Vocal Integration for Professional Singers, Rapid Results for Powerful Performing.

In spite of COVID-19 constraints, the Voice Department of the Music Academy in Zagreb managed to organize a successful seminar with guest professor Mihailo Arsenski. He approached each student with equal dedication and offered his insight with exercises to solve individual problems.
Results were immediately audible and the students were satisfied with the information they received from Prof. Arsenski, being part of a structured system with detailed explanation of the effects. The seminar was held in a pleasant atmosphere and the students have gained a new experience, which will surely provide further shaping to their vocal education.

“Thanks very much, Mihailo, for your input this morning. It was great to begin with your “Vocal Integration” exercices and for some of us the effect was immediately very clear! After that I appreciated also your input when our students were performing; It’s good to have experienced „outside ears“ with us, and further ideas for free and effective expression!”

Thanks to an internet search with the words “Feldenkrais” and “Audio-Vocal Loop” I discovered Mihailo Arsenski and his “Vocal Integration”. Himself a singer, it was immediately clear to me that Mihailo is driven by the same questions as I am. The collaboration with him was the most effective work that I have ever experienced, and this within the shortest time. As far as I know,  the importance of the topics he addresses are not widely enough appreciated, although they are essential for good singing:

1. We singers control our sound through bone conduction/resonance. For an optimal bone conduction, an optimal body static is indispensable (without for example a pelvic inclination or a differing leg length). Distorted body awareness automatically affects the quality of the singing (since the singer is not effectively aligned for breathing or controlling his muscle tone…) and this state simply cannot be corrected with vocal technique.
2. The voice contains only the frequencies that the ear can control. Any limitation of the hearing or listening ability directly affects the voice. Voice production can be influenced positively or negatively through modification of the listening function. Dr. Alfred Tomatis extensively researched this issue (the relationship between bone conduction/resonance and air conduction/resonance) and developed a specific listening test and listening training.

What was it like to work with me?
“It is real good fortune and pleasure to work with a person I can understand and connect to and a joy to experience the benefits of exercises which bring immediate answers and solutions to my problems! Becoming aware of the problems doesn’t create dependence on the teacher, but rather enables independent progress in my own work.”

What is the outcome for you?
“With many duties and engagements time is short; I am constantly moving from one project to the next, each with its own challenges and problems.The profit from our short work was that I received information that makes my work easier and enables huge progress. Looking forward to the next meeting!”