Brain, Movement, and Song
Thursday 4th March 2021, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM (London Time)
This workshop will provide a gross overview of brain anatomy with a focus on how the brain controls movement, and the voice in particular.
Motivating case
- Meet the Chimpanzees: Viki and Washoe
- Why can Apes use sing language, but not speak or sing?
- Is there something special about the way that the human brain controls the voice?
Gross brain primer
- The four lobes
- Grey matter vs white matter
- Networks
Neuroscience of movement
- Primary motor cortex
- Somatotopy
- Descending motor pathways
- Movement from electrical stimulation
- Paresis from damage, e.g., stroke
- Cortico-striatal loop
- Functions
- Executing motor plans
- Learning new motor plans
- Anatomical components & their connections
- Supplementary Motor Area
- Basal Ganglia
- Thalamus
- Relevant disorders
- Parkinson’s disease
- Huntington’s disease
- Functions
- Cortico-Cerebellar Loop
- Functions
- Correcting movement errors
- Sensory feedback
- Anatomical components
- Cerebellum
- Thalamus
- Functions
- An example from Dance: fMRI Tango!
- Lead with your cortico-striatal loop
- Follow with your cortico-cerebellar loop
Neuroscience of song
- Specialisation for voice motor control
- Uniqueness to humans
- Electrical stimulation & Lesions
- Brain imaging studies
- Song
- Speech
- Emotions
Birdsong
- Avian song production system
- Analogy with human primary motor cortex
- Avian song learning system
- Analogy with human cortico-striatal loop
- Brain imaging evidence
- Vocal imitation fMRI
Summary
- Humans share a motor system with other mammals
- But with some voice specialisation
- Similar specialisation also appear in songbirds
Dr Michel Belyk
Dr Michel Belyk is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Edge Hill University. He studies the human voice, all the things that it says, and how it is able to say them.
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 18th August 2026
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday 25th August 2026
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday 1st September 2026
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday 8th September 2026
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday 15th September 2026
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday 22nd September 2026
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
(London Time)
Musical Theatre Vocal Pedagogy Certificate
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Join Kevin Wilson for this six-part certificated course, offering an in‑depth, practical exploration of contemporary voice teaching for musical theatre. Across six focused classes, participants develop a systematic approach to vocal technique, diagnosis, and repertoire selection that reflects the stylistic, physical, and emotional demands of the genre. The curriculum integrates vocal science, embodied voice work, registration theory, and stylistic awareness across the five major sub‑genres of musical theatre.
Thursday 10th September 2026
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)
Dalcroze Eurhythmics in the Voice Studio
Dr Tish Oney
The Dalcroze Method taught by Swiss music teacher Émile Jaques-Dalcroze (1865-1950) has long been valued as a tool for teaching music in group settings (ensembles, choirs, music classes, etc.) But what about its one-on-one use in the applied voice studio? Join Dr. Tish Oney for this interactive short course and learn about the history and principles of this important method of music education. Through the employ of Dalcroze movements and concepts, singers and teachers explore music in ways that can reduce tension and increase the fun of music making, while encouraging discovery of technical and theoretical skill-building practices.
Tuesday 15th September 2026
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
(London Time)
Games & Gadgets: Building Vocal Skills Through Movement & Play!
Naomi Lewandoski
How can simple tools such as exercise balls, bubbles, stretchy bands, straws, ribbons and even toilet rolls transform the way singers learn? Naomi Lewandoski is a singing teacher, voice educator, performer and workshop presenter with a passion for helping singers explore the voice through movement, curiosity and evidence-informed practice. In this interactive course she explores how games, gadgets, movement and play can help build vocal skills by creating greater awareness of how the body coordinates for singing.