Who Am I?

Years of Experience and Proven Results

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Current Positions Held

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• Freelance Voice Coach and Singing Teacher with specialist skills in Vocal Health, Vocal Rehabilitation and Performance Anxiety (Based in Sedgefield, County Durham/Teesside). 

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• Vocal Rehabilitation Coach at Freeman Hospital, Newcastle

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• Performance Coach/Singing Teacher at Newcastle University, 1:1 Tuition (And Workshops)

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• On the British Voice Association Working Party Team ​

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• Director of The Vocal Room. 

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Who do I work with?

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My clients are all adults, primarily singers and actors who want to maintain their voice or improve technique or who have had voice problems. I also work with people who depend on their voice every day, e.g. teachers, life coaches and people who work in customer services also turn to me for guidance. Additionally, I  enjoy working on technical issues with singers who are part of a choir and mentoring singing teachers and singers who want to become voice teachers and aspiring artists. Past students have been accepted to study at the most prestigious drama schools.

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Training and Influences

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I began my studies at Dartington College of Arts in Devon. Dartington was recognised nationally and internationally for its radical and inventive approaches to arts pedagogy, embracing practice-based research and interdisciplinary work, prioritising context as a core factor and ‘material’ in art-making processes.

I went on to be awarded a Lilian Baylis bursary to study on ‘The Knack’ at English National Opera’s Baylis Programme in London. Here I studied under the guidance of creative director/mezzo-soprano Mary King. Rufus Norris, who is now director of the National Theatre, was the acting coach. Other influential teachers included; opera directors, Maxine Braham and Leah Hausman.

From there I trained at The Academy Drama School, London on the post-grad and professional acting training programme entitled, 'Company Course'. 

I have taken many 1:1 lessons with prestigious singing teachers and voice coaches (and continue to do so). At this point I must mention the person who inspired me to be a voice teacher, John Pryce-Jones. John was the founder chorus master at Opera North and is now the music director and conductor of Northern Ballet Theatre Orchestra. John worked extensively with me on classical singing technique. It was under his tuition that my journey into voice research and vocal pedagogy began.

Always forward thinking, and amongst other courses I have attended, I was probably the first teacher from the immediate area to undertake the 5-day Estill course at the Royal Academy of Music. In the end, I chose not to follow a particular 'method' or 'model' but I did complete Levels 1 and 2 and The Advanced Figures & Voice Qualities Course: Application, Combination & Variations delivered by Anne-Marie Speed and Associates. It was a fantastic experience, Estill gives both voice teachers and voice users a basic understanding and a common language which is very useful when discussing vocal technique and how the voice works. This course gave me a foundation on which to build my academic studies and further research into voice science. 

I continue to explore various vocal methodology. Most recently I have completed a Postgrad Cert in Vocal Pedagogy (Distinction) with Voice Workshop and Cardiff Met. 

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Examples of Freelance Work (not comprehensive): 

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• Voice coach for Pride and Prejudice (*sort of). Blood of the Young theatre company at Northern Stage, Oct 2019.

• Voice coach on SHINE. Live Theatre, 2019

• Voice coach (spoken word only) for Samling Institute for Young Artists production of 'Come into the Garden' which toured at Sage Gateshead, The Witham and Saltburn Theatre.Voice 

• Vocal health master class for music leaders with The Vocal Room at Sage Gateshead (Delivered for CoMusica) March 2019.

• A week long provision of voice for actors Project A  at Theatre Royal. Feb 2019.

• Voice for Actors. A workshop delivered for Both Feet Acting. June 2018.

• Voice coach for  the commemoration of Martin Luther King's final speech outside of the US as part of Freedom City 2017, produced by Wunderbar and Mortal Fools for Turner Prize winning artist Jeremy Deller. Nov 2017.

• Working with The Spoken Word (Poetry). A Workshop for Classical Singers Who Were Training With Samling Academy And Performing In A Production Entitled 'When I Was One-And-Twenty'. This Performance Took Place At The Witham, Barnard Castle And Saltburn Theatre. July 2017.

• 5 Day Intensive With Camisado Club Theatre Company - Vocal Technique for Actors and R & D - ing Their New Show. June 2017. 

• Public Speaking Courses - Delivered At Northern Stage In Partnership with Mortal Fools. 2017-2018

• A Week-Long Workshop on Singing and The Voice And The Actor For Project A, Theatre Royal, Newcastle. Jan 2017.

• Broadway Technique and Accent Coaching For Bishopwearmouth Choral Society’s Performance of Stephen Sondheim’s, ‘Side by Side’. May 2016.

• Leading Performance Masterclasses on Recital Presentation Training & Body Language for Singers (For Example At Newcastle University). Feb 2016.

• Creative Facilitator For Mortal Fools, Leading Corporate Training for The Development Team (For Example Training Delivered At Baltic Centre For Contemporary Art ). April 2015 And Corporate Training Workshops Are Ongoing. 

• Voice Coach For Think Light Theatre, Working on Productions Such As: Shakespeare's Yorkshire & Christmas With Will. Summer, Winter Productions Of 2016.

• Acting Coach For Miranda Wright Singers  On the Production, ‘Tell Me the Truth About Love’ At The Witham, Barnard Castle. August 2014

• Series of Vocal Masterclasses on Vocal Health and Technique (For Example At Sage Gateshead, Ba Hons Community Music Degree).  

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Examples of past appointments held (not comprehensive):

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• Consultant Teacher of Voice (Voice for Actors) At SLP College, Leeds 

• Facilitator for Mortal Fools on The Skills for Professional Development Team Delivering Voice, Communication and Public Speaking Workshops (For Example at Northern Stage)

• Resident Voice Coach for Think Light Theatre, A Yorkshire Based Theatre Company Who Perform Shakespeare's Work in The Beautiful Grounds of Jervaulx Abbey

• Lecturer in Performing Arts for BTEC National Diploma at New College Durham 2010 - 2016 (Throughout her time at NCD, Pippa was consistently graded as an outstanding teacher)

• Vocal Tutor for FdA Roots and Popular Music Programme at New College Durham 2010 -2016

• Vocal Tutor for Level 3 BTEC National Diploma in Music at New College Durham 2010 -2016

• Lead Internal Verifier for Performing Arts at New College Durham 2014 -2016

• Study Programme Leader for Level 3 Performing Arts at New College Durham 2014 -2015

• Head of Voice (Vocal Studies Leader) for Young Musicians Programme, Centre for Advanced Training (Formerly the Weekend School), Sage Gateshead 2010 -2013

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Contact me and see how my services can benefit you today!

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