Voice and Diction



Dr. Diane Howard

Office Hours (Presser 421): MWF- 11 a.m.; Appointments Available


Text- Speaking Skillfully and Successfully: A Guide to Diction and Voice-Over Excellence
   by Dr. Diane Howard and Lainie Frasier (McGraw-Hill)

Dr. Howard's Voice Bank
Course Schedule-

Jan. 21-25- Owning Your Own Voice, Healing Your Voice (Chapter One)
Jan. 28-Feb. 1-  Mastering Language, Expanding Your Voice (Chapter Two)
Feb. 4-9- Refining Your Voice, Releasing Other Voices, (Chapter Two), Test
Feb. 11-15- Developing Standard American Speech for Cameras and Platforms (Chapter Three)
Feb. 18-22- Working with Elevated American Speech for Stage (Chapter Four)
Feb. 25-29- Working with the Standard British Dialect, (Chapter Four, Five)
March 10-14 Working with European Dialects- Cockney, Irish, Scottish, Russian, Yiddish, (Chapter Five); Mid-Term Exam
March 24-28- Working with Voice in Performance Frames (Chapter Six)
March 31-April 2- Working with Character Voices, Especially for Radio & Voice-Over Work (Chap. Seven)
April 7-11- Working with Color and Attitude in Voice-Over Performances, Videoconference (Chapter Eight)
April 14-18- Working with Narrations for Industrial Voice-Over (Chapter Nine)
April 21-25- Preparing, Rehearsing to Perform for Television
April 28- 1 p.m.- Final Presentation- Performing Poetry for Television


Final Project- Performance of Poetry for Austin Poetry Channel
 
Dialect Audio Samples & Notes
 
 
Objectives- Students will read from the required text and will be prepared for class discussions and
activities. Students will work on vocal problems and demonstrate having overcome these problems.
Students will speak effectively and correctly with standard American English. Students will prepare dialect
readings. Students will rehearse dialect readings and will effectively perform standard British, Cockney, Irish, Scottish, and Russian dialects.

Grading- One fourth of the final grade is based on class participation, acdemic integrity, activities, and assignments.
One fourth of the final grade is based on quiz and examination grades. One half of the final grade is
based on vocal performances.

Appropriate Dress:  Modest Clothing,  no hats or flip-flop shoes

Teaching Philosophy- See http://www.dianehoward.com/phil.prac.contrib.htm

This class will adhere to Student Policies and Standards as set forth in the UMHB Student Handbook.
 
Workshop Requirements:
Students are expected to participate in five events from the following categories.
They are personal marketing workshops, laboratory performances,
productions (on or off campus), and/or Humanities programs/events (see calendar).