A Comprehensive Performing Arts Health Curriculum: Moving Beyond ‘Drink More Water’
Thursday 19th December 2024, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM (London Time)
It is widely known singers experience voice disorders and injuries. Such injuries may be mitigated through education of vocal health concepts, and many resources exist to assist in guiding singers to competency in this area. Due to lack of awareness and knowledge of other aspects of performing arts health (PAH), singers may be at risk for non-voice related injuries as a result of their participation in singing activities.
While many singers and teachers of singing may feel comfortable talking about voice health and offering specific advice to their students such as “drink plenty of water” or “avoid yelling and screaming,” far fewer professionals feel confident in discussing other principals of performing arts health such as musculoskeletal, hearing, and mental health concepts.
Whole-person wellness is an essential element in the lives of all performing artists, and this course presentation will encompass each of the four core areas of performing arts health (neuromusculoskeletal, hearing, mental and voice health). We will explore these areas in both a broad overview format and in an immediately applicable ‘tips and tricks’ design. Examples of current research in the field will be combined with best practices for both teachers and students. Awareness and knowledge of the concepts related to performing arts health can improve performance abilities, skill acquisition, and overall well-being. Obtaining competency in application of these principals can be achieved after first being made aware of the issues and gaining knowledge of the problems and solutions. This presentation is a valuable piece in achieving performing arts health competency.
At the conclusion of this course, you will have solid information on understanding the occupational risks that surround you, the intrinsic and extrinsic factors you bring to the table, and how to help yourself navigate the internal and environmental factors affecting your occupational health and wellness.
🏷️ Price £30 (UK VAT inclusive)
🎥 Recording automatically sent to all who book (even if you cannot attend live)
▶️ Rewatch as many times as you like
📜 Certificate of attendance available
Kourtney Austin
Dr. Austin is an Assistant Professor of Voice at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. She earned her Ph.D. in Performing Arts Health at the University of North Texas, and holds degrees in voice from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and music education from Northwest Missouri State University.
Attend this course for as little as £22 as part of the Voice Professional Training CPD Award Scheme.
Learn MoreSorry, this is an archived short course...
We have plenty of upcoming short courses coming soon. See details of some of them below or look at the full list of short courses.
Thursday 23rd October 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Friday 24th October 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)
The Vocal Health Challenges for Actors and Singers!
Leda Scearce
Two part course! Vocal health principles are inextricably and symbiotically linked with singing and acting voice pedagogy: Good vocal health allows the singer and actor to more easily and effectively achieve their technical and artistic goals, and good teaching reinforces vocal technique that diminishes the risk of vocal injury. We now also recognize the necessity for singers and actors to understand how their instruments work, how to take care of their voices, and what to do when something goes wrong. Singing and acting teachers are indeed on the front lines of vocal health!
Tuesday 28th October 2025
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
(London Time)
Do you practice what you preach? Strategies for optimal practice
Professor John Nix
“Best practices.” “Practice makes perfect.” “Practice what you preach.” There are many popular phrases about practice that people toss about in conversation – but what is practice anyway, how does it work, and what is the relationship between practicing, learning, and performance? This course will examine current evidence from motor learning research on how we learn motor skills like singing. We’ll define practice, learning, and performance, and the importance of distinguishing learning from performance in how we practice.
Wednesday 29th October 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)
A neurodiversity-affirmative approach to the voice!
Hilary Davies
In recent years, the music therapy profession has begun to consider the application of the neurodiversity paradigm to music therapy practice, in particular In relation to autism, and an increasing amount of literature embracing this perspective has been published. This lecture, delivered from a lived experience perspective, will provide an explanation of the key concepts around neurodiversity - particular consideration will be given to the use of the voice, both one's own but also to the neurodivergent individual’s particular ways of using language, song and vocal sounds.