Phyllida Furse

Phyllida first taught Modern Foreign Languages (French and Italian) before discovering her passion for voice. In support of clear speech to improve both the teaching and learning experience, she has delivered vocal health and development workshops to schools, colleges, and universities, as well as in the commercial sector for the last 15 years.

From 2007-2010 as Development Officer of the Voice Care Network UK, she designed and ran voice-training programmes with colleagues as part of a nationally funded project by the Teachers’ Training and Development Agency, delivering over 200 workshops to 40 local authorities across the UK, from 2008. She is now a regular guest lecturer on Post Graduate ITT programmes at Birmingham and Warwick Universities, also delivering CPD to academic staff there and at other Universities. She also trains Newly Qualified Teachers in healthy and effective use of their teaching voice within many different local authorities. Other clients have included call centres in the Department of Work and Pensions, NHS Direct, M&S Money, Immigration Officer Trainers of UK Borders, and Re-Speakers in the BBC, who generate news subtitles for the deaf. She has also supported string players of the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, who are intensively teaching young people as part of the ‘El Sistema’ Project.

At BSA she teaches Voice Theory (vocal anatomy and physiology) to the MA Professional Voice programme, (the nuts and bolts of how the body produces voice) and how to apply that knowledge in order to work successfully with clients.

In her own Practice she works with groups and individuals to improve their vocal strength, clarity and confidence in front of audiences.