Vocal Freedom Podcast

Welcome! This week my guest is mezzo-soprano opera singer, voice teacher, writer and broadcaster Janet Shell.  Janet has had a rollercoaster of a journey with her voice and shares, although she always had a strong desire to become a professional singer, like many before and since, the route there was full of twists and turns.  So many valuable experiences and lessons along the way have informed her teaching and she continues to commit to new learning to continue growing.      

I loved learning about her background, her tenacity and drive is inspiring and Janet and I both felt a lovely open connection between us, which I hope comes across when you listen.   

If anything resonates with you and you would like to reach out, Janet can be contacted through her website Contact Janet

Here you can also learn about all her other services on offer for singers and speakers.   I particularly admire the work Janet has put in with helping teachers, of all kinds, understand how to use their voices more efficiently when classroom teaching.   If you are a teacher and want to learn more, visit her website "Talking Voice" here for more information.  

If you would like to comment on anything raised here or have something else you want to share about voice, click here to learn more about how you can get involved!  Your voice matters!

My guest this week is the awesome Scott Harrison.  He is currently a lecturer of Singing and Musical Theatre at Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and Trinity Laban Conservatoire.  He is Senior Musical Theatre Consultant at Associated Studios London and Head of Singing and Music at West End Musical Theatre in North London.

Join us as Scott shares his journey into voice training, his professional career highlights and how he stepped into the world of voice education.  We chat about some important issues for students who are training to become professionals in Musical Theatre particularly.  We both want to help the voices of tomorrow and hope you enjoy listening to this passionate advocate for social justice and equality within the arts.  

You can learn more about Scott by visiting his website here

Scott's song choices to introduce you to his favourite singers (or enjoy again if you are already appreciative) are linked below:

Leontyne Price - La Forza del destino (Verdi)

Norm Lewis - No one is alone from Into the Woods (Stephen Sondheim)

David Phelps - Best Vocals (features highlights of many of his performances)

Watching these masters at work is totally worth a few minutes of your day.

If you would like to comment on anything raised here or have something else you want to share about voice, click here to learn more about how you can get involved!  Your voice matters!

Welcome!  This week my guest is 18 year old singer/songwriter Gen Irving.  What is it like to be an 18 year old these days?  How do the youth of today spread their message and tell the stories they want to tell with their music to a wider audience?  How are the youth of today being promoted and encouraged?  What are these kids going through?  These are just a few of the issues I am interested in, so I invited Gen on to talk about her journey so far, her inspiration and message with her music, as well as the relationship she has with her voice and general self, as a semi-professional singer, who certainly wants to go pro in the future.   

Gen can be found @genirving10 on the usual social media channels.  Her music is available to listen to on Spotify and iTunes.  You might be surprised to hear her influences are from rock, pop and folk music from way before her time! 

If you would like to support Gen, please give her a like or follow and maybe tune in to one of her facebook live gigs!  It's all great experience until real gigs are back on.  I hope you are all staying safe.  Happy listening xx

After our first chapter, with 12 episodes behind us, a little review of what has been and what is coming up from your host.  

"A big thank you to my clients who are tuning in and have helped raise over £800 so far from our online showcase broadcast last Saturday.  Listen for how you can help is get to four figures ready to donate to two charities at the end of the summer holidays".   Leigh Martyn Thomas  

To join in the conversation, message me at [email protected] if you are looking for a way to express your vocal freedom, I am ready to listen to your ideas!

My guest this week is Elissa Weinzimmer, a voice and presence coach living in New York City.  Elissa shares some of her incredible journey so far and is on a strong social justice mission as she strives to help everyone raise their awareness about not just vocal health but speaking their truth, mindfully and without restriction.  

Elissa is the founder of Voice Body Connection with Elissa Weinzimmer - Visit her website to learn more here

and has her own podcast "The Find Your Voice, Speak Your Truth" Podcast - listen here

I'm looking forward to hopefully catching up with Elissa in person in 2021 once Broadway opens again! For now, I'm inspired by our catch up and the brilliant work she is doing to help others. 

Within the interview Elissa references this brilliant song written by Jason Robert Brown and shares the trauma of losing her voice right around the time she was in his voice class at USC.  She also references the band Moonchild Listen to their album "Voyager" here 

Happy Friday everyone x

This week my guest is professional actress Nicola Goodchild.  Nicola has enjoyed a fabulous career in showbiz, appearing in film, tv and theatre.  From treading the boards on stage at the National Theatre to flying off to Sardinia to be directed by George Clooney in Catch 22.  She has recently graced your screens in Channel 4’s comedy series “Home” written and starring Rufus Jones and Sky one’s Breeders starring Martin Freeman and Daisy Haggard.

Nicola also strikes more than a passing resemblance to the amazing singer actress Julie Andrews and now spends some of her time being the Mary Poppins Tribute UK Act. She also loves thyme tea and has some awesome stories to share from her adventurous life as a working actress.

You can learn more about her by visiting her website here and perhaps you can share her services to anyone who may have as much of a love of Mary Poppins as we do!  You can clearly hear the immense joy Nicola experiences once she brings this magical character to life!  

Please give her facebook page a like here and find her on Instagram as Mary Poppins Tribute where you can enjoy lots of clips of her in character!

If you would like to learn more about the podcast please sign up at www.colchestervoiceacademy.com/podcast to be welcomed into the free community forum and share your voice story and anything else you want to share about the episodes there.  

I'm excited to enter into double figures today, launching episode 10!  Thank you to everyone who has tuned in so far.  

My guest this week is Helen Rowson, a fabulous lady with a fascinating career so far!  Join us as she shares her journey from Liverpool, UK through travelling and starting a new life in Barcelona, Spain over three decades ago.   At the end of the interview you can enjoy the song "Walking Spanish" from Helen's group "Guateque Town".  You can also enjoy the video which is brilliant and more performances by subscribing to their youtube channel here

The other artist songs mentioned can be viewed on youtube here and here

Helen is a singer and voice specialist who works primarily with professional voice users from stage and screen, with specialisms helping those who have presented a vocal injury or pathology, habilitating them back to elite performance level.  She also lectures on Anatomy & Physiology, as well as Acoustics of the voice at University level.  She knows her stuff and like many of us, is always thirsty to expand her knowledge and keep up to date with vocal science as it develops.  

Helen can be contacted through her professional profile on Facebook here

I hope you enjoy listening to our conversation!  Feel free to feedback on the Vocal Freedom Facebook page or sign up to join our new community launching on 1st January 2021 here www.colchestervoiceacademy.com/podcast

I look forward to hearing from you! 

I am delighted to share this lovely conversation with my guest this week, Rebecca Moseley-Morgan.   I introduce with a brief biography of Rebecca's career as a professional opera singer, as well as researching and teaching voice.   I was particularly interested to learn about Rebecca's ongoing and latest research into caring for the maturing female voice.   Knowledge is power after all! As a woman who has just turned 45 myself, I am fully aware I have vocal changes ahead and would like to understand how to prepare  as a singer and voice practitioner, to help prepare others.  

Rebecca's passion for her work is clear, it is important work that will inform future generations!  I hope you enjoy listening to this episode and welcome your feedback.  

If you would like to reach out to Rebecca she can be reached through her website here

If you would like to start a conversation about your vocal journey, visit www.colchestervoiceacademy.com/podcast to sign up for updates about special offers, how to put questions to future guests and join our Vocal Freedom Online Community.  

My guest this week is Juliet Russell who has been working with her voice in many ways since she was a teenager.  Today she is a voice coach on two popular tv shows as well as many other music projects. 

You can learn all about her work here

Juliets world voice day project this April produced a worldwide collaboration which you can enjoy here:here

Juliet's song choice of 'vocal freedom' in a singer she loves is the amazing Stevie Wonder singing Free which can be enjoyed on youtube here

I hope you enjoy tuning in to our conversation and welcome your feedback.  Happy Friday y'all.  Best Wishes, Leigh

My guest this week is Kaya Hersted Carney, a singer/songwriter, voice teacher and coach based in Liverpool, UK and Norway (when usual life resumes).   This episode was recorded in May while still in lockdown.  

I hope you enjoy our conversation about Vocal Freedom and welcome your feedback.  Learn how you can join in the voice community for the podcast by visiting our facebook page @vocalfreedompodcast

Happy Friday y'all.  Best wishes, Leigh.