Neuroscience-based Vocal Pedagogy
Thursday 22nd April 2021, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM (London Time)
Neuroscience-based vocal pedagogy
Heidi Moss Erickson, B.A.Bio, B.Mus.Voice, M.Sci.
Research on the neurobiological underpinnings of vocalization is growing at a rapid pace. Scientists from varied disciplines contribute to this field, elucidating the process from diverse angles such as evolutionary biology, molecular biology, genetics, neuroscience, and social science. It is essential that singers, pedagogues, and voice scientists capitalize on this wealth of data outside of our own field to greater understand our instruments.
An integrative viewpoint of how and why we sing can refine the art of vocal pedagogy, demystifying long-held myths, and yield greater vocal efficiency: making singers better faster.
The goal of this lecture is to bridge the divide between traditional voice science and pedagogy with the most current research from other disciplines.
Specifically, we will explore:
- Vocal Learning: audiation and mimicry
- How to learn coloratura and riffs via patterns
- The importance of getting off the page and strategies to make written music more ‘singer-brain’ friendly.
- Using gesture to improve vocalization (and why it works!)
- Pitching strategies
- Reframing breath: a valve based system
- Character and emotion: playing with opposites
- Distraction as a tool
Vocal pedagogy should be a dynamic process, and the hope is that this exploration will encourage singers and teachers to think outside the box. Given the rapid pace of neuroscience research, dogmas can actually change in a short amount of time resulting in paradigm shifts that can be small or seismic. To that end, it is important to keep up to date on current trends via primary papers and taking note of the diverse minds in the field. We will finish the lecture with a bibliography of the wonderful scientists working on the neuroscience of vocalization.
Heidi Moss Erickson
Heidi Moss, is a Bay Area performer, educator, and scientist. Noted for her “rich and radiant soprano” (Edward Oriz, Sacramento Bee) has performed on national and international stages...
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 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.
Thursday 14th May 2026
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Friday 15th May 2026
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)
The Vocal Health Challenges for Actors and Singers!
Leda Scearce
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
(London Time)
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.