The Heart of the Breath

I recommend this book to anyone who wants to further their knowledge
about the voice, its recovery and retaining vocal health.

Clare Costa (Singing Teacher and Voice Therapist)

Her book radiates warmth and clarity, reflecting her holistic approach and
including artful illustrations that make anatomy user friendly.

Association of the Teachers of Singing (AOTOS)

The Heart of the Breath is a clear and concise introduction to how the principles of optimal breathing for singing can be applied in singing voice rehabilitation and beyond. It is the first in a new series of books on vocal health and rehabilitation. With excellent practical examples, presented in the form of a case study, this is a book that guides readers through both the science and artistry of breathwork. The design makes the material accessible for all readers, including those who may be new to singing teaching and those who want to take first steps in exploring working with injured singers or those facing vocal challenges.

The case study is at the heart of this book and is prefaced by an autobiographical introduction. This first chapter outlines the author’s personal background in singing and singing teaching and gives deep insight into her motivations for writing this book. It sets the scene well, conveying the author’s values of care and compassion that encapsulate her person-centred approach. I particularly enjoyed the personal perspectives in this book, both the author’s and the quotes from the case study. They added an interesting dimension, not often seen in books like this, and I immediately connected with the material.

The case study illustrates several techniques for rehabilitating a singer with Muscle Tension Dysphonia. I welcomed the focus on Contemporary Commercial Music, rather than Western Classical singing, which so often forms the basis of vocal pedagogy texts. In this case study we are first given an overview of the singer’s background, diagnosis and the rehabilitation plan. This includes references to repertoire used enabling the reader to better understand the genre and particular challenges faced by this vocalist. These musical references would also provide interesting resources for anyone seeking repertoire when working with a client facing similar issues in this area of singing. Explanation of the diagnosis was accompanied by endoscopy images. I found these images particularly useful. However, it would have been helpful for the images of a healthy larynx and one with Muscle Tension Dysphonia to have been printed side by side for ease of comparison. This is a minor quibble and needless to say the anatomical and physiological explanations given throughout are detailed and precise.

As we are guided through four core rehabilitation sessions and a snapshot of subsequent follow up sessions, bespoke illustrations by Meg Pike help to ensure that the reader is anatomically and physiologically oriented, helping to make deeper sense of the written explanations. The exercises are outlined so that one could immediately put them into practice, and I enjoyed trying out the techniques on myself to gain a sense of how they might benefit my clients. Supplementary audio clips made this practical application even easier by giving examples of the exercises in use during the rehabilitation session. Access to these was through a simple YouTube link to the author’s page. In particular, I found the connections to Vinyasa Yoga insightful, particularly the Ujjay breath. For readers with an interest in various forms of bodywork for singers, this book would be an invaluable resource helping to connect body, breath and voice through a focus on the second of these.

Throughout discussion of each rehabilitation session, ‘Timeout’ sections interject to provide a deeper analysis of certain areas, for example on the Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ). These not only contextualise the exercises presented, but also give readers who may be less familiar with vocal anatomy a chance to build their knowledge in easily digestible, bitesize commentaries. Following the detailed and systematic descriptions of each rehabilitation session, summaries outline the post session practice routine, giving the reader instruction into how to structure a programme of sessions.

I enjoyed that this book is not just about the science of vocal rehabilitation. There are some excellent links between artistry and performance, such as in the chapter on regulating diaphragmatic action in singing. The author also makes reference to imagery, a mainstay of many singing teacher’s craft, and connects this with the functional exercises in a way that further adds to the relatability and accessibility of the material.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in voice rehabilitation, as well as those who would like to gain a deeper connection with breathwork as a singing teacher. It is a book for singers and teachers of all genres and indeed many of the exercises would also be applicable for those of us working with spoken voice users. Although a book about the breath, it presents tools that can be integrated into a holistic approach to the voice, considering a range of other important issues. I believe this is a book that readers will continually reference throughout their practice and I eagerly await the next title in the series. Jenna Brown (AOTOS member)