Workshops/Presentations

The Sound Voice Clinic:
A Rehabilitation and Training Workshop for Singers, Actors, Public Speakers

Something wrong with your voice? Vocal fatigue? Throat pain? Loss of range?

Many voice difficulties such as these are actually medical problems. They require medical treatment. Shelagh Davies is a rehabilitation voice specialist, singer, actor and public speaker. Her expertise goes beyond traditional singing training into the medical care and rehabilitation of the performer's voice.

Small Clinic - limited to 8 people
Intensive voice training over one weekend

The Sound Voice Clinic offers

  • a rehabilitation program for performers with diagnosed vocal pathologies and voice disorders (e.g. nodules, polyps, chronic laryngitis, over-use and reflux-related voice disorders)
  • a training program for vocally active performers who want to prevent problems and develop a reliable, healthy and flexible voice
  • the fundamentals of healthy, efficient voice production for all vocal performers

You will learn:

  • cutting edge information from voice science on how the voice is produced and how best to look after this extraordinary instrument
  • a program to train a strong, clear, easy voice
  • quick, effective voice warm-ups
  • strategies for coping with vocally difficult situations
  • techniques that will benefit you for the rest of your performance career

Course Content:

  1. How the Voice Works:
    • New information from voice science on how the voice is produced in speech and singing
  2. Sound Advice:
    • On medical issues like reflux, illness, vocal fatigue
  3. Difficult situations:
    • How to manage dry, loud or otherwise difficult environments
    • How to cope with heavy voice use
  4. Relaxation:
    • Start from neutral; techniques to prepare the body for voice production
    • Input for specific areas, e.g. breathing system, upper body, throat, jaw/tongue
  5. Posture:
    • Feel how posture affects voice production; use these sensations to train optimal posture for performance
  6. Discover Your Best Voice:
    • Experience how it feels to produce a strong, clear, easy voice
  7. Extending the Voice:
    • Begin to establish this new voice as your default setting in performance
  8. Singing:
    • Learn techniques for improving register transitions, vocal range and voice quality
  9. Vocal Warm Ups/Work-outs:
    • Develop your own effective 10 minute vocal warm-ups and 20 minute vocal workouts
  10. Emotions and the Voice:
    • Exploring the effects of emotions on the voice
    • Managing pre-performance anxiety

The Sound Voice Manual is included in the clinic fee. This comprehensive 50 page manual contains all the exercises covered in the course, together with other essential information on voice production, care of the voice, managing stage fright and finding the right voice teacher.

Cost of the Sound Voice Clinic

Clinic fee, including the price of the manual, is $400.00, payable in advance. Cost may be reimbursed by extended medical benefit plans that cover speech therapy or under relevant ICBC or WCB coverage. If you perform professionally, the fee is tax deductible.

Location

Sound Voice Clinics are held at Vancouver General Hospital, Jim Pattison Pavilion, 2nd floor, in the Lauener Room, next to the cafeteria. The Jim Pattison Pavilion is the tall building on the northeast corner of 12 Ave. and Laurel. Click on: http://www.vch.ca/facilities/docs/Map_VGH_Campus.pdf for a 3D map of the hospital. Parking is available in 2 parking garages immediately across from the Pattison Pavilion. Street parking is several blocks away, outside the 2 hour parking zones around the hospital. VGH is centrally located and easily accessible by bus.

Upcoming Clinic:

Friday, June 20, 7 - 9:30PM
Saturday, June 21, 11 - 5 PM
Sunday, June 22, 11 - 5 PM

Voice Assessment

As this clinic is a voice therapy program, a private, medically-based voice assessment is essential to begin the process and determine if you are a good candidate. If you have been referred by a doctor, a consult letter summarizing assessment results will be sent to your ENT specialist and family physician.

This comprehensive evaluation takes 1 ½ hrs and includes:

  • a clinical examination of your vocal health and vocal parameters
  • assessment of related medical and performance issues
  • evaluation of your vocal technique in performance and everyday speaking
  • the beginning of your voice training/rehabilitation program, with practice CD. When you come to the Sound Voice Clinic, voice improvement has already begun.

Cost of initial assessment

Fee is in accordance with guidelines of the BC Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists and includes CD of initial training protocol. The 1.5 hr. assessment is $140.00.

To book the assessment appointment, contact Shelagh Davies:
604.261.4364
sd@shelaghdavies.com

Please note:
Space in clinics is limited and is offered on first-come, first-served basis.

Feedback from Participants

I feel like I've been given my voice back because now I'm armed with information against the noise of the world.
- Jenny, singer-songwriter

In my work as a professional speaker, I say a silent prayer of gratitude to Shelagh before I address the audience.  Her vocal workshop has forever changed the way I use and think about my voice. Now I speak in a way that maximizes resonance and, well, my voice rings! 

After just the first day, I found I was more confident speaking. Instead of fright and flight, I enjoy every wonderful moment in front of my audience. After every event, people tell me, “You seemed so relaxed and prepared.”  Truly, I have Shelagh to thank for that!

Shelagh’s practical manual has everything I need to continue training my voice, and to warm and prepare it for the crowd.  The manual has saved the day more than once by detailing exactly what to do when I get a cold and ‘the show must go on.’
- Michele, ceremonial celebrant