Clarissa Ocampo's holistic voice training

MANILA, Philippines - Many voice teachers think technique is everything. As long as you don’t have flat notes, as long as you follow the rules, you’re okay. Only a few voice teachers tell their students the voice is as much a part of a person’s psyche, his mind and even his spirituality. That to study voice properly is to be more aware of how the body works, and how the mind and the body work together.

This is what Clarissa Ocampo, who holds a Masters Degree in Voice Performance, from Juilliard School of Music in New York, will impart to her students at The Music School of Ryan Cayabyab where she starts holding voice classes starting May 29. As certified personal trainer and Thai yoga practitioner, Ocampo has developed a holistic approach to singing.

“I’ve incorporated mind-body awareness, including a full understanding of the vocal mechanism,” she says. My workshops will focus more on the mind-body connection. It’s no longer a voice lesson. It will be an overall experience of learning how to use the voice effectively for optimum performance.”

Ocampo herself approached Emmy Cayabyab, wife of Ryan, and offered to share her knowledge at the family-run music school’s 23rd summer classes at the lower level of Robinsons Galleria.

“It would be new and exciting to offer my method of teaching to students outside the university,” Ocampo explains.

The challenge, she adds, is handling student with diverse musical backgrounds, singers and non-singers.

For starters, Ocampo will teach RCMS students an all-important but oft-neglected lesson: How to breathe.

“It won’t be just your every day, ordinary voice lesson, where participants will be taught purely vocal technique, but will hopefully get a full understanding of the vocal mechanism as an instrument,” Ocampo relates.

This, she has taught voice students from all walks of life since she was hired as junior faculty at her alma mater, University of Sto. Tomas Conservatory of Music.

Ocampo not only teaches. She practices what she preaches. After graduating from Juilliard, she performed with a touring Broadway company, here she was voice captain. She even taught some of her peers.

Returning to New York after the tour, Ocampo opened her private studio and accepted students, mostly from the industry.

Now based in Boston, Ocampo has a five-year-old non-profit arts organization that promotes classical music to underserved communities, including an internship program with a community high school that mentors senior students.

She also has a private studio with students who take lessons from her in-between travels to Asia for concerts and performances.

Ocampo’s other voice workshops at the Music School of Ryan Cayabyab are set on June 5, 12, 19 and 26 and July 3, 10, 17 and 24 with a culminating event on July 25.

For details, call 637-9840, 914-5055 or 0917-9096484.