Sam Israël

Expressive Voice Lessons
Amsterdam

At the age of 10 I started piano lessons. However, it wasn't quite what I wanted, so I stopped piano completely during my student days, when I was studying law at the University of Amsterdam. But the lessons left me with the skill to be able to sing and play by sight easily, with no preparation, which still gives me great pleasure.
I sang in choirs, without getting thrown-off by those around me singing different notes from the score. That was quite exciting, trying to keep to your own part, while listening to others sing theirs at the same time. But all things considered, my voice didn't feel truly free, so I started exploring — far away from the world of classical music.
I discovered Stemwerk, by Jean René Toussaint in Rotterdam, and the workshops by the Roy Hart Theatre in France. And so my voice gradually began to loosen up and become freer.

During voice expression sessions, I approach the voice from various angles. My personal experience of yoga and movement expression, musicality and visual creativity (I also took evening classes in Art at the Rietveld Academy) gives rise to all sorts of perspectives, which are sometimes unexpected and surprising. Standing still, walking, moving as 'crazily' as you like, putting the brakes on, sprinting or falling to the ground — these all have an effect on breathing and voice.

I work intuitively, and offer you whatever is most likely to succeed, feels 'right' and is most helpful at any given moment. Exercises to bring your energy to your feet, to mobilise your pelvis and to feel your strength also gives you the freedom to let your voice resonate and come to the surface, whatever may happen. Whether a memory from your past or a fantasy in the present, you allow yourself the space to experience and explore it all.

As a coach, I see it as my job to give specific suggestions and exercises that invite you to experience a voice-in-motion: so that you naturally take the space, or rather find the space, to express what you want with your voice, whether through singing, shouting, laughing, crying, calling, talking, questioning or, last but not least, quietly breathing. In other words, surprise yourself!

My studio is located nearby Metro Nieuwmarkt and Amsterdam Central Station.

Session Price Indication

€45–.

Sessions usually last 45 minutes to 1 hour.
If reimbursed by employer: €65 incl. 21% VAT.

For Whom?

My voice coaching is useful, beneficial for you, if you wish to …
  • Expand space, sound, freedom, deepness, to your voice
  • Connect your voice to your body
  • Speak or sing in a lower or higher register
  • Find your own voice, as a kind of adventure
  • Free yourself from embarrassment or anxiety towards speech and/or singing
  • Broaden creativity to your voice
  • Discover your inner-world via your voice.

Sam Israël

For my own voice development I'm very grateful to the following teachers:

Voice Expression:

Yara Brusse
Jean- René Toussaint
Jonathan Hart Makwaia (USA)
Various teachers at Roy Hart Theatre (FR)

Singing Lessons:

Jan Willem Westerhuis
Ronald Klekamp

Yoga:

Martijn Hoogstra
Gert van Leeuwen

2018 Mindfulness basic training
2019 Mindfulness follow-up training
2021-22 Basic year Centrum voor Zijnsorientatie
2022-23 Jaartraining stemexpressie bij Marius Engelbrecht

Contact

Phone: +31 (0)6 1479 2357
Email: voice@samisrael.nl