Voice Creatures
Transformative voice work rooted in vocal technique, embodied expression and exploration.
Voice Creatures explores the relationship between the voices we use, the voices we perform, and those we have silenced. The work attends to the patterns—physical, emotional and learned—that shape expression, and uses the body, breath and voice as the primary means of investigation.
The work draws on classical vocal technique, cross-cultural vocal traditions and the embodied investigation of voice, body and emotion.
No prior vocal training is required.
Areas of Exploration
The freeing of the voice through vocal alignment and the study of breath, articulation and resonance
The development of vocal resonance, energy and presence
The relationship between breath, movement, emotion and sound
Physical tension and emotional inhibition
Deeply held impulses and their expression through sound
Uncommon colors, textures and placements of the voice
Voice and identity: the symbolic voice, and the relationship between voice and persona
In sharing our Voice Creatures in sound as an offering of art, no matter how ugly or weak we think they are, there is the possibility of renewal. Something in the risk of offering itself opens us to trust.
As we cull the discarded, the refuse, we unearth what has been bound there. In releasing these fragments into breath, body and sound, their trapped vitality and joy are released with them.
But we do not station there. The encounter with the wound opens onto something larger: we come to know ourselves as the space through which these fragments move—not any one voice, not any one creature, but that which can hold and give movement to them all.
The gaze remains toward life: toward joy, creation, praise, and the possibility of offering ourselves more fully into the world.
Filmed by Dave Guenette. Edited by Tanya Gupta.
Ways of Working
Voice Creatures: Foundational Practicum
Individual Study
An introduction to the Voice Creatures practice through sustained one-on-one work. Sessions combine vocal technique with improvisation, embodied investigation and work with the Voice Creatures themselves.
Voice Creatures: Project Practicum
Individual Study + Creative Project
An extended period of one-on-one work developed in relation to a specific creative project. Projects may include music, writing, performance, dance, spoken word or other forms. The practicum considers the relationship between vocal practice, creative process and expression.
Workshops & Masterclasses
Group Study
Group sessions centered on vocal investigation, improvisation and works in progress. The emphasis is on experimentation rather than polished performance, with participants working both individually and in relation to the group.
Performance Presentations
Guest Artist / Educational Programs
Lecture-performances drawing on Western classical technique, cross-cultural vocal traditions and the Voice Creatures practice. Presentations combine performance, discussion and participatory vocal work.
Photos by Nico Neslon
Learn to touch your multidimensional potential and open to your truest self-expression.
“Each week I came to vocal lessons to work on myself. To find my voice. Bisan guided me on this mesmerizing journey with her deep intuition, knowledge of technique, and tremendous spirit. It was truly momentous and transformative working with her." - Jess Geevarghese
Photo by Sean Dimond
“Bisan's 3-month practicum is one of the best investments I've ever made. With Bisan's steadfast and powerful support, I discovered abandoned and suppressed parts of my being and began learning how to turn toward those places inside me with ease and grace. I've not only strengthened and attuned my voice, I've also found entirely new ways of embodying my fullness. Bisan is a deeply gifted mentor, guide and healer, and I will be forever grateful for the choice I made to work with her.”
— Tyla Fowler, Founder and Lead Coach, Radical Beings
“Working with Bisan is such a profound experience that it is almost indescribable. She has a way of coaxing pure truth out of you. She doesn’t let you get away with faking it. She leads you to trust the wild impulses that are constantly bubbling forth from your being, with a marriage of abandon and specificity. And what a relief that is! How often in life do we get a chance to voice all that is hidden within us so freely? Because she holds such a sacred space for this depth of exploration, we discover what is true, raw, and powerful, simultaneously “ugly” and beautiful, in those places that often frighten us the most. Then the falseness can fall away. We discover a more authentic self-expression, grounded in the body’s instincts and innate creativity. Bisan is a treasure and a transformer. Especially if you are open and truly desire to know your own depth and express yourself with realness. Couldn't recommend her more highly!”
— Julia Rahm, Vocalist/Composer
“My vocal practice with Bisan was an invaluable and transformative experience. Bisan's teaching style is a perfect combination of mysticism, technical expertise, and embodied expression. She taught me how to find clarity, power, and freedom in my singing. The voice became a medium for deep self exploration and expression. Bisan's loving, accepting presence created a space where I could let go of long standing insecurities and hangups, allowing the creative energy of life to flow through. Composition has become less about seeking something external and more so receiving what arises within. The "creature work," has added an emotional depth to singing and continues to be an important spiritual practice.”
— Alex Espinosa, Student
“The greatest and most difficult achievement for me in class has been learning that it's ok to be free, to not sound correct. I think many people would be thrilled to have that opportunity.”
— Michael Shannon, Student
“Working with Bisan has been so much more than taking voice lessons, it’s been embarking in a powerful journey of self discovery. She has a holistic approach and always tunes in to you state, allowing for what needs to come out in that moment to be. She creates a very safe space for expression and had me unveil sounds i didn’t suspect i could make. I leave lessons feeling incredibly free and empowered, and so much more in touch with myself. While her mastery of technique is indisputable, her unique gift is to know how to use it in service of the depth and texture of your own emotions; she doesn’t just make you sing at the right pitch, she makes you sing sounds that resonate with your soul.”
— Claire Berjot-Stafiej, Student
“I have worked with two voice professionals in the past, both of whom were incredibly skillful, articulate, and talented, but working with Bisan is an entirely different kind of amazing experience; it is sacred. Her way of working is profound, yet simple… She is direct in what she wants of you... checking in throughout the experience, and digging deeper if she feels there might be more to be said or felt. Yet, her straightforwardness is gentle, her coaxing both authoritative, and intimate… I would definitely work with Bisan again and recommend her to anyone looking to dig deeper into their emotional and spiritual selves through sound work.”
— Cornelia Barber, Student
“Bisan shows us how our concept of the voice causes us to hold to a fixed creative identity, and also to a certain personal identity. By guiding us to use our voice in new ways, Bisan helps us to let go of our habitual sense of self so that we can journey to being the artist and person we truly wish to be.”
— David Siegel, Student
“As a producer of music and a spiritual healer, I have seen, participated in, and worked with many performers and healers over the years. Bisan is a superlative teacher and performer. Avail yourself of this experience!”
- Kathleen Mandeville, Producer, IgniVox
“Bisan’s workshop is a highly sophisticated way of getting in touch with oneself. It is unlike any other workshops I've participated in and the level of contemplation reached through that workshop is staggering.”
— Marie-Christine Matter, Student
“I have been a professional musician for over forty years. I have never heard a singer whose instrument and musicianship approach that of Bisan. She uses her voice to take the listener to aesthetic and personal places like no one I have ever met or seen. Not only does she demonstrate perfect control of the use of her instrument, but she literally becomes part of the listener’s emotional, intellectual and spiritual being when she “performs.” The word performance is an inadequate word for what Bisan does. Her “performances” are organic, fulfilling life experiences for all involved. She shares her gift unselfishly. Her own personal vulnerabilities seem exposed, yet her approach to aesthetics turns that vulnerability into an absolute strength of character and skill. As you can see, it is difficult to describe Ms Toron’s gifts in words. They are powerful yet humble, transcendent yet grounded, concrete yet fluid, melancholy yet joyful – all of these things simultaneously. She will be changing lives throughout her professional life. To not experience Basan, not only as a musician but as a fellow human being, is to leave one’s life with a huge void. Bisan should be experienced by everyone.”