In Memoriam: Michael Jackson (1958-2009)

Thriller (1982). Michael Jackson. #1 Album of all time. Image courtesy La Columna Flácida.

The man is gone. The legend begins.

Five of Jackson's solo albums, Off the Wall, Thriller, Bad, Dangerous and HIStory, all with Epic Records, a Sony Music label – are among the top-sellers of all time. During his extraordinary career, he sold an estimated 750 million records worldwide, released 13 No.1 singles and became one of a handful of artists to be inducted twice into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Guinness Book of World Records recognized Jackson as the Most Successful Entertainer of All Time and Thriller as the Biggest Selling Album of All Time. Jackson won 13 Grammy Awards and received the American Music Award's Artist of the Century Award.

SOURCE: Michael Jackson: The Official Site. Retrieved 25 June 2009.

Conducting Cats

Kurt Molnar recently sent me a couple of pictures he had taken during a performance of Cats at Lake Tahoe Community College where I teach.

The author conducting a performance of Cats at Lake Tahoe Community College. Image © 2009 Kurt Molnar/Altitude Media. Used with permission.


The author conducting a performance of Cats at Lake Tahoe Community College. Image © 2009 Kurt Molnar/Altitude Media. Used with permission.

Vocal Warmups - Vowels and Vowel Combinations

The next three warmups in my sequence are all vowels or vowel combinations. I usually begin on low A and do the arpeggio pattern, 1-5-3-8-5-3-1, or do-sol-mi-do-sol-mi-do, up to about high A. You should drop out, switch to falsetto or head voice, or drop down an octave if the exercise begins to feel tight or if you feel discomfort. Make sure to sing legato.

3. The vowel EE or [i] in IPA.
4. The vowel combination EE-AY or [i]-[ɛI] in IPA. (Feel free to drop the diphthong.)
5. The vowel combination AY-AH or [ɛI]-[ɑ] in IPA.

Here is a link to an mp3 I made to use as a background in order to practice.