A Speaking Voice Tune-up

Kate Burke, Department of Drama

A voice and speech work session for anyone wanting to learn a simple, repeatable vocal warm-up, to strengthen vocal placement or resonance, and to review the articulation of the consonant and vowel sounds of the English language. Both newcomers and those who have already had such a workshop are welcome.

Kate’s voice workshops here have consistently been rated very highly, between 4.6 and 4.8 where 5 is “excellent.” Here are participants’ sample responses to the question, “What information or ideas from this workshop do you think you can use?”

• “Information” is kind of an understatement, since it was so much more. The very concrete nature of the exercises and the experience of the voice was very valuable. (faculty in French)
• How to relax before and after speaking, diction of consonants, forward projection of tone. (faculty in History)
• Basic information was shared in a most informative, helpful, and collegial style. Kate did an excellent job; her expertise and talent are outstanding. (visiting professor)
• Importance of education and vocabulary: Kate’s an excellent example of the power of both. (faculty in Commerce)
• Specific exercises to improve voice, extended chance to practice, better understanding of vocal components, best TRC workshop I’ve attended. (grad student in Religious Studies)

A professional actress and voice, speech and dialect specialist, Kate Burke is president of the Voice and Speech Trainers Association, Inc. She serves as voice consultant for all U.Va. Drama Department productions. Her most recent role was Flo Owens in the Heritage Repertory Theatre production of Picnic. Her essay, “On Training and Pluralism,” appears in the Applause Books publication of The Vocal Vision, a compendium of views on voice by twenty-four leading teachers, coaches and directors. In 1997 she spent a semester assisting and studying with Andrew Wade, Head of Voice at Britain’s Royal Shakespeare Theatre.