Director of Education
Dane Chalfin
Dane Chalfin is a leading vocal coach and clinic voice/singing consultant working with both singing and spoken voice. His clients include signed recording artists, west end and touring actors, tv, film and radio actors, comedians, soapstars, universities, TV and radio presenters, worship ministries, recording studios, management and production companies, business people, government including the Home Office, hospitals, and voice-users requiring therapy and rehabilitation.
Dane has an in-depth knowledge of contemporary vocal pedagogies, voice research and anatomy and physiology. He has a particular interest in vocal rehabilitation, safeguarding high-intensity voice-use and is often recruited to help teachers and coaches expand their skill-sets.
He has been recruited for projects by media outlets including BBC1, ITV, Channel 4, BBC America, NBC, BBC GMR, Channel 4 Radio, BBC Liverpool and Cross Rhythms Christian Radio. He has also written on vocal health for magazines including Zest, City Life and Men’s Health.
The studio has been on-call for major artists touring and recording in Northern England on labels including Polydor, Columbia, Sony/BMG, Daddy, Universal, Deltasonic and Universal Classics and Jazz.
Dane has been asked to write singing and/or speaking voice programs, provide consultations, and help train teachers for Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (founded by Sir Paul McCartney), University of Salford, Leeds College of Music where he is currently Senior Lecturer in Contemporary Vocal Technique, and most recently the first ever pop voice course at the Royal Northern College of Music.
Dane has coached cast members from major productions of Miss Saigon, The Producers!, Saturday Night Fever, CATS, and Mamma Mia!. He also work with actors on television including Coronation Street, Hollyoaks, Emmerdale and Shameless.
Dane is a director of The British Voice Association and actively supports charities including Children in Need, Action Aid and The Royal School for the Deaf and Communication Disorders.
Dane's private practice is in Manchester. He is available on-call and on-location anywhere in the UK and Internationally. Consultations are also available via telephone or internet video conferencing. Dane can be contacted directly for individual sessions on 07929 043 640. Dane is represented for Film, TV, Theatre and Large Project work by Sarah Upson at Upson Edwards Agency, London 020-8888-2525.
USEFUL LINKS
Website: www.danechalfin.com
My Space page: www.myspace.com/danechalfin
Upson Edwards Agency: www.voicecoach.tv
Guest Presenter and Associates Biographies
Sue Jones
Sue Jones is Head of Speech, Voice and Swallowing Services at Wythenshawe Hospital. She is an expert voice therapist and has practiced multi-disciplinary voice rehabilitation with Phil Jones, Consultant ENT Surgeon, for over 20 years. Sue presents on voice disorder, anatomy and physiology, and vocal hygiene on our 2-day and teacher training courses.
Kim Chandler 
Kim is one of the UK’s leading pop vocal coaches with many years of experience at the cutting edge of industry-relevant coaching, including a growing celebrity clientele. She has been a featured vocal coach on TV (including BBC’s “Just the Two of Us”, “Trading Places”, ITV’s “Rock Around the Block” & MTV Europe), on radio, in magazines, on websites and regularly presents at international vocal conferences. Kim’s popular-selling, innovative “Funky ‘n Fun” CD training series sets new standards in contemporary vocal exercises.
As a performer of note, Kim maintains a busy live and studio session career with two decades of high-end industry experience both in the UK and abroad. Aside from her voice being heard on hundreds of jingles worldwide (including Capital Radio, Currys, McDonalds), she has also worked with a diverse array of international artists such as Michael Jackson, Natalie Cole, Michael McDonald, Bjork, Michael Bolton, Westlife, Rick Astley, Puff Daddy, Jocelyn Brown, Neil Diamond, Barry Manilow, Thelma Houston and British rockers Uriah Heep.
In addition to her active and varied performing life, Kim is a very experienced and highly qualified teacher. She has a Masters Degree in Performance (with Distinction) from the London College of Music and has been a senior tutor and Academic Head at London's leading pop vocal college VOCALTECH (www.vocal-tech.co.uk) having taught on their diploma and pioneering degree program in Popular Music Performance.
Kim's private practice is in London. She is available on-call and on-location in the UK and Internationally. Kim can be contacted on 07931 342395.
USEFUL LINKS
Website: www.kimchandler.net
My Space page: www.myspace.com/kimchandlersinger
"Funky 'n Fun" vocal exercise CDs: www.funkynfun.com
On-line recording service: www.virtualvocals.com
Ian Stewart, Tim Thomas and Fred Kindt - Blueprint Recording Studios
Ian, Tim and Fred and producers, engineers and the geniuses behind Blueprint Recording Studios, Manchester's premier recording and rehearsal venue.
The Blueprint team have worked on projects with the cream of the pop crop including Justin Timberlake, 50 Cent, Smokey Robinson, Duran Duran, Elbow, Newton Faulkner, Russell Watson, New Order, 808 State and numerous up and coming Manchester and UK acts including Karima Francis, The Courteeners, The Paris Riots, The Earlies, Niosettes, Suzuki Method, Daggers and so on...
Blueprint can assist you with all your recording and rehearsing needs in Manchester.
Please have a look at their state-of-the-art website for more info!
USEFUL LINKS
Website: www.blueprint-studios.co.uk
Email: tim@blueprint-studios.co.uk
Phone: 08700 11 27 60
Voice Clinics
The 21st Century Singer reccomends the following voice clinics:
Manchester
Department of Speech and Language Therapy
Wythenshawe Hospital
Southmoor Road, Wythenshawe
Manchester, M23 9LT
Laryngologist: Phil Jones
SLT: Sue Jones
London
Voice Department
Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital
330 Gray's Inn Road
London WC1X 8DA
Laryngologist: John Rubin
SLT: Ruth Epstein
Should you require voice-related medical intervention we can advise you on the best way to obtain referrals to clinic. We will also work in tandem with the voice clinic of your choice to help facilitate your recovery and rehabilitation.
Mark Hudson
Mark Hudson is a graduate of the Central School of Speech and Drama, where he gained a Masters Degree in Actor Training and Coaching. He also holds an Advanced Diploma in Vocal Studies.
As a coach Mark has worked extensively in both the UK and in the US having taught screen acting at RADA, Central, LAMDA and at Juilliard in New York. In 2001 he opened the Manchester School of Acting which has gone on to become one of the most successful independent schools specialising in all levels of screen acting for professional actors.
As an acting and voice/dialect coach his many TV credits include: Prime Suspect, The Street, Vincent, Fairy Tales, Early Doors, True Dare Kiss, Einstein and Eddington, Lillies, Shameless, Coronation Street, Hollyoaks and Life on Mars.
USEFUL LINKS
Website: www.manchesterschoolofacting.co.uk
Email: actorclass@aol.com
Elizabeth Chalfin
Elizabeth Chalfin is a Senior Neurological Physiotherapist at Manchester Royal Infirmary where she rehabilitates strokes, Parkinsons, MS, nead/neck injuries and various other neuro-specific conditions.
Elizabeth has a private practice which specialises in physiotherapy for performers, particularly professional voice-users. Singers find that her head, neck and torso treatments revitalise their bodies and voices especially during long recording sessions and tours.
She is an anatomy and physiology expert and has been published in The Journal of Physiotherapy.
Elizabeth's private practice is in Manchester. She is available on-call and on-location anywhere in the UK. Elizabeth can be contacted on 07929 043 640 or at beth@danechalfin.com.