Art will feed itself


Life-long creative. I have one goal in life and that is to live from my creative endeavours. That's what my motto 'Art will feed itself' means.

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Banish the Winter Blues and Sing Your Way to a Perfect Christmas

Posted by Norman Bailey on Sunday, December 10, 2017, In : Singing 
As Featured in Woman and Home Magazine



Whether sitting in traffic, or feeling like your brain is getting fried after hours of Christmas shopping, restore your equilibrium and feel human again in no time.

One of my voice students described a Love Singing group session as ‘Exercise for the soul’.  She went on to say, “The breathing exercises, tuning into the moment, plus not feeling cautious about how sound gave me such huge sense of freedom and being in the now.   I think people like me, w...


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Did you know you can pick your customers?

Posted by Norman Bailey on Saturday, June 18, 2016, In : Presenting 

One of the most important business decisions you’ll every make

 

There’s a very simple business technique, which guarantees you the success you want.  It’s used by all smart and successful business owners.  Yet it’s not widely talked about.  But this method ensures you reach the right audience, increases sales and grow your business you way you’d like it to grow.  This is the simple concept of choosing your customers.

 

For some people the concept of choosing who their custome...


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Why People Aren't Listening To You When You Present

Posted by Norman Bailey on Tuesday, April 26, 2016,

Every presenter’s nightmare is spending ages crafting what seems like a perfect pitch that doesn't achieve the desired results.  People seem bored, talk amongst themselves, or they don’t buy into what you have to offer.

So what’s going wrong?  Well, if you’ve spent more time working on the words you say rather than the way you deliver them you’ll keep coming up short.  Why?  Mainly because the words you use, in your carefully crafted speech, only accounts for 7-10% of how people ...


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Pitching - How to keep it real

Posted by Norman Bailey on Tuesday, April 26, 2016,

In almost every picture you see of Richard Branson giving a presentation he’s smiling. He seems happy, in control, charismatic and totally convincing. With seeming ease he’s managed to convince people to change the way they travel, bank and listen to music. He even managed to convince the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio to part with millions of dollars to back Virgin Galactic, without them even knowing if it will ever get off the ground.

In the light of all that it’s easy to believe that he...

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Ice Cream Or A Story. Which One Would Children Choose?

Posted by Norman Bailey on Sunday, April 10, 2016,

Being a storyteller I know that children and adults love stories.  But I wasn’t prepared for what I found out today.

I’ve just taken part in the Play Day at Somerford Grove, Tottenham, London, UK.  A great day of fun in the sun.  This was part of my time delivering drama and storytelling workshops with Northumberland Park Primary School on their Summer Transition Programme.  

The best thing about this storytelling day was that I had now acquired a troupe of little helper to help out.  A loy...


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Should you train Your Body And Mind In Equal Measure?

Posted by Norman Bailey on Sunday, April 10, 2016, In : Personal 


I read an interesting article by Sir Ken Robinson, PhD. Robinson is an internationally recognized leader in the development of creativity, innovation and human resources in education and in business.

In the TES magazine article, Cha-cha-change the balance in schools, he puts forward the argument that dance classes in schools should be given the same priority as maths and the sciences.

His argument is that It’s just as important for children to learn to use their bodies as it is to use their m...


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Why Your Fitness Routine Should Include Singing

Posted by Norman Bailey on Saturday, April 9, 2016, In : Singing 



How much keep fit gear do you own?  Is the thought of doing exercises or even the idea of actually going to the gym tiring you out?

Then maybe you should consider joining a choir instead.

Experts are lining up to convince you that when it comes to giving you a top-to-toe tune up there’s nothing better than a good sing-a-long. For example, do you know how singing can reduce your stress levels or how good it is for your heart and lungs?   And if being able to tone your upper body and sorting ou...


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Don't Judge a Library By its Cover

Posted by Norman Bailey on Saturday, April 9, 2016,

I’d like to join the friends of Birmingham Central Library in mourning the passing of this highly emotive city landmark.  The building has sat empty since 2013, having been replaced by the Library of Birmingham, which is situated in nearby Centenary Square. Despite all protestations, campaigning and calls for alternative uses for the building the bulldozers have finally come to put the old place out of its misery.

The Birmingham Central Library building has always courted controversy and di...


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Storytellling at Tate Modern - Tateshots - Valentine Special

Posted by Norman Bailey on Wednesday, August 5, 2015, In : Storytelling 

I love Art and I love storytelling.  So it was nice to get the opportunity to combine my two passions in one project.

Enjoy this Tate Modern Tatestots valentine special.

“ Man Ray originally created The Lovers (1933) in the aftermath of his passionate and sometimes volatile relationship with the beautiful American photographer and model Lee Miller. The lips painted onto the lead piece are said to be those of Lee, and the artwork is considered evidence of his continued longing for Lee after th...


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This simple tone deaf test could change the way you think about singing

Posted by Norman Bailey on Sunday, January 5, 2014, In : Singing 


I can't sing because I'm tone deaf.
 

I hear people say this all the time.  But a couple of simple questions usually proves that they're not. People quite often think they are tone deaf because they don't really understand what being tone deaf is.

If you think you're tone deaf, try this little test now.  

  1. Go to you music collection and pick out one of your favourite tracks.
  2. Listen to it.
How does it sound?  Those swirling sound rising and falling.  It sounds good right?  CONGRATULATIONS!  ...

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Please don't tell a child they can't sing. You could cause more damage than you think

Posted by Norman Bailey on Saturday, December 28, 2013, In : Singing 
"Let the young practice only until they are able to feel the noble melodies and rhythms"  - Aristotle

A new singing pupil of mine burst into tears in her first class.  All because she hit the note C and sustained it for 10 seconds.  The shock and relief at discovering she wasn't tone deaf and was indeed able to sing after all.  

Her experience is very common.  I keep saying that I should carry a sealed envelope, which I can open within 5 minute of talking to a new pupil. The note inside it wou...
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7 proven ways to get Boys excited About Reading

Posted by Norman Bailey on Tuesday, December 24, 2013,

How many time have you thrown your hands up and said, “I give up”?    


For many people, those who care about positive child development, giving up isn’t an option.  

Think about how your life would be if you had no access to the written word.  This is a reality for many people. For some it’s a physiological issue other it’s psychological.  There are also those who by not understanding the importance of reading never bother to develop the skill sufficiently.  Until it’s too late.

...
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How to approach your singing With greater confidence

Posted by Norman Bailey on Thursday, December 12, 2013, In : Singing 
So you've set your mind on doing more singing.    But how's it going?
 
Have you set to it with full force and are you now singing the songs you want to sing where and when you want to sing them.  Or are you finding that your first few steps have been a little hesitant and faltering.  Well you'll be comforted by the fact that this is normal.

There are many reasons why you are not, as yet, totally in tune with your voice.  Some reasons are universal and others are more personal to you.   Let's ta...
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Why do you think you can't sing?

Posted by Norman Bailey on Monday, December 9, 2013, In : Singing 

When I say to people, "Hi I'm a singing teacher"  most people reply  "I can't sing!".  Now you'd think that would be the perfect in.  But, no!  For many poeple the sheer terror at the thought of singing is something they'd rather not contemplate.  If only they understood what they were missing out on.

I've been out and about promoting the Love singing method recently, so I've had the opportunity to talk face-to-face with people who haven't fully embraced the joys of singing.  What I've discove...
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My first casting decision

Posted by Norman Bailey on Wednesday, September 11, 2013, In : Casting 
I remember my first casting decision - it was more of a re-casting than straight casting.  Although this was a long long time ago.  I was 16 and making my stage debut in the Birmingham Youth Theatre production 'Somebody's Daughter' at the Birmingham Rep.  It all came about quite organically. During the auditions I'd made friends with the lead (Tony Armatrading) and we had spent time running lines together.  When rehearsals began if any of the notes I'd given him (which he had dutifully pencil...
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Art will feed itself

Posted by Norman Bailey on Monday, September 9, 2013, In : Personal 
The only way to fly

Art will feed itself. This is my personal motto.  I have a few aims, codes of conduct and guiding principals.  They are, for the most part, free flowing and changeable.  But they do revolve around one central premise: to live by my creative endeavour.  

I describe myself as a life-long creative.  Quite often when I say this people ask, creative what.  But what I simply mean is that I like to live by creative endeavours.

This doesn't mean art for art sake - although I have liv...
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