My guest this week is Singing & Music Theory Specialist and Music Consultant Joanna Wilson.    Joanna started her musical career playing violin as a child and was fortunate to tour with Manchester Youth Orchestra before moving to London to start her professional training at 18. 

As you’ll discover, Joanna had to move on from the Violin and it is here she moved into her singing training, from which she went on to work as a professional Opera Singer, living the 8-shows-as-week lifestyle, before branching into teaching others from 2009. 

It has not always been easy to manage but I find it helpful to hear about the struggles as well as the successes and note the value in all we experience.  Even the toughest of times, that might have felt heart-breaking at the time, can steer us onto our true path and become a valuable part of our story.  

Approx times

00:00 - 1.25. Introduction to Joanna and her background

1:25 - How would you describe the journey with your voice?

2:25 - Music gave me opportunities and this early start fuelled the passion

2:50 - Moving to London at 18! Feeling like a small fish in a very big sea!

3.50 - Amazing teacher Elizabeth (Libby) Hawes and how singing allowed me to stay a musician

6:25 - Winning the leavers prize the Singing Faculty Award.

8:00 - Life took over for a bit then professional work followed

8:35 - Living my best life - costumes, make up, wigs!

9:00 - The stress of trying to generate the next job

10:20 - Becoming a Creative Arts teacher with young children

10:45 - Teaching became my day job “Miss Joanna’s Music Box”

11:45 - Working with a rapper!

12:45 - Underpinning with solid technique, starts with the breath

14:00 - Singing is everything to me! My Voice is my job!

14:25 - Special memories from touring in Italy

17:14 - Realising I want to stand up there in front of the Orchestra

18:15 -Visit Gallery on Joanna's website to see some lovely costumes!

18:26 - Is there anything you know now you wish you had known sooner?

18:35 - Personal growth and how it has helped

20:45 - The inner critic verses the inner coach

21:55 - Deepak Chopra 21 day challenge

22:15 - Holistic approach to improving lifestyle and noticing old programming that holds us back

23:00 - Ambitious as a child and early manifestations!

25:00 - Music elevated me out, I was able to mix in a whole new way

26:45 - Musical instruments in schools these days?

27:15 - Expression and Music with young children

29:00 - Instilling a love of music and how it brings a rounded education

30:55 - Your body is your instrument

32:00 - When you do what you love it doesn’t feel like work!

32:55 - What voices inspire you?

Ella Fitzgerald, Barbra Streisand, Billie Holliday, Sarah Vaughan, Glenn Mller Orchestra

Elvis Presley, Bill haley and the comets

34:00 - When I saw Ella Fitzgerald headlining at the Royal Albert Hall!

Barbra Streisand Donna Summer - No More Tears

36:00 - The journey into Opera

37:55 - The best voice ever - this is the one - my true love - Jessye Norman

41:30 - What does your voice mean to you?

42:20 - People pleasing and how life can send us turns in the road we weren’t expecting

43:55 - I’m so much better at saying No!

44:30 - We just want to give give give but we have to remember to keep ourselves healthy first

46:00 - Choice of song is so important, building rep based on what you relate to

49:25 - All about Joanna’s services

52:00 - Adapting and creating through adversity

Stay informed as we add new episodes by joining our email list at www.colchestervoiceacademy.com/podcast

Join our Facebook group to see posts related to Vocal Freedom!