My path as a professional singer to transformational singing
For more than 10 years I have worked as a singer, singing teacher and choir director with the aim of helping people learn to sing or improve their singing technique. Through my own singing lessons with my teacher Astrid Kaitinnis at the University of Hildesheim, I learned that there is always something personal that resonates in singing, that the psyche is working in the background. She gave me the basic understanding that singing, even when you are working on the voice as an instrument, is always holistic, regardless of whether you address it or not. Back then, I liked to compare singing lessons with my first meditation experiences; For 45 minutes, perception and thinking were only focused on listening to one's own tone or on feeling the finest muscle activity. At the end of a lesson, I was often in a more relaxed and relaxed state of mind than before.
At the end of my studies in "Cultural Studies and Aesthetic Practice", my intensive personal experiences finally led to my writing my diploma thesis on the topic "The dialogue between the conscious and the subconscious on the path of guided voice development".
That was in 2001 and in 2003, after a detour via unfortunate work experience, I was ready to become a freelance singing teacher, choir director and singer. I quickly realized that I had a passion for guiding others, teaching them how to enjoy singing even more, how to improve their singing. However, my mind prioritized technical knowledge and the attainment of sound ideals over intuition and spontaneity and I felt I needed to know and be able to do more to be really good at what I do.
Accordingly, in 2008 I decided to expand my singing skills at the Complete Vocal Institute in Copenhagen, where I was taught the Complete Vocal Technique as a singer and singing teacher for three years. It was a great and busy time. My selfconfidence as a singer and teacher settled because of a clearly structured singing technique that was concrete in its physical application.
I wouldn't want to miss this time, in which I was able to make rich interpersonal experiences. In 2011 I received my authorization and I was happy and at the same time completely exhausted. Why? On the one hand I was at the end because I had to earn the money for the education and the constant travel to Copenhagen through additional jobs, on the other hand because I had followed the call of my intellect and had not yet heard the call of my heart.
In the summer of 2011, on the recommendation of my circle of friends, I allowed myself to take part in the summer week of "Listening and Healing Singing" (“Lauschendes und heilsames Singen”) with the musicians and music therapists Karl Adamek and Carina Eckes. The experience was earth shattering. After a week of sitting in a circle with thirty other participants and singing together, and wandering through the forest singing alone for hours in between, I really got to know myself for the first time in my life. I knew who I was and it was me. For the first time there was complete peace within me and I could clearly see my path and why my life makes sense. What an experience!
The intense singing together of catchy melodies and life-reflective lyrics; in a space full of openness, trust and love; it was a revelation for me as a person as well as a professional singer and singing teacher. Here I was able to experience how simple singing, away from sound ideals and singing technique, deeply touched and moved me. I cried a lot and I cried loudly and I couldn't tell at first where it came from.
Memories, images, words, understanding, knowledge and comprehension: all of this only came when the frozen emotions of old wounds became palpable again and were released in vocal expression. I also experienced my own inner resistance to this opening of Pandora's box. But I knew intuitively that this was an opportunity for real change. A chance to heal old wounds, even if I couldn't see all of the old pain that blinded me to my real being.
I am deeply grateful for all the changes that I have been able to make possible on many other weekends and summer weeks of "Healing Singing". Whenever I had gone through a process, I experienced at home in everyday life that a new living space had opened up again: deeper interpersonal contacts, greater joy and intensity of life, a more loving self-image and the ability to reach and to others even better to understand. Real miracles for me!
Over time I understood that my own fearlessness of vocal and physical expression of deeply felt emotions combined with my intuitive streak and enthusiasm for playing can help others to come into fearless contact with their voice and their emotions.
I would like to contribute to the fact that we become free again to be able to meet ourselves in love. My remedy for this is the voice. Mine and everyone's; whether he or she experiences themselves as singing or not. I would like to convey to those who have lost contact with their voice, who suffer from depression, experience great grief, who have lost their footing and who are burned out, how their own voice can give them comfort, energy, courage and strength again .
MY PHILOSOPHY
As a singer, singing teacher and choir leader, I have been dealing with professional singers, amateurs and those who believe they can't sing for years. What they all have in common is that their voice is an expression of their personality; closely linked to the way everyone perceives themselves!
Anyone can learn to sing.
I experienced this during my training as an authorized teacher in Complete Vocal Technique with Cathrine Sadolin in Copenhagen. My experiences with "Healing Singing" and education in Psychoresonance Training with the Voice with Dr. Karl Adamek and Carina Eckes. In this respect, my understanding of a holistic approach includes the knowledge of the concrete formation of the voice through the conscious use of breathing and the entire body; the reconnection with the primal power of the voice, which can set our whole being into healing vibrations beyond the limits of our body; and awareness of the emotional content and healing power of music.
MY PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION
2017 Update “Complete Vocal Technique” in Copenhagen
2013-2014 Training "Psychoresonance training with the voice" at the Sintala Institute with Dr. Karl Adamek and Carina Eckes
2014 Vocal Improvisation Masterclass with Rhiannon in Cologne
2013 Update “Complete Vocal Technique” in Copenhagen
2011 - 2013 Various weekend seminars on "Meridian Mantras" and "Singing in Movement" at the Sintala Institute
2008 - 2011 "3-year Singer/Singing Teacher Diploma Course" at the Complete Vocal Institute in Copenhagen. Training as an authorized teacher in Complete Vocal Technique with Cathrine Sadolin
since 2004 Various advanced training courses on "New forms of healing" with alternative practitioner Annette Meier in Hildesheim
2004 jazz class with Ines Reiger at the summer academy “Vocal Total”, Austria
2000 Workshop "Belting Voice in Musical Theater" with Jo Estill in New York
1994 - 2001 Diploma in cultural studies, University of Hildesheim, major in music, minor in literature/theatre/media
1994 - 2001 Various jazz workshops with jazz bassist Jean-Louis Rassinfosse and jazz pianist Oliver Gross
1994 - 2001 Singing lessons with Astrid Kaitinnis at the University of Hildesheim in the field of popular and classical music, jazz piano with Oliver Gross
1996 Workshop "Jazz singing and improvisation" with Sylvia Droste
1995 Workshop in Theater Directing in Hamburg
1978 - 1989 Classical piano lessons in Hamburg