My guest this week is Singing & Music Theory Specialist and Music Consultant Joanna Wilson. Joanna started her musical career playing violin as a child and was fortunate to tour with Manchester Youth Orchestra before moving to London to start her professional training at 18. As you’ll discover, Joanna had to move on from the Violin and it is here she moved into her singing training, from which she went on to work as a professional Opera Singer, living the 8-shows-as-week lifestyle, before branching into teaching others from 2009. It has not always been easy to manage but I find it helpful to hear about the struggles as well as the successes and note the value in all we experience. Even the toughest of times, that might have felt heart-breaking at the time, can steer us onto our true path and become a valuable part of our story. Approx times 00:00 - 1.25. Introduction to Joanna and her background 1:25 - How would you describe the journey with your voice? 2:25 - Music gave me opportunities and this early start fuelled the passion 2:50 - Moving to London at 18! Feeling like a small fish in a very big sea! 3.50 - Amazing teacher Elizabeth (Libby) Hawes and how singing allowed me to stay a musician 6:25 - Winning the leavers prize the Singing Faculty Award. 8:00 - Life took over for a bit then professional work followed 8:35 - Living my best life - costumes, make up, wigs! 9:00 - The stress of trying to generate the next job 10:20 - Becoming a Creative Arts teacher with young children 10:45 - Teaching became my day job “Miss Joanna’s Music Box” 11:45 - Working with a rapper! 12:45 - Underpinning with solid technique, starts with the breath 14:00 - Singing is everything to me! My Voice is my job! 14:25 - Special memories from touring in Italy 17:14 - Realising I want to stand up there in front of the Orchestra 18:15 -Visit Gallery on Joanna's website to see some lovely costumes! 18:26 - Is there anything you know now you wish you had known sooner? 18:35 - Personal growth and how it has helped 20:45 - The inner critic verses the inner coach 21:55 - Deepak Chopra 21 day challenge 22:15 - Holistic approach to improving lifestyle and noticing old programming that holds us back 23:00 - Ambitious as a child and early manifestations! 25:00 - Music elevated me out, I was able to mix in a whole new way 26:45 - Musical instruments in schools these days? 27:15 - Expression and Music with young children 29:00 - Instilling a love of music and how it brings a rounded education 30:55 - Your body is your instrument 32:00 - When you do what you love it doesn’t feel like work! 32:55 - What voices inspire you? Ella Fitzgerald, Barbra Streisand, Billie Holliday, Sarah Vaughan, Glenn Mller Orchestra Elvis Presley, Bill haley and the comets 34:00 - When I saw Ella Fitzgerald headlining at the Royal Albert Hall! Barbra Streisand Donna Summer - No More Tears 36:00 - The journey into Opera 37:55 - The best voice ever - this is the one - my true love - Jessye Norman 41:30 - What does your voice mean to you? 42:20 - People pleasing and how life can send us turns in the road we weren’t expecting 43:55 - I’m so much better at saying No! 44:30 - We just want to give give give but we have to remember to keep ourselves healthy first 46:00 - Choice of song is so important, building rep based on what you relate to 49:25 - All about Joanna’s services 52:00 - Adapting and creating through adversity Stay informed as we add new episodes by joining our email list at www.colchestervoiceacademy.com/podcast Join our Facebook group to see posts related to Vocal Freedom!