Holistic Voice
by Doe Kelly
Voice Coaching and Vocal Instruction
Holistically oriented, female vocal coach/teacher accepting new students….*see caveat, below.
In the Longmont / Boulder area of Colorado
My name is Doe Kelly and I have a degree, and extensive background in voice performance, complemented by in-depth training and a love for holistic and spiritually-oriented modalities, including breathwork and Reiki energy work.
I am in southwest Longmont, 5 minutes from Niwot, 15 – 20 minutes from Boulder, half an hour from Louisville, and approx. 25 minutes from Loveland.
I teach from our home, so if you have a desire to seriously study and do not live nearby that you are prepared and able to travel to lessons….teaching via the Internet (altho not ideal) may also be an option….
*CAVEAT/NOTE TO PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS: I am currently accepting for in-house studies only those students who have chosen to remain as a part of the “great unjabbed” population. Being an unjabbed individual myself, and having studied the less than desirable aspects of these shots (hastily foisted by monied and other interests upon an unsuspecting population) I have great compassion for those who have taken one or more jabs. Nevertheless, I remain committed that I will work in person only with the unjabbed, until there is more known about this phenomenon known as “shedding” which, sadly, occurs from the jabbed to the unjabbed. I am choosing to avoid this possibility for the time being, by setting this boundary. You are, however, welcome to study with me online, and may wish to inquire, as I do have several students who are among the jabbed, and who study remotely!
I have spent many years of my life in the pursuit of a beautiful sound and the ability to impart it meaningfully, in a way that moved others. I was blessed with a natural musical ability, but not everyone is. Since beginning to teach, it has become my endeavor to effectively and creatively impart that which does not always come naturally to others.
As a teacher, coach, and (hopefully!) inspirational influencer of my students, my background in voice performance and an innate talent for teaching combine well with an intuitive ability to give supportive and constructive feedback.
I have an excellent ear, a knack for troubleshooting, a compassionate heart for what we go through as performers, and a great sense of humor which, mixed together, make for a productive albeit gentle combination for teaching.
I love creating a safe space where students feel free to unfold and can begin to blossom!
Together we can see “where you’re at,” vocally, and move you more towards where you would like to be.
My background includes:
- Bachelor’s Degree in Music, with a major in Voice Performance, including studies in vocal pedagogy
- Innate musical talent + a lifelong involvement with music and performing
- New York City training and performance credits
- Solo vocalist on two musical albums
- Creator and performer of/with successful and award-winning professional a capella groups
- Singing telegram deliveries over three decades
- Professional voice-over artist and vocal coach for spoken word
- An intensive background, training, and passion for learning about alternative modalities
- The practice of breathwork, meditation, and guided imagery; energy work (Reiki & Resonance Balancing); EFT (Tapping); vocal toning/Sanskrit and Buddhist chanting; other holistic modalities
I find that working with people to improve their vocal production with sung and/or spoken word, generally engages much more than just technical expertise, also involving the whole person in body, mind, Spirit, and breath. In other words, when the voice begins to shine, so does the student; confidence grows and happiness ensues!
“Somehow you’ve created a space in which I feel comfortable, even excited, to stretch in places I’ve never been encouraged to before. And I leave that place, lighter, brighter, possessing more of myself. ” J.Lee., Artist and Group Facilitator, Boulder, CO.
I am looking for new students and clients who may want more than just a perfunctory voice coach/teacher. If you are interested in a teacher with additional insight and expertise that encompasses the body/mind/spirit connection, then I may be the right person for you!
I believe that the breath is the razor’s edge connecting the conscious mind with the unconscious mind, and that to engage the breath in the service of sung or spoken word touches us in ways that get to the very core of our being.
In a vocal session as in a performance, our deepest vulnerabilities often surface along with our most primal fears of rejection. These fears can often be observed in the student’s physiology, in the way he or she carries the body, by observing tensions arising in the jaw, shoulders, and elsewhere, and by watching how the student breathes.
As a vocal teacher and coach, I isolate and help my students let go of, by increments, limitations grounded in the physiology, and of other old habits that are keeping them stuck in a rut, and unable to move ahead.
I not only assist my students with the basics of vocal technique (or in refining technique in more advanced students), but in so doing, help the student achieve a greater awareness of self/Self in the body. Fuller self-expression is not only the goal but is generally the outcome!
“Thank you SO much for all of your help, I have thoroughly enjoyed working with you these past few weeks, and look forward to working with you again!” L.C. University Student in Theater, Denver, CO.
What is the difference between voice instruction and vocal coaching?
Voice instruction mainly has to do with the nuts and bolts of learning to make a decent sound and then being able to repeat and strengthen the process, over and over, for the rest of your life, or for as long as you find you are passionate about singing. Working on one’s voice shares a similarity with going to the gym. If you don’t go to the gym (you may substitute for “going to the gym,” exercising on some sort of consistent basis), how are you going to grow and sustain your muscles, your coordination, your balance, increase your stamina, get yourself aerobically fit, and so forth. The same can be said of voice instruction, if you have no basic instruction or knowledge of how to: breathe properly (and by “properly” I must state, many of us are literally “stuck” in a physiology that doesn’t know what it means to take an “instinctive” or “intuitive” breath), warm up the voice, increase range, create a smooth passage between the head and chest voice……how are you going to sing?
I work with students to “unlearn” the stuck state around the breath so that they have more of their innate/intuitive breathing physiology at the command of their will, their voice……and so much more……..
Vocal coaching, you might say, is the alternate side of this coin; once there is a modicum of vocal technique established in a student, then we move into the application mode, where we utilize a song as a teaching medium. Sometimes (depending on where and how you, as a student, have been able to integrate the vocal instruction part of our sessions together), the song goes well technically, but not necessarily musically or dramatically. This is where the coaching comes in, where we look at what the song means and what you, as the student “artist” is attempting to communicate through your singing.
What do I charge for these services?
My initial session, which is approximately an hour and a quarter long, costs $65.00 and includes an intake and “getting to know you” using the disclaimer/intake/questionnaire form I send to you by email. You are not obligated to continue and it is a stand-alone session. Regular hourly rates vary from $40.00 to $60.00, depending on how you choose to come, whether in a package of prepaid consecutive sessions (ie, a 4-pak is $180.00, a 12-pak/three months is $480) or “one ofs” at $60 each. If you come every other week, but pay upfront at the beginning for two lessons, the charge is $108.00.
A sliding scale may also be available, depending on your circumstances and desire to study.
Making an Appointment
If this sounds like it might be for you, please contact me first via email to schedule a time to talk…..
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