Short Courses & Events / Archive

How Teachers Can Utilize Motor Learning Feedback to Accelerate Learning

Thursday 12th December 2024, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM (London Time)

Communication is possibly the most important single aspect of training a singer. Feedback is an essential and quantifiable aspect of instructor-student communication. The research in the emerging field of evidence-based voice pedagogy has been directed primarily to the technical aspects of voice training, i.e. respiratory management, registration, and resonance. However vital these elements of teaching are, the method in which these are taught is as essential to the process of the student’s ability to learn and retain skills. Singing is a motor skill which involves the coordination of respiratory, laryngeal, pharyngeal, and articulatory muscles. Motor learning is a process that leads to a relatively permanent change in coordinated and skilled muscle movement. This change is an increased proficiency for skilful movement. Feedback is essential to improve the efficiency of skilled acquisition of motor skills. The timing, frequency, and content of feedback can allow a student to acquire skills more proficiently.

In this course, we look at how the mind and body acquire the skills to become proficient in singing and how teachers, through their communication, can best facilitate the rate and retention of motor skill acquisition.

🏷️ 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 Colin Johnson

Dr. Colin B. Johnson, bass-baritone, is a dynamic educator, performer, and researcher. Dr. Johnson enthusiastically teaches private voice lessons in a variety of genres including both classical and contemporary commercial music.

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Attend this course for as little as £22 as part of the Voice Professional Training CPD Award Scheme.

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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.

Music Theory Fundamentals for Voice Pedagogues
Tuesday 5th May 2026
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday 12th May 2026
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday 19th May 2026
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday 26th May 2026
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday 2nd June 2026
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday 9th June 2026
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
(London Time)

Music Theory Fundamentals for Voice Pedagogues

Dr David Cane

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.

Exploring Group-Voice for all Ages and Stages!
Tuesday 26th May 2026
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)

Exploring Group-Voice for all Ages and Stages!

Cynthia Vaughn

Teaching group-voice classes is an exciting and fun way to teach singing. It affords the singer and teacher opportunities to experience many different aspects of singing in ways that are not possible when working one-one. Join Cynthia Vaughn as she explores the many benefits gained from working in a group, such as opportunities for each student to participate and hear others, chances to experiment with different techniques, styles, and sounds, guided learning from peers, increased awareness of vocal efficiency and effectiveness, and more confidence (and less self-consciousness) in sharing and performing.

Flexible Pedagogy: Teaching Singers with Dynamic Conditions
Thursday 4th June 2026
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)

Flexible Pedagogy: Teaching Singers with Dynamic Conditions

Joanne Bozeman
Marita Stryker

Is your "flexible" student actually at risk? In recent years, the singing community has seen a vital shift in awareness toward "invisible" conditions like Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders (HSD), hEDS, and POTS. While hypermobility can sometimes feel like a "superpower" for range and flexibility, it often comes with a hidden cost: a higher frequency of voice disorders, respiratory challenges, and autonomic fatigue. Join Joanne Bozeman and Marita Stryker as they unpick the the special challenges and management strategies needed...