Mae Karthauser

Mae Karthauser has 25 years of vocal training/ professional experience covering classical, jazz and popular styles alongside some training in world music (North Indian, Bulgarian, Javanese, West African) and Alexander Technique. She was awarded ABRSM Grade 8 distinction in classical voice and received a First Class honours from Dartington College of Arts in 2009 – as well as also studying for a year at California Institute of the Arts in Los Angeles (comprising a four year degree) with voice teacher Kate Conklin.

Since 2008, Mae has toured professionally in Europe and America both solo, in bands and also with contemporary circus, theatre and spoken word. This has also included performing live on BBC One for The One Show in 2017 with aerial circus stunts men The Flying Frenchies, two times performing at Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Arts, in addition to supporting James Brown saxophonist Peewee Ellis, in funk/ dance band The Sungroove Messengers.

Beyond releasing four albums of her own, she has performed and recorded regularly in several other musical projects, alongside collaborations with contemporary circus companies in France and Sweden (9.81, Flying Frenchies, Cirkus Nikolajeff).

Mae began playing piano at 5 years old under the instruction of her mother and is mostly self taught, although studied classical piano for music college and was awarded ABRSM Grade 8. She learned violin for 11 years. Mae started teaching singing back in 2008 and since then has also taught groups and choirs at Stagecoach Performing Arts school in Plymouth, working with children as young as four, right up to performing adults and retired amateurs. In 2019 she completed the Estill Level 1 & 2 intensive voice course with Charlotte Xerri. Developed by Jo Estill following decades of intensive scientific research, Estill Voice Training is a programme for developing vocal skills based on analysing the process of vocal production into control of specific structures in the vocal mechanism. By acquiring the ability to consciously move each structure the potential for controlled change of voice quality is increased.

With an upbeat, positive and holistic approach to teaching, her ethos is centred around the knowledge that all forms of creativity thrive in an atmosphere of warmth and curiosity and that when you feel that you can play, you can truly become open to learn.