This article in the Toronto Star describes the hottest new technique available to singers in titillating detail! I am so lucky to have discovered what David Ley and Elissa Weinzimmer have created! This is just the thing muscle tension dysphonia fears the most. It’s a perfect combination of what we already do in speech pathology/voice therapy – circumlaryngeal massage and resonant voice training, amped up to the max!
When I first did the training course, I will admit I was interested in anything that would help free up stubborn tension around the larynx. What I didn’t expect was the out-of-body experience I had singing while doing it! Since then, I’ve been integrating VVT into my voice care practice and I’m routinely thrilled at what singers report during – and after – a session.
There are very few of us in Toronto who are trained and experienced with this technique. Not only have I done the training, but I am blessed to call Elissa a friend and colleague, and she has been instrumental in helping me make the most of this technique in my practice. I have brought this technique with me backstage, on set, in rehearsal, on location, and while traveling, helping singers free up their tired voices. (Full confession: I even do it on myself!)
I can’t get enough of this great companion technique to the voice therapy work I was already doing. If you already like voice massage but want to take it to the next level, if you have vocal fatigue or are having trouble negotiating a particular song or riff, or if you just want to experience an out-of-body singing experience for yourself, come give it a whirl.
And while you’re at it, take a look at all the amazing things Elissa Weinzimmer is up to now that she’s moved on from her Managing Director role at VVT (although she’ll always be the Founding Official Instructor!). If you want to learn even more about your voice, check out what she’s doing at Voice Body Connection. You’ll be glad you let her into your stratosphere. I know I am.