Contact Information

If you are interested in learning more about 'The School of Uncovering the Voice' and Christiaan Boele's offerings in the US of: Singing Courses, Trainings, Private Lessons, Lectures, and Community Choirs, contact:
Sheryl Adler-Eldridge at: healing.round@gmail.com

Valborg Werbeck-Svaerdstroem

The Swedish singer, Valborg Werbeck-Svaerdstroem (1879 - 1972) laid the basis for a true understanding of the human voice, as well as the training and therapeutic application of it, fitting for our time. Between 1912 and 1924 in collaboration with Rudolf Steiner, she developed a new singing schooling "die Schule der Stimmenthüllung" (Uncovering the Voice) drawing on the insights of spiritual science. Through experiential exercises and careful reasoning, Uncovering the Voice provides a new, spiritually enlivened interpretation of the processes involved in singing. It develops knowledge of the essential nature of song, and summons us to work for the purity and preservation of true singing.

Since V.Werbeck-Svärdström´s death, her work was continued in the artistic, pedagogical and therapeutic spheres under the leadership of Jürgen Schriefer. Jurgen Schriefer is now retired and Christiaan Boele is one of a few teachers who brings the impulse of The School of Uncovering the Voice to North America and many other countries.

Christiaan Boele

Born in 1956 at The Hague in the Netherlands, Christiaan Boele exhibited strong musicianship early in life with a childhood filled with song. He began trumpet studies at the age of 13 and began private voice lessons at the age of 15 with Wim Brunig, his music teacher at the Waldorf school in the Hague. Concurrent with his Waldorf education he began professional trumpet lessons at age 17 at The Hague Conservatory. At age 19 Christiaan enrolled at the Alanus-Hochschule near Bonn,Germany to further his trumpet studies. While at the Alanus-Hochschule Christiaan met Jürgen Schriefer. This first meeting made such an impression on him that he decided that very day to study singing with Mr. Schriefer. Six months later he stopped his trumpet lessons to concentrate solely on singing. He continued his studies at Alanus-Hochschule for three years, during which time he also studied eurythmy for two years to supplement his vocal work.

Christiaan moved to Bochum-Witten in Germany to study privately with Jürgen Schriefer. During this time with him they traveled throughout central Europe carrying the singing work to many countries. Christiaan also studied with Christa Waltjaen in the pursuit of his intensive voice schooling. He performed as a tenor soloist at various concerts, song recitals, and oratorio performances.

In order to verify for himself the quality and comparability of his private voice studies with traditional conservatory training, Christiaan enrolled in the Folkwang-Hochschule in Essen, Germany. There he studied for over two years. During this time he initiated, with others, the formation of a private opera ensemble with whom he performed over sixty performances as Tamino in Mozart´s “The Magic Flute.” In addition he gave various courses as well as other performances in central Europe, Denmark and Finland. As he became more involved in these other projects and concerts, it became clear to Christiaan that he wanted to devote himself to the School of Uncovering the Voice as his main task and as a result decided to forego any further conservatory work.

Christiaan began to offer courses in schooling the voice in Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and Finland. Eventually the demand for courses in Finland led to his establishment of a singing school near Lahti at Sylvia-koti, a Camphill Village devoted to therapeutic work, and which was his place of residence for over fifteen years.

Christiaan currently lives in Mendig, Germany and conducts various master classes, courses, and schooling of the voice sessions in Germany, the Netherlands, Finland, Canada and in California and Pennsylvania in the United States. Students from over ten countries continue travel to Christiaan to study with him privately, in group coursework, or through various voice schooling sessions. He leads an ensemble of twelve singers with concert tours in these same countries, and continues to perform as a soloist in oratorio and song recitals. Christiaan is also working with The Werbeck Choir of California.

The School of Uncovering the Voice is recognized as the anthroposophical approach to singing, and Christiaan has been invited to teach at various private Waldorf Schools as well as Waldorf Teacher Training Colleges. Most recently he has taught at The Bay Area Center for Waldorf Teacher Training, CA, Rudolf Steiner College, CA, Waldorf Teacher Training of Montreal and Snellman Institute in Helsinki, Finland.