About Joshua Popenoe
I was born in the United States, and lived with my family first in Malaysia and then in England. Living in both Asia and Europe at an early age gave me a love for the tremendous variety of sounds, rhythms, and textures of language and the human voice.
As a teenager, I attended the well-known alternative school in England, SUMMERHILL, and wrote a book about my experience called INSIDE SUMMERHILL, which was published along with my photographs, when I was 17 years old. After publication I lectured about my experience at Summerhill at colleges around the United States.
I’ve been playing with my voice, writing songs and making music since I was a child. As a young man I lived in Japan for 16 years, working as a voice talent, singer and musician. I performed and recorded original music and songs, wrote and recorded TV and radio commercials, did voice-overs, narration, and every kind of voice job imaginable.
After returning to the US, I decided to use my experience and ability as a vocalist to help foreign speakers of English improve their pronunciation. After many years of study and practical experience, I developed the POPENOE METHOD, a unique and highly effective approach to teaching American-English pronunciation.
I currently live in New York City, where I teach the POPENOE METHOD in person and online in private sessions and group classes. I produced the POPENOE METHOD ONLINE PRONUNCIATION VIDEO MASTER COURSE to reach foreign speakers of English anywhere in the world, and help them speak English with more comfort and confidence.
Commercials and songs Joshua composed and recorded in Japan
Denpa
Minkan Hoso Renmei a cappella radio CM composed and sung by Joshua
Minkan Hoso Renmei a cappella radio CM composed and sung by Joshua
Zero One Shop
Canon Zero One Shop a cappella radio CM composed and sung by Joshua
Canon Zero One Shop a cappella radio CM composed and sung by Joshua
Pikie's Theme
Fuji TV's Hirake Ponkiki / composed and sung by Joshua
Fuji TV's Hirake Ponkiki / composed and sung by Joshua
Burukarucho
Panasonic radio commercial / the reporter is Joshua
Panasonic radio commercial / the reporter is Joshua
Overdue Blue
Original song and lead vocal by Joshua
Guitar-Bill Benfield, Bass-Steven Ayers, Keyboard-Marty Lighthizer, Drums-Rob Anderson
Original song and lead vocal by Joshua
Guitar-Bill Benfield, Bass-Steven Ayers, Keyboard-Marty Lighthizer, Drums-Rob Anderson
The Art of Pronunciation
I call the study of pronunciation an art for two reasons; first, because my work in developing a method to teach pronunciation grew out of my artistic life as a singer and voice talent, and second, because for a foreign speaker, learning to pronounce English well requires desire, commitment, concentration, and love, all qualities required to make any practice an art.
