Adventures in Voice
Today is my last day in the US. It’s been quite a trip, and though I will miss my family, and my friends over here, I’ll be glad to get back to Brisbane and settle down for a few months.
The Knight-Thompson Speech and Accent training was so rich and full, I need time to process it, and practise at integrating it into my own work, both teaching and performing. I’m very keen to try it out with colleagues, so if you would like to join me for a few hours on a Sunday afternoon sometime soon, I’d be delighted to share my progress with you. Don’t be put off by the technical looking diagram at the side here, it’s just the Cardinal Vowel chart, and the Knight-Thompson approach is to demystify it, and convert it into a visual tool for making some cool noises in a very entertaining way. I long to create an app that would allow the user to slide the symbols around, creating the visual representation of different oral postures on demand! It would make a great complementary app for the Being in Voice Warmup App.
This work is all about clear, intelligible speech, in whatever accent you happen to use, and a clear understanding of the physical actions you are using to create that clear speech. Once you understand that, somatically, from inside your mouth, you are in a very powerful position to be able to shift the focus, and discover and create new accents. Of course, there is work involved. You need a lively, inquisitive attitude as well as an attentive ear and flexible, adaptable muscles, and that takes practice. So what doesn’t?
If you are interested to find out more, but can’t make it to Brisbane to join me, why not check out their website, or get a copy of Dudley Knight’s book, “Speaking With Skill”. It is a wonderful resource, and you will enjoy working your way through it, however if you are new to this kind of work you will enjoy it even more working with a skilled teacher.
This trip has enriched my life in so many ways, and provided many opportunities to grow my own voice. I met some wonderful teachers and actors on the Knight-Thompson workshops, all keen to learn more, advance their skills, and share their experiences. Playing with Outlandish, Omnish and Somenish is just the best fun since waterslides were invented. Playing with funny voices with my grandkids was a hoot. I got to read some pretty wild characters, and together we discovered a magic spot on the path to Owen’s school where our voices suddenly turned very funny indeed. Fortunately, there is another spot where they turn back to normal again. Phew!
So let me know in the comments section below how you find Accent and Dialects, and if you would like to take part in a free experimental workshop in Brisbane, sometime in the next couple of months.
Comments
So glad you’ve had such a wonderful time. The vowel chart has always been a little tough to work with. I’d love you to share your knew found knowledge…not until I’ve done my PhD candidature though. So mid November is looking good. Safe trip home.
Thanks, Bernadette. That would work for me, too. Good luck with the Candidature. I look forward to hearing how the show went, too.
Hi
My urgent work now almost finished. I want to join your free workshop which I hope I am sure that training is suit for me. Please inform me when you are ready but asap.
Kind regards,
Sung
Hi Sung, I will certainly let you know as soon as I have enough people interested to set it up.