Welcome to my website, I am Laura Stavinoha. My last name may suggest otherwise, but I was born and raised in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Nevertheless, I have a large international network and a broad view of the world. At the moment I work as a musician, performer, writer, producer and coach, with the voice at center. I have a university master’s degree in musicology, a minor in private law and I am trained as a classical singer. After my education, I took on various professional identities: project manager, business manager, copywriter and booking agent for a voice agency. All these previous experiences turned out to be the perfect preparation for what I love doing most: coaching people with their voice, and expressing my own creativity through making music.
In addition to my work with voice, I am editor-in-chief of the Kenniscommunity positieve desintegratie, affiliated as an author with the American magazine Third Factor and as a speaker with speakers agency ZijSpreekt. In 2022 I published the book VOICE: A Multifaceted Approach to Self-Growth and Vocal Empowerment.
My incentives
As a vocalist, I’ve been involved in many styles: from classical to house music and from experimental to my own pop songs. For years, I have studied the spoken and unspoken rules of various music styles and singing traditions, to conclude that I no longer want to conform to certain styles or singing traditions. For myself ánd for the people I coach, I aspire for an authentic, intuitive speaking or singing voice that communicates from the heart.
As a voice coach I not only have a lot of knowledge about the voice as an instrument, but I also use behavioral therapy and personality theories to put voice coaching in a broader context. Here you can read more about the methods I use. The voice is one of the most direct ways to to communicate and to express yourself creatively and emotionally. Genuinely connecting with others gives me a lot of energy. As a coach, I experience working with people from this same principle as creative and meaningful. Creating awareness and connection through the voice; that is what I want to contribute to this world.
My inspirations
I would not be a good coach if I had not gone through an intensive, personal growth and development process myself – an ever continuing process. During my own process I increase my awareness, identify triggers and causes of blockages and formulate my personal values. I try to act according to these values as much as possible. The following methods and teachers are inspiring me during the process:
- Vocal artists like Meredith Monk, Marvin Gaye and Minnie Riperton
- The visions on the voice from Caroline Goyder, Stefanie van Moen, A.M. Eldar and Roy Hart
- Psychologists and psychiatrists like Scott Barry Kaufman, Esther Perel, Lisa Feldman Barrett, Elaine Aaron, W. Thomas Boyce and Carl Jung
- The methods and theories Positive Disintegration, Polyvagal Theory, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy and Nonviolent Communication
- Down to earth types of rebalancing body work, yoga and meditation for regaining body awareness
- The books of Julia Cameron for regaining my creativity
- Inspiring thinkers and writers like Eckhart Tolle, Alan Watts, Byron Katie, Brené Brown, Thomas Nagel, Bernardo Kastrup and David Bohm
- The people who cross my path and travel with me for a longer or shorter period of time
For me, a meaningful life consists of connecting warmly and deeply to others, enjoying music, dancing, (preparing) tasty meals, experiencing nature and – whenever needed – sufficient stillness. I respond to my boundless curiosity by always learning and doing new things. However, my pace of life is a bit slower than that of most people in the western world. This helps me to maintain the connection with myself and an open, calm attitude to everything that I encounter on my path.
My music
In recent years I have performed a lot abroad, and released several EPs with my own compositions. With my live looping program I have played several concert tours through Mexico and California. If you want to know more about me as a musician, go to www.laurastavinoha.nl
Personal growth
Let your voice activate personal development
Emotion regulation
Get a grip on your voice through the autonomic nervous system
Voice training
Communicate with decisiveness and expressiveness
Singing lessons
Anyone can experience the joy of singing
Book
VOICE: A Multifaceted Approach to Self-Growth and Vocal Empowerment