Viv Mantels

She started with music at age 4 (first playing the melodica ) . She also plays drums , piano, guitar & flute for some time .

She started with professional singing at age 13 and was introduced by belgian composer , bandleader & director Francis Bay , thru his singing-competitions in May 1978. She studied classical singing from 1980-1984 with Mrs. Süssman ( a belgian-german vocal singing coach in Belgium) .

Viv Mantels was a student at The High School Of Performing Arts in Hasslt from 1980-1984 , direction " Expression & Movement" And a student at The Antwerp Royal Conservatory - drama-department from 1984-1986 , she studied acting under drama-teacher & coach Mrs. Dora Van De Groen. And after that was a student at the Antwerp University (UIA) for "Science Of Theater" and at the Brussels University (VUB) for post-graduate-studies in "Film , Theater & Dance ".

From 1984-1988 she was involved in The JAZZSTUDIO , a private jazz-school based in Antwerp-Belgium , were she studied jazz-singing (among others) with Patricia Beysens & Judi Silvano & Deborah Brown. In 1988 she was a student of Betty Carter , with whom she started "The Vocal Jazz Workshop" (*)in Brussels , november 1988 . Betty Carter became her vocal-coach in 1988. And creative partner since then - for 10 years - untill her death in september 1998.

Her debut record was " NO MORE TEARS" , A dedication to Billie Holiday , recorded in january 1989 with The Mal Waldron ( Billie's last pianist ) trio . LIVE in Bruges , BELGIUM - EUROPE.

Viv Mantels is a member of SABAM ( The Belgian Compagny For Authors & Composers) since 1991 , as composer/author/lyricist.

She is known for her VM - VOCAL JAZZ CENTER - (*) which became the new name since january 1999 for "The Vocal Jazz Workshop" - in which she creates activities around vocal jazz . She is also a known educator for vocal jazz & drama since 1992 in Europe .

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