Know Thyself Through Music and Song
Interview with Isaac and Thorald Koren (aka The Brothers Koren)
Interview with the Brother’s Koren
While living in NYC (2000-2011), I met two strikingly handsome Australian brothers in a band called The Kin.
My band (Jettatura) would often share the bill with The Kin at venues such as Galapagos in Brooklyn and the Knitting Factory and I always felt my own kinship to these two guys.
But as life goes, I moved around and lost touch with The Kin but followed the guy’s intriguing careers on social media. As Interscope Records recording artists, The Kin went on to tour with Pink, Coldplay, Bon Jovi, Rod Stewart, and many others as they amassed over 10,000 hours of touring experience.
From the outside, it seemed like they were on their way, but as many band signings go, something was missing.
The label wanted a hit record. The Kin wanted something different than the industry seemed to offer, a way to authentically realize who they are as humans. Sure they are songwriters, but also a lot more: Thorald has been an alternative/behavioral voice coach for 20 years and Isaac’s 20 years of research on the science and mathematics of music (or music cosmology and sacred geometry.
As The Brothers Koren, Isaac and Thorald offer a few different courses, lessons and approaches for people to “Know Thyself Through Music and Song.”
At the time of this writing, I’m nearly done with their live course: Awaken & Celebrate Your Sacred Voice and I have to attest that it’s been transformational. I’m singing daily and exploring sounds with my voice that I never thought possible. It’s deeply personal work and as the course suggests: Sacred. We speak al, the time, but do we really hear ourselves? Do we play with new sounds, pitches or tones? Do we only use our throat or can we feel our whole body resonate with our voice?
What’s also delightful is the Brother’s approach. They don’t view themselves as master singers teaching you what you lack, but rather like master producers looking to highlight your gifts and build them up. It’s like assuming that you already sing authentically and have a song inside you. You just need some encouragement.
This may sound corny, or just impossible, until you experience it yourself.
They believe (and I’ve now experienced) that by working with your “small voices” (instead of rejecting them), you are able to embrace your gifts and understand what might hold you back a bit better. The result: Releasing your voice and allowing yourself to explore.
In my work so far, I’ve found many of my small voices;
The jaded musician who is too cool to sing
The not good enough for choir voice
The “I’m just a drummer” so what business do I have to sing? voice
My work in the course has been getting to know these small voices and tucking them under my wing. Similar (quite coincidentally) to my forthcoming book concept “Doubt Riding Shotgun”, we often grow by giving a bit of love and acceptance to the voices holding us back rather than rejecting and ignoring them. Those voices have a purpose, just like our voices do, and that my friends, is to SING!
Visit these links to learn more about the Brothers Koren
Great interview by Corey O'Flanagan on Songfacts
Note: I’m also working with clients to help them identify their own mantra for wherever they are feeling stuck or looking for additional power through their own voice.
