Research Interests: Singing habilitation, singing rehabilitation, voice rehabilitation, voice therapy, singing voice therapy, singing-informed voice therapy, Neurologic Music Therapy, functional, structural, and neurogenic voice disorders, oral-nasal balance, velopharyngeal dysfunction, hypernasality, hyponasality, resonance.
Accepting Mentees: Yes (3)
Biography
Charlene Santoni received her Master’s Degree in Vocal Pedagogy and her Ph.D. in Music and Health Science with a specialization in voice from The University of Toronto. Her doctoral research explored ways of influencing oral-nasal balance in speech and singing in typical speakers and speakers with hypernasality. Her work earned publication in the Journal of Voice, Folia Phoniatrica et Logopaedica, and The International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology. She has also authored several chapters on singing-based speech and language rehabilitation featured in The Oxford Handbook of Music and the Brain, and The Handbook of Neurologic Music Therapy (2nd ed.) for Oxford University Press. In 2014, she was awarded The National Association of Teachers of Singing Voice Pedagogy Award. In addition to her academic pursuits, Charlene has a rich background in operatic performance. Her career highlights include appearances with Edmonton Opera, Pacific Opera Victoria, Tapestry Opera, the National Arts Centre Orchestra, the Tanglewood Music Center, and the Boston Pops. In 2010, she performed at the Vancouver Cultural Olympiad and at Toronto’s Nuit Blanche Festival, the latter to which was awarded a Scotiabank People's Choice Award. Charlene is currently a sessional voice instructor the University of Toronto, where she concurrently teaches a course in Clinical Voice Pedagogy. She is also an assistant faculty member at The R.F.Unkefer Academy of Neurologic Music Therapy, where she offers lectures on singing-inspired voice therapy techniques like vocal intonation therapy®,therapeutic singing®, and oral & motor respiratory exercises®. Charlene is deeply passionate about the transformative potential of singing to complement and enhance voice therapy practices. She is dedicated to advancing its impact on vulnerable populations worldwide by supporting further research in the field.
Qualifications
PhD Music & Health Science (voice), The University of Toronto, 2020 (Supervisors: Dr. Michael Thaut & Dr. Tim Bressmann) Dissertation title: Influencing oral-nasal balance in speech and song
MMus Voice Performance & Pedagogy, The University of Toronto, 2007 (Instructor: Dr. Mary Morrison, O.C.)
Post-Baccalaureate Diploma Voice Performance, The University of Manitoba, 2005 (Instructor: Prof. Tracy Dahl)
BMus Voice Performance, The University of Western Ontario, 2004 (Instructor: Prof. Kevin McMillan)
Other Credentials
World Federation for Neurorehabilitation Member, 2022
Neurologic Music Therapy Clinical Voice Supervisor, 2022
Pan American Vocology Association Member, 2017
Academy of Neurologic Music Therapy, Allied Professional, 2016
National Association of Teachers of Singing Voice Pedagogy Award, 2014
National Association of Teachers of Singing Member, 2011
Publications
Santoni, C. (2025, submitted). Defining and understanding therapeutic singing, Musiktherapeutische Umschau (German Music Therapy Journal).
Santoni, C. (2025, in press). Therapeutic singing. In M. Thaut & V. Hoemberg (Eds.), The Handbook of Neurologic Music Therapy, 2nd Ed., Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
Thaut, C., Edwards, D., & Santoni, C. (2025, in press). Vocal intonation therapy. In M. Thaut & V. Hoemberg (Eds.), The Handbook of Neurologic Music Therapy, 2nd Ed., Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
Bressmann, T., Cuglietta, L., Tang, BHY., & Santoni, C. (2024, submitted). Reduction of hypernasal speakers’ nasalance scores with voice focus adjustments. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders.
Santoni, C., Thaut, M., & Bressmann, T. (2020). Immediate effects of voice focus adjustments on hypernasal speakers’ nasalance scores. International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology, 135, 110107–110107.
Santoni, C., de Boer, G., Thaut, M., & Bressmann, T. (2019). Influence of voice focus adjustments on oral-nasal balance in speech and song. Folia Phoniatrica et Logopaedica, 72(5), 351–362.
Santoni, C., de Boer, G., Thaut, M., & Bressmann, T. (2019). Influence of voice focus adjustments on oral-nasal balance in speech and singing. In Mongeau, L., Meeting Report of the 13th International Conference on Advances in Quantitative Laryngology, Voice and Speech Research, June 2–4, 2019, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Applied Sciences, 9, 2665 (p.29-30).
Santoni, C., de Boer, G., Thaut, M., & Bressmann, T. (2018). Influence of altered auditory feedback on oral-nasal balance in song. Journal of Voice, 34(1), 157.e9–157.e15.
Lee, Y.S., Santoni, C., & Thaut, C. (2018) Music-based speech and language rehabilitation. In M. Thaut & D. Hodges (Eds.), Oxford Handbook on Music and the Brain, Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.