with Mark Moliterno
The YogaVoice™ Experience is the exploration of creativity and authentic expression through chant and song. Classical yoga principles and practices are synthesized with vocal techniques to enable people to connect to (and in some cases discover) their true voices. This weekend seminar will focus on understanding creative self-expression from a "whole body" viewpoint with an emphasis on the role of the chakras. Group chanting and singing will highlight the weekend. A great seminar for those wanting to find their 'voice' in terms of authentic expression, for those who have difficulty with public speaking, for the trained and non-trained singer alike, as well as for yoga practitioners interested in chanting.
This workshop can be related to any creative endeavor:
- For students of philosophy: see how the philosophy can directly effect your creative process and expression.
- For students of anatomy: see how sounds are manifested in the body and projected.
- For students of energy: see how the chakras can be tuned through sound and how postures can be experience through sound.
- For students of the arts: learn how to manage anxiety for performing, how to enhance your creative expression and connection.
- For those who are just curious! Sit among chanters, in a class rich with creative energy and simply absorb.
Fridays session will cover:
The Meaning and Practice of Om
This 2-hr seminar will explore the history, meaning, purpose, and various chanting practices of the primal monosyllable, Om. Mark will discuss Om in its many facets and then lead a chanting practice.
Saturdays session will include:
• Sound and Vibration: Singing as a Yoga Practice • Identifying and working through blocks to creativity • Chakras and energy in singing • Understanding the vocal apparatus and training exercises • Yoga postures for balancing the physical instrument • Kirtan
Sundays session will include:
• The role of the breath as the Mind/Body connector • Yoga postures for authentic breathing • Overcoming performance anxiety • Listening • Chanting
To register or for additional information, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 603-969-8968
Mark Moliterno, holds the BM and MM degrees in Voice and Opera from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music where his mentor was the famous vocal pedagogue, Richard Miller. He subsequently continued his formal musical studies at Rutgers University, the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, the Britten-Pears School for Advanced Musical Study in Aldeburgh, England, and the Hochschüle für Musik, Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria. He has enjoyed, and continues to maintain, an extensive performing career in opera, concert, and solo recital while being committed to his true passion and life's work as an educator.
Mark was first introduced to Hatha yoga in 1985 and has studied both viniyoga and Classical Hatha yoga. Mark is a certified yoga instructor at the 250 hr level through the YogaLife Institute of Pennsylvania and is currently working toward his 500 hr certification. His yoga mentor is Robert Butera, PhD.
As an Adjunct Associate Professor of Voice at Westminster Choir College of Rider University, Mark teaches private voice and yoga for a wide range of students and educational programs. He is also a member of the teaching staff at the YogaLife Institute in Devon, PA. As a natural outgrowth of his background, interests, and expertise, Mark has developed YogaVoiceTM, the application of classical yoga principles and practices for the lives and work of performing artists. Additionally, Mark adapts the same information for house-holder yoga practitioners in an effort to help them understand and connect to their individual creativity and self expression in everyday life. YogaVoice seminars and training sessions are conducted in day-long, weekend, and week-long intensives.
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YogaVoice fanpage on facebook
In a recent conversation with Mark, Julie Rost asked "Why do you love sharing YogaVoice?" Mark replied, "YogaVoice began as an outgrowth of my own interest in Yoga in the context of my life as a professional singer and voice teacher. I began to see the connections between singing and Yoga and initially developed YogaVoice as a way to bring Yoga philosophy and practices to the singing world. I recognized that Yoga's approach to work and living can be very helpful in uncovering authenticity in our work as singers by identifying and removing blocks to the authentic voice; it's really apparent when personal and artistic authenticity is present in some one's performing. The work with singers has been transforming for many who undertake it and I believe it can someday make a serious, positive contribution to the singing industry at large.
Recently, I have found another application of YogaVoice for Yoga practitioners who are not trained singers, but who would either like to sing better, or who are interested in "finding their voice" in their communication and self-expression. I find that there are a lot of people who sang when they were young but who have long since stopped singing, or others who have noticed changes in their voices with age and want to try to regain some vocal flexibility. Yoga teachers, too, who would like to incorporate chanting and sound in their practice/classes find YogaVoice informative and helpful. In this context, we use chanting, simple songs, and group singing to learn about the voice and develop self-expression. We use Yoga's philosophy of the chakras to help us discover our energy blocks and to work toward balance and unity.
The main goal of YogaVoice is to help people grow and learn things about themselves through the medium of sound and voice. As they become more self-aware, they become better able to find their true voices in their lives and work."
Testimonials from previous YogaVoice seminars:
I really enjoyed the YogaVoice workshop. I always enjoy learning about the Chakra's and I think its amazing to find just how relevant they are to the many facets of our lives. This was the most enjoyable part of the workshop for me. I also enjoyed that Mark allowed time for reflection after each discussion. Mark's relaxed approach allowed me the freedom to be comfortable enough to sing from that place deep down inside myself that hasn't seen the light of day in decades. - Becky Dearborn
The YogaVoice seminar was amazing. I had so much fun and learned so much, not only about yoga and the voice, but about myself. Everyone that was a part of the seminar feels the same way. Thank you so much for taking time to put together such a great program. I can't wait for my next yoga class! - K. Hagan, Freshman at WCC
Whether you sing, dance, teach, perform music or act, Yoga Voice offers you practical tools to identify and manage your fears, so that your true voice or creative spirit can flourish. Using ancient yoga philosophy combined with modern scientific understanding of the body, the sounds which we may often take for granted, find new inspiration and clarity. The workshop was interesting and informative as well as dynamic and simple. The integration of yoga and art was seamless as each aspect lifted and drew from the other, simultaneously. Mark Moliterno's depth of understanding in both yoga and music provided a sincere foundation from which to aid the growth of our practice for all of us. - Brian Serven
Thank you so much for a wonderful workshop on Saturday. My head is still spinning with information, ideas, and excitement about YogaVoice! I read your Journal of Singing article, (excellent!), and every singer in my studio has experienced the freedom and ease from these practices. They are all craving the body awareness and opening . . . they all gained something from opening up. What fun! - Ellie Escher, singer/voice teacher
The YogaVoice workshop was different from anything I've ever attended. The blending of music, sound, vibrational energy movement and yoga was a very integrative experience. Marc was a great guide in our journey of exploration. I really appreciate the scholarship and opportunity to attend. I hope to come to other YogaLife workshops in the future. - Kristine Malpica
The YogaVoice retreat was amazing. I gained so much from it and Mark is such a gifted teacher!! I am so thankful that I went, I could have had days more of it!! Thank you! - M. Wehr, YogaLife Teacher-Trainee
I most appreciated the opportunity to connect my singing with my yoga practice. For me, this manifested with more of a sense of tuning in to my energy. The weekend as a whole facilitated a shift, or perhaps a deepening, in my understanding of both my voice and my postures as tools for assessing whether I'm "in tune" or "in the flow" and using the information my body and/or my voice provides me to open and deepen and align more fully with energetic flow. In sum, I came away from the weekend with a sense of myself as a master tuner and both yogic and voice techniques as tuning tools. - Stacy Smith