ragdoll.
Concepts:MuscleRelaxation.
3. InHiss
Activity:Breathinfor4countsandhissonShhfor8,12,and16counts,expellingall
airfromthebodyinexactlythatmanycounts.
Purpose:Toinstillasenseofbreathcontroltounderstandhowtogetthroughphrases.
Placement:ThiswarmupactivityfollowsSqueezeRelaxasitstartstopreparetovocal
functionofthebodybyworkingwithairflow.Itsimportanttohaveaproperflowofair
oronecaninjurethemselves.
Concepts:BreathControl.
4. DragonBreath
Activity:Takeadeepbreathinandholdittocharge.Thenreleaseeverybitofairinone
rushsimulatingadragonreleasingfire.
Purpose:Tosupporttheconceptofbreathcontrol.
Placement:ThiswarmupactivityfollowsInHissbecauseitbuildsuponthatactivityby
goingintheoppositedirection.Italsolightensupthemoodalittlebit.
Concepts:BreathControl
5. DescendingLuLus

Purpose:Tostartwarmingupthevoice,descendingsothattoomuchstressisplacedon
thevoicetooearly.
Placement:Thisisastaplefirstvocalwarmupforchoirs.
Concepts:PitchDiscrimination
6. OctaveLiftIKnow(Phillipsp.300)

Kinesthetic:Leafblowinginthewind.
Purpose:Todevelopandpreparetheuppervocalrange.
Placement:Afterpreparingthevoiceforsinging,thisexercisepromotesfullairflowwith
directionandexpandingtherange.
Concepts:RegisterCoordination,Range,Intervals(Triads)
7. PweepPweepPweep(Men)

Purpose:Toexpandmensvocalrangeandmakethetransitionbetweenchestandhead
voice.
Placement:Continuetopushmenfurtherupintheirdynamicvocalrange,alsogives
womensometimetorelax.
Concepts:RegisterCoordination,Range,Triads

8. Pooh
Activity:StartingonthelastpitchsunginthePweepPweepPweep,havetheensemble
singasinglepitchonthesyllablepoohanddescendbyhalfsteps.Eventuallyglissando
down.
Kinesthetic:Throwingadart.
Purpose:TorelaxafterPweepPweepPweepwhilefocusingonhavinggreatintonation
andcontrolintheupperregister.
Placement:ThisexercisefallsnaturallyafterPweepPweepPweep.
Concepts:Intonation

9. TonalPatterninRound(FromRuttersGloria)
Activity:Play/Singthefollowingpitches(inC/A/F#)andhavetheensembleechoandif
thereistimehavethemsingitinaround(withrhythmoptional).
SolDoFaSol
SolDoReDoFaSol
SolDoReSolLaReDoFaSol
Purpose:TopreparetheensembleforworkonthefirstmovementofGloriabyJohn
Rutterandtohelpdevelopasenseoftonalmemory.
Placement:Thewarmupactivityislastasitpreparestheensembletobeginworkonthe
firstpieceoftherehearsal.
Concepts:TonalMemory,repertoire