Suzzie Vango and Lucy Hollins have spent years collecting songs and warm-up ideas from all their wonderful colleagues and collaborators, jotting them down on scraps of paper, recording voice memos, and juggling with endless pieces of A4 on the podium. They wanted to collate some of their best ideas and provide a structural framework to allow conductors to build an effective and efficient warm-up with the flip of a flap! They feel passionately that conductors need to understand not just the importance of the warm-up but the impact they have on reinforcing positive vocal technique.

 

Structuring warm-ups

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They have structured this book as they would structure a warm-up. It does not offer a rigid rule from which you must never stray, and you can use it as flexibly as you like, but it is important to cover all the essentials. These are (in order):

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• Movement & Alignment exercises

• Breathing & Airflow exercises

• Vocalising exercises

​The other elements in this book will make extremely beneficial additions to your warm-ups. Alternatively, you can use them as a refreshing way to muster energy and focus, should you experience a rehearsal slump

• Brain Workout exercises

• Songs

There are introductions to each section which you should read before you start planning your warm-up; these contain myth-busting information and an overview of the purpose and importance of each set of exercises.