The New Center for Holistic Learning in NYC is excited to present “Awakening Your True Voice,” a powerful workshop led by renowned voice expert Jean McClelland. This two-session event, designed to free and strengthen your voice, will help participants discover the true connection between breath, body and voice.

“Awakening Your True Voice” will take place on Zoom on Saturday, May 3, and in person and via Zoom on Saturday, May 10, from 10 am to noon on both days. The workshop fee is $100 for New Center members and $125 for non-members. Sessions will be recorded, and a free introductory session will be held via Zoom on Saturday, April 26, at 10 am.

“There is no greater joy than to use our voice in a way that is powerful, spontaneous and fully expressive,” says McClelland. “Our vocal freedom lies in the way we breathe. Breath is voice, and yet very few of us know how to connect to it.”

In this workshop, participants will learn to strengthen their breathing and body through the integration of the Alexander Technique and Carl Stough’s Principles of Breathing Coordination. The practice combines group singing and speaking to build a deeper connection between breathing, voice and artistic self-expression. McClelland believes this connection is key to unlocking vocal potential: “Breathing lives in a no-man’s land between consciousness and unconsciousness, and our body’s ability to 'breathe itself' must be brought to consciousness before we can effectively support our voices.”

This workshop is open to all, with no prior experience required. It is particularly beneficial for those who have been told they cannot sing, those who have lost their joy of singing, or anyone experiencing vocal fatigue, tension or hoarseness. Individuals struggling with anxiety, performance anxiety, depression or conditions like Spasmodic Dysphonia, asthma, COPD and sleep apnea will also find immense value in this transformative experience.

To register for the free introduction workshop, visit NewCenterNY.org/event/free-intro-awakening-your-true-voice. To register for the workshop, visit NewCenterNY.org /event/awakening-your-true-voice.