What will you learn / discover ?
- Improve the sound and quality of your voice.
- A set of tools and a step-by-step method.
- How to get the best out of your voice.
- Improve your breathing.
- Feel good about your voice.
- How to speak to anyone in any situation.
- Learn a strong, proven technique.
- How your voice works.
- How working with your voice can provide you with the substance and the support for you to do what it is you want to do (not just in the workplace).
What evidence is there?
"The warm-up exercises really help [me] to unwind and get ready for presentations/classes." (letter from a client)
The system, from which my teaching is derived, has a long and successful history. It has been taught and used by clients from many fields. It is used in organisations and associations at all levels; by leaders and executives; politicians, public speakers, broadcasters, singers, actors, film stars, artists, athletes, health practitioners, life coaches and more.
What Do I teach?
Over the years I have studied with a number of fine teachers all of whom have given me vital and valuable knowledge, know-how and ideas from which I draw freely. My own experiments, teaching experience and study add to my available resources.
The formal structure and much of the content of my teaching is derived from Vocal Awareness®. It is a system for mastery and artistry of the voice, created by Arthur Samuel Joseph. The methodologies have been developed out of more than 40 years of teaching and experimentation and research into the physical, emotional and psychological aspects of the human voice.
In 1999, after teaching on a singing project at the Oxford School of Drama, I felt that my students and clients would benefit from more structure. Coincidently, I happened across a book about Vocal Awareness and wrote to Arthur. We met, for the first time, about six months later. This was the beginning of my interest and experiences with Vocal Awareness, which have grown ever since.
How does it work?
The system includes practical techniques and exercises based on a strong set of principles. What follows is not designed to be a full explanation, but to be a beginning:-
The key exercise
The key exercise, is called the 'yawn sigh'. This is one of the first things you will learn. You can expect to use one of a few variations of this, as long as you use Vocal Awareness. After doing a 'yawn sigh' your voice will sound different and you may feel more alert and 'ready to go'.
A step by step approach
Learn how to approach an every day practice session / a specific project / a particular speaking opportunity and so on. You will learn the progression from technique to real life application. It takes you from warming up to full expression.
Vocal Awareness principles
Breath
One of the fundamental principles of Vocal Awareness is that the quality of our breath makes all the difference to the quality of our voice and communication. The act of breathing is not only a physical necessity, it is connected with our feelings too. Breath can become shallower: just imagining standing up in front of an audience, or watching a scary film. Likewise, recall a wonderful memory or imagine doing well, and the body often breathes deeply of its own accord.
Speaking
The act of speaking calls on all our parts. The physical sound is made by the body and comes out of our mouths. But speaking calls on our intellect, emotion, imagination, creativity and preparation. We have the ability choose the words we will use and how to say them. Speaking calls on our connection with our surroundings, our experience, those listening and our spirit.
When we work with and incorporate these principles into our practice and every day speaking, our voice and communication flourishes.
