Every vocal ‘problem’ has a skeletal solution

07/08/2025

Highlights

1. Announcements:
• Voice workshops in October

2. Thought of the Week
• A note from Robert Sussuma

3. Book of the Week
• Josh Waitzkin: The Art ot Learning

4. Quote of the Week

Announcements

Voice workshops in October

If you’re in Europe, Robert Sussuma is teaching 2 live, 4-day in-person workshops this October.
👉 Learn more and register here: https://feldenkrais-education.com/en/workshop-with-robert-sussuma/

Robert is not just a voice teacher. He’s one of the most innovative Feldenkrais® educators working at the intersection of voice, Feldenkrais, and performance.

Robert Sussuma (MMus, GCFP) holds two degrees in vocal performance—a Bachelor’s and a Master’s—and has taught at leading institutions including Naropa University, PACE, Harvard, and the University of Michigan. A trained countertenor, he has performed professionally across the U.S. and Europe.

As a Guild Certified Feldenkrais® Practitioner, Robert uniquely blends somatic awareness, vocal science, and experiential learning to facilitate vocal transformation beyond conventional voice teaching.
We are collaborating with him on the next three newsletters where he will share thoughts and book recommendations.
And this is the first edition!

A note from Robert Sussuma - part 1

A note from Robert Sussuma:

Hello there!

If you attended my live lesson series on Feldenkrais® and Voice in April, I’m so curious how that was for you and if you had any interesting revelations or shifts as a result of the lessons.

I’ve been getting many reports from participants who have said:

- “Wow, your 5-lesson series for Feldenkrais Education in April was so interesting and it cleared up many questions I had about my own voice - without me even having to ask.” - CL

- “I particularly liked the second lesson. [Vocal Constellations]. It was so dynamic and alive. Exploring the eyes and the arms in combination with the vocal tract really helped me re-organize my voice in totally new and surprising ways. I feel so free and my voice is so easy. I will return to this lesson many times. Thank you.” - DCS

- “I knew the tongue was an important part of vocalization, but I didn’t realize just how much. Your tongue lesson really helped me see just how powerful the tongue is and how it’s connected to everything in ourselves - thinking, standing, emotions - not just the voice.” - MF

Others reported HUGE changes in their voice after the lesson, but wondered: "How did that happen? Will this feeling stay? Can I keep learning like this?"

Yes, it can be confusing at first when there aren't stated goals in the lessons, but somehow all of these important vocal changes happen - seemingly automatically. That's part of the magic of this approach. But, after a while, it's not just a mystery, you too can learn to learn in this way!

So, how about you?

- What came up for you in the lessons?
- What are you curious to develop in your voice?

A workshop opportunity:

If you are in Europe and interested in exploring more, consider joining us in Brussels for The Skeletal Voice - a 4-day in-person exploration (October 2-5, 2025) of how "the skeleton" is a fundamental resource and learning tool for all things vocal: posture, breathing, resonance, articulation, sound and range. It’s all there. And learning to tap into skeletal solutions for vocal questions is an un-ending resource for any singer, vocalist or voice teacher. As I like to say, “Every vocal ‘problem’ has a skeletal solution!”

Learn more about the workshop and registration here: https://feldenkrais-education.com/en/workshop-with-robert-sussuma/

It is my honor and pleasure to be able to bring more of this work to you live and in person! And, if you can attend, I look forward to bringing your particular interests and needs into the workshop itself!

If you have learned in the “Feldenkrais® style” before, you know that each participant plays a part in how the experience is shaped. So, I look forward to seeing how you will help shape this vocal learning experience with us!

All my bests,

Robert

Book of the week

Recommendation from Robert Sussuma

Josh Waitzkin: The Art ot Learning

This book has had a profound influence on my vocal learning and facilitating journey.

Like Moshe Feldenkrais, Josh was both an intellectual and a Martial Artist (Tai Chi).
In this autobiography, he tells his story about making the transition from a world-class chess prodigy to a world champion Tai Chi Master. And what he learns is that the "mind game" of chess and "body game" of martial arts are, in fact, one integrated game. (Sounds like Feldenkrais, no?!) His theory about the 8 Stages of Mastery not only mirrored my own path of vocal learning and development, but also gave me a map to understand deep personal development in general.

This is a must read for all learners, performers and athletes - especially those into movement and physical mastery of all kinds.

Quote of the week

“We have to be able to do something slowly before we can have any hope of doing it correctly with speed.”
― Josh Waitzkin