VOCALiSM has worked with a vast range of people since 2015. Here is some of the feedback from workshops and events.
In my opinion, it was a really helpful workshop. I felt really relaxed afterwards. Also, the last part was really original; actually [getting] to know people with sharing stories. I believe this workshop is helpful for stressful people and also of course human rights defenders who work in a stressful field.
Isilay, who attended VOCALiSM workshop at Dublin Human Rights Festival, October 2017
The VOCALiSM workshop was very useful for me because I usually have issues in controlling my breathing, especially when public speaking. I think that it was also quite useful to the others. The audience liked it very much and the time flew unnoticed because the content was compiled interactively and variously. Everyone was involved in the process. We also had a chance to share our experiences, learn something new, and tell a story about ourselves - it's always very interesting and useful, especially for HRDs [human rights defenders]. We also learned useful skills on how to control our breathing, how to redirect the voice, and internally straighten yourself into a string. For me, it was already very useful.
Elena, who attended VOCALiSM workshop at Dublin Human Rights Festival, October 2017
I found VOCALISM to be an incredibly empowering experience. Dónal's emphasis on breath and remaining calm while speaking in front of others proved invaluable... We worked on public speaking factors which I had never really considered prior to the workshop, such as posture and stance. These are elements of speaking which are not just useful for official presentations, but also are very important in day-to-day interaction." |
Tonight, we’re tying the local to the global. This evening is about doing exactly that in terms of our cultural traditions. I’m hoping this evening that we’ll all learn more about local musical folk culture; not just in terms of our heritage, but also in terms of what people who are from elsewhere can bring to our cultural traditions. Culture is a fluid and organic concept. You’ll hear from people who are [from] near and far and who enhance our cultural traditions by being from elsewhere. |
"Fantastic. Absolutely fantastic." |
I liked the fun and the interaction of working together to create a song about the work that we are all so committed to." |
The human rights event was one of its kind, where people from diverse cultural and musical backgrounds played. Celebration of the beauty of music was the only agenda from what I experienced. The best part was how the crowd was so attentive to every piece and how they enjoyed the event. For people who come from a completely different school and understanding of music, it was a great exposure and opportunity to collaborate with other musicians.
Mudra Kumar, student and tabla drum player
I learned the value of paying attention to your body when speaking" |
VOCALISM helped me realise that relaxing and speaking slowly allowed me to articulate with confidence what I wanted to say in a clear and eloquent manner to any group of people." |
It was fun, interesting and thought provoking... I took part in Dónal's workshop and actually found it very practical - in fact of immediate use. About 10 minutes after the work shop, I got nabbed by RTÉ to do an interview at zero notice and found myself using the techniques to project my message: rolling the shoulders, head back and up, settling the feet - breathing in - ready to go!
Jim, Front Line Defenders, international human rights organisation
Informative. Engaging. Heartfelt." |
Overall, I found it really helpful [and] the tips I got from it will be of use to me next time I have to do some public speaking." |
I liked the fact that there was a tangible outcome [to the workshop], to which everyone contributed... Song-writing has always been something obscure to me and the workshop somehow demystified it. I feel I understand the process more now."
Andrea, Front Line Defenders, international human rights organisation
