A Season of Change: Female Voice during Midlife and the Menopausal Transition
Thursday 29th July 2021, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM (London Time)
A Season of Change: Female Voice during Midlife and the Menopausal Transition
Voice changes during the menopausal transition are frequently reported, but are under-studied in voice research and largely overlooked in pedagogical resources. For female singers of all genres, even subtle voice changes can be confusing and discouraging, and in some cases, may lead to career disruptions. To help with potential voice issues and the natural changes of midlife, female singers as well as their teachers and choral conductors need information about the underlying hormonal landscape of perimenopause, menopause and effects on voice. To compassionately and effectively work with women of this age, the larger context of midlife should be considered, and voice recalibration and balancing guidelines understood.
Part One (ca. 25 minutes)
- Introduction
- History of menopause; bias in medicine and voice research
- Midlife versus old age in voice pedagogy
- Singing Through Change: interviews and book
Part Two (ca. 45 minutes)
- Overview of perimenopause and menopause
- Midlife: psycho-social-physiologic context
- Sex steroid (reproductive) hormones and voice; review of research
- Potential voice changes and the menopausal transition
- Related emotional responses
- Phases of voice changes in the menopausal transition
- Role of genre
- Role of midlife aging and lifestyle
- Hormone replacement therapy in 2021
Break (5 minutes)
Part Three (ca. 45 minutes)
- Awareness for teachers and choral directors
- Technique guidelines and shop talk
- Ongoing and upcoming research
- Closing
- Questions
Joanne Bozeman
Joanne Bozeman, graduate of the University of Arizona, has taught singing for over 50 years and is retired from Lawrence University's Conservatory of Music in Appleton, Wisconsin, where she taught studio voice and voice-related courses. Her students have gone on to excellent graduate and young artist programs, and have pursued careers as performers, teachers, conductors and voice care professionals.
Sorry, 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.
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Voice pedagogy has advanced significantly in the last decades in relation to knowledge of the vocal apparatus (anatomy and mechanics), acoustics, and performance psychology (to name just a few subfields) – this is a wonderful thing! Nonetheless, musicianship and the foundations of music theory are still relevant to the teaching and coaching of singers and this course aims to empower voice teachers and coaches with skills to support the fundamental musicianship development of their students.
Thursday 4th June 2026
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Is your "flexible" student actually at risk? In recent years, the singing community has seen a vital shift in awareness toward "invisible" conditions like Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders (HSD), hEDS, and POTS. While hypermobility can sometimes feel like a "superpower" for range and flexibility, it often comes with a hidden cost: a higher frequency of voice disorders, respiratory challenges, and autonomic fatigue. Join Joanne Bozeman and Marita Stryker as they unpick the the special challenges and management strategies needed...
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In Conversation With… Amanda Flynn
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Join us for the first event in our new public interview series exploring vocal health and sustainability in musical theatre performance. Free and open to all!