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Abstract

Non-verbal communication elements influence our understanding of audio-visual information. Evidence suggests that when gestures and sound are congruent, emotional intent is more clearly understood. In a song recital, performers convey a song’s emotional content through non-verbal elements, such as gestures, bodily movements, and facial expressions. While vocal recitalists are often heavily trained to develop skills in areas such as vocal technique, poetic analysis, historical context, thoughtful program design, and language mastery, movement skills for the physical dimensions of storytelling are often under-emphasized. Despite growing evidence of visual primacy, few song recital rehearsal techniques address the need for structured physical training. Recitalists have limited resources for effective practice techniques that address body movement in recital. This project expands the practice guidelines from Emmons and Sonntag’s book, The Art of the Song Recital, by integrating Dalcroze Eurhythmics, Laban Efforts, and Body-Mind Centering®, providing application analysis to more fully support the foundational aspects of song recital: vocal pedagogy, poetic text engagement, and the often-overlooked role of the body in singer-pianist collaborative techniques. The result is a practical resource for rehearsal, a Practice Companion, that helps performers translate artistic vision into embodied expression through the coordinated integration of mind, body, voice, and music. The Practice Companion presents exploratory rehearsal exercises for solo singers and collaborative duos that draw from three approaches: Eurhythmics fosters musicality, coordination, and the embodiment of rhythm; Laban enhances the conscious articulation of movement; and BMC® encourages awareness of how the mind expresses itself through the body. The Practice Companion aims to improve the audience’s perception of the artist’s emotional and expressive intent. This project contributes to the ongoing revitalization of the song recital by encouraging creativity, expressive delivery, and interpretive risk-taking. It offers a curriculum-ready resource for vocal performance and singer–pianist training, presenting a fresh approach to recital preparation grounded in embodied practice. The Introduction establishes the conceptual foundation, presents scientific evidence, and reviews relevant literature. Part I (Chapters 1–3) introduces each movement method and its exercises. Part II (Chapters 4–5) presents outcomes, rehearsal reflections, a case study, and concluding insights.