Invitation to chat with George — without obligation.
I know you may have questions so let’s visit, then I can learn more about you, answer any questions, and tailor lessons to you.
Call me at (208) 720-2933 or email me here. If you email please be sure to include your name and phone number.
His innovative programs in voice, rhythm, and music meditation have been called “modern approaches to ancient methods.” Freedom Through Vocal Toning aims for authentic “wordless prayer in the universal language of harmony and melody.” George describes his Active Sound Healing sessions as “a live concert for one” and “The Laying On Of Voice(s).” Most sessions include guided meditation training in “internal chi massage,” as the client applies specific skills in breath, body sensation awareness, and resonance. George’s unique Drum Talk program has been taught to thousands of elementary school and college students. Drum Talk is a system of rhythmic sound syllables to learn improvisation and rhythm mastery on any instrument.
George offers online sessons in vocal toning and frame drumming, including sound healing and music meditation skills. As an Artist-In-Residence throughout Utah and Idaho since 1991, he has worked with a wide variety of populations and skill levels – all ages of public school children (including pre-school), university students (music and non-music majors), children and adults with disabilities, at-risk teens, adult corrections, elementary and music teachers, including Orff and Suzuki instructors, music therapists, mom/tot groups, healing arts professionals, and spiritual groups.
“Everyone can learn to speak, read and write their native language – without the desire to be a public speaker or published author. Learning music can be just as natural and commonplace as this.” George feels strongly that “All the rules on how and why we make music are radically changed when we eliminate the necessity to perform on stage and impress an audience.” George explains that the second secret, and basis of his system of dozens of Skill Builder exercises, is the art listening. “If we first learn to listen, all people can communicate in the natural language of music.” He insists, “music can remain private, recreational, or contemplative” – “the goals and training for personal music are not the same as professional music.”
George has performed and recorded with many American jazz and classical masters, and traditional virtuosos from Asia and the Middle East. His unique perspectives and music skills connect him to innovative and experimental projects with song writers, modern dance companies, poets, storytellers, and theatre troupes.
Grant’s unique vocal training features harmony and melody, allowing expressive freedom and stress reduction. Group sessions are often presented to music therapy classes, yoga studios, hands-on bodywork professionals, and spiritual groups. To define Freedom Through Vocal Toning, Grant says: “wordless expression of vowel tones, in the natural intuitive language of harmony and melody, is as essential and as natural as breathing or sleeping. It is nutrition and food for the soul. The full and natural breathing induced from toning, naturally creates vitality and profound health benefits. In the Musical Brain, as we open our voices, we open our Selves. It is like we’ve spent our whole life on our front porch, and suddenly open the door to discover many new beautiful rooms inside.”
Creative balance, stretches, still poses and gentle repetition reflect and correspond to the process and philosophy of Freedom Through Vocal Toning. Cross training in both movement and music allows unique insights for beginning and advanced participants who explore MMM side by side each other.
A fifth grade teacher reports: “The level of concentration and on-task behavior George gets from his students is astounding. Participating in this class is like going on a roller-coaster ride; once you’ve started, there’s no stopping until it’s over.”
George’s contemporary system shows students how to quickly assemble various syllables into patterns, and if they like, how to write them down in shorthand. After speaking or chanting the pattern, it is much easier to play that same pattern on a drum, guitar, flute, or any other instrument. George says: “First, we learn how to talk. Then, only after many years of conversation with family and friends, we slowly learn A-B-Cs, then words and sentences. The natural language of music is the same way; first we feel it. If you can feel the music, it is much easier to read and write it.” Drum Talk shorthand abbreviations naturally convert to traditional notation, making a typically tough skill much more easy and fun.
This curriculum is taught regularly at Utah State University Music Department. George has produced many other manuals, CDs, and DVDs, which are available in the VocalToning Store.
And many other fine notables as: Vidyadhar Vyas (vocal), Shubha Narasimhan (vocal), Mullaivasal Chandramouli (violin), Ashwin Batish (sitar), and Ragavan Manian (vocal). George has also accompanied rare artistes from Mongolia, Afghanistan, Iran, and Turkey – vocalist Saren Gao Wa, Izatullah Mujjadedhi Khan on dotar/rahab, Morteza Varzi on comanche, and Sufi zikr singer Latif Bolat. George performs and records with classical virtuosos as Keith Underwood and Ben Verdery, New Age vocalist David Hykes of the Harmonic Choir, jazz singer Tyia Wilson, guitar rocker Gawain Mathews, and avant garde innovators Gentry Densley, Eyvind Kang, and Alex Caldiero.
