Questions and Answers from workshops and interviews now have a space here.

Why the name “BE YOUR VOICE” ?

Well let’s start with what it is not. It is not “fabricate your voice”, “do things with your voice” or “change your voice”. It is just using certain tools to give full expression to your voice.

What it takes: digging for the roots of your voice, which are in the lower body, and then expanding your breath and expanding your voice as well. It has to be centred; it has to come from a place which is your centre of gravity. At first you experience something like a plumbline. This centre of gravity is not to be taken for granted. It’s something you need to work towards. Many traditions in yoga and martial arts elaborate on this. It is working towards the centre and being yourself – totally – not just pretending, not just working on the persona ( the word “persona” means mask), to manipulate or give a certain impression. No. It’s really be yourself first.

After having done some work with you, you are saying that there will be naturally occurring changes in the voice. Why would anyone want to change their voice?

I am laughing because I just said it is about being your voice, not changing your voice. Some are unhappy with their voice. But it’s not giving people a different voice. It’s helping them find their own voice.

Through the coaching they get to experience their own voice. It’s not like listening to it. Actually you are not supposed to listen to your own voice. It’s for others to listen to.

That is why I tend to work in groups rather than with individuals alone, because the individual alone can always dismiss and deny what happened. But those who observe can say what they saw and what they heard. Yet what is undeniable for the person after they do the work is something at the physical level.

For example, when I started this work, what happened was that I found in my body new awareness of when I was true to myself or not. I was strengthened and empowered. I had been doing things that I realised were not true to myself. After doing this work, I could feel in my body where to go. It is hard to describe. But I was more centred, I was able to make decisions that I had been unable to make before.

In touch with yourself?

Yes, you can put it like this.

Do you still practise?

Actually I need a coach, don’t I? I go to my coach twice a year, which is not enough. So I do a little bit of body practice every morning. And I sing using specific songs and .. “yé yi you ya” in the evening.

About “yé yi you ya”, why that? Where do these sounds come from?

“Yé yi you ya”is not new. In ancient mantras, you find these sounds. Just think of “Alleluja”. This set of sounds develop the voice. It’s a tool that works. The “yé”, pronounced correctly, creates the right pressure in the body and allows to find direction. It’s like digging , getting the root for your axis.

You work with all kinds of people? Singers as well?

Yes, I do get singers. One who came to acquire more fullness and freedom in his voice. Without him saying anything, the leader of his operatic society noticed the improvement. Another one, whose testimonial is on the website, got a completely new experience of singing on stage.