Below are some testimonials and unsolicited emails that have come from my students about their private lessons, the workshops and about Skype Video Lessons.
Skype Lesson:
"I was a bit apprehensive about doing a lesson through Skype as I assumed it would feel too remote to gain from the benefits of a lesson with Karen face-to-face.
I decided to try it and to my surprise did not find it remote at all. It was still very much like a face-to-face lesson except in the comfort of your own home. I found this even more so when I connected headphones to my computer.
Amongst many other qualities, I find Karen very patient as a teacher. She tailors our lessons specifically to target the problem areas in my voice. I also like the fact that she is aware of psychological hindrances as well as technical ones and encompasses that into our lessons also.
I would recommend a Skype lesson to anyone - just because I was sceptical at first also."
Nancy (West London)
Dear Karen
Just wanted to say how much I enjoyed the singing lesson we had via Skype.
I was surprised that the Skype medium made it easy for me to relax and overcome inhibitions, which, if I had been in your physical company, might have taken a while to overcome. Having a singing lesson in the comfort of my own kitchen was a revelation. Thanks again for your insightful observations about my singing and tips for working on some of my issues. I hope we can do it again some time, and build on that.
With best wishes
Clare Drury Jan 5 2011
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"Karen is an extremely gifted teacher and singing coach. She has the rare ability of being able to connect with people mixed with a high skill level , enabling you to explore and improve the way you sing. Her style is very intuitive and challenging but never fails to be anything less than great fun.
The 'Colours We Sing' workshops are well organised with interesting content. They have been fascinating to me in challenging the way music can be perceived and interpreted."
James Steel - Television Director, Ealing.
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I went to see Karen to help me with my singing technique and to get some advice about the correct way to breathe whilst singing. I found the benefits almost immediate , as I was able to sing louder with more power and able to sustain notes for longer with much less effort. The difference has been pointed out to me by other people a few times after gigs in London, as I have been told that my voice has improved and also my confidence. This has been an enormous benefit to me as I am giging round London on a regular basis. Having a stronger voice really helped me a couple of weeks ago when we did an acoustic gig in soho, and the PA packed up! We carried on playing and I was able to be heard without the PA, so thank goodness I had those singing lessons!
Michael McGuinness
THE SHEEN
www.thesheen.net
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Dear Karen,
Thanks very much for your e-mail and all the great work you’ve done with Oliver.
He is going to record a song in a couple of weeks at Red Bus Studios and then will have to concentrate on his A-Levels this summer. We would very much like him to return to you for more work and look forward to contacting you later in the year, to arrange further sessions with you.
Kind regards
Jeff Weston
Director of Football & Entertainment Division
The Sport Entertainment & Media Group PLC
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I first heard of Karen's workshops through a friend who had seen a card in a
local music store. He knew that I had 'suddenly' realised that the only
thing in life that gave me true pleasure was singing. I had entered a
random, televised audition and wanted to get a few tips on technique so I
gave Karen a call.
After the first lesson (I started with private lessons) I knew that I had so
much to learn and also that Karen had a great way of communicating simply the
workings of what is a very complex tool - the voice.
After a while, we both decided that I needed to be more uninhibited in order
to take my voice to the next stage - it was then that I spoke to Karen about
the workshops.
To cut a long story short, I attended two full workshop courses, and made a
noticeable improvement not only vocally, but in stage presence and general
confidence. We were all encouraged to experiment and to sing with passion
and heart instead of with the mind.
This added confidence allowed me to go to a number of high profile auditions
with varied success, which finally has led me to the R&B band that I am now
part of. We are not so far away from being signed and have our first gig
coming up soon.
So thank you Karen for all of your advice and patience, and thank you to all
the students that I worked with as I truly enjoyed singing with you all.
Darren Spragg (Bucks, UK)
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"Karen's workshops are truly inspirational. We usually begin with some toning and chanting which clears the decks so that we can free up our voices and our creativity. Karen uses aura soma colours, coloured lamps and oracle cards among other things to inspire us to join together, express ourselves and, if we so wish, to improvise. Her "healing the wounded singer" session was particularly good. We got in touch with blocks to our self-expression so we could move through them and just sing. What I love is that there is no judgement from Karen or the others in the group. We just accept what comes and from that we can really create something wonderful. I look forward to developing my voice and my creativity more and more knowing its a safe and nurturing environment where I can really express myself and discover what I am capable of."
Bridget Rattigan, London (Sept 2009)
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"Karen,
Thanks for a terrific course - it really enhanced my listening skills, and helped me understand better how I can develop as a singer. I thought your presence and energy were amazing..."
Henry C. (London) 2007
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"First of all - I just want to say I THOROUGLY THOROUGLY ENJOYED each and every group I attended!! I really haven't experienced such a swift, and yet intense, bonding with group members as I did in this group!! I want to take this opportunity of thanking you most sincerely for your time, patience, vast experience, humour, interest and enthusiasm you shared with me, in the group! And I wish you everything of the best for the future … Take care, and keep in touch - I will say hello from time to time!!
Lotsaluv, Sandra P" (London)
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"Hi Karen! A belated thank you for the superb evening you gave us all in MK on Wednesday. Despite all the comfort zones that were being gently shattered, all were so taken by your skill and delightful manner, and your gentle empathy with our discomfort and skill-levels. I was moved not only by some of the performances, but by the chatter after you left about how supportive you had been and how they had appreciated you on many levels. Loved the web-site; has given me much to think about. No doubt some of the others will be in touch. And, hopefully, we'll be up for a repeat sometime in the future.
Regards, Dave (Bucks)
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"Karen, Just a little word of thanks for a great evening on Wednesday. I really wished I had met you all those years ago when I first started out on having singing lessons as it was very clear from Wed that you look at the whole picture and dont just concentrate on technique etc. As you could see my main disadvantage was lack of confidence but the visualisation thing was very efffective. Thank you. Youve given me the inspiration to try my hand at amateur dramatics again ...... Thanks again Karen for a lovely evening and hope your journey home wasn't too bad."
Wendy (Bucks)
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"Hey Karen, It's Nathalie ....... here. How are you? I'm having a great time in Paris . Just wanted to tell you that I did another gig at the original songwriters this week and I sang one of my songs in chest voice! The whole way through! It was so good and I have you to thank. So thankyou so much! Hope you are well and hope to hear from you soon.
Take care, Nathalie xx" (London)
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“I decided I wanted to learn to sing having never done it or tried before. Karen was a terrific teacher and made it very easy to learn and to have confidence – and it was fun.”
Mike O’Shea
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Hi Karen!
Soooooooo sorry it's taken me this long to say a big "thank you" for such a fun evening up in Milton Keynes when you came to teach the six of us how to sing and to wolf whistle. We all had a great time! I liked your approach and you put us all at ease. Brilliant. Interesting to hear a bit about the colour therapy too. I know Wendy has been emailing you about possible lessons for some of us. Hope we can do something, even if not right away.
Thanks again!
Best wishes
Angela
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Karen, I just wanted to thank you for your time on Wednesday, I really
enjoyed the experience (although I have to tell you my daughter and husband
still think I can't sing) I can honestly say I haven't laughed as much for
ages, nor have I truly believed that a sound coming out of my mouth could
sound tuneful. I can't say I am going to take up professional singing as a
result of the lesson but you never know I may enter a wolf whistling
competition!!
Julie Wagstaffe, (Ealing, London)
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Dear Karen,
I was really appreciative of your effort in coming a long way to enable
us to have a good, fun evening on Wednesday.
Whilst I am not an able singer it is something I nevertheless love to
do. If I could have a gift it would be to sing well!
You were very kind and supportive and I do now believe that with
practice and coaching we could all become capable or even better!
Additionally, the purpose of the group is to explore and develop our
personalities, knowledge and skills and to support each other in our
efforts and trials whether business or personal. Wednesday was also
good as it required us to 'expose' ourselves. All part of building
cohesive relationships.
But most of all ....... it was great fun!
Very best wishes,
Simon.
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…And then she started to sing. Again, with no preamble, no introduction, no set words to sing, no words at all in fact, no specific melody in mind, she just started to sing, wordlessly expressing the feelings deep in her heart…Patricia beside me spoke of the prickly sensation of electricity traveling up and down her spine as Karen sang. .I was just easing into being utterly hypnotized by what was taking place… I did feel my awareness shift into a deeper place that I would not ordinarily be able to access. Extraordinary experience.
(Ashish, Sutton, UK )
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