From Assignment to Publication: Chris Harbeson-Borgelt’s Journey

At Voice Study Centre, we often talk about bridging research and practice, and seeing our students take their work beyond the classroom is always something special.

We’re delighted to share that MA Voice Pedagogy student Chris Harbeson-Borgelt has had an article accepted for publication in the Journal of Singing.

Chris’s article, “Trauma-Informed Voice Pedagogy: Essential for Some, Effective for All”, began as an assignment for the Trauma-Informed Voice Professional certification with Dr Elisa Monti in 2024.

After further development and refinement, the work has now been accepted for inclusion in an upcoming volume of the Journal of Singing (Volume 83), with publication expected in 2027. This is a brilliant example of how academic work completed during VSC courses can evolve into contributions to the wider field.

Alongside this, Chris expanded the same research into a poster presentation titled: “Supporting Every Student: Trauma-Informed Pedagogy in the Music Studio”

This was presented at the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) National Conference in Chicago, Chris’s first national conference.

The presentation broadened the original focus on voice pedagogy to support teachers across a range of instruments and teaching contexts, opening up important conversations around trauma-informed approaches in music education more widely. Reflecting on this journey, Chris highlighted the role of both the MA Voice Pedagogy and the Trauma-Informed Voice Professional certification in supporting this work:

“I’m grateful for the balance of academic rigour and support from VSC, which has been instrumental in growing my confidence as both an author and speaker.”

This balance between research and real-world application is at the heart of what we aim to offer, supporting students not only in their studies, but in developing their voice within the wider professional community.

Chris is now working on several conference proposals for the upcoming academic year, alongside continuing his MA studies.

We’re excited to see where this work leads next. Congratulations, Chris!