Voice: the Muscle of the Soul

Description

We will be looking at the speaking voice and how it can become more expressive and energized, but the work will go well beyond the limits of speaking and will explore what has become known as “Extended Voice”, encompassing the extraordinary range of human vocal sound that is not usually included in the categories of speaking or singing, but is an essential part of being human.

Your teacher, Richard Spaul, has studied Voice and Extended Voice with several of Europe’s leading Voice practitioners, including Enrique Pardo (Pan Theatre – Paris) Noah Pikes (The Whole Voice – Zurich) and Margaret Pikes (Owning our Voices). He has developed his own vocal techniques over many years first with Cambridge Experimental Theatre then with in situ: both as teacher and performer. He employs many remarkable vocal techniques in his recent solo performances – notably Metamorphoses (2024) and Hamlet (2018).

Group exercises, games and improvisation combine with focussed individual work in a course that will appeal to anyone interested in the Voice in whatever art form – actors, singers, storytellers, musicians, but also people who are seeking more confidence, strength, flexibility and expressiveness in their voice with regard to other areas of work and life: teachers, presenters; people working in the media; people working in business; parents – indeed anybody – whatever their walk of life – who wants to get the most out of The Voice – that most expressive of instruments.

Voice: The Muscle of the Soul is a year-long course, culminating in a work-in-progress in Summer 2025. Participants sign up for a term at a time and can decide at the end of that time whether they wish to continue.