Habilitation for the Aging Avocational Singer
Tuesday 6th August 2024, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM (London Time)
As our population ages, the demand for voice teachers who can adeptly support the unique needs of aging singers is steadily increasing. This course, based on my paper “Habilitation for the Aging Avocational Singer” (Journal of Singing, January/February 2022 Volume 78, No. 3, pp. 347–354) explores voice pedagogy principles tailored specifically to the aging population. It equips voice teachers with the knowledge and tools to address challenges and maximize the potential of their aging singer clientele.
Course Objectives:
- Understanding Aging and Its Impact on the Voice:
- Examine physiological changes and their effects on the singing voice.
- Discuss challenges like loss of range, intonation issues, slower vibrato, and vocal fatigue.
- Pedagogical Interventions:
- Learn strategies for addressing challenges faced by aging singers: onset, power, intonation, vibrato, noise, and vowel production.
- Engage with exercises designed to strengthen and stabilize the aging voice, drawing from traditional methods and recent therapeutic advances.
- Accommodating Diverse Needs:
- Address the specific needs of various aging singer profiles, including avocational singers, retired professionals, and true adult beginners.
- Consider gender and age-related changes, with a focus on recent research concerning female singers and those navigating menopause.
- Promoting Lifelong Vocal Health:
- Emphasize the importance of daily vocal exercise, proper nutrition, hydration, and an active lifestyle in maintaining vocal health.
- Encourage a positive and proactive approach to aging, celebrating the unique advantages and experiences that older singers bring to their performances.
Course Features:
- Case Studies and Peer Feedback: Analyze your real-world scenarios and benefit from the collective experience of fellow participants.
- Resource Compilation: Receive curated resources, including recommended readings, exercise protocols, and referral guidelines for healthcare professionals.
Join us to enhance your skills as a voice teacher and make a meaningful impact on the lives of aging singers. Equip yourself with the expertise to support their vocal journey and ensure they continue to enjoy singing with confidence and joy.
This course is ideal for voice teachers, choir directors, and vocal coaches looking to deepen their understanding of the aging voice and expand their pedagogical toolkit.
🏷️ 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
Dr Dann Mitton
Independent voice teacher and researcher Dann Mitton earned his Doctor of Musical Arts in Performance (Voice) degree with a specialization in voice pedagogy...
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 5th May 2026
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Tuesday 12th May 2026
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Tuesday 19th May 2026
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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 14th May 2026
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Friday 15th May 2026
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)
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Two part course! Vocal health principles are inextricably and symbiotically linked with singing and acting voice pedagogy: Good vocal health allows the singer and actor to more easily and effectively achieve their technical and artistic goals, and good teaching reinforces vocal technique that diminishes the risk of vocal injury. We now also recognize the necessity for singers and actors to understand how their instruments work, how to take care of their voices, and what to do when something goes wrong. Singing and acting teachers are indeed on the front lines of vocal health!
Tuesday 19th May 2026
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Staging A Coup: History meets science for the coup de la glotte!
Kourtney Austin
Historical vocal pedagogy, voice science, voice health, and performance practice come together in this presentation from Kourtney Austin! The session addresses the historical context for teaching the onset as a fundamental skill, along with a review of a recent publication examining the acoustic effects of different types of onset, and practical studio implementation of onset training. The aforementioned publication is the first known research to objectively measure the acoustic implications of the coup de la glotte, and delineate it from the hard glottal attack.