TESTIMONIALS

FROM TWO OF THE VOICE STUDIO'S YOUNGER SINGERS:

From CHRISTINA HORDEN-SCOTT (AGED 16 YEARS)

'I have been singing with Liz since the age of 9 as a classical soprano and never regretted a moment!  She is a wonderful teacher - and she listens to her pupils.  Liz has entered me for many singing competitions, charity concerts and she has also found me my current singing agent, Robert Gilder & Co.  I have never gone to a singing competition and not won an award.  I have also won 'Most Promising Singer under 21' at the St Albans Music & Drama Festival two years in a row.

With Liz's help, I was accepted onto both Junior Conservatoires at the Royal Academy of Music and the Guildhall School of Music & Drama.  I was the youngest singer ever to be accepted by the Junior Royal Academy.  I attended the Junior Royal Academy, which meant I had to leave Liz.  However, I found I was unhappy there and decided to go back Liz. 

Liz listens to my worries, finds places for me to perform, gives me advice with my career and is also a great friend.  Liz has taught me it is not just the singing which impresses the audience, but the whole performance.  She has taught me to perform, helps me understand the text so I can understand the situation I am singing about.  I am sure this training has contributed to my successes and these successes have given me wonderful memories to look back on as a child.  I am now 16 years old and working towards Grade 8 Associated Board.  I have just achieved Grade 7 with Distinction and am eager to continue.  We are also working towards the ABRSM Diploma in Singing for the end of 2006.  I owe Liz a lot!!!!  Thank you!!!'

From LOUISA HAGGERTY (AGED 11 YEARS)

'I have had singing lessons with Liz since I was 6 years old.  I always have fun and enjoy learning new techniques in a non-rigid and relaxed environment.  Through her, I had early performances at local theatres, which helped inspire confidence. I am now 11 years old, so I have had Liz as a teacher for quite some time.  Thanks to Liz I have been able to sing and perform in the West End.

Liz always helps me to prepare a song for a special occasion, such as singing in church or for the residents at my Grandma's care home.

Singing is great fun and I always look forward to my lessons.'

FROM OTHERS WHO HAVE BEEN OR COME TO THE VOICE STUDIO:

From FATHER DANE BATLEY-GLADDEN

'I came to Liz looking for three things: first, to strengthen my voice so that I wouldn't lose it when I was making heavy demands on it.  Second, to give me the confidence in tackling music and musicians.  Third, to widen the range of material which I am able to tackle.  This year, for the first time since I was ordained seven years ago, I didn't lose my voice at Christmas, I've tackled the songs in our parish pantomime without trouble and I understand now what I need to say when sorting out music.

Plus, as a teacher, Liz has demonstrated real understanding of the issues around my voice and has given help and advice for which I am very grateful.'

From PETER BLOCK

'In 2005 I started to work with Liz with the aim to improve my vocal presentation skills.  Liz took me through a range of vocal exercises that provided me with a framework on which to build my vocal competence.  With her help, I have developed an appreciation of the voice, its quality, projection and vocal control.  This work has also provided me with a useful set of daily warm-up vocal exercises.

It has become much more.  It's been an opportunity to explore what my voice can do as I have started to learn more about the singing voice.  Most of all, it's been fun.'

From ELAINE FAUX

'I was a choral singer from a very early age and as such competed at both national and international level as well as performing frequently on television and radio.  After leaving school I went on to become a principal performer with various local theatre companies, in shows as diverse as 'Grease', 'Guys and Dolls', 'Little Shop of Horrors' and 'Sweeney Todd' and considered myself an experienced performer.  In 2005 I underwent a period of speech and language therapy to address increasing problems I was experiencing, initially with my singing voice, but as time went by also with my speech.

Following a successful conclusion to the SLT work, I was advised to continue my recovery by engaging a suitable teacher to help me with the necessary remedial work on my singing voice.  Liz Harley came to me highly recommended by a friend whose vocal talent I admired and whose judgement I trusted.  I could not have hoped to find a better teacher.  Liz's holistic approach to vocal expression, her apparently bottomless well of technical knowledge, her insight and general approach to addressing the challenges and difficulties I faced have been inspirational, and as well as being my teacher, she has been a mentor and friend.  A year ago I thought I would never sing again; this year (2006) I will be performing with friends at the Edinburgh Festival.  Liz Harley has given me back my voice.'

From JACQUIE FOWLER

'Liz's sensitive nature and genuine interest in her students adds great value to her professional ability of developing the voice in anyone.'

From SHARON GOLDSMITH

'I have attended The Voice Studio with Liz Harley as my voice coach for little under a year now.  I was on the verge of giving up singing due to lack of confidence and coming to a point where my enthusiasm had gone.  On my first visit to see Liz, I was nervous as I hadn't sung in front of anybody for a while and didn't know quite what to expect.  I found an immediate warmth in Liz to which enabled me to relax.  She gave me time to go through my whole singing experiences in the past and for me to decide where I wanted to take my voice in the future.  I can honestly say from the first meeting with her, I've never looked back.  I've not only found my voice again but my confidence has returned and what I have found so valuable in attending The Voice Studio is - I am not only just opening my mouth and producing a good sound, I am learning a little of the technical aspects such as posture, breathing and how the sound of my voice is created and developed.  I'm experimenting with different styles of singing, but most of all I'm having fun and enjoyment  with something which has been a part of my life for a good number of years.'

From KAREN LOUISE

'Liz Harley is a fantastic singing coach, never afraid to explore new techniques and genres, each lesson is unique.  She has catered to my individual needs as a singer emotionally (providing tea and sympathy when required) as well as physically.'

From ORLA KENNEDY

'Liz has helped me bolster my confidence so I am able to audition for the parts I want.  Liz has highlighted my strengths and helped me to overcome my vocal weaknesses.  Liz has a natural enthusiasm for teaching singing.  I have always found Liz to be a buoyant and very supportive teacher.  I come away from her classes feeling positive and confident.'

From COLIN RICARDO

'To quote my music teacher at secondary school '(You) I can't sing in tune and by the way (You are) I am tone deaf'.   My first meeting with Liz was very different from how I had imagined it was going to be.  Having a professional singing lesson for me conjures up an image of standing exposed and being required to repeat scales with lots of note bashing for the allotted hour. How wrong could I have been.

Liz and I discussed what I had been doing and what I would want to achieve.  Breathing, posture, the vocal cords and relaxation were discussed.  And then the part I was dreading, I now was going to sing or at least make a noise to this complete stranger!  To ease me into this situation we both sang a few sounds, me a lot quieter than Liz.  In a moment of weakness I said I liked the music of Sting and the Police, by coincidence Liz produced a copy of 'Every breath you take' and before I had time to take a breath, I was timidly singing.  I then found that the encouragement and warmth of Liz's personality made me forget that I was 'tone deaf and couldn't sing' because I could, but didn't have the confidence and was never shown how to.

I really looked forward to the next lesson the following week and again encouragement, a few laughs and not too many tears and I was singing  OK simple songs but I was taught and shown by Liz how to find that note and how to think about co-ordinating my brain with my voice.

Several months later Liz suggested that I should start singing in public to gain the experience of performing to an audience.  'Singers at the Barn Theatre' was started by Liz seven years ago.  This has given many people of varied abilities the opportunity of performing in public to an appreciative audience.  Again with the support of Liz I did my first performance as a 'singer' and actually enjoyed it.

I have since gone on to perform in 'Anything Goes' and 'Chess' with Cuffley Operatic Society and 'Jesus Christ Superstar' with Potters Bar Theatre Company.  As well as winning a local production of 'Stars in their Eyes' as David Bowie!

I really couldn't have moved on to achieve any of ' this without the help, encouragement and support of Liz who makes the whole learning experience so enjoyable.  I truly can't recommend enough meeting her and discussing with her your singing concerns.  She will improve your technique if you are an experienced performer, or like myself give you the gentle nudge you need to gain confidence to move forward.  Having lessons with Liz has opened a whole new world up for me as well as given me more confidence in my day to day life.'

From NICHOLA STRINGER

'The Voice Studio provides an excellent supportive and encouraging environment where you feel safe to experiment and try new ideas to encourage your vocal talents to shine!  I thoroughly enjoy my lessons and would recommend to anyone.'

From LESLEY THOMAS

'Singing lessons with Liz Harley gave me the voice and confidence to sing in front of people.  Something I had always dreamed of."