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...composer of music for media, singer/voice teacher, published writer, visual artist, Vikki Flawith is also 'The Shy Singer': one who struggled with severe stage fright and acute social phobia as a teenager. Her mottos are "never give up" and "be willing to listen and learn" -- her story is proof that we can heal and move forward from past programming by actively engaging in creativity. The slow awakening of awareness that is required to find and release one's voice then becomes the catalyst for consciousness.

IN HER early years, Vikki played flute, piccolo & trumpet in school bands; received a guitar for Christmas when she was 12, and began to write her first songs. Despite singing in church and school choirs, she suffered from acute stage fright and found it difficult to sing solos or make small talk in social situations. She struggled with performance anxiety to such an extent that it affected her ability to pursue her dreams. Years passed. A series of events lead her to examine her life and do some deep soul searching. It was then she saw again the desire to sing had been with her since early childhood, but she had let the music die. Searching for an answer, she asked a friend for the name of his voice teacher. It took her three months to get up the courage to call and make an appointment. Over the next five or six years, she struggled with doubt but somehow managed to stay committed to the work.

"I felt like I was getting nowhere yet everytime I seriously thought of quitting, I just couldn't." "One day, I woke up. I realized that, as much as I wanted to sing, I really wasn't opening up. I was so scared I wouldn't be good enough, I never gave myself the chance. The process of working with my voice, day by day, grew my awareness of myself, my thoughts and feelings, to the point where I literally gained a level of consciousness I never had before. The same thing that held me back in voice, held me back in life, made me stammer, made me speak so softly no one could hear me. My awakening was slow - perhaps because my wounding was so deep. It took me eight years to free my voice and twelve years to sing without fear."

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"I really appreciate your attitude and willingness to learn & move forward. You are all the proof I need to know that everything is possible if you take a little advice & work hard." ~ Michael Laskow (President & CEO, Taxi)

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A classically-trained lyric mezzo-soprano, she studied privately (Italian method) with maestro Luigi Wood (1991-1996); German-Australian tenor Gerhardt Zeller (1996-2002); soprano Catherine Lewis (2004-2006); & soprano Barbara Livingston (2007-2009). Also coached with conductor Bliss Johnston; attended Master Classes with mezzo soprano Phyllis Mailing; & studied Jazz Improvisation & Performance with Gordon Clements. She studied guitar with Al Hume, piano with Mary McKinney, and mandolin with Moritz Behm. She has sung in many choirs, including the Prince George College Chorale, the St. Andrew's-Wesley Chancel Choir, & the Vancouver Jewish Folk Choir. She was a member of the reserve chorus for Pacific Opera Victoria for several years.In June, 2006, she was privileged to sing the Canadian national anthems at the Investiture of the Order of British Columbia (the province's highest honour for outstanding achievement) at Victoria's Government House. Lieutenant Governor Iona Camagnolo and BC Premier Gordon Campbell were present.

SHE HAS APPEARED in over 25 stage shows & musicals. Her musical credits include: Carmen, The Tempest, Lucia di Lammermoor (Pacific Opera Victoria), M'alachim (Western Concert Opera); The Magic Flute (Vancouver Academy of Music); Carousel, Brigadoon, La Cage aux Folles (Theatre under the Stars); Faust, Die Mutter (Theatrespace); Hair (Vancouver Musical Theatre); Kiss Me Kate (Victoria Operatic Society); Toad of Toad Hall (West Niner's/Ldn, Eng); and Puss & Boots (Metro Theatre).

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"...Vikki, you're good! Keep writing." ~ John Braheny (Author, 'The Craft & the Business of Songwriting')

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VIKKI'S PASSIONS are creativity, songwriting, painting, writing, and nature. Besides composing music for film/TV, Vikki appeared locally with "Easy", folk group, from 2006-2010. She loves movies & musicals, operas & symphonies, film scores, and music of many genres from around the world. A member of the Esquimalt Painters group for two years, Vikki has exhibited her acrylics & watercolours at various shows & galleries, most notibly the Two Sister's Gallery (Savary Island) and the Collective Works Gallery (Langford). She has also taught workshops such as "Women's Voices", "Let's Sing", and "Gospel Voices" in Greater Vancouver and on Vancouver Island BC. You may be surprised to know that she has been deaf in one ear since the age of thirteen, and has reverse hearing loss in the other. This has not stopped her from engaging in musical activities, or being a successful voice teacher and composer.

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"...'Wilted Heart' is a very beautiful song." ~ Len Amsterdam (Canadian Indie Broadcaster, Len Amsterdam's Country Music Show)

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COMPOSING CREDITS include music placed in television shows and documentary film. She has collaborated with Casey Hurowitz, Marcus Cohen, Matt Hirt, Chuck Schlacter, James Mitchell, John Mazzei, and many others.

TRAINING: Vikki has recently furthered her knowledge of composition and music for media by taking several excellent courses through entities such as Thinkspace Education Film Scoring School (Composer Blueprints Training, How to Score Films, Sampled Orchestration in a Weekend, Learn Music Theory); Evenant (Cinematic Music: From Idea to Finished Recording; Trailer Music Redefined; The Aspiring Trailer Music Composer, Orchestral Sketching); Cinematic Composing (Symphonic Virtual Orchestration; Mixing and Mastering Orchestral Music; Andy Hill - Scoring the Screen; Film Music Cliches; 20h Score Video Analysis); and Masterclasses such as: Hans Zimmer (Film Scoring), Danny Elfman (Music for Film), Dustin Hoffman (Directing). She is also enrolled in Evenant's Cinematic Design: From Idea to Finished Concept Art.

AFFILIATIONS: Vikki is a member of SOCAN/ASCAP. She has a US taxpayer identification number (ITIN). Other memberships include CARAS (Canadian Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences), CPCC (The Center for the Promotion of Contemporary Composers), IAWM (International Alliance for Women in Music), and SAC (Songwriter's Association of Canada).