KraftwerkStimme
Working on voice and text

About me

Nela Bartsch Foto Vita links
Nela Bartsch Foto Vita rechts

My passion for melodious voices and spoken word inspired me to become an actress. But…

Before commencing studies at Hannover University of Music and Drama I first concentrated on body language at Berlin School of Mime und Pantomime with Marie-Luise Anger, who was one of the first students of Jacques Lecoq in Paris. For two years I explored the possibilities of how to tell stories on stage with only using my body.

My passion for voice and spoken word remained and increased while acting on stage. With growing age, I more and more developed an interest in passing my knowledge to others and it encouraged me in 2006 to begin taking classes for becoming a vocal teacher at the institute of my former voice-teacher Dieter Bartel. His method of connecting language with breath, bodywork and voice is a strong tool for using your voice as a powerful instrument in communication and expression.

Since 2008, I have been working in two professions: as an actress and as an artistic speech pedagogue. Since 2018, I have been head of the stage speaking department in the vocal and music theatre department at the Felix-Mendelssohn-Bartholdy University of Music and Theater in Leipzig working with students from all over the world.

Breath & Voice

...is the basis of speech training. We focus on deepening your breathing and developing your voice so that you can speak fluently, understandably, and effortlessly over a long period of time, as well as training your articulation, especially if German is not your native tongue.
  • You will learn your ideal posture and body tension
  • You will practice expanding your resonance spaces
  • You learn to give your voice space
  • You will practice effortlessly speaking for a long time in a situation-appropriate manner
  • You learn to help your voice with physical exercises in case of stage fright and overstrain

By working on your articulation

  • You train jaw, lips, tongue, and palate
  • You will practice listening carefully to form vowels and consonants according to German pronunciation
  • You will practice articulating German pronunciation carefully and precisely
  • You will learn to use German pronunciation rules together with the correct intonation

I will help you to create your own personal training program. You will review the techniques you have acquired, using practice texts that correspond to your objectives.

Based on this, I support you with designing your text to reach an audience in a multifaceted and authentic way.


Further information, including prices, can be found in the FAQ.

Working with text

… means anchoring the experiences of Breath & Voice with your emotional expression and transporting it authentically to the outside world. You train to speak fluently and multifaceted and learn to intrigue your listeners by using texts that correspond to your objectives.
  • You learn to use technical means of expression
  • You experience what speech thinking is and how to use it purposefully
  • You create your speech or text interesting and multifaceted
  • You will be enabled to speak freely
  • You receive helpful tips on how to deal with stage fright

Text Design gives you strong support getting prepared for

  • Preparation for presentations, lectures, and content of any kind
  • Working on your parts in film and television, or stage
  • Microphone recordings


Further information, including prices, can be found in the FAQ nachlesen.

References

  • Working with Nela Bartsch has enabled me, as a non-native speaker, to develop an ear for the subtleties of German pronunciation and thus improve my pronunciation. And always with a lot of humor! I now have a confident feel for German and wish I have had such good training in other foreign languages too.

    Clara Fréjacques - Mezzo-soprano, Theater Kiel

  • I took lessons with Nela Bartsch for over two years. It was not only an enrichment for working with my voice, but also for my personal development. She manages to create a trusting space in which you can let yourself go.

    Julia Mainusch - voice actress, dubbing artist

  • I have taken an incredible amount from my lessons with Nela Bartsch. For the moment I'm singing in operas for children where I also must speak a lot and I can get over the volume of the young audience without any problems and my voice isn't exhausted or even hoarse - which some of my colleagues complain about. This work has been completely worth it!

    Anna Eufinger - Soprano, Tour Opera Schwetzingen

  • I got to know Nela Bartsch after having had language lessons for many years but never really got to grips with speaking. Nela picked me up every lesson exactly where I needed it. She was empathetic and always had an open ear for my questions and the challenges I faced. She also gave me solid speaking skills that I can now use in my professional life.

    Paul Kmetsch - Tenor, Theater Regensburg

  • I experience the work with Nela Bartsch as trusting and individual. She is always open with me and knows how to support or challenge me in the right places. I have the feeling that she always wants me to gain even more confidence in giving my voice space. I really appreciate this collaboration.

    Lisa Bolten - Actress

  • I am so grateful for your work. In your courses I not only learn the techniques of speaking on stage and to convey the feelings of the parts emotionally and clearly. Your courses are also important for me because they help me to learn the German language, which I want to learn in order to pronounce it correctly and communicate freely.

    With great respect and gratitude - Oleksandr Vozniuk, Tenor, Leipzig Opera, Saarbrücken Opera

  • I could not have wished for anyone better for the voice sessions. Nela always had the right advice, exercises and, subsequent solutions for those moments where self-doubt was beginning to creep in. The fact that I got one of my best marks and feedback from the monologue exam, was Nela's doing!

    Benjamin Mahns-Mardy - High Baritone, Actor, Vocal Tutor
You are interested? I will be happy to hear from you.
Contact

FAQ

Can I arrange a trial lesson?

With pleasure! For me, too, the basis for cooperation is a trial lesson. Afterwards we decide whether or how we would like to continue.

How long does a training session last?

A session lasts 60 minutes.

In presence or online?

That depends entirely on your personal objectives. In presence we can work in Berlin as well as in Leipzig. Online training, on the other hand, can take place from anywhere in the world. This requires a stable Internet connection and a good microphone. Sound quality is more important than image quality for this variant.

How much does a training session cost?

For a single lesson I charge 70€, for a 10’s card 650 €. A trial lesson costs 30 €. Further arrangements can be made.

How long will it take to reach my goal?

This is a question I understand well, but unfortunately, I can't answer straight-out. Working with voice is a very individual matter. How long it takes to reach your goal depends on various factors.

What I can say for sure is that you already will benefit from the very first lesson. With the exercises I teach, you can continue to work independently. Most of my clients decide on 10’s cards, and we adjust the time intervals of the training sessions according to personal needs.

Can I bill the training sessions to the health insurance?

Unfortunately, this is not possible. For this you need to contact a speech therapy (logopedic) practice.

Audio examples

Das Ghetto von Berlin | Adolf Sommerfeld

Der Apfel | Erwin Moser

Morgens, Abends | Eva Strittmatter

Trickstimme

Rätsel | Heinrich von Kleist

Nela Bartsch - Actress

More information at Filmmakers