‘The Morning After’ on BOB FM welcomed Ottawa’s blues lady, Maria Hawkins, to give some much-needed singing tips to anyone planning to attend the Canadian Idol auditions, this weekend at St Laurent Centre. As a public service, we repeat them here:
1. Drink 6 – 8 glasses of water a day
2. Get plenty of sleep. Fatigue lowers your voice
3. Avoid yelling or screaming or talking, laughing, or singing louder than is necessary
4. DO NOT WHISPER, especially when you have a sore throat, this increases muscular tension and dries out vocal chords
5. eliminate habitual throat clearing and excessive coughing
6. DON”T SMOKE!
7. try to reduce your caffeine/alcohol intake
8. use an easy and gentle approach to voice production
9. have your hearing checked
10. when you have laryngitis or a sore throat, give your voice a rest. Take time to let your voice recover!
These suggestions all come from one of Ottawa’s best singers, blues lady Maria Hawkins!!! Maria says that ANYONE can learn to sing, anyone! Although, she did say that ‘before’ she tried to teach JR and me how to sing the lovely duet ‘You Don’t Bring Me Flowers’.
Please help!!! Maria Hawkins is currently teaching the kids at Manor Park Public School to sing… and right now, there is a serious shortage for this school’s breakfast program. Manor Park Public School desperately needs donations of breakfast foods, cereals, cereal bars, etc, and of course cash donations to support the breakfast program are certainly welcome too. Please drop donations off at Manor Park Public School, 100 Braemar St, which is in the St Laurent/Hemlock area. The phone number for the school is 746-8131!! Thank you so much!
