Here we go again into the somewhat nebulous school year. Pandemic variants, climate change, social unrest and political divisiveness all threaten to sink us in a swamp of stress –and that’s before contemplating lesson plans.
Breathe! In through the nose to a count of 4, down into the lower lungs, belly moving out (via the diaphragm), shoulders pried off their attachment to the ears and then, controlling it to last through a count of 8, breathe out through the mouth. And again ….
Basic warm-ups for music include relaxation, focusing and breathing. A breathing warm-up can take as little time as a minute, easily included in a daily classroom routine. This de-stressing practice can be a gift students keep for a lifetime. Today is the day to begin breathing again.
Pattern
- relax muscles
- breathing practice
*for ideas try Resources — Warm-Ups — breathing/body
*for more information, try the following sites
BBC –Sing — Learning –Breathing
(Unfortunately I’m having difficulty getting a link to work, but google the above, it will open a vast array of wonderful resources.)
OR
http://musikalessons.com/blog/2017/05/breathing-exercises-for-singing
