The Pan American Vocology Association (PAVA) is dedicated to advancing the scientific and interdisciplinary study of Vocology. Its core values centre on interdisciplinarity and collaboration, bringing together diverse voice professionals from laryngologists to voice teachers to foster a unified community.
PAVA emphasises professionalism and standards, particularly through the PAVA-Recognized Vocologist (PAVA-RV) designation, which validates a professional's expertise and commitment to a broad, evidence-based understanding of the field. The organization also prioritises ethical practice and public protection, ensuring that consumers can identify qualified practitioners and that the profession adheres to a high standard of conduct.
The Voice Study Centre aligns with PAVA because of this shared value system. The Voice Study Centre's curriculum is built on an interdisciplinary foundation, mirroring PAVA's value of collaboration. Instead of focusing on a single discipline like singing or speech pathology, its courses integrate knowledge from various fields, including voice science, vocal health, and pedagogy. This approach encourages practitioners to understand the voice from multiple perspectives and prepares them to engage with a wide range of professionals in the vocology community. Our education delivery model is similarly collaborative and non-hierarchical, as we consistently strive to present the community to the community to allow for inclusion, growth and development.
We are committed to upholding the professional standards championed by PAVA. Students of the Voice Study Centre all aspire to achieve higher standards by pushing the boundaries of pedagogy and contributing to the vocology landscape as it continues to evolve.
There is currently no industry regulation that governs voice coaches or singing teachers in the UK or the US. PAVA's response to the lack of industry-wide is not to create a governing or regulatory body itself. Instead, it addresses this issue by establishing a professional designation and a set of standards that members can voluntarily meet.
Listen to Ed Reisert discuss the PAVA Recognised Vocologist designation during a guest appearance in our recent Certificate in Foundations of Vocology course:
Recent Posts
After The Session
After The Session: Thinking Outside the Voice Box: Adolescent Female Voice Change
Voice Study Centre
Thursday 15th October 2026In our recent short course, Thinking Outside the Voice Box: Adolescent Female Voice Change, Dr Bridget Sweet-Manternach explored how voice teachers can better understand and support singers experiencing the changes of adolescence. Adolescence is a period of significant physical, psychological and emotional development. However, voice change is not always straightforward, and the experiences of singers whose voices are often overlooked in traditional discussions of puberty deserve greater attention.
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Student Interviews
Before We Change: Practicing Presence in Vocal Transformation
Voice Study Centre
Wednesday 14th October 2026Just because we can change a singer’s voice doesn’t necessarily mean we should. For Voice Study Centre MA student Chris Harbison Borgelt, meaningful voice teaching begins with a different question: who is the change really for?
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After The Session
After the Session: Musical Theatre Singing Pedagogy with Amanda Flynn
Voice Study Centre
Wednesday 14th October 2026What makes musical theatre singing different from other forms of vocal performance? And how can teachers help singers develop the flexibility, efficiency and stylistic versatility needed for a demanding professional career?
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