Performance Testimonials
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Country Singer Flautist The Muppets Champion Race Walker Seminar Leader Harmonica Stage Voice Classical Voice |
A Frenchman singing in
Spanish Rapid Improvement Renowned Singing Teacher Stage Fright Stutterer Fear of Speaking in Public Phantom of The Opera Singing and voice problems Duets again |
Jerry Harmon Appalachian Singer Songwriter, Storyteller Mountain Gypsy and very interesting man.
"I have sang and played
music for 35 years. I had no idea I was capable of singing with such
strength, control, confidence and ease as I have been until after working
with Mike for only 5 hours."
From Mike: You can listen to his "old" voice
here. The new stronger, more clear, naturally expressive voice
was
recorded and available on his web
site.
Jerry Nelson, Muppeteer
(Puppeteer of several Muppets, including
their voices)
The Count, Lou Zealand and many others.
Video clip
Gospel Singer
I’ve been a singing professional for years but you
showed me a new way. My power, singing ease and flexibility increased
incredibly and I handle levels of voice, fear and energy that would have
crushed me just a short while ago.
– Linda Webb Kakaba, Published and Touring Singer/Songwriter
Flautist
Breath is life, but for the flautist breath is
also art. Working with Mike freed tensions that had built up through
years of playing so I was able to recover my full capacity, control
and ease of expression. I recommend him highly to anyone who wants to
maximize his or her breathing capability.
Leslie Newman, Toronto Symphony
Orchestra
Rapid
Improvement
Dear Michael: Since using the Optimal Breathing techniques I have been
delighted to discover improved vocal powers and a greater equilibrium.
Discovering and working on your breathing techniques has resulted in many
wonderful and delightful changes in the timbre and resonance in my
speaking and singing voice.
When I was a young girl I often lay on my bed and saw myself singing to massive crowds. A dream that included other aspects of my life that have been realized, but as yet my singing was yet to be birthed.
As a result of sustained abuse from a baby until adolescence many emotional and mental blocks made singing very difficult. Indeed, growing up under the tyranny that "children should be seen and not heard", was often met with violent retribution when breached.
Little wonder I developed phonophobia and previously found voice coaches who confirmed a limiting self-belief system.
After nearly fifteen years of no singing or public speaking, a time period that included a three-year stint where I lost my brother, husband, youngest son, and father and mother, I have recently returned to singing with the intention of realising that childhood dream.
There is little doubt when the student is ready, the teacher shows up; as following a quality decision to return to singing and do it differently’ this time, my research led me to your Optimal Breathing website.
Daily I have been using the Optimal Breathing techniques, and daily I am reaping the reward with improved calm, peace of mind and enhanced equilibrium.
In addition to a greater resonance and power I have discovered an ease and poise as a result of a more balanced breathing.
After a lifetime of disappointment and disheartened efforts, I have finally overcome phonophobia and my natural voice and I are working in harmony as confidants.
Michael, I have been singing the praises of Optimal Breathing to my family and friends as they have noticed (in some cases with a degree of envy) the difference in my voice.
Tonight I am singing as a finalist in a singing competition, which is remarkable, as the wonder is, I do so in the knowledge I am beginning to live my childhood dream!
Thanks for your encouragement, insights and knowledge.
Warm Regards, Catherine P White Sydney AUSTRALIA
Recommended Program http://www.breathing.com/singingandspeaking.htm
Classical Singer
My high notes have returned to stay. –
Maria H., Opera singer preparing for Carnegie Hall performance
Seminar Leader
"Thanks for helping to improve my breathing.
As a result, my seminars on selling homes to people from diverse culture
have much more power and impact."
Michael Lee.
Voice Over
Specialist and TV announcer trainer.
Mike—
I’ve worked as a successful radio, tv &
corporate voice-over performer for over 30
years, and ran into vocal difficulties in recent
years.
I came to you, open, for insights and practices,
and left without disappointment. You are a very
good teacher--you had to be to get through to
me.
You have a depth of experience, wisdom from
which to share, and a high level of intuition,
and listening; the ferocity of a true master;
and the skills to deftly place those openings
right where they’re needed.
I learned to attend to my breathing in a
certain, clearly defined range; tips on how to
breathe; physical & vocal practices for opening
up and warming up my voice; fun activities to
get me to those places (not everything is
clinical), and the recognition that the path to
express myself, through voice, is, again, as
wide and open as I wish it to be.
For the many bad habits I had gotten into, it
will take practice, intent, and patience, to
cause the new habits.
I’m thrilled, delighted, even relived, to have
been referred to you, and had the blessings of
working together, closely, in a focused,
intensive way, to help launch the next era for
my expression.
Thank you, Mike, for helping me re-gain my
voice.
Best,
Josh Cohen
From Mike:
Josh presented with symptoms very similar to
Spasdmodic Dysphonia.
He had not be diagnosed but it sounded and reacted quite like a combination
of AB and AD SD.
3 months later.
Charlie Boyle. Champion Race Walker. Age 85+
 |
From Mike. We worked for two days.
Below is the email Charlie sent after his competition the following
day from his return home from our office. |
An article published about Charlie
More from Charlie:
New news
I noticed in the MD Sr. Olympics records that the best times for
running got closer to the times for racewalking in the upper age
groups.
SO, to test a suspicion, I entered four races for runners, but
racewalked the events.
Outcome: I broke the existing state records for the 800, 1500,
5K and 10K.
My friends who are runners don’t think that’s funny.
Early in the year, I was honored (and paid) by the editors of
CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL: RUNNERS.
From 3000 entrants, they chose 100 inspirational stories about
running.
Then, they added a non-runner item: my essay about racewalking.
They were very open minded.
At the end of April I hosted the first-ever Racewalk Clinic in
Dave McGovern came as the trainer.
We held indoor classes at my house, with 32 trainees.
Joan hid for the whole weekend, praying for no damage to her
beloved furniture.
Another person has volunteered to host The 2nd Annual
Annapolis Weekend Racewalk Clinic next May.
A
thrill came this spring when an envelope arrived containing an
American Record certificate signed by Vince Peters and Roy
Funkhouser. It recognizes a 3K time that I set on March 28, 2010
in Age Group 85-89 at 23:11.86.
It’s my 2nd, such certificate; I had one for the
80-84 group, but good friend Jack Starr beat that nicely at
Languishing news:
I
hope that you can help me to resolve the (p) time of 22:26.55
that I set at Landover in 2009, also in the 85-89 age group.
It’s faster by about 44 sec.
You had focused on helping me to resolve the issue as shown in
your e-mail below.
I
worked very hard for that Landover record, and am sure that I’ll
never do better.
Therefore, I’m anxious to get it recognized before more time
goes by and it becomes a victim of puzzling administrative
processes.
I
don’t know why it’s still pending.
After all, when I set that time at Landover on Feb. 28, 2009, I
promptly and excitedly obtained and submitted all signatures on
all needed forms.
These were apparently misplaced for a while but I was told that
they were later found.
I
was really on fire after Landover, because within two weeks I
was 13 seconds faster in an unsanctioned, but rigorous and
respected 3K regional event.
It’s been held for about 20 years at the National Mall of
Connecticut. My time there was 22:13.0
Summary: My best times for the 3K event in 2009, age-group
85-89, were therefore 22:13.0 (CT) and 22:26.55 (
A year later, in 2010, my time had slowed by about 44 sec. to the recognized record of 23:11.86
I
hope that you can motivate a decision to recognize the (p)
pending time of 22;26.55
The consistency of performance at the time should help with the
resolution.
Stage Fright
It's gone. Just gone.
Jim Brown. Trumpet player
Stuttering
After forty years of stuttering I’m
now stuttering much less.
– Mary W
Fear
of Speaking in Public
It's gone. For the first time ever, it's GONE. Thank God.
Ben
Warren
Singing
I was recently singing to
Phantom of the Opera and some Barbara Streisand and then some other music. What I noticed is
that the high notes which didn’t used to be all that clear, are
amazingly strong and clear – all the time.
I can easily and powerfully reach a high “A” which before could
easily be a struggle. And it’s a clear sound, not screeching to reach
it. This is so amazing! I love it. This is the voice I have always
wanted. And in ONE session as well. Pamela Tablack
Yes I wish to subscribe to your newsletter. As a singer, good breathing is simply a necessity. A good technique frequently becomes confused by "so called" knowledgeable teachers. Your site is great. Thank you for all the info you share. It is sure to be helpful to many. Judy Davis.
What a guy.
"Hello Mike after 22 days of breathing exercises I feel stronger.
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 Guy Bisserette. To book call 646.671.9862 |
Dear Mike,
Hello! I have been looking at your web site for the past two days, I looked and read every single page, I found it so interesting, touching the particular issues I was looking for on the internet, the web site is also very well designed, I was really happy to find it. Telling you a little about myself, my name is Benjamin I am 22 years old, I go to voice training it’s been exactly a year from now since I started, I luckily found a great voice teacher that devoted himself literally (our relationship is far more than between any regular teacher and student), I started with a small little voice very nasal, today I am a tenor (Lyrico- spinto) with a range of a little less than 3 octaves, we’ve progressed tremendously in such a short time, I can already sing most of Pavarotti’s repertoire, and Jewish Cantorial. All the credit goes to my teacher, but we are both determined to continue on improving, developing the vocal potential. My teacher never put any special emphasis about the proper way of breathing as other voice methods would, "we were born with the natural best way of breathing" he says, he himself was a terrific world reknown Opera singer, "I always had enough breath", his career was cut short due to a pneumonia, ("enough breath" - "pneumonia" oops, contradiction here m.g.w.) he couldn’t perform anymore, feeling that he wasn’t able to sustain an opera anymore (before that he used to be a real lion on stage), since then he stopped and much later he began giving voice lessons.
That is actually the purpose of me writing to you, in the beginning of my voice, training, singing Arias felt physically very hard, after half an hour singing I felt how the diaphragm was getting tired, especially at the higher registers, although being within my vocal range ability, I was unable to continue singing, my teacher kept saying that it’s normal for someone that just begins singing, and taught me how to approach it lighter. We did special scale exercises for that, to built the flexibility and make the diaphragm stronger, now it is really different, I can sing for much longer, but I still feel that same feeling, in a smaller way of course, I also run out of breath sometimes especially singing in the high register, that’s why I would like to have your opinion on that, if your method for breathing improvement may be able to help me, I would surely buy it, my teacher agrees that improving the "natural" breathing can only be helpful for a singer. (I read your reply to the opera singer in the "FAQ" section, but I felt the need to tell you about myself, in order for you to help me better).
Reading about how your method can cure or reduce stuttering, arose my interest as well, I do not have a severe stutter, but I hesitate when I speak, sometimes for a long time, it is usually ok, but I wish to work on that too. I thank you very much for taking your time reading this long letter Mike, I wish you a lot of success in your projects, by helping people breathing correctly and optimally, I look forward hearing from you.
Your truly. B
PS: Feel free to put my letter in your web site for other people, that need the same kind of help, I would just ask you to take out the personal things, thanks.
From Mike. Well done Ben:
You have uncovered the key to a lasting, free and easy singing voice. Optimal breathing. Tony Bennet and Robert Merrill would agree.
I am pretty sure that if your teacher had seen me he would not have had to quit the business. I would love to work with you BOTH. Your teacher is WRONG about everyone breathing normally. Many develop breathing blocks due to trauma, emotional suppression, forcing the breath or gasping during physical exertions. Technique alone will not sustain the singing voice and will often sound technically perfect but slightly with an unreal or stilted "restriction".
It would be an honor to work with you but you must come to our office
for a few days. A 55 year old classical voice teacher/breathing student of
mine in California was training to perform fast Mozart at Carnegie Hall.
She was losing
her highs and was very troubled abut that. We got them back plus
lengthened her low note sustains by about double. It took three
sessions.
mike
DUETS AGAIN
Dear Mike,
Just wanted to express my deep appreciation for your great help in improving both my health and singing ability. As a young woman I had had a professional career in both opera and concert. Although I had had excellent teachers and coaches in New York, Vienna, Austria and Milan, Italy, I had never been completely happy with my breath support. After marriage and having two sons, I settled back into singing in church and more local jobs. Then, about three years ago I discovered your web site and ordered your Better Breathing Exercises 1 & 2, as well as the manual. Well, they are truly marvelous! They've made me more aware of my posture, for every time I think of breathing deeply, it reminds me to stand more erectly. I had given up public singing except at family parties, or other such joyous occasions, but, as I began to practice in the shower with my new breath support, the voice was much steadier, and with a lovely tone. So-o-o, the next time I was asked to sing in church, I did, and they really liked it. Since then, I've been singing solos and duets quite frequently, and it gives me enormous pleasure. Why is this so amazing? Well, though only my family and close friends know (because I look about 60),1 confess that I'm 75 years old. Just married my childhood sweetheart 20 months ago. (We hadn't seen or even heard from each other in over 50 years), but he is the love of my life.
Your tapes have also helped improve my health. Although I've always been into holistic health, eating nutritiously, exercising, and the power of prayer, positive thinking and gratitude, your help with better posture and deeper breathing has been the added fillip that I needed. I especially love your "Better Breathing Exercise 1". It's so relaxing...marvelous before meditation, or before any possibly stressful situation. In fact I sometimes work with it when I wake up in the middle of the night, and have difficulty returning to sleep. I just turn it down low so that I can just hear your voice, and pay no attention when you tell me to keep my eyes open (if! tend to fall asleep.) Usually I am off to dreamland before the Tibetan singing bowls begin their chimes.
Then, when I know there's an especially busy day ahead, I love your "Breathing Exercise #2" to get the energy flowing. One of these days I hope to be able to take one of your classes.
Joy T. Jacobs,TN
Dear Joy.
It's never too late is it? mike
Recommendation for amateurs
Recommendation for professionals
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