Meet Our Instructors

Elissa attended the University of Alberta to earn her MFA in Theatre Voice Pedagogy, where she encountered David Ley and his idea to use vibrators for the voice. In 2013 she began working with David to build Vibrant Voice Technique, serving as the Managing Director of the company for three years. Elissa is also a certified instructor of Fitzmaurice Voicework® and Hatha yoga, and in 2014 she was the recipient of the Clyde Vinson Memorial Award from the Voice and Speech Trainers Association (VASTA). She is based in New York City, where she teaches at Anthony Meindl’s Actors Workshop, coaches individuals, and works regularly with theatre, film, media, and corporations. Elissa is also a director, a performer, an avid yogi, and a meditator.

While overseas, lessons in Alexander Technique impacted her approach to singing so profoundly that it became a foundation for her teaching. She now has a thriving studio in downtown Toronto, teaching students of all ages and styles. In addition, Norma teaches privately at St. Michael’s Choir School, The Kingsway Conservatory of Music in Etobicoke and is a member of the College of Examiners of the RCM. Becoming an Official Vibrant Voice instructor now enables her to offer this technique to her students, as required, in their lessons. Group or individual instruction is now also available in VVT for other singers, actors, teachers, or anyone who may find their voice fatigues easily and wants to learn to use it more efficiently.

Whether to improve resonance or sharpen articulation for presentations, Vibrant Voice provides great exercises to warm up the body and spark muscle engagement. Alexis’ technique focuses on breath work, muscle tension, confidence and performance. Alexis also uses Body Mapping, which considers how the brain understands the structure, function and placement in space of the body. This is most useful for reoccurring injuries, pain or discomfort associated with speaking and vocalizing. Alexis has a background in singing, acting, as well as training as a fitness instructor.

Dr. Friedlander has presented vocal fitness workshops for The Voice Foundation and the Performing Arts Medicine Association, and has been an invited panel discussant for OPERA America and NATS. Her students perform on Broadway and at leading opera houses. She contributes a monthly column to Classical Singer Magazine and authors a widely read and cited blog, The Liberated Voice. She serves on the faculty of the Weill Music Institute at Carnegie Hall, where her most recent project was the development, in collaboration with Joyce DiDonato, of The Singer’s Audition Handbook, a career development guide for young singers.

She has used these techniques to create work she has developed called Laughing Voice®. She has coached over 20 productions for the the Tony Award® winning Alley Theatre. She has also coached for: Tony Award® winning Cleveland Play House, Dallas Theater Center, Yale Repertory Theatre, Hartford Stage Company, Primary Stages (NYC), Bay Street Theatre (NY), Underwood Theatre (NYC), The Play Company (NYC), The Edge Theatre Company (NYC), New York Classical Theatre, St. Ann’s Warehouse, Dance Theatre Workshop (NYC), Hampton’s Shakespeare Festival.

As a trainer of yoga teachers for the past 15 years he has developed programs that help people coordinate awareness of breath, movement, and voice in order to communicate with more freedom, ease, and clarity, while avoiding strain and vocal burnout. Eric especially enjoys working with teachers, and has lots of experience working with yoga instructors in particular. And with his background in breathing physiology and anatomy, he has a lot to offer to speakers and singers who are looking to address their difficulties from those points of reference.