Voice Workshops 2024
28th-29th September; 12th-13th October
Over two autumn weekends, Ledbury Poetry ran a Voice Workshop with actor, director and vocal teacher, Françoise Walot. Five up-and-coming voices in contemporary poetry took part: Karen Downs-Barton, Zakia Carpenter-Hall, L. Kiew, Olugbemi Moronfolu and Shaun Hill.
Françoise is a Designated Linklater Teacher, using the Linklater method to explore the links between voice and text, with breath and the body at the core of her work. The five poets took part in exercises involving engaging with space, breath work, and using the body to energise expressive speaking.
On completing the workshop sessions, the poets remarked:
‘Although I feel my confidence has grown, perhaps it was the space to experiment that has also been beneficial. Françoise taught us so many techniques to combat the constriction that comes with nerves and how to project the voice. I know I’ll be using these for so long!’
––Karen Downs-Barton
‘I really enjoyed when we practised our poetry outside in the Walled Garden. Ledbury residents were not at all phased by us sharing our poems with the birds and trees.’
––L. Kiew
‘I felt confident in my authentic voice and learnt to play around with it. I have performed better here than ever before. Françoise honestly works magic and I feel more prepared as a poet than ever before.’
––Olugbemi Moronfolu
The Voice Coaching Workshops were kindly funded by The Foyles Foundation