|
|
|
|
|
|
Past Seminars and other assignments of note where Mr. Holcomb has Taught The most rewarding and exciting time of this unusual ministry happened in May '04 (scroll down below and check out the teaching assignment with the four children in the COY JAMERSON FAMILY!) teaching Chris Jamerson (twelve year old boy soprano) for seven days in preparation for recording his first CD! It has been my privilege to fly to Orlando about three times a year to teach the family for the past two and a half years. All voices have improved, however, the parents wanted to allow Chris to record a CD as a boy soprano. The voice has developed far above average (like a young soloist with a professional Boy's Choir). The clear, "primal resonant" male soprano sound with vibrato is most thrilling to hear. What really blessed my heart occurred at the end of the nine and one-half hour recording session: he read a prepared testimony after completing the ten songs and the voice still had an unusual clarity with the same freedom and full throated ease. While reading the testimont the vibrancy, timbre and beauty of his speaking voice sounded as free, clear and lovely like he spoke before he started the recording! Praise God. Chris has recently turned thirteen. I feel like CHRIS will not enter puberty until fourteen. However, that is up to God and nature as to his physical frame and thyro-arytenoids (vocal folds....not "vocal cords") lengthen and the thyroid cartilage (commonly called the "voice box) increases in size. Chris flew to Texas in June for additional study in our home. Let me encourage you to contact the father, Coy Jamerson for booking or purchase of a CD. His phone number is 407 830 9200. The family live in Maitland, Florida (bedroom community of Orlando). Recently taught Miss Teen Georgia in Swainsboro, Ga. for two days. Presently ('08) teaching a young lady here in Tyler that has a very good chance of winning Miss Teen Texas! TMEA (Texas Music Educators Association) Annual Conference in San Antonio, Texas. Session helping teachers with their speaking/singing voice. East Texas Baptist University (February 2000) for all faculty and administration staff. A Speaking seminar. Baylor University (three times) for Ministers of Music Evangel College - master class for singers and speakers Hardin Simmons University (master class) for vocal students Liberty University (seminar for speakers) Liberty University (seminar for singers) New Orleans Seminary (taught special class for conducting students) Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (master class for speakers) University of Southern California (taught Dr. Tom Cleveland) Valdosta State University (master class) "Music Texas (many times) "Music California (many times) "Music Florida (many times) "Church Music USA" in Houston (many times) "Church Music USA" Charlotte (many times) "Church Music Supply" Spartanburg, S.C.) twice) "Pine Lake Music" Georgia (many times) "Christian Artists' Seminar" , Estes Park, Co. (twice) ESC (Education Service Center 10 (eighty school districts in the Dallas area) ESC (Education Service Center 11 (seventy school districts in Fort Worth) "Fellowship of Methodist Musicians" for the state of Florida at Stetson University. Grand Cayman Islands (four times) "Georgia Music Educators Association Annual Conference (three times) In Savannah, Ga. "All Music Teachers in Decab County in the greater Atlanta, Georgia area .(seminar) "FVA." Florida Vocal Association, Orlando, Florida, voice teachers and choral directors in churches, schools and universities. Since 1982, my primary teaching has been in churches of all sizes of all denominations and faiths across America and the English speaking world. Many High School and Middle School choral groups. Speaking seminar for all pastors in Louisiana in Southern Baptist Churches. "Super Conference" (speaking seminar at Liberty University, Lynchburg, Va.) Taught many voice teachers (even ones with PhD's in music) Taught a number of recording artists. Taught several opera singers. Taught many lawyers, salesmen, school teachers, ministers, professionals from all walks of life, coaches, cheerleaders, and thousands of others wanting to gain a better understanding how to improve their speaking voice. Taught in many school districts "continuing education" (not in-service sessions), helping class room teachers save their speaking voices. For the past several years, people are coming to my home for ten one hour private voice lessons (from twenty-one states) for either speaking or singing. All lessons are (video taped) over a period of three days. Lodging and meals provided in our home. The cost is $1,000.00. August of 2,000, the Coy Jamerson family in the Orlando, Florida area flew me down to teach their family for three days. Four children: Maddie, four; Samuel and Hannah, twins seven; Chris, nine. To make a long story short, they all learned how to sing with buccal pharyngeal resonance (not mouth resonance) and three started singing with a vibrato. The third day the four children sang in three part harmony. Maddie sang the melody; Hannah sang the alto; Samuel and Chris sang the tenor part! They would get back on the melody and Maddie would say: "GET OFF MY PART!" Needless to say, I was most delighted. The mother - Mary had never matched tones before. She was able to begin matching pitch and will be a very good alto. Coy, the father, was organist at their church. He had not sung very well. His lesson was great and will become a very fine young male tenor. COY paid me $2,000.00. UPDATE on Chris Jamerson: the first weekend in April '04 I will be going back to Orlando to guide Chris in his first CD. His voice has not changed as of yet (he is 12) and could be a soloist with the Vienna Boys Choir. This will be the fifty time working with the family. Praise God. June of 1999, I was teaching at the First Baptist Church, Russellville, Arkansas with host Minister of Music, Tommy Havens. Tommy persuaded his daughter (Lisa) to have a private lesson with me. The voice erupted ( a fine lyric soprano) with total beauty and loveliness! She was shocked how it sounded! It was truly amazing as the voice took on power, beautiful resonance, and a good vibrato! At the time, she was a student (junior) at the University of Arkansas majoring in English. Previously, she had dutifully sung alto in the youth choir in her teenage years before attending college. While teaching the Coy Jameson family in Florida, my wife, Geneva, called me and asked it I would be home the following Monday. I assured her that I would be flying home that morning. She mentioned to me that Tommy Havens wanted to come by to see us. To my surprise, along came Lisa. She mentioned to me that after observing the video tape of her lesson, she felt like the Lord would have her seek more training in voice. I taught her for several hours that afternoon. The voice improved much more. At this time, she decided to include a minor in music at the University. It truly is wonderful just what can happen to any voice that is willing to free their aesthetic judgment as to their personal pre-conceived notions of how their voice must be produced. Every human being (with all of their faculties in order) has the potential of becoming a very fine singer and/or speaker with the proper guidance. Oliver Wendell Holmes (former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court) made a very sad statement: "Most people die with the music still in them!"
Mr. Holcomb has sung on National Television four times: 1. First Baptist Church, Dallas, at the time, Dr. W. A. Crisswell was pastor (twice) 2. Belleview Baptist Church, Memphis, Tennessee, Dr. Adrian Rogers, Pastor 3. Thomas Road Baptist Church, Lynchburg, VA., Dr. Jerry Falwell, Pastor Presently, Mr. Holcomb, a baritone, is preparing to record a number of CD's including academic sacred music, gospel, easy listening, and music for the seasons. His voice is still full, resonant, proper vibrato, and produces the "singer's formant !" The singer's formant ranges: (for basses, the special brilliant resonant ring around the outside of the head is 2,700 Hz; baritones, 2,800 Hz; tenors, 2,900 Hz; ladies, 3,000 to 3,200 Hz. ) Also, at the present time, he is working on a very exciting research for a series of study CDs which will help individuals with their speaking voice. The title for this study album will be: "Basic Tools for enhancing your second face....the voice!" He is also gathering trenchant materials for a future project: A book that will help the average choral director gain a deeper knowledge and understanding how to help their choirs sing with more power, freedom, beauty and fullness! Not allow them to sing for years with no improvement during the singing process. More and more , requests for seminars on the speaking voice are being filled with my calendar. The speaking voice should and must be produced with as much freedom as the singing voice. It is the same instrument! One should never see blood vessels or muscles "bulge" on the neck when speaking or singing. Also, while singing, the tongue should not depress down (often making a "double chin!" Seminars of note for the speaking voice was with the ESC (Educational Service Center) ten in Dallas, Texas and ESC eleven, in Fort Worth. This seminar was scheduled for all administrative personal from eighty school districts (Dallas) and fifty school districts (Fort Worth) for Superintendents , Assistant Superintendents, Principals and their associates from their respective areas. TWO SPECIAL TESTIMONIES: (1.) November 1998, I was teaching at the First Alliance Church, Toledo, Ohio. A young man, Ben Perry, attended the seminar. He also took a private lesson (all lessons are video taped). He responded to the suggestions during the lesson. Seriously studied the video tape, and his voice just "soared like an eagle." He tried out for the spring musical at his private school, St. John's Jesuit School. Ben's father called me this spring ('99), and ask if he could fly Ben to Dallas, rent a car, or possibly pick him up at the airport, and teach him three days. I agreed, and he came to my home for about fifteen lessons, and the voice became more rich, mature, deeper sonorous resonance. He was most delighted! His mother, Colleen, also came with him. She was a vocal music major. However, some inadequate teaching techniques had caused the voice to have a severe wobble. The fault was corrected. She began to sing more freely than ever before. I have encouraged her to set up her own vocal studio. By the way, Ben's father paid me $1,000.00 for the three day teaching experience. (2.) The summer of '98, I spent a week at Stetson University , Deland, Florida, teaching the Ministers of Music of the United Methodist Church for their annual state music conference. The guest choral clinician and I met. He ask if I would teach several voice lessons. I agreed. We went to the Music Building following the evening meal. We spent two hours Monday evening and also Tuesday evening. And had third lesson Wednesday evening. This gentleman Dr. Don Bailey, PhD is Chairman of the Choral Division at Baylor University, Waco, Texas. During our private lessons, he would interrupt me and comment: "I have never heard of the many exciting techniques which you are suggesting, but they really work. I mentioned to him that "he does not study with the same research scientist with whom I have the privilege to work with. He began to produce some beautiful sounds! No individual will ever have all the answers to vocal production. At my age (born 1930), it is most exciting to constantly study with some of the greatest minds from around the world in voice science! The more I learn, the more I am challenged to seek information to share simple "nuts and bolts" concepts in gaining a clearer understanding how to produce VOCAL FREEDOM. My teachings include many exciting churches (thousands) of all denominations and faiths across North America. Many seminar repeats (as many as seven in same church). When I teach in Churches, Middle, Junior High, and High School choirs, young people keep asking me: "GRANDPA, WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO COME BACK?" I consider this question one of my greatest testimonies concerning the effectiveness while teaching during these years. When I encounter directors that are teachable, and are anxious to have their choral groups learn, exciting things begin to happen as to the total sound of the groups. It is highly disturbing as to the lack of proper education our "halls of higher learning" are instilling in undergraduate and graduate students. Understanding how to "free the human voice" as they learn how to achieve their "primal sound" is really a life long constant study. I keep realizing the fact that no individual will ever have all the answers to the total impact of "freeing the voice" when it comes to beautiful speaking and/or singing. All individuals that deal with the human voice should be constantly learning from the best vocal scientists and vocologist in the world!
611 Raintree Drive Phone (903)-581 0291
|
