New Directions in Singing for Health Research and Practice with Stephen Clift
Thursday 22nd June 2023, 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM (London Time)
This course will provide an international overview of recent and current research initiatives in singing for health research.
A focus will be on the value of randomised controlled trials for assessing the contribution that group singing for the wellbeing and health for people affected by mental health challenges, dementia, Parkinson's, chronic obstructive lung disease, aphasia and long Covid.
The course will provide guidance on the evaluation of the methodology of such studies, power calculations, measurement issues, and the interpretation of effect sizes. We will also consider the translation into practice of findings from research on singing for health.
The course will conclude by considering the place of singing in the growing number of social prescribing initiatives globally.
Professor Stephen Clift
Stephen Clift is Professor Emeritus, Canterbury Christ Church University, and former Director of the Sidney De Haan Research Centre for Arts and Health...
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.

Thursday 26th June 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Tuesday 1st July 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)
The Contemporary Classical Singer: Incorporating New Music into Vocal Pedagogy!

Page Stephens
There are evolving expectations for vocalists, who now need to perform in a variety of styles beyond traditional classical music. In this two-part course, Page Stephens argues that voice teachers should incorporate contemporary repertoire and techniques into their lessons to help singers grow in expressivity, flexibility, and economic opportunities. The course will cover industry trends, cultural pressures, and economic benefits of contemporary music, and provide tools for integrating new music into vocal education. Interviews with professionals will highlight the strengths and weaknesses observed in the field, and strategies for teaching new music will be discussed.


Wednesday 2nd July 2025
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
(London Time)
The identity politics of accent learning!

Jenru Wang
Jenru Wang has an MFA in Voice Studies with distinction from The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London - in this session, he will begin to explore the complexities accent coaches might face in their work, examining the intersection of language, identity, and cultural sensitivity. Participants will explore how to navigate challenging situations in different contexts and understand what to do—and avoid—when working with diverse clients and materials.


Thursday 3rd July 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)
Vocal “Decathletes” – inside the hidden world of Session Singing!

Kim Chandler
What is a session singer? Officially it’s a freelance, short-term “singer for hire” brought in to be part of a live or recorded musical project. However, it’s more generally understood to be the “behind-the-scenes” singer who is regularly booked for paid recording work. The type of work (and pay) varies a lot. Session singing is a side of the music industry that is largely hidden from the public and isn’t easy to find out much about, even online. Join Kim Chandler as she unpicks this topic, based on 35 years of session singing!