EMBODIED KINAESTHETIC MOTOR IMAGERY FOR SINGERS
Nicola Harrison is Lecturer in Singing and Interpretation, Pembroke College, Oxford; vocal coach; author; Arts Council funded performer and researcher.
Information
All Nicola’s writing and research of a lifetime has been into the imagination and how to harness this wonderful, inventive tool in the teaching of singing, the interpretation of text and the performance of song. She has written widely for newspapers, magazines, radio and music and poetry-related media.
www.nicolaharrison.co.uk
Her two books The Wordsmith’s Guide to English Song, Poetry, Music and Imagination were published by Compton in 2016 to widespread critical acclaim. Her most recent book, co-authored with anatomist Alan Watson is to be published by Compton in August 2019: A Singer's Guide to the Larynx. Again it harnesses imagery and imagination to explore and teach the anatomy of the larynx.
Her research into the use of gesture-based motor imagery in training singers has been carried out over 12 years at the University of Oxford, Cardiff University and UCL and has been tested in a number of ways in collaboration with neuroscientists, anatomists, singers and leading pedagogues. Her research has drawn in top professionals, voice professors and students of singing from three conservatoires and four universities as well as a wide range of subject volunteers and famed soloists. Their generous assistance is furthering the understanding of vocal science and artistry and contributing to new developments in technical training and medical rehabilitation.
In the last 6 years Nicola has worked closely with Dr Alan Watson, University of Cardiff, Wales in researching and testing the use of motor imagery in singers. This is neuroscience directly applied to the training of singers. The first book in their series Anatomy with Imagination is now published by Compton A Singer's Guide to the Larynx.
Embodima (Kinaesthetic Motor Imagery for singers) has been in use for 9 years with a whole lexicon of gestures that activate and coordinate the muscles of singing effortlessly in an effective and fully embodied way. Research results have been objectively assessed by some of the country's top vocal pedagogues. Embodima gestures are now being used in formal teaching practice and conservatoires across Europe, US and Australia as well as in the UK. A beautiful illustrated book which gathers all the images together has just been published and is pictured below:
www.nicolaharrison.co.uk
Her two books The Wordsmith’s Guide to English Song, Poetry, Music and Imagination were published by Compton in 2016 to widespread critical acclaim. Her most recent book, co-authored with anatomist Alan Watson is to be published by Compton in August 2019: A Singer's Guide to the Larynx. Again it harnesses imagery and imagination to explore and teach the anatomy of the larynx.
Her research into the use of gesture-based motor imagery in training singers has been carried out over 12 years at the University of Oxford, Cardiff University and UCL and has been tested in a number of ways in collaboration with neuroscientists, anatomists, singers and leading pedagogues. Her research has drawn in top professionals, voice professors and students of singing from three conservatoires and four universities as well as a wide range of subject volunteers and famed soloists. Their generous assistance is furthering the understanding of vocal science and artistry and contributing to new developments in technical training and medical rehabilitation.
In the last 6 years Nicola has worked closely with Dr Alan Watson, University of Cardiff, Wales in researching and testing the use of motor imagery in singers. This is neuroscience directly applied to the training of singers. The first book in their series Anatomy with Imagination is now published by Compton A Singer's Guide to the Larynx.
Embodima (Kinaesthetic Motor Imagery for singers) has been in use for 9 years with a whole lexicon of gestures that activate and coordinate the muscles of singing effortlessly in an effective and fully embodied way. Research results have been objectively assessed by some of the country's top vocal pedagogues. Embodima gestures are now being used in formal teaching practice and conservatoires across Europe, US and Australia as well as in the UK. A beautiful illustrated book which gathers all the images together has just been published and is pictured below:
NOTE: all information on this website is copyright Nicola Harrison & EmbodimaTM 2020, University of Oxford, all rights reserved, and may not be used, copied or reproduced in any way without prior permission of the author