Accents and Phonetics 101 (the basics explained)
Wednesday 17th July 2024, 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM (London Time)
This short course is designed for voice coaches or singing teachers who are interested in adding phonetics and accent work to their portfolio. It is designed as a brief introduction or taster, offering an overview of the topic as well as some quick tips and tricks for you to takeaway.
Accents and phonetics work can be integrated into voice work in many ways. Whether you are a new voice teacher working with actors who would like to know more about incorporating accent work into your practice, a singing teacher who works with performers needing to use accent work or just a voice teacher who could benefit from understanding more about how we produce sounds from a phonetic perspective, this brief introductory course is for you.
In the Autumn, VSC will be launching an eight-session course on accents and phonetics, so this taster session could provide a brief insight into the kind of work we will be exploring, or it could be a stand-alone session to help you learn a little more about working with the spoken voice in this way.
We will cover:
- Phonetics basics (how we produce sound, how it is heard, and how we label sounds)
- Brief introduction to IPA
- Introduction to accent work (including phonetic and intuitive approaches)
What you will take away:
- An appreciation of how accessible accents and phonetics can be
- Tools to start integrating accents and phonetics into your work
- Some great links and resources for you to take this further if you’d like to
- A taster of the kind of work we’ll be doing in the eight-week course with VSC
🏷️ 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
Louisa Morgan
Louisa Morgan is a lecturer, voice teacher and researcher, with a special focus on spoken and sung emotion. Louisa lectures with Voice Study Centre (spoken voice lead) and teaches Musical Theatre students on the MA/MFA course at the Guildford School of Acting (GSA).
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.
Tuesday 16th December 2025
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
(London Time)
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Professor Helena Daffern
In this session, Professor Helena Daffern will explore the fascinating science behind choral sound, offering choir singers and directors valuable insights into achieving a cohesive and expressive ensemble, no matter what their standard. The concept of choral blend will be examined —what it is, how it can be cultivated, and the roles of intonation and vibrato will be analysed. The decisions that have to be made around intonation when tuning thirds or dealing with modulations over the course of an a cappella piece will be explained in the context of existing research and different singing styles such as barbershop singing and solo voice ensembles.
Tuesday 16th December 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)
Unclenching the Jaw: Options from the Physio Lens
Walt Fritz
“Jaw tension” is one of many potential problems facing the singer, and can cause a direct negative impact on the performance in both direct and indirect ways. The underlying cause of jaw issues is attributed to numerous factors (technique, posture, strength, range of motion, etc.), making it often difficult to identify common denominators. Join Walt Fritz as he examines the evidence supporting stretching, strengthening, and manual therapy interventions to address jaw-related concerns in vocal performers, taking into account their unique needs.
Thursday 18th December 2025
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
(London Time)
Improving Lyric Italian Diction for Classical Singers
Professor Conroy Cupido
Join Professor Conroy Cupido as he offers an in-depth exploration of the most frequent pronunciation errors made by classical singers in Italian lyric diction. Designed for both emerging and advanced singers, the course provides a structured and practical approach to mastering Italian pronunciation as used in opera, oratorio, and art song.