Artist Expression
Artist Expression is vocal sovereignty in action through craft. In Simplicity Acting we discover the character and personality on the page in relationship to self, circumstance and another, as we uncover our own. We become aware of associations and attachments, allowing the moment to fully capture us in our fullest capacity for presence. And further develop our relationship and strength in our voices through Singing as embodied voice and communication.
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I have created two workshops in Approaching A Song, including relational work, how to connect with a song in any language or genre, use phrasing, melodic structures and harmony to access the world of the music and inhabit it, as well as ways to build secure vocal foundations through working with resonance, vowel and consonant placements, pitch changes, breath support, tone and texture integration to truly captivate and tell the story. For those of you that would like help on a particular song and practice performing, Vocal Performance Masterclass will afford you hot spot coaching in front of a small and supportive class environment. This is a great opportunity to get personalized feedback from me, and learn from others and the notes I give them in their areas of study.
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Private coaching is also available for the sincere and curious student who'd like more in-depth 1:1 study in Acting and Singing. I am also offering Project and Artist development coaching. Please see below for more info.
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Approaching
A Song
SINGING WORKSHOPS
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Workshop 1: Song as Text and Relationship
In this Workshop we will work with the text of a song. I recommend bringing a song in your native language, something you like, that interests you and you want to sing. Ideally something new you haven't worked on before and within your vocal range.
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We will work alone and in twos, with objects and places around the space as we apply Simplicity acting to discover the voice and thought connection and how communication fits within the song structure and pacing.
Workshop 2: Vocal World building
This workshop is a part 2 of Approaching a Song. With our text now flowing with ease as an extension of our thoughts, not memorization or affectation, we now extend our breath and movement through phrases, starting with resonance placement, then vowels and adding in consonants. We will look at the dynamics and harmonic structures as moving parts to a scene that inform circumstance, relationship as well as character development, tone and texture choices.
Vocal
Performance
Masterclass
I recommend this workshop for any singer that wants to practice performing, or simply gain experience singing in front of others. Bring something you are working on or want to develop further and don't know how.
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As you sing your song, I will stop you and work with you on different things as we go, depending on what calls out to me or feels necessary to prioritize in the moment. Me stopping you or not stopping you is no indicator of failing or succeeding in class. Sometimes if I' m noticing a pattern or habit such as tongue or jaw tension, swaying, postural misalignment, breathing too high, too often or too big, I want to give you an exercise and correction right away before continuing on. It's also common for resonance to fall back, and the voice to trip over consonants.
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This is a class where you can build more confidence in being seen and heard, by leaving perfectionism out the door, and allowing yourself to be witnessed learning, experimenting and practicing. It's really helpful to not just your growth as a singer but as an artist and communicator in increasing your capacity for humility, self compassion and direction. Not to mention, everyone else's learning experience and self reflection. You are helping others in the class with your vulnerability and responsibility.​​
Simplicity (2.o)
ACTING WORKSHOPS
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The Art of Being and Becoming
Simplicity 2.0 is a continuation of actress, director and master practitioner Bathsheba Garnet's integrative whole body approach to Acting with the addition of my holistic approach to voice.
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Bathsheba lived to 100 years old and is to date the most influential, deeply insightful, and attuned mentor I have had the incomparable good fortune of studying with for 5 years. She is the first person who taught me how to hold space for myself and others, allowing myself to experience my emotions without judgment or acting upon them reactively, and in doing so, was the safe place in which I learned to have and own myself and my feelings without projection, and trust in my presence and value. I believe that it is through her patience and rigor that I got to discover what it was like to get out of my head and into my body and truly know what it means to listen, receive and be received by another. I dedicate this continuation of her work, for which we had lengthy discussions and she with great excitement and fascination entrusted me with to develop further, with the addition of my understanding and practice of voice, to her. She is a big part of my healing and becoming as an artist, and informed the bedrock of my craft as it is today. Thank you Bathsheba for your wisdom and great care.
This is a 3- 5 day Acting Intensive working with scenes from classic plays. Willing and committed beginners and seasoned open minded professionals wanting to expand and deepen their craft are welcome.
Scenes will be picked at the start of the first day of class so as to avoid rehearsing outside of class, and pre- shaping.
This is a somatic and holistic approach to acting, where you will learn to discover and uncover the thoughts of the character on the page in relationship to what the writer has chosen for them to say, and also not say.
We don't memorize lines in this class. The words are the framework that builds and determines the container for the scene. The words are an extension of a thought and the vocalized life of the character. It is our job as the actor, through presence and full body listening to bring our embodied life into the expression of character, find their voice, fully owning ours. In so doing the voice not only becomes an extension of us, but we become an extension of it, discovering circumstance, relationship, wants, needs, fears, beliefs, courage and heart.
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It is a liberating process where you as the actor get to give up control but be in full command. This is an organic process that encourages emotional availability to yourself and your scene partner. You co- create in presence with the text. The work is slow, but slow is fast.
I will add journal prompts for moving through blocks, a vocal yoga warm up, and give you tailored vocal exercises and care. Come try it out. ​​
1:1 COACHING
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Creative
Projects
Have an idea you want to launch into a project? Not sure how to develop it or where to start? Or perhaps you've already got something under way and want some guidance on your next steps.
I can help you turn composition into story, building scenes from tonal landscapes, finding character, setting, time period. Explore context, subtext, duration, rhythm, shape and design. And much more.
Using guided meditations to mine your blocks for treasure and develop a method of self inquiry and awareness to help you find what's at the center of your work. Prioritize importance, play, and purpose.
Artist
Development
​Who are you? In what terms are you definable and in what terms are you not? Full of passion, want and wonder but unsure of where to focus or apply yourself? Or perhaps you've been studying and working for a while now, want guidance on how to move forward and where your blind spots are to develop and improve on.
Transform personal myth into power. Get clear on your gifts, strengths, challenges and message so you can take aligned and empowered action. Create a career that is shaped to you and your authenticity.
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I' m here to help you find your voice in your work and what you want to create and bring forth into the world.
Acting
Tailor- made Acting 1:1s employing Simplicity and voice embodiment techniques to help you ground and connect with the heart of your character and how they expressively move through the world.
This is an integrative somatic approach to acting, where we let the discovery of character emerge ​​through the page and your instrument, allowing you the actor and your brilliant mind to get out of the way of the character's choices.
If you are working on a project or role I can also help you with role development and preparation, how to work on set, in theatre and discover what you need to perform at your best.
Singing
We will cover everything you need from vocal hygiene, habits, daily use, and routines, to the building blocks of learning a song, how to warm up: know which warm up to do when, what they're addressing, how to recognize what facet of your vocal anatomy needs to be awakened.
Feeling pitch in the body, working with intonation, intervals, consonants, vowels and resonance integration. Vocal performance, style, agility, texture, tone and genre.
Happy to work on songs that are in English, German, Italian and French. I will also recommend repertoire that will develop your technique at different stages and in different areas.
TESTIMONIALS
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Jordan L.
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"I began classes with Julianna as a way to develop my audition pieces for drama school. Her instinctive giving nature both as an actor and a person only added to what we were able to produce together. I found the work holding more truth and nuance, layered with a deeper sense of play. Having now been through 3 years of drama school, I often find myself hurrying back to exercises not from my training days, but of those with Julianna. Remembering a safe space created to explore, where mistakes don't exist and with practices I used to help me and my first role in the West End. I am forever grateful."
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Lauren C.
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"Julianna's ability to throw herself into complex and difficult situations, in order to help others explore their creativity is hugely admirable. She is a committed and vivacious practitioner, who will leave her mark on any project."
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Shaina
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"Julianna is an amazing singing teacher. I have improved drastically in almost every way. Especially when it comes to pitch. She is very encouraging and empathetic. I find her sessions to be easy to understand and challenging at the same time. I would definitely recommend her to anyone who wants to get more in touch with their body and learn how to sing better!"