Cursa Ur is Scottish Gaelic for 'New Direction'.

Coming from Nova Scotia, Canada, an area with Scottish ancestry and traditions, I wanted the name of my website to have a connection with those strong ties.

As a voice teacher who is also a fully qualified teacher of the Alexander Technique, I strive to help my students find such a 'New Direction' - both in the use of their voice and in the use of their body.

I have been working steadily for the last forty years to bring the two disciplines, voice and the Alexander Technique, together.

I had the great good fortune to study with Professor Frederick Husler and Yvonne-Rodd Marling, in Switzerland, on a full time basis between 1966 and 1969. When I went to London, England in the summer of 1969 to begin my solo singing career I then came into contact with the Alexander Technique and I have been busy with it ever since.

It is fascinating to uncover the vast similarities in approach between the two. The results of my continuing work in bringing together the approach of Husler and Alexander is described in the article 'Born to Sing' which you can find here on my website.

To my knowledge, Husler and F. M. Alexander never met. However, as Husler was such a very thorough researcher, I am certain that he will have read Alexander's writings.

What is very clear is that both men had the honesty and insight to base their approach to their work by looking at how the voice and body work when not interfered with.

Husler maintained that man, by nature, possessed a singing instrument. If there was a problem with the voice, he worked from the point of view that either parts of the instrument must then be underdeveloped or out of balance in some way with the rest of the instrument. Teaching, for him, was a case of bringing the various vocal elements together in a balanced whole. Such a positive approach had deep beneficial psychological impact on singers who came to him for help.

Alexander worked from the point of view that everything we want in the way of posture is already there so long as we don’t interfere with it by using undue tension. In essence both men had the same outlook.

Marrying these two philosophies continues to be a fascinating life’s work for me.

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Introduction from Barbara Bonney:

“I am very happy to recommend Ron Murdock as a teacher and expert in the Alexander Technique. It is my opinion that every singer and performer should enroll in a course of Alexander lessons. I have personally profited by doing so.

Ron is exact, patient and clear in his comments; he is at the same time sympathetic and has the ability to radiate a calm and good atmosphere.”

(signed) Barbara Bonney