News / Student & Alumni News

MA Student, Elizabeth Drwal, Invited To Present At SMEI Conference

Wednesday 8th January 2020

We are delighted to announce that our MA student, Elizabeth Drwal, has been invited to present her vocal pedagogy research at the 9th SMEI (Society for Music Education in Ireland) conference.

Elizabeth will be presenting her paper ‘Can imagery support the acquisition of vocal technique in Primary aged children?’ in Dublin at DCU St Patrick’s Campus in January 2020. 

To find out more information, check out the SMEI website here.

Elizabeth Drwal Stuttard

Elizabeth is a Vocal Coach and Choral Facilitator, Community Dance Facilitator and Researcher...


Recent Posts

Student Interviews

Could a Harmonica Have a Place in the Voice Studio?

Voice Study Centre
Tuesday 8th September 2026

What does a harmonica have to do with the human voice? For harmonica performer and music educator Shima Melvin, this question became the starting point for her postgraduate research with the Voice Study Centre. While developing her approach to teaching harmonica, Shima found herself struggling to explain exactly what was happening inside the instrument when she played. The mechanics of the harmonica were, in a sense, invisible.

Read More...
After The Session

After the Session: Common Medical Diagnoses and Treatments in Voice Patients

Voice Study Centre
Friday 4th September 2026

Voice care extends far beyond opera stars! A voice professional includes anyone whose livelihood depends on an effective and pleasing voice - teachers, solicitors, sports coaches, secretaries, and sales personnel. Yesterday, we welcomed back Dr. Robert Sataloff MD, DMA, FACS, for a short course into the diagnosis, medical care, and surgical management of voice patients. Robert is the Director of Otolaryngology at the Lankenau Institute for Medical Research, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Voice, professional singer, and a conductor.. Read on for the key insights and takeaways every vocal professional, pedagogue, and performer should know!

Read More...
After The Session

After the Session: Acoustic Physics, Resonance and the Vocal Tract!

Voice Study Centre
Thursday 27th August 2026

Last night, the Voice Study Centre had the pleasure of hosting Dr. Brad Story (University of Arizona) for a fascinating short course entitled "The Vocal Tract and Singing: A Research Overview". Drawing from his unique background in physics, mathematics, and computational acoustics - including early engineering work on vehicle exhaust systems(!) - Dr. Story provided a deep dive on how the geometry of the human vocal tract shapes source sound into voice, speech, and song. Read on to find our what we learned!

Read More...