"on the first day of xmas..."

Amidst the hustle & bustle of presents, parties, concerts and late nights, comes the very real issue of vocal health and wellbeing. Remind yourself that you’ll be carrying your voice way past the New Year... Christmas can be a busy time of the year when you’re a musician. Even if you’re not a professional musician, it’s often a time of year when your voice can be at it’s most vulnerable.

From xmas drinks to festive treats, binge eating and LOADS of xmas indulgence, your body can take a hammering. Then there’s carol rehearsals, candlelight performances, and those constant requests by friends and family for you to entertain them with your song (“hey, you have singing lessons. Give us a song then!”).

So, what to do? If you have a lot of rehearsing and performing, it’s imperative that you keep up your vocal health. Be aware of your weaknesses, and resist the urge to sing-til-you-drop. Have rest days where you don’t sing a note, and warm up well before you do. Remember the fundamentals of good vocal health, and stick to your limits. Don’t be pressured into singing to breaking point, no matter what.

As for those well-meaning requests, if you don’t want to stand in the spotlight, the easiest things to say is “Maybe later...we’ll see how we go”. You can bet your bottom dollar that constant excuses will wear thin, whereas a seemingly slight deferral can be and easily accepted polite refusal (they’ll probably forget they asked anyway).

And if you DO decide to warble to your xmas mates, try and at least do a little warm-up before you launch straight into an Ave Maria. You are the only guardian your voice has. Be the angel it needs this festive season.