Vocal Yoga - In Union With The Voice

Vocal Technique for Singing,

Acting and Public Speaking

Vocal Yoga

Fitzmaurice Voicework

and Jazz

"It is all about breath! No breath, no voice."

About Heather Lyle

Heather Lyle is considered one of the leading voice teachers in Los Angeles. She is a dedicated educator who received her Bachelor and Master's Degrees in voice, from California State University, Northridge. She specialized in singing, diction and speech science graduating summa cum laude. A winner of the prestigious California University Sally Casanova Doctoral Scholarship, Lyle completed advanced doctoral voice research and a doctoral internship at the renowned Indiana University School of Music under the tutelage of Paul Kiesgen. Heather Lyle is also a Certified Associate Teacher of Fitzmaurice Voicework, and is one of the teachers of the 2009- 2010 Fitzmaurice Teacher Certification Program. Fitzmaurice Voicework is the leading voice work for actors today, taught at Harvard, Juilliard and professional acting conservatories. Fitzmaurice Voice Work is also rapidly being discovered and embraced by singers and is a fabulous addition to traditional singing techniques. Fitzmaurice Voice Work uses a series of modified yoga postures called destructuring, that are designed to unblock the breath and voice from parts of the body where it has been braced or blocked due to the emotional and physical stresses of life. When the body is free to breathe and released from encumbrances, the actor or singer will discover a new depth and expansion to his or her voice. The combination of Heather Lyle's training in voice work for actors and extensive training in singing has given Lyle a unique approach to teaching that students find fresh and innovative. Lyle has taught singing and vocal technique for Santa Monica College, LA Mission College, the Los Angeles High School for the Arts, Studio 5 in New York, Chelsea Studios in NYC, Seydways Acting Studio in Hollywood, numerous other acting schools, and the private sector. In 2008 Heather Lyle taught part of the teacher certification program for Fitzmaurice Voicework in NYC and will do so again in 2010.

Lyle is also a certified Theta practioner and the founder of Vocal Yoga, a workshop utilizing techniques from Yoga, Fitzmaurice Voicework, Alexander Technique, Roy Hart. the Bel Canto School of Singing, Qi Gong, chanting, primal voice work, circle singing and jazz improvisation to free the voice. Vocal Yoga comprises a variety of workshop from workshops on breathing to workshops for actors and singers. Lyle has also created a workshop called "Singing for Actors Who Don't Really Sing" to demystify and take the fear out of singing.

Lyle has taught numerous singers and actors in the Los Angeles area, many who have gone on to starring roles on television, film and in theater. Lyle strongly believes in preserving the privacy of clients lives and will not use celebrity clients names to further her own business. Lyle also delights in helping the beginner in finding their voice and forming a career direction.

Heather Lyle has received acclaim as a composer, musical director and voice and speech coach. She has worked for the San Fernando Repertory Theater and the Theatre Tribe Theater Company as a musical director. Dramalogue singled out her musical direction for special praise in the critically acclaimed production of Anne of a Thousand Days at CBS Studios in Los Angeles. Lyle has also served as a singing and voice coach for record and TV productions, and has contributed music to television shows including NBC's Emmy Award winning documentary, "The Mystery of the Sphinx". One of Lyle's favorite jobs is helping the singer or actor attain their best sound in the studio during the recording process. Many Los Angeles producers have delighted in the time they have saved by hiring Lyle as an in-studio vocal coach.

Heather Lyle is also a successful professional singer for film, T.V. and stage. She has sung every style of music from opera and musical theater to jazz and pop. She has even sung traditional Middle Eastern music for movie sound-tracks. Lyle has performed in over fifty productions and recorded four original CDs. Her love of adventure has sent her to Brazil performing concerts traveling down the Amazon River and to Egypt to record inside the Great Pyramid for a movie soundtrack. She has performed on every type of stage from the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, the smoky caves of Paris to the Playboy Mansion. Lyle presently sings with her band "The Bluecat Express." Their latest CD release "The Spirit of New Orleans," on Rhombus Records, is playing on jazz stations across the U.S. and is available at Barnes and Noble, Amazon and Tower Records. In 2006, The Bluecat Express appeared at The Jacksonville Jazz Festival with Kenny G., Herbie Hancock, Dee Bridgewater and Ramsey Lewis. Spring 2007, they performed as part of the Playboy Jazz Festival in Los Angeles. An international singing career has made Lyle a fascinating, eclectic teacher who can sing in seven languages. Lyle's vast musical experience has made her an amazingly versatile teacher and enabled her to teach a variety of musical styles. Lyle's ongoing professional career also aids her in giving invaluable professional advice to students embarking into the world of professional singing.