A Tonguecentric Pedagogy: Reframing The Conversation About This Important Structure
Thursday 24th February 2022, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM (London Time)
The tongue is the most flexible structure in the vocal tract.
The pharynx, while not a square, does have four “sides” that include the back, two sides and the front.
The back wall is not moveable. The side walls can narrow and release to create high frequency energy (twang).
The front wall, the back of the tongue, is super flexible and can move in myriad ways!
It is the primary shaper of voice quality and can make or break a performer’s production. The fourth “wall” is used to create ring and darkness, and is involved in control of vibrato rate. It shapes vowels and consonants and can fix or cause vocal problems. “Holy Moly,” what doesn’t it do?
I now believe it is the most important structure to learn about in singing and have shifted my pedagogical approach toward a “TongueCentric” one instead of one centered around the vocal folds.
After all, the folds are only a small portion of the overall sound created.
Join us for this “TongueCentric” course.
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.
Tuesday 4th November 2025
5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
Tuesday 11th November 2025
5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
Tuesday 18th November 2025
5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
Tuesday 25th November 2025
5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
Tuesday 2nd December 2025
5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
(London Time)
Introduction to Postgraduate Academic Skills - Join Live!
Debbie Winter
Are you ready to elevate your academic journey? Hosted by our very own Debbie Winter, join our comprehensive Introduction to Academic Skills course, designed to equip you with essential tools and strategies for success in higher education. Perfect for bridging the gap between undergraduate and postgraduate study, this course offers a pathway to our full MA for students without an existing degree. We offer both live, interactive sessions and standalone, pre-recorded content.
Thursday 6th November 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)
"Throaty Sounds": Cross-linguistics, Health, & Pedagogy!
Dayle Towarnicky
Glottal stops, vocal fry, creaky voice, and more! There are many types of “throaty sounds” that we make in spoken languages and simply in vocal expression. Many practitioners have historically expressed strong views about the health or use of throaty sounds: considering them risky or unhealthy, as well as displeasing. Join Dayle Towarnicky as she reconsiders the narrative around glottals and vocal fry to support our students' use of speech!
Tuesday 11th November 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)
The Art of Teaching the Female Musical Theatre Voice!
Dr. Christianne Roll
The female musical theatre belt sound originated on the Broadway stage in 1930, mostly associated with Ethel Merman and her vocal performance of the song “I Got Rhythm,” in the Gershwin musical, Girl Crazy. In the almost 100 years since the origin of the female musical theatre belt voice, the sound has become almost synonymous with Broadway itself. Join Dr Christianne Roll as she discusses the up-to-date strategies and techniques to create this exciting vocal production for each specific singer.