Your Free Voice

Julia Norton
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Your Free Voice

Are you getting the most out of your voice, either singing or speaking? This show is for anyone who is holding themselves back from a full, free and expressive voice. Whether you're a novice or professional voice user, a singer, actor or presenter, Julia will be joyfully offering you solid technique and mindset shifts to get the very most out of your voice. Julia qualified as a Voice Movement Therapy Practitioner in London in 2000 and has been helping singers and voice professionals for over 20 years.

  1. 044_Winter Solstice Reflections

    3 DAYS AGO

    044_Winter Solstice Reflections

    In this short episode, I share what the Winter Solstice means to me and invite you to try my reflection and dreaming practice. I do love this time of year and it's so important for us to take time for ourselves to reflect and dream, to feel the sorrow or loss, but also to find joy in the darkness. If you would like to develop a stronger connection to your voice next year, make sure you're on my mailing list to be the first to know about my workshops and private coaching offers. Here's the link to sign up. Thank you for listening! Have a wonderful festive season and I'll be back in the New Year! Julia xox

    7 min
  2. 043 - Gratitude practices ❤️

    NOV 26

    043 - Gratitude practices ❤️

    This episode is about Gratitude practices that I enjoy, and thought you might too.    Robin Wall Kimmerer's 'Gratitude Inventory' inspired by our connection to nature.  • Step outside • Take in your surroundings • Send gratitude to a few things you see or smell or hear. • Remember how connected you are to this abundance in nature and send some gratitude back to yourself.    Here's her book Braiding Sweetgrass - indigenous wisdom, scientific knowledge and the teachings of plants.   Here's the Wall visualization   Start by finding a quiet place to relax with your eyes closed for about 10 minutes, take a journaland something to write with, then listen to the guided visualization  Aftwards, journal about what happened and then write a list of everything you had accomplished on the other side of the wall …   Strong voice, loose body, successful narration career whatever it was…   Then every single day for the rest of the year write these gratitude’s as if they had already happened in your journal or notebook before you start your day like…   “I’m so grateful for my strong flexible voice” “I’m so grateful for booking 5 Voice Over jobs this month” “I’m so grateful to  be able to connect authentically to my audience and my family/community etc”   Then you walk around reading or singing these gratitudes out loud once through every single day!   Oh and finally the Cranberry Curd Tart recipe from NYT Cooking  Here it is  in case that link stops working, it really does look like that! Cranberry Curd Tart from NYT Cooking Ingredients Yield:8 to 10 servings For the Hazelnut Crust 1¼cups/180 grams raw hazelnuts 1cup/125 grams rice flour ¼teaspoon salt ½cup/112 grams sugar 6tablespoons/100 grams softened butter, more as necessary For the Cranberry Curd 12ounces/340 grams cranberries 1cup/225 grams sugar Peel (orange part only) and juice of 1 orange (about ½ cup) 4ounces/113 grams softened butter (1 stick) 2eggs plus 2 egg yolks Step 1 Make the crust: Heat oven to 325 degrees. Put hazelnuts on a baking sheet and roast for 10 to 15 minutes, until skins darken and crack. Put roasted nuts in a clean towel and rub off skins. Discard skins and let nuts cool. Step 2 In a food processor, grind nuts with half the rice flour until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Add remaining rice flour and salt and pulse briefly. Step 3 Cream sugar and butter in a mixing bowl with a wooden spoon for a minute or two until pale and thick. Add nut mixture and combine until dough comes together. If it seems crumbly, add 1 to 2 tablespoons softened butter or a little cold water. Step 4 Press dough evenly into a 10-inch tart pan; use half the dough for the sides and half for the bottom. Prick bottom with a fork and freeze for 30 minutes (or several days if desired). Step 5 Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake chilled tart shell about 15 minutes until lightly brown. Cool. Step 6 While the crust bakes and cools, make the cranberry curd: Put cranberries, sugar and orange juice and peel in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until cranberries have popped and softened, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a food mill or medium mesh sieve and press cooking liquid and solids into a bowl. (Alternatively, for the most vibrant color, purée the cooked cranberry and orange mixture with an immersion blender or in a food processor or blender. Press through a fine-mesh sieve.) Whisk the butter into the warm liquid. Step 7 Put eggs and egg yolks into a bowl and beat lightly. Slowly whisk a cup of warm cranberry liquid into the eggs to temper, then combine both and whisk together. Wipe out pot if necessary, return liquid to pot and cook over low heat until nearly bubbling and thickened, about 10 minutes. If using immediately, let cool to room temperature. If working ahead, cool to room temperature, cover with plastic wrap (

    12 min
  3. 042 Community Choirs & Circle Singing with Chris MacLean

    OCT 13

    042 Community Choirs & Circle Singing with Chris MacLean

    In this conversation with my friend and colleague Chris MacLean, we talk about her life and career as a singer/songwriter, community choir leader, retreat host, circle singer and so much more. We talk about the logistics of running a choir, fear of death, how to make a living and how we both believe it is everyone’s birthright to sing. Here is how you can find out more about Chris, her recordings, retreats, performances  and her choir. Chris MacLean Here is how you can find out about Circle Singing. Here is how you can find out more about the end of life singing know as Threshold Choirs And here's the link for my final in person event of the year! Click here for the messy transcript

    54 min
  4. 041_How to Set Boundaries

    OCT 4

    041_How to Set Boundaries

    In this quick solo episode, I'm exploring boundaries and how to speak up and set yours.  Q. Do you feel like you can stand up for yourself? Q. Can you speak up to defend others? Here are a few ways that I'm suggesting that you might check your boundaries. How does your body feel in the moment? Hot? Clenched stomach? Are you making a fist? How is your breath? Give yourself a moment to feel into it and try to get clear on what has made you feel uncomfortable?  Take a few slow breaths, let your system get regulated again. Take your time, you don't have to respond in the moment. Before you say yes to someone else are you saying no to yourself at the same time? Take the time to check in and see if this way of spending your time or energy is really aligned to your path, your goals? Communicate with clarity. Keep it brief, when you are making it clear to people. Generally use fewer words.  Get comfortable feeling uncomfortable. Growth is uncomfortable, honest self expression can be excruciating.  Be prepared for pushback. Not everyone is going to like you setting your boundaries and saying "no" and that's ok.  “The more brightly you shine your light for other people, the more you show the way of kindly setting boundaries and clearly communicating your needs, you are demonstrating that for other people.”   Sign up here for Julia’s newsletter list to be the first to hear about groups, retreats and online workshops. To learn more about Julia’s final In person workshop of the year CLICK HERE  You can also follow Julia on the following social sites: Instagram YouTube Facebook LinkedIN   For the messy transcript click here

    15 min
  5. Resilience and Recovery using The Voice Straw with Celebrity Voice Coach Mindy Pack

    APR 16

    Resilience and Recovery using The Voice Straw with Celebrity Voice Coach Mindy Pack

    On this episode of Your Free Voice, I’m delighted to bring back into the studio celebrity voice coach and founder of The Voice Straw,  Mindy Pack!    You may have listened to episode #32 where I talked to Mindy about her experience being a celebrity voice coach, well we ran out of time to talk about straws so I had to get her back again. We’re going pretty deep into how to use the straw for rehabilitation after a cold or injury and how to prevent injury doing video game call outs and efforts prepping with the straw!   I met Mindy about 5 years ago when she was co-hosting a conference in LA for voice teachers and singers with Dr. Reen Gupta. I loved her energy and generosity from day one and have been using straws with my clients ever since.    You may have attended a workshop or listened to Episode 7 which gives you the basics of straw phonation, but if you haven’t, listen to that one first, it’s ever so short.  Here’s why I’m such a fan of straws and this version in particular… “The Voice Straw is the complete training tool for singers, actors, speakers, school teachers, and other frequent voice users. Using your voice should be effortless! Our straws are uniquely designed to release tension, relieve strain, and reduce vocal breathiness, cracking and flipping. The Voice Straw is backed by over 20 years of scientific research that has proven to benefit voice users by encouraging more efficient vocal fold movement, adjusting the vocal tract into peak position and creating vocal balance.” www.voicestraw.com   About Mindy “My dream as a child was to be the world’s first “singing heart surgeon.” Medical school didn’t quite pan out, but throughout my career, I have combined my love of singing with my interest in health and physiology to help vocalists of all levels meet their potential.   Clinically certified both in Vocology from The National Center for Voice and Speech, and as a licensed massage therapist, I specialize in vocal structural integration. In my coaching, I aim to not only help my clients connect in the industry, but to help them develop in their artistry through collaboration to find the best possible solutions for their career.   In 2019 I applied my knowledge of voice science and vocal production to create The Voice Straw, a vocal training tool for singers, actors, and speakers that has been clinically proven to help relieve tension, strain, breathiness, cracking, and flipping in the voice.   With locations in Salt Lake and Los Angeles, and virtual worldwide clients, my roster includes singers, artists, voice over actors, professional speakers, rehabilitation, newscasters, and transitioning voices. I would love to connect with vocalists of all levels!”  Taken from https://www.linkedin.com/in/mindy-pack/ More links and discounts… Follow Mindy on instagram here  Follow me on instagram here   And here’s my 10%discount coupon for you for the Voice Straw https://voicestraw.com/discount/JULIANORTON If you enjoyed this episode PLEASE share it with a friend and help me get the word out! Happy voicing!

    38 min
  6. 039 Mindfulness, Performance Anxiety and the Breath with Ruth Phillips

    FEB 23

    039 Mindfulness, Performance Anxiety and the Breath with Ruth Phillips

    My interview with my friend and colleague Ruth Phillips.  Ruth Phillips is a modern and baroque cellist, a mindfulness coach, founder of The Breathing Bow and co-founder of InsideOut Musician and a writer. Alongside her rich and diverse career as a concert cellist and teacher. Ruth is internationally sought after as a performance coach and meditation teacher, helping people who suffer from tension, stage fright or lack of focus overcome the physical and mental strains of the music profession.  Ruth primarily works with instrumentalists, but her insights into the source of suffering when we practice, how the body holds and moves with the breath and how to prepare for performance using meditation and loving kindness are very powerful and equally applicable to singers and actors.  I do hope you enjoy our conversation where we talk about all these things and more. ❤️ You can find more about Ruth at: Ruth Phillips On Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ruth.phillips.752 And Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ruthphillipscello/ Like and subscribe and share this episode with a friend! If you would like to work with me on discovery a full and free connection to your voice visit my coaching website   or sign up for my newsletter here to get the inside scoop on workshops and voicey insights. Thank you for listening!

    1 hr

  7. JAN 30

    038 Rush Dorsett's interview with Me!

    This episode is a bit of a first, because I am the one being interviewed! Rush Dorsett reached out to me to be part of her Awaken Your Voice Summit in October 2023. It was a great series where she interviewed 10 different thought leaders around the singing voice over 10 days. There were some really great interviews with people I've admired for a very long time (Chloe Goodchild anyone?).  I honestly felt very lucky to be part of this event. We talked about many things including ... • What got me into the Mind, Body and Spirit of the voice approach in the first place. • Alfred Wolfsohn, Roy Hart theatre, Carl Jung and Voice Movement Therapy. • Why it's not all about a 'pretty voice'. • Our vocal conditioning or predispositions. I also took her audience on a 10 minute guided vizualization to meet their Shadow Voice. You can get your copy of that vizualisation by clicking here.   If you're interested in coaching with me privately set up a free 30 minute call here. If you're interested in Begin to Sing all the details are at www.yourfreevoice.com/events "Julia is an inspiration! I Took this remarkable course earlier this year and it opened my eyes and my heart and helped me to deal with, tame, and even banish self-imposed limitations that have gotten in my way for too long. It is a wonderful adventure and learning experience I confidently recommend." Maria Makis. Voice Actor/Singer NYC Thank you so much for listening! have a great week! Julia P.S You can find me and message me with questions or insights about your shadow voice on instagram at https://www.instagram.com/depthvoicecoachingwithjulia/

    38 min

  8. JAN 5

    #037 How 'Aligned' is your 'New Years Goals' list?

    Join me in this episode for my personal reflections on 2023 and also some suggestions for how to have a more aligned, intentional focus for the year ahead. It doesn't actually matter when you listen to this episode, the exercises are relevant whenever you need to recalibrate and stop yourself from getting overwhelmed.  If you joined me in my Goal Setting Workshop in December, use this as another chance to make sure you haven't snuck sneaky 'shoulds' onto your list! If you weren't able to join me, but would like to listen to the audio of the main body of the workshop and play along (which includes the Wall Visualization, but not the personal shares) You can grab that here. Or if you'd just like to try the professionally recorded Wall Visualization 'cos it's only 10 minutes and you'd like a quick reset, you can grab that here. Personal note: 😭 There is a LOT of shadow projection happening in the world right now and it is causing untold amounts of grief and tragedy. Let this be the year that we all do our part, learn about and integrate our own shadow material and do our part to reduce the suffering.❤️

    15 min
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About

Are you getting the most out of your voice, either singing or speaking? This show is for anyone who is holding themselves back from a full, free and expressive voice. Whether you're a novice or professional voice user, a singer, actor or presenter, Julia will be joyfully offering you solid technique and mindset shifts to get the very most out of your voice. Julia qualified as a Voice Movement Therapy Practitioner in London in 2000 and has been helping singers and voice professionals for over 20 years.

Information

  • Creator
    Julia Norton
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2024
  • Episodes
    45
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2022
  • Show Website
    Your Free Voice

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