Your Voice & You: Vocal Toning for Health
Use Your Tones to Shift Your Vibration!
The purpose of this class series is to work towards achieving Your Best Sound. We will focus on vocal methods to improve awareness, breath control, relaxation, phonation, articulation, resonance, tonal quality, flexibility and equalizing the registers, improvisation, as well as improve your overall performance on and off stage. The series is intended to help you learn how frequency and intention work together to create harmony of the spirit, mind and body. Musicians and non-musicians are welcome. It’s important to note that it’s not necessary to be a “good” singer to successfully engage in and benefit from vocal toning and awareness. If you can hum, you can tone! That said, in this unique class series we will apply what we learn from the toning and awareness exercises to help you explore the nuances of your voice and discover or enhance the “voice” within. Many healing practitioners believe the singing voice to be the most natural healing instrument as it carries every frequency in our bodies, so when this awareness is linked to psychological patterns and emotional responses it can assist you towards discovering just who your unique voice is as you express your truths and work towards balance and harmony.
Vocal Toning, the practice of allowing one's voice to express fully and spontaneously through a range of sounds, primal and/or contemporary, has been used by indigenous cultures for centuries as an integral part of healing practices. “Vocal Toning” is a phrase coined by vocal sound healer and author Laurel E. Keyes, and is a means by which harmony can be restored physiologically as well as psycho-spiritually from a person elongating a single note on a single vowel or consonant/vowel combination. The ancient vocal sound therapy practices (i.e. toning, harmonic singing, etc.) of the Khoisan peoples of Central and South Africa, the Tuvans located Northwest of Mongolia, the Shamans of Native America, and the Inuit people of Northern Canada have been researched to reveal their understanding of the medicinal benefits of Vocal Toning. Acquiring these attributes can help to strengthen and elevate one’s overall daily activities and work/school performance.
Whether your work is on stage or in the office, you’ll learn how frequency and intention work together to create harmony of the spirit, mind and body. As a group we will explore ourSelves through vocal toning and awareness and learn how Vocal Toning and Distinctive Resonant Tones of Vocal Harmonics enhance the singing voice, quality of performance, and our overall well-being.
When in tonal harmony, each atom sings its song!
Benefits of Vocal Toning
Health Benefits of Vocal Toning:
- Self-Awareness
- Restoration of Vocal Cords
- Breath Control
- Relaxation
- Confidence
- Stimulate Circulation
- Balance Hormones
- Increased Melatonin
- Releases Endorphins
- Physical Stamina
Technical (Singing) Benefits of Vocal Toning:
- Long-Tone Singing
- Control Vibrato
- Appropriate Tonal Placements
- Balance Vocal Registers
- Ear Training
- Improvisation
- Extend Vocal Range
- Strengthen Resonance
- Increase Dynamics
- Communication & Self-Expression
About the Instructor
Kim Wright has over 25 years professional concert experience as a Vocalist. Her versatile singing styles include R&B, Jazz-Traditional/Contemporary, Christian/Gospel-Traditional/Contemporary, Pop, Progressive Rock, and Fusion music. Kim also has 14 years experience teaching private and group music lessons (vocals and piano) and conducting workshops/clinics at community music centers and schools. She has an extensive education and performance background including a MMUS Performance degree in Jazz Vocals from London College of Music at University of West London, UK, with honors of distinction where she completed her dissertation on Vibrational Sound Therapy and Vocal Toning. Kim completed a year of doctoral studies at University of Nottingham in Vocal Performance with a research emphasis on Vocal Toning and Distinctive Resonant Tones of Vocal Harmonics to not only enhance the singing voice, quality of performance, but more importantly contribute to improving overall health and well-being. She is currently completing a second Masters degree in Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling at Georgia State University with a desire to continue to incorporate music and sound healing into more diverse therapeutic settings.
Throughout her singing career, Kim has witnessed the power and influence the singing voice can have over its audience and over the singer alike. As a Vocalist, Vocal Instructor, and former Rehabilitation Counselor, she is driven to shine a brighter light on the subject and practice of therapeutic vocalizations, and quality toning for not only sound performances but moreover for health and healing.
Kim's vocal toning work is rooted in the extensive and tested work of renowned musicians, sound healers, and medical practitioners including Laurel E. Keyes, Otto Haddad, Dr. Diane Austin, Dr. Mitchell Gaynor, Mantak Chia, Bobby McFerrin, Dr. Fritjof Capra, Shira Hunt, Dr. David Frawley, Ted Andrews, and Russill Paul, among others. Their work has resulted in healing ways including helping students and clients lower stress and performance anxiety, dissolve tumors, improve mental clarity, repair broken bones, build confidence, and uncover our true voice. Working in the tradition of vocal toning for health, Kim enjoys helping her students discover their own unique ability to use their voice not only as a performance tool, but more importantly as a healing tool for self and others.
