The
Right to Voice
A workshop led jointly by Frankie Armstrong
and Fern Smith
Workshop
Ethos
Our voice is the most intimate expression of ourselves - both in speech
and song. The Right to Voice offers an opportunity to find and explore
our voices and to discover the incredible variety of expression, colour
and range that we are capable of. The work is grounded in the capacity
to empower the individual. The right to voice is of fundamental and
increasing importance in contemporary society. Our voices are inextricably
linked to our identity and enable us to be heard both socially and politically.
Increasingly, particular groups or sectors of society are marginalised
through not being given the opportunity to voice their experiences,
histories and personal stories.
Target
Groups
The workshops are suitable for anyone who seeks to develop his or her
confidence and self-expression, including the following target groups:
-Women
-Older people
-Refugees and asylum-seekers
-Unemployed people
-Teachers
-Actors and singers ¨
-Disabled and integrated groups
Workshop Leaders
Frankie Armstrong is a practitioner of
worldwide renown with more than forty years experience as a singer and
teacher. She is best known for her outstanding renditions of traditional
British songs and her understanding of the significance of traditional
songs in life and culture. She pioneered Voice Work based on traditional
styles of singing and inspired by cultures where everyone sings as naturally
as they talk. Frankie has released many solo and collaborative albums,
which include her own and other new compositions as well as a wide range
of traditional material and Brecht. She is founder of the Natural Voice
Practitioners Network, and has published numerous articles and books
on the voice including As Far as the Eye Can Sing (Women's Press
1992) and Well-Tuned Women (Women's Press 2000).
Fern Smith is one of the founders and artistic
directors of the Volcano Theatre Company. Since 1989 she has performed,
taught and directed internationally and throughout the UK. Known primarily
for her work as a physical theatre practitioner, her passion is for
body/voice integration. Fern has also worked with some of Britains leading
theatre practitioners including Nigel Charnock, Kathryn Hunter, Steven
Berkoff and Phelim McDermott. Her recent show This Imaginary Woman
is an exploration of the voice in relation to grief and mourning. Fern
has taught physical theatre residencies for the British Council in Croatia
(2002), Kosovo (2003) and Kazakhstan (2004).
Content
& Length of Workshop
Workshops can be structured to suit the requirements of diverse groups,
prioritising different areas of voice work depending on ability and
experience. These can be one-day introductory sessions or can run for
up to one week for more intensive or advanced courses. Workshops may
end with a public performance by the participants where appropriate:
they will be encouraged and supported to perform in whatever style is
most suitable to them, from spoken poetry to opera.
Areas
of Voice Work Covered
-Freeing and grounding the voice
-Exploring simple ways of creating and improvising with harmonies -Feldenkreis-based
exercises to soften and relax body in preparation for Voice Work
-Learning songs and chants from around the world
-Performance skills for singers and actors - physical preparation, presence
and interpretation
-Voices of the archetype and myth - using imagination to find vocal
qualities accessed through mythical figures to extend the possibilities
of vocal expression
Practical
Requirements
Maximum group size 20. Comfortable, spacious room required with enough
chairs for participants.
