Want to sing well but don't have time for lessons?
Looking for more confidence in your singing?

Love performing but get vocally tired?

Find more breath in your phrases,
more resonance in your singing,
more stamina in your performance.

Give yourself one day to find out
How YOUR Voice WORKS
See it, hear it, feel it, sing it
 

How YOUR voice WORKS is the one-day event from leading voice experts Gillyanne Kayes and Jeremy Fisher of Vocal Process. This is an interactive day, filled with try-them-for-yourself techniques, practice tools and the latest information on finding and using your voice.

"The warm up was amazing: my voice came out of me with ease and clarity...it felt as if someone else was singing!"

The day is divided into three sections: Breath, Resonance and Stamina

What the day will cover

• Breath - how much you need, where to feel it and how to use it efficiently, and what to do when you need more

• The Warm-up - what to do, why you need it, and what each exercise does for your voice

• The Open Throat - EXACTLY where to open your throat, where to feel it, and the effects a tight throat has on your voice

• Starting and Finishing (the bane of most singers' lives) - different ways of starting and finishing notes, and when to use them

• Vowels - are your vowels resonating? Where vowels are made, how to shape them, and when to use different versions of the same vowel

• Stamina - how to keep your voice from tiring, different types of support, and why the warm-down can help keep you healthy

"I could feel the throat open and suddenly I had 'resonance'".

Here's what people are saying about our courses:

Vocal Process, Gillyanne and Jeremy completely changed my professional life. My Kentwood Show Choir and students have all now progressed in all aspects of vocal technique.
Sheila Harrod and the Kentwood Show Choir have raised over £1,000,000 for charity

If you really want to know about the inner workings of the human voice, you need to turn to the work of Gillyanne Kayes and Jeremy Fisher
Opera Now Magazine

It's been a pleasure to work with you both over the years and to have the privilege to learn from you!
Donna Soto Morettini, voice coach on the BBC's I'd Do Anything and How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria

Helped me piece together lots of fragments and bits of conflicting information from many sources. Best value course I have done for a long time.
Sally Brown

Do you answer yes to any of these questions?

• Need confidence when you sing?
When you know what you CAN do, you have more confidence to stand up and do it!

• Vocally unfit? Do you lack vocal stamina?
Know the key exercises to improve your vocal fitness - when your energy is balanced, your voice doesn't get tired.

• Worried that you have no formal training and don't know where to start?
Learn the key skills that you can put into practice right away

• Tight voice - your voice doesn't feel free?
Discover EXACTLY where you block your sound, and release the real voice in you

• Can’t find resonance?
Discover the spaces inside your vocal mechanism that really resonate and learn to work them

• Feel that your voice is a mystery?
Your voice is a physical instrument – learn how to play it

• Bad or uneven technique?
Ignorance may be bliss, but it could be dangerous! Find out from this one day course what you DON'T know, and add to what you DO know

• Looking for freedom in performance?
With a balanced and flexible voice you're not worrying about technique and you can sing the way you want

• Want to help others sing better? Need techniques for working with groups?
These techniques can be shared with groups or in one-to-one sessions

• Singing leader and nervous of demonstrating?
Gain the techniques, the understanding and the confidence to demonstrate exactly what you have been learning, and be able to pass the information on to your singers.

"Thank you so much.
I can't wait to try out my new voice at my next choir meet!"

About the event:

Will it take me long to learn the techniques?
Not if your voice is healthy. We have had people learn and apply these techniques in less than one day.

Will I have to sing on my own?
We may ask for volunteers during the day, but most of the work will be done together in the group. You do not have to sing solo if you do not want to. You do need to be ready to try things out with others in large and small groups.

Do I have to learn anything before I arrive?
No, we'll provide you with everything you need, and teach you all the exercises and song phrases that we want you to practise. You don't have to read music either.

Will we be singing lots of songs?
No, this is a course about specific techniques for your voice. We have found that you learn "fast and deep" by focussing on the techniques using short phrases or exercises.

Is it going to be boring then?
Not at all - the day is both intensive and fun. Singers have consistently told us that our courses are fascinating and satisfying, and that their singing continues to improve after the event. Check out the testimonials from other people to help you decide!

Will I be able to teach the techniques to others?
Yes, although we recommend that you master them yourself first.

Can I use this work in a group?
Yes. The techniques are easily learned and fun to do in a group situation.

"Really opened up my ears and made it easier for me to visualise what was going on inside. There have been really noticeable improvements in my voice since the course"
Heidi Moulinie

Where is the course being held?
This special day course is taking place in Miller's Yard, a few minutes' walk from York Station. Miller's Yard has easy access from the A19 into York city centre, and parking is available close by. Click here to go to the map and directions for Miller's Yard (opens in a new window).

If you are...

a group singer: If you enjoy singing with other people, these techniques work brilliantly in a group. And if you're all doing the same things, you're all going to sound better! We're including information that is relevant to all ages, so if you're 26 or 86, you can benefit from this course.

a solo singer: If you enjoy singing but don't have the time or money for regular lessons, this intensive day will give you the technical knowledge and vocal understanding you're missing. Gillyanne and Jeremy have worked with all levels of client, from complete beginner and enthusiastic hobbyist to recording artists, international opera singers and the highest level of musical theatre performer.

a choral trainer: If you only have a few minutes each week for technical work with your singers, the techniques and tips on this course can be taught incredibly quickly to groups and individuals, and are designed to maintain and develop healthy voices. We've been working with trainers, teachers and choral directors for many years, to encourage healthy, accurate and resonant singing at all levels.

a singing leader: Improve your own voice use, then use the tips and techniques to help others improve theirs. Whether you write your own songs or sing standards, finding more vocal strength, stamina and range will help you motivate and guide your singers more effectively.

I found it so exciting. The way you enact with different personalities is wonderful. To see how other people grew in just a few hours was a joy. Thank you so much.
JD Singing teacher

Who are we?

Jeremy and Gillyanne are co-founders of Vocal Process, the voice training company that is "revolutionising the way singing is taught" (LINK Magazine)

Gillyanne Kayes is an internationally renowned voice trainer and researcher, and author of the bestselling book Singing and the Actor.
With clients flying in for lessons from all over the world, Gillyanne's time is split between teaching, writing and researching healthy voice use. She is currently involved in a multimedia project on singing for young children, Singing Express, due out this Autumn.

 

Jeremy Fisher is a vocal coach, musical director and prize-winning accompanist, and co-author of Successful Singing Auditions. His first endoscopy video ebook was broadcast by the BBC to more than 44,000,000 people, and led to a special commission from the Science Museum in London. He divides his time between performing, coaching, writing and the creation of voice training products and DVDs.

And that's not all. For this one day only we have two special guest presenters, Professor David M Howard & Ms Jude Brereton, from the Audio Lab in York University's Department of Electronics.

Professor David Howard is already well known as a Channel Four presenter on the voice and acoustics. David will be joined by Jude Brereton, Research Associate in singing voice. Using the latest technology they will demonstrate the different ways in which the vocal folds vibrate (for example, chest voice versus falsetto). They will also introduce us to a computer spectrograph, a tool for "seeing a voice on screen", showing the acoustics of vowel shapes and resonance. We've also set aside some time for you to see your voice using this technology.

How much is the day?

Vocal Process courses normally sell out within days, and Gillyanne and Jeremy can charge up to £200 per hour for this type of training. But for this special course in York you can attend for only £85.00, or £49.00 for full-time students. And the more friends and singing colleagues you bring with you, the cheaper it gets (£75pp for 5 or more, £70pp for 10 or more) - the Vocal Process shopping cart will automatically adjust the price for group bookings.

But don't miss out!

Remember, the first time we ran this course (in Cambridge September 09) we had to close the booking several days before the event at 90 participants, and we had a long waiting list. The York venue is smaller, so we only have room for 60 people. Please book your place as soon as you can to avoid missing out!

Course information

Date: Sunday November 22 2009

Time: 10.00am – 5.00pm

Place: Miller's Yard, 2 & 4 Miller's Yard, Gillygate, York YO31 7EB

Price: £85.00, £49.00 for full-time students. Group discounts - £75 pp for groups of 5 or more, £70pp for 10 or more people

Booking a place

Click here to go to our Forthcoming Courses page and book your place.

If you would like to bring 5 or more people, or pay by cheque, please email us with details.

We're looking forward to seeing you there!

Please contact Vocal Process if you are interested in hosting this course in your area