The Donald Woodburn Voice Masterclass

The Hub Studio is very pleased to welcome Donald Woodburn. Donald runs Woodburn Voice and is a company director at BrandU Media. He is a former head of voice at both the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) and the South African School of Motion Picture Medium and Live Performance (AFDA). He has also worked extensively in broadcasting with international clients such as MTV, AlJazeera English and the SABC, and locally with Fox Sports, Fox Sports News, the ABC and channels 7 and 9.

Donald will be running an edition of his specialised Voice masterclasses based on his unique perspective on disinhibited vocal practice in the real world and how to incorporate that into performance.

“I believe that in moments of heightened passion we express ourselves more essentially. I also believe that theatre and film operate in the realm of heightened passion and practitioners in these fields must therefore understand how to access ‘the passionate voice” – Donald Woodburn

Having taught in several countries around the world Donald’s work has been strongly informed by his observations of natural vocal practice in confident outspoken cultures, as well as heightened communication moments in contemporary Australian culture. To keep his vocal practice current he observes the rich diversity of physical and vocal expression in people’s daily ‘story telling’. He is obsessed with keeping his ear tuned to the ‘rules of communication’ in lived practice. Marrying his observation and understanding of numerous cultures and differing cultural practices with the principles of Vocal Targeting and the immediate environment, Donald works to shift perceptions and practice so that performers can discover their inherent ability to play large or small and impact with ease, precision and vibrancy doing either.

This is essential work for those professionals looking to incorporate the true power and precision of their own passionate voices into performance.

Donald Woodburn runs Woodburn Voice and is a Director at BrandU Media. He is an internationally accomplished voice coach who works with professional communicators from an array of backgrounds. He is also the author of five children’s books.

Donald studied a BA Dramatic Art (Hon) at Wits University in Johannesburg and early in his career worked as a performer in theatre, TV and film. In 1996 he completed the Graduate Diploma in Voice Studies at NIDA and immediately went on to become Head of Voice at the South African School of Motion Picture Medium and Live Performance (AFDA). In 2010 he was employed by the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts where he worked across Acting, Aboriginal Performance, Music Theatre, Opera, Broadcasting and occasionally even Dance. In 2013 he secured residency in Australia as a Distinguished Talent in the field of voice and was later appointed as the Coordinator of Voice at WAAPA. He now lives in Sydney.

Donald has worked with an array of broadcasters including AlJazeera English, MTVbase, the ABC, Fox Sports, Fox Sports News, Channel 7, Channel 9, the SABC, etv, Summit Television (now Business Day TV) 6PR, East Coast Radio, Radio Jacaranda, The Star (online) and at the National Electronic Media Institute of South Africa. He has trained news anchors, newsreaders, journalists, commentators, DJs, VJs, and TV and radio programme hosts working in news, weather, sport, religion, music, entertainment, drama and children’s programming. His clients work in more than 10 languages across several continents.

His unique and exciting approach to voice emerged from a blend of cultural experiences growing up in rural KwaZulu-Natal and his extensive involvement with broadcast professionals operating in demanding environments. He has honed this work over more than twenty five years to serve speakers operating in challenging environments who require fast, effective and accessible training. He is the originator of ‘Vocal Targeting’ work and is regarded for his ability to astutely diagnose vocal performance issues and quickly shift a speaker’s performance ability.

His reputation has seen him invited to design, coordinate and run voice training workshops and sessions with professional speakers in public speaking, education, politics, the NGO sector, corporate clients and in law and medicine. His children’s books have also seen him invited to visit schools and interact with primary school teachers and learners.