Kristin Linklater: Freeing The Natural Voice
For some people, you meet a teacher who changes the course of your entire life. For me, world-renowned voice teacher Kristin Linklater was that person.
Nearly three decades ago, my path was leading somewhere very different. As a deeply introverted teenager, I dreamed of becoming a graphic designer—a solitary profession that felt safely distant from the vulnerability of using my voice. But life had other plans.
At 14, due to a scheduling mishap, I found myself enrolled in GCSE Drama instead of Graphic Design. What I didn't realise at the time was that I had inadvertently signed up to begin a journey of discovering, reclaiming, and freeing my voice.
For the next 11 years, I pursued acting and music professionally. Yet, despite standing in front of audiences, using my voice often felt laboured—physically, emotionally, and intellectually demanding. I knew something was missing.
My search led me to undertake an MA in Voice Studies at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, where I was fortunate to study under the extraordinary Joanna Weir-Ousten, a designated Linklater teacher and my mentor for the past 18 years.
Experiencing this work was, for me, like stepping aboard a spaceship as a flat-earther and seeing, beyond question, that the world is round. Kristin Linklater’s work revealed a truth my entire being recognised.
Kristin Linklater, a Scottish-born actor and voice teacher, was a protégé of Iris Warren, one of the most influential voice practitioners of the mid-20th century. Working at LAMDA in the 1950s, Warren was among the first to challenge the idea of voice as a mere mechanical instrument.
She proposed that voice is profoundly connected to thought, emotion, and physical experience. As Warren recognised, our personal histories are imprinted within the neurophysiology of voice—within the breath, larynx, jaw, tongue, soft palate, and articulators—and this intricate system often accumulates habitual tension that limits freedom and authentic expression.
Building on Warren’s insights, Kristin Linklater devoted her life to developing a systematic, deeply embodied approach to voice that recognises the voice as a physical extension of our emotional and psychological life.
Rather than 'training' the voice into artificial control, her method aims to free the natural voice—restoring the body's capacity for spontaneous, responsive, resonant, and fully expressive sound. Through careful release of habitual tensions and step-by-step exploration of the breath, resonators, and speech muscles, speakers and actors rediscover their authentic vocal potential.
Kristin Linklater's work revolutionised voice training worldwide. In America, she taught at leading institutions such as Emerson College, Columbia University, and Shakespeare & Company.
Her influence extended to countless actors, including Sir Patrick Stewart, Bill Murray, and Sigourney Weaver, and she collaborated with renowned directors like Peter Brook and Joseph Chaikin. Her book, Freeing the Natural Voice, became a foundational text, selling over 200,000 copies and translated into multiple languages.
In 2010, I was privileged to audition and be accepted into Linklater’s rigorous teacher certification program. In 2011, I became one of the first UK-based designated Linklater teachers—one of only around 250 certified worldwide.
Kristin continued to teach and develop her work for another decade, establishing the Kristin Linklater Voice Centre in the Orkney Islands before her passing in 2020. Her legacy lives on through the global network of Linklater teachers and the countless individuals whose voices she helped liberate.
If you are interested in exploring the full expressive range, depth, power, and clarity of your voice through Kristin Linklater’s transformative method, I am running a 6-weekend course in Stroud, UK, beginning this September and continuing through February. You can find full details here.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Linklater Voice Work?
Linklater Voice Work is a structured, step-by-step method for freeing the natural voice by releasing tension and reconnecting breath, body, and voice. It aims to restore authentic vocal expression rather than impose artificial control.
Who is it for?
Originally developed for actors, Linklater’s approach benefits anyone who uses their voice professionally: teachers, coaches, leaders, public speakers, therapists, and anyone seeking greater vocal confidence, clarity, and presence.
Is this therapy?
While deeply therapeutic in its effects, Linklater Voice Work is not therapy. It is an embodied training process designed to release habitual blocks, expand vocal range, and restore ease, freedom, and expressivity in the voice.
Do I need experience?
No prior acting or vocal experience is necessary. The work meets you where you are, whether you're a professional speaker or someone simply seeking to explore your voice.
Final Thoughts
Kristin Linklater’s work has influenced generations of voice professionals and continues to reshape how we think about voice training. At its core, her method recognises that voice is not simply about sound production, but about presence, vulnerability, and connection—to oneself, to others, and to the truth of the moment.
If you would like to explore Linklater’s work in a supportive, in-person setting, click here.
Ashley Howard is a UK-based voice coach with over 18 years of experience helping professionals improve vocal clarity, resonance, and confidence.