Voices are complicated. They reflect us. Our lives and our stories. And sometimes they get tired. Sometimes they hurt. And sometimes they develop problems. Vocal massage is one way to help them recover - to either understand what's happening to the voice and begin to make changes in how you use it or perhaps to unload some of the gathered strain of using the voice and get ready to go again.
About
Robert is one of London’s leading voice teachers with over twenty years experience training actors in Britain and Ireland. He has worked extensively in the professional theatre and at many of the most prestigious drama schools including Rada – where he held the senior post in voice – as well as Lamda, East 15, the Central School of Speech and Drama, Arts Ed, BADA (in association with the Yale School of Drama), Rose Bruford and
the Lir in Dublin. He holds a Master Degree in Voice Studies and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. He trained in Vocal Massage with Stephen King of The Voice Care Centre and has pursued post graduate training in Manual Therapy for voice and swallowing disorders with Walt Fritz.
My Approach
The beautiful zygomatic arch (in the shape of a plough). And look how close the joint of the jaw lies to the ear canal (the meatus) perhaps that is why I intuit such an intimate connection between the jaw and how we hear - how we listen…if you’ve been for a session I may have palpated that little space between the two processes of the jaw - the one that forms the joint and the one that tucks up under the arch. It’s a helpful thing to try if you feel a little tense in that area today. A little worried perhaps.
Moshe Feldenkrais elegantly argued that we act in accordance with our self image. If you by any chance suffer from TMJ difficulties you might find this bit of mischief increases your self understanding. Which might, perhaps, be useful. Pop your little fingers pad side forward (back of the hand towards you) inside your ear. The ear is related to that little hole on the left of the picture. If you gently think your fingers forward you will be - through feeling- in contact with the joint which is forward of it - your jaw joint. Now open your mouth. The joint rotates for a few degrees but if you continue opening a curious thing happens and your contact changes. To me the bone of the jaw (the condyle) seems to fall away. It’s moved down and somewhat over that little bump. It’s this movement - facilitated by a helpful little disk - that allows you to open the mouth wide enough to eat a big sandwich or to yawn or to shout or or or. And this is where clicks and pops and sometimes serious discomforts occur: something in this mechanism goes a little - or a lot - awry. You may notice many things if you try his many times and give it your full gentle attention and, who knows, it may even somehow - help.
