Episode 49 – Vocal Training, Rib Mobility and Breath Coordination with Barbara Tanze

In this episode of the Performance Through Health podcast I got to chat with Barbara Tanze.  

Born in Munich, Germany, and raised between Germany, Switzerland, and the USA, Barbara Tanze graduated from the Conservatoire de Lausanne with an M.A. degree in vocal pedagogy and classical vocal performance.  She has sung opera productions and concerts around Europe, including the role of Violetta Valery (La Traviata) at the Slovenian National Opera in Ljubljana, and also performed around the world with her group »The Petticoat Girls«, seeking to promote classical music through humorous and entertaining storylines. Being a very versatile vocalist, she also participated in the electronic music project »The Atlas of the Lost Islands« by the Italian composer/artist Paolo Pascutto and is the lead singer of the symphonic metal band AqvileA.  

Barbara was one of the first certified advanced practitioners of the method MDH Breathing Coordination in the world. She has since pursued further training in breathing-related approaches like The Art of Breath and Skill of Stress that focus on physiology and the nervous state as well as manual techniques such as laryngeal massage (according to the principles of Walt Fritz). Barbara has taught breathing workshops all over the globe, including for the Ultimate Artists program in London, the Pacific Opera Company in Sydney, Adelaide State Opera, the Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm, and presented her research work in Los Angeles and MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center, California. Online, she has done several podcasts on breathing and the voice (The Mindstrong Project, Beth Roars…) as well as teaching regular webinars and workshops on efficient breathing. She was among the mentors at the 2020 World Voice Teachers Conference (online version) and is an external consultant for the Modern Vocal Training Institute. Recently, she has been featured on the updated version of Art of Breath in collaboration with Robert Wilson and Brian MacKenzie as well as being one of the experts on the JoyfullBreath online summit.  

In addition to her work with singers and singing teachers, Barbara is training amateurs and professional athletes to optimize their breathing mechanism for any kind of athletic activity and collaborated with the medical community to raise awareness about optimal and nasal breathing. Her clients include Andreja Sterle Podobnik, winner of the Everest Trail Race in 2016, Slovenian cycling champion Matej Mugerli, Olympian Urška Poje (biathlon) as well as many others.  

You can find Barbara on her website www.voiceup.si, or by visiting her Instagram bt_breathingcoach.  

You can find more information about the podcast at www.performancethroughhealth.com or visit me @performancethroughhealth on Instagram and Facebook.  

Thanks for listening to this episode and if you enjoyed it, please leave us a rating and a review.

Kind regards, Martin