Christiaan Boele has devoted his life to Uncovering the Voice. He began his studies with Jurgen Shriefer (who carried on the School directly from Valborg Werbeck) at age eighteen. Originally from the Netherlands, Christiaan has been a leading teacher of this impulse for forty years and has brought Uncovering the Voice courses to the United States, Finland, Germany, France and throughout Europe. He also leads a touring ensemble and continues to perform as a soloist.
Christiaan attended K-12th grade at the Hague Waldorf School. At eleven years old he started playing trumpet and continued his professional music studies in trumpet at The Conservatory of the Hague. He then studied in Bonn, Germany at the anthroposophical college, Alanus, where he met Jurgen Schriefer. After studying about ten years with Jurgen Schriefer, he studied opera at the Folkwang Hochschule in Essen, Germany. He gave many concerts with German lieder and sang solo in many oratori. Christiaan sang Tamino in 'The Magic Flute' sixty-five times in an opera ensemble from the School of Uncovering the Voice.
Then Christiaan started to travel as a teacher in middle and northern Europe. In 1987 he moved to Finland and soon afterwards started his own singing school. In 1998 he taught in CA and from there on established the Training in CA which has been consistently ongoing for over twenty-five years.
During my Waldorf teacher training Christiaan taught us Werbeck singing exercises. In the beginning I merely enjoyed doing the exercises. It was an interesting and new approach to singing which made me forget my doubts about not having a beautiful voice. The exercises felt doable. During the years, however, I could experience the transformational power of the exercises. Not only did they make me calmer and more centered, they also helped me to access my creative potential. The exercises felt like a protective blanket wrapped around my body. I also use the exercises to prepare myself before teaching. My voice has improved which inspired me to incorporate more songs into my lessons.
-Tosha W.
After 25 years as a personal growth workshop junkie I can say that UTV is the best thing out there. The whole point of evolution and awakening is to get out of the way and let something authentic, creative, and beautiful come through you. Developing as a singer has to be one of the most fun and pleasurable ways to do that. Christiaan is a genius and is certainly doing what he was created to do in life. He can tease the singer out of anyone with the exercises, choir, and by creating a safe space to develop in. I'm looking forward to going through the program for the 3rd time. As I was when I started, you will be surrounded by people who love the body of work and the time spent in community.
-Cliff Haggerty
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Wow Christiaan, what a gift you have given us. A new impulse for our time and FUN too! You have helped me change my life.
-Doug C.
I am always very grateful for the talent of Christiaan Boele. His years of dedication provide the finest distillation of this profound work and makes it very accessible to everyone. I always feel rejuvenated whenever I am able to participate in a course, a lesson, or practice and I can hear the difference in my singing voice. May others be enriched by this important work--benefit your own health, and no less than benefit the world through singing with Christiaan, and Enjoy!
-Susan Stern
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Christiaan Boele's lectures are a work of art in themselves, unwinding harmoniously, rhythmically and melodically.
-Bay Area Center for Waldorf Teacher Training
Christiaan, the quality of your work with us magnifies with every session. For me, your gift of an elevated understanding of the voice has improved and rejuvenated my work with children and adults alike. Thank you. My own voice has been enlivened and is more flexible and pleasurable as well.
-Rusty V.
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The experience of the Singing Course cannot be captured in words. Moving, replenishing, spiritual, inspiring and lovely are some words that come to mind. Christiaan is a gentle, masterful teacher who has crafted a training as relevant for experienced singers as for beginners and self-proclaimed nonsingers.
-Dana R.
School of Uncovering the Voice is a monumental gift to humanity: a true path of artistic and personal development. Christiaan Boele not only shows us this path in a masterly way, he also embodies it as a singer, a teacher and a human being.
-Matthew Thurber
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Christiaan, thank you for sharing this gift of singing with such joy, such humor and such diligence. I had a great time at the Open Singing Course and I wasn't stressed at all. (I am very anxious about singing and I almost didn't come.)
-Windsong B.
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Christiaan, you are a delightfully clear and holistic teacher. What a joy you are!
-Ann O.