“Warm, funny, engaging, and passionate… Joanna makes highly technical info accessible to all vocal artists.” — Mary Ellen Wessels, music educator
“Joanna is an important presence in the fields of vocal arts and rehabilitation… a consummate teacher and a remarkable human being.” — Karen Kochis-Jennings, California State University, Northridge
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REGISTRATION OPEN NOW! RESERVE YOUR SPOT.
The Voice of Your Life 4-week class returns to Santa Cruz Actors Theater: Monday nights April 28, May 5, 12, 19. 6:30-8:30pm, $75
Renew your expressive voice with solo and group exercises, health tips, and explorations of your vocal biography. Through this four-session workshop, you’ll expand your repertoire of warmups and understand why they work; review breath technique and vocal wellness; and appreciate your personal voice as an expressive channel for life and art. Perfect for performing artists, public and media speakers, teachers, and community leaders. Workshop emphasis is speaking voice but singers are welcome. Register here
Comments from past workshops:
“I’m more enlightened about the anatomy and function of the human voice. I am also equipped with many exercises to maintain my vocal character.” “I learned more about making friends with my voice—caring, exercising, and trusting its natural state. I recommend this class highly.”
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CONTACT ME TO schedule A WORKSHOP FOR your GROUP!
Available now:
Everyday Voice Care: My most requested workshop. How the voice works, what it is made of, and how to take care of it. Minimal jargon, maximum practicality for singers and talkers, teen through adult.
From Stage Fright to Stage Presence: The latest insights on performance anxiety with practical tips to help you redirect the jitters. Many tools can help us stay relaxed—but is that really the right goal? New info about the nervous system and arts psychology can help us to be exciting as well as calm, to tolerate risks, and to inspire audiences by fully “showing up” onstage.
Vocal Exercise for Older Adults: Warmups, voice-building exercises, and wellness information based on the latest research on healthy aging. Learn why weak or wobbly vocal sounds improve with more use, not less, and how to add simple but powerful strengthening exercises to your vocal routine.
Acting out the Larynx: This engaging group activity turns anatomical features of the voice box into “personalities with jobs to do.” Acting out the vocal cords and nearby regions leads easily into health & wellness Q&A. Fun for teens and adults at all levels of vocal experience, and a special favorite of voice and speech teachers-in-training.
Self-Massage of the Vocal Region: Hands-on attention to the muscles that surround the voice box, with safety guidelines for treating oneself or others. Includes surrounding regions of the neck and jaw; the pros and cons of external vibrator devices; and how to combine laryngeal massage with warmup and stretch exercises for a deeper transformation.
Multi-Dimensional Breath: Go beyond old-school philosophies of some ‘perfect’ way to breathe, turning instead to what feels available and comfortable for your individual body-self and your vocal goals. Experience a variety of movement options for the ribcage, diaphragm and abdomen; understand the requirements for vocal health and stamina; then discover and enhance the breath that best suits you and your performance needs.
“Joanna has a unique ability to marry the technical and spiritual aspects of voice. I recommend her for anyone interested in voice exploration, education, and healing.” — Andrea Odinov, Lee Strasberg Institute