This is a useful book on breathing. It has seventeen chapters by different practitioners with detailed exercises, general overviews, personal experiences and academic research grouped together in four sections covering breath and the body, the mind, holistic practice and performance.
It is not a book for beginners in breathing but more for practitioners wishing to refresh and add to their existing knowledge. It is a book to get you thinking and trying new approaches. Having said that, I am not convinced by all the methods and am somewhat concerned about the inclusion of a form of rib reserve breathing that I thought had long since been laid to rest.
I am also reminded of the view that there are as many breathing methods as there are teachers and after many years of teaching, I still question the wisdom of breathing exercises in a book. The whole essence of this learning is teachers who are actually there in the moment, monitoring whether we have understood and are interpreting the information correctly. I feel many of the exercises could be confusing, contradictory and difficult to follow even for those who are experienced in breathing work.
All the authors highlight the need to link the body and mind with the breath. It is the glue between the parts, ‘the cornerstone of the free and released voice’.
It is ironic, therefore, that Marg McDaid uses Estill’s Voicecraft terminology to describe her Eastern breathing method as Jo Estill has gone to great lengths to de-emphasize the importance of breath! I am also amazed that Accent Method breathing is not referred to anywhere in the book as it is a prime example of the partnership between mind, body and breath using rhythmic movement to facilitate easy voicing.
The mystery of breath continues to intrigue us. We still do not know all the answers but as Judylee Vivier says, there is nothing really new: ‘The basic principles are definitive but there are many doors through which we can enter the same room’. On this basis, this is an interesting addition to any practitioner’s bookshelf.
Review by Liz McNaughton –
Freelance Teacher, Speaking and Singing Voice and VCN Tutor