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| Guess
you're curious about singing then? And about me, I suppose.
Well, I used to be one of those people who'd always sing in the bath or
in the car, basically anywhere alone where nobody could hear me. (Of
course, there was also the school choir but that's best left well in the
past!) |
| About
ten years ago a friend took me along to an informal singing group where
people would sing all kinds of songs unaccompanied and in lovely two,
three and four part harmonies. It was a revelation for me because I realised then that even though I was by no means 'chart material', I
could use my voice to create beautiful music together with other people.
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| I have been
singing with other people on a regular basis ever since. Over the years
I have learned more about the Natural Voice and the relationship
between our bodies and the sound we produce and I continue to be
fascinated by the whole experience. |
| I have now
started leading my own
singing groups because I love working with people
and sharing songs from around the world with them. You CAN hold the
world in your voice, you see! |
What is it
all about?
|
As
a Natural Voice practitioner I believe that singing is our birthright.
For centuries people all over the world have been singing to express joy,
celebration and grief, to accompany work and devotion and to aid healing without
worrying about having a "good" voice or "getting it right". Song has always been
a part of everyday life, a way of binding the community together. |
 ©Adam
Beaugh |
|
We are all born
with a voice capable of freely expressing a full range of emotions,
thoughts and experience - this is what we mean by the "natural voice".
Each person's voice is as unique as their fingerprint. I aim to
provide people with opportunities to express themselves vocally and to
develop their full vocal potential with that individuality in mind.
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|
Many people see
themselves as non-singers and “tone deaf” because of previous
experiences of criticism and judgement. Many singing groups exclude
people without music reading skills. However, I believe that singing
and vocalising should be accessible to all, regardless of previous musical
ability or experience. Therefore, I aim to give people confidence in
their voice by providing a supportive learning environment, creating
a sense of mutual acceptance and teaching songs by ear.
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|
The oral tradition
is the most accessible and effective way for the majority of
people to learn and remember songs whilst using an approach that
recognises the needs of the less experienced or slower learners.
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|
Vocal and physical
warm ups are an essential element of my work. They anchor the voice in
body and breath and generally prepare the voice for action. Warm ups are
also an opportunity for practising listening to others, creating
a sense of community and developing people’s creativity.
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My main focus,
however, is the enjoyment and accessibility of singing and,
therefore, the process of coming together to sing whilst at the same
time developing people's vocal skills. |
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I have experience in leading groups of
different sizes and am an experienced singer myself. I am a member of
the Natural
Voice Practitioners Network and work according to their principles
(listed above) as they have proved useful for my own development. |
Contact Information
You can get in touch with me by phone or
email. Please click on 'Enquiries' at the top of the page for the easiest way to
contact me.
Elena Tompkins
- Mobile
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07903 329 787
- Working from
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Manchester
- Email
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worldvoice@ntlworld.com
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