Welcome to episode three of Torch, the leadership podcast for your life and career.
Our voice is a free tool we don’t access. There is so much more power in our voice, so it’s important to know how to connect to it through our breath, tone and words.
Madeline Abel-Kerns is a professional opera singer and a voice coach who teaches students how to find their voice. She uses somatic methods and vocal techniques that allow students to better connect to their bodies. This creates a deeper connection to their voice, an instrument which Madeline believes we don’t access enough. I was her student for some time with the goal of connecting to my breath and not speaking from my throat, which is called “vocal fry”. She’s currently a voice teacher at Southern Oregon University, but also teaches via Skype and Zoom with students around the country.
“You’re one breath away from connecting to yourself.“ — Madeline Abel-Kerns
Madeline has incredible experience with voice and body work that helps her students access their voice using their whole body – starting with the breath. Your breath can be compromised in a fight-or-flight situation like a heated discussion, a meeting or when presenting to a room. This is why knowing how to connect to your breath can assist you in how you speak and connect to yourself and those listening to you. She teaches theories like Bartenieff Fundamentals, Feldenkrais Method, and the Alexander Technique to help create the best instrument, your own body.
Because of Madeline I realized I hold my breath a lot and tend to speak from my throat, which doesn’t allow my voice to come alive. Her teachings have affected me for the better by how I speak and when I speak. I find myself breathing more in meetings, which helps me remain calm, gather my thoughts and share what I have to say more clearly without feeling rushed.
Things we cover in this episode:
- Benefits of breathing correctly, and how it helps your personal and professional life
- Why as women, we tend to hold our breath
- How managing your breath affects your presentation skills
- How breathing correctly can assist with physical ailments
- Margaret Thatcher’s voice transformation with the help of her voice coach
- Body and breath aerobic training
- Bartenieff Fundamentals and other somatic techniques
- What is vocal fry?
Links
- Margaret Thatcher worked with a speech coach
- Madeline singing Ride of The Valkyries
- Madeline singing Aida’s Ritorna Vincitor
- Connect with Madeline on LinkedIn and Facebook
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