My background and why it is essential for this work
I have a BSc (Hons) degree in psychology, and also spent time as a research assistant in the field of neuroscience. These have provided me with knowledge about the function of different areas of the brain and an understanding of how people learn.
Over the years I have developed my knowledge of how our psychological and emotional experiences interact with the physical activities that we undertake, such as singing. As a result I am able to adapt and tailor exercises to the student I am working with rather than sticking to a pre-designed lesson plan.
I have a post-graduate degree in primary education and, after a few years as a class teacher teaching all subjects, I spent several years as a specialist music teacher working in primary schools all over London. The most important part of this role was to support every student, so that they could all find their voices, and none of them would become the non-singing adults of the future.
Whilst the methods and activities are different when teaching adults the principles on which they are based remain the same. The exact exercises and activities I use with my adult students include many that I learnt on a specialist advanced-singer teacher training programme that I undertook in Australia.
I am a former Education Working Party member and Road-show Co-ordinator for the British Voice Association, and make sure that I keep up to date with the latest scientific understandings of voice, and current thoughts on best practice, by regularly attending courses run by this multi-disciplinary organisation. For more than ten years now my interest has been on working with adults, in colleges and in private practice, both individually, and in groups.
Lucy Legg
Publications
Book Review:
Body and Voice Somatic Re-education, British Voice Associatation, Spring 2016, p9
Article:
Mind, Body, Voice, British Voice Associatation, Spring 2013, p6-8