From Broadway to the West End: Teaching Musical Theatre in a Modern Era
Tuesday 21st January 2025, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM (London Time)
As the world of musical theatre evolves, voice professionals face the unique challenge of preparing singers for an industry that demands not only vocal excellence but also stylistic versatility and resilience. In this engaging two-hour workshop, Melanie Tapson - a professional performer, interdisciplinary voice specialist and clinical voice therapist - focuses on equipping voice educators with practical tools to help their students thrive at every stage of their career, all the way to Broadway, the West End, and beyond.
Through a voice-centred lens, this workshop will explore:
- the essential vocal techniques shaping contemporary musical theatre, from belting and pop/rock mixing to strategies for vocal conditioning (and re-conditioning, too)
- current trends in vocal styles and sound preferences across genres, and what they reveal about industry shifts
- practical approaches for bridging the gap between classical and contemporary musical theatre training, helping singers build versatility with a priority focus on vocal health
Melanie will blend practical pedagogy with voice science, sharing research-backed insights into anatomy, physiology, and acoustics. You’ll discover:
- how to teach singers to connect technical choices with emotional storytelling in song analysis and acting through song.
- how to prepare students for real-world challenges, such as adapting quickly to new material, managing vocal demands during long contracts, and auditioning with confidence.
- tools you can use to help analyse resonance and optimize vocal production.
Interactive exercises and case-based discussions will guide participants in developing actionable teaching strategies tailored to the needs of today’s performers. Whether you’re helping singers identify their “hit” roles, expand their stylistic range, or sustain vocal excellence under pressure, this workshop will provide the insights and tools to make your teaching more effective and impactful.
Join us for a practical, research-driven exploration of musical theatre pedagogy designed specifically for voice professionals, and leave inspired to help vocalists take centre stage!
🏷️ 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
Melanie Tapson
Melanie Tapson is a professional singer, Singing Voice Specialist and clinical voice pathologist with a busy hybrid voice practice in Toronto. She holds a BFA (jazz performance, voice/drums), a BEd (senior vocal music/drama), and an MSc in speech pathology. She has performed on international stages including for Disney Cruise Line and touring with Juno Award winning groups, and she continues to sing and do voiceover work when time permits.
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 13th October 2026
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
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MA Voice Pedagogy: Online Information Session & Q&A
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Tuesday 13th October 2026
2:00 PM - 4:30 PM
(London Time)
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Amanda Flynn
Join Amanda Flynn for this extended 2.5 hour session on the the pedagogy of teaching musical theatre singing. She will begin by exploring the flexibility needed for musical theatre singing through definitions, listening exercises, and some historical context.
Wednesday 14th October 2026
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
(London Time)
Thinking Outside the Voice Box: Adolescent Female Voice Change
Dr Bridget Sweet-Manternach
Join Dr Bridget Sweet for this 2 hour session as she unpacks this fascinating topic. The purpose of this course is to bring attention to adolescents who experience an estrogen-dominant voice change and to encourage new and holistic ways of thinking about [assigned at birth] female voices. While considering physical changes during adolescence, we will unpack basic vocal anatomy and physiology and then discuss what happens to the vocal mechanism during voice change for females vs. [assigned at birth] males.