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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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.

“Too Much, Too Little, Just Right!” - The Balancing Act Model
Tuesday 28th July 2026
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)

“Too Much, Too Little, Just Right!” - The Balancing Act Model

Robert Edwin

The Balancing Act Model encourages singers to explore the extremes of singing, and from those extremes, establish their most efficient (balanced) voice and performance techniques. Join the renowned singer/actor and author Robert Edwin as he covers many aspects of the singing process including breathing, phonation, resonation, articulation, and attitude. If you’re involved in music theater or opera, you’ll find the Model to be especially helpful in developing character voices for roles such as Nathan and Adelaide in Guys and Dolls. If you’re just looking to find out what your body and voice can do, The Balancing Act Model can provide many answers!

A VOICE FOR THE VOICELESS | Person-Centred Singing Teaching
Thursday 30th July 2026
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
(London Time)

A VOICE FOR THE VOICELESS | Person-Centred Singing Teaching

William Leigh Knight

Only around 3% of the population fall into the category of amusia while over 17% consider themselves ‘tone-deaf’; and this does not account for non-singers, a wider group sometimes described as ‘tuneless’. So, who are ‘the voiceless’? Join William Leigh-Knight as he unpicks this question and considers the purpose of training a voice, when it is considered such a natural human attribute, and he expands on the principles that drive his own practice, which may be summarised as ‘person-centeredness’

Level Two Certificate in Accents and Phonetics with Louisa Morgan
Monday 3rd August 2026
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
Tuesday 4th August 2026
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
Wednesday 5th August 2026
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
Thursday 6th August 2026
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
Friday 7th August 2026
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
(London Time)

Level Two Certificate in Accents and Phonetics with Louisa Morgan

Louisa Morgan

Build on your foundational knowledge of accents and phonetics in this week‑long lunchtime course designed specifically for voice teachers. Whether you have completed our Level 1 Certificate or already possess a basic working knowledge of phonetics and accent work, this Level 2 course will help you deepen your skills, sharpen your analytical ear, and expand your practical toolkit for teaching.