Opera singing is unique in the vocal world. Opera is a high energy form of singing, with huge physical requirements, involving projecting the voice to the back of a theatre, over an orchestra and without any amplification. Opera singers therefore have to undergo specific training - often taking years - to ensure they can meet these demands.
Traditionally, opera singing has shied away from an anatomical and physiological understanding of the voice, preferring instead to pass on tried and trusted methods that have been refined over centuries of teaching. Most tuition is done aurally, along the lines of 'I'll teach you to do what my teacher taught me'.
For some, this approach works well. If you're lucky enough to have a similar voice to your teacher, then you can get quite far purely by imitation, without any real understanding of your voice or your technique.
But for many Opera students, singing lessons can be a confusing experience. Teachers often use imagery to try to explain the physical mechanics of the voice. The problem with imagery is that it's very subjective - if a particular image gets the correct response, then all's well. But if it doesn't, the student is often left believing that it's their fault for not being able to do what the teacher asks.
Even amongst those who are able to imitate their teachers, there are occasions when even the most well-trained voice will come across a problem that just can't be fixed by trial and error.
In those cases, a little knowledge of the voice can go a very long way.
Andy Follin is a Certified Master Teacher (CMT) of Estill Voice Training™, a revolutionary method of singing and learning to sing that puts the singer in complete control of their voice. With Estill Voice Training™, the singer is empowered to make subtle choices, to use their voice in a natural way, and to take ownership of their own artistry.
As the only CMT working in the North of England, Andy is uniquely placed to assist opera singers in the area.
Initially, Estill Voice Training™ was associated mainly with Musical Theatre, perhaps because of the success it had in teaching Belt. Many classical conservatoires still hold this opinion, dismissing EVT as 'scientific mumbo-jumbo'. However, this ignores the fact that Jo Estill herself was an Opera singer.
Andy Follin was also Classically trained and had a career in opera before turning to teaching. This gives him a unique perspective on the specific requirements of opera and opera singers, and how the very precise teaching tools of EVT can quickly help opera singers to understand and overcome their problems. Andy has students at the major classical colleges (Royal Academy, Royal Northern etc) and works with a number of professional opera singers.
EVT is now making deep inroads into the professional Opera world, as more and more conductors and coaches realise the benefits of a fact-based technique. Perhaps the most telling sign of how far EVT has come in the Opera field is the fact that Paul Farrington (Estill Vanguard Licensee) is now Technical Voice Coach at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.
Estill Voice Training is being used by people at the very top of the Opera world. Can you afford to ignore it - and your problems - any longer?
In January of 2010, Lisa Golda attended the Level One and Two Course presented by Estill teacher Kim Steinhauer, PhD, at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Her candid appraisal of Estill Voice Training appears in two articles published in the July and August editions of Classical Singer magazine. Click here for Part 1. Click here for Part 2.
Andy is a professional vocal coach, not a school teacher or piano teacher doing a few singing lessons in their spare time. Unlike a lot of voice teachers, Andy does not insist on long-term tuition, where students have to attend regular lessons, repeating the same exercises until their voice improves. You can attend as often as you like, but there's no compulsion to attend every week or every fortnight. In fact, many students only book sessions every 4 to 6 weeks.
Estill Voice Training™ is known for producing quick results. Quite often, Andy finds that long-standing problems can be fixed in the first few lessons. At your first session, Andy will give you an assessment of your abilities and draw up a plan that ensures you get to where you want to be, as quickly as possible.
If you're ready to take your voice to the next level, book a lesson with Andy today (see bottom of page).
Lessons are available for 30 minutes, 45 minutes and 1 hour.
£25.00 for 30 minutes
£37.50 for 45 minutes
£50.00 for 1 hour
To book a session with Andy, you need to put down a deposit of £25. This is to cover the studio costs in case of late cancellation.
The £25 will be deducted from the first lesson fee.
Simply click on the button below and follow the Paypal transaction instructions. Once you've paid, Andy will contact you to arrange a suitable time for your lesson.
Please note: Students must give a minimum of 48 hours' notice should they need cancel a lesson. Giving less than 48 hours' notice will mean the full cost of that lesson will be charged. Additionally, if a student forgets a scheduled lesson or is late (regardless of reason, including illness) the full cost of the lesson will still be charged.