On the Nose: Nasality as Percept and Physical Reality
Thursday 9th May 2024, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM (London Time)
Nasality has a long history of consideration in singing teaching. Even early voice treatise author Pierfrancesco Tosi addressed nasality in his writing, stating: “…the voice of the scholar… whether it be di petto or di testa, should always come forth neat and clear, without passing through the nose, or being choked in the throat; which are two of the most horrible defects in a singer". Tosi’s quote reveals an obvious stylistic aesthetic preference, but one that was likely based on tone or timbre, rather than any physical reality.
Empirical studies that have sought to ascertain whether expert listeners agree on the timbral quality of 'nasality' have historically fallen short of finding listener agreement on the sound of perceptual nasality. Still, if you inquired of voice teachers whether they could perceptually identify nasality, most often they would claim that they could.
There have been other studies which have measured velopharyngeal opening by means of acoustic or aerodynamic signal through the nasal cavity during singing. Most of these have focused on the use of nasal airflow near passaggi.
This course will address three perspectives on nasality:
1) Distinctions between nasal airflow and audio signal (velopharyngeal opening) and perception;
2) Deciphering between the two timbral qualities commonly related to nasality - twang and honk - and which are related to velopharyngeal opening;
3) The pedagogic usefulness of velopharyngeal opening to reduce laryngeal instabilities near points of registration shifts.
Nicholas Perna
Tenor Nicholas Perna is Associate Professor of Voice and Producer for Lyric Stage at Mississippi College, Vice President for Outreach for NATS, the creator and co-host of the VocalFri Podcast, and has presented research on four continents. His voice has been hailed by the Houston Chronicle as “an impressive sound", and the South Florida Sun Sentinel praised his “emotionally driven performance".
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 18th August 2026
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday 25th August 2026
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday 1st September 2026
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday 8th September 2026
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday 15th September 2026
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday 22nd September 2026
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
(London Time)
Musical Theatre Vocal Pedagogy Certificate
Kevin Wilson
Join Kevin Wilson for this six-part certificated course, offering an in‑depth, practical exploration of contemporary voice teaching for musical theatre. Across six focused classes, participants develop a systematic approach to vocal technique, diagnosis, and repertoire selection that reflects the stylistic, physical, and emotional demands of the genre. The curriculum integrates vocal science, embodied voice work, registration theory, and stylistic awareness across the five major sub‑genres of musical theatre.
Wednesday 16th September 2026
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
(London Time)
MA Voice Pedagogy: Online Information Session & Q&A
Debbie Winter
Considering our MA Voice Pedagogy? Join our Director for a focused online presentation and discussion to explore the course, ask questions, and discover whether postgraduate study at Voice Study Centre is right for you.
Tuesday 22nd September 2026
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)
Doubles and Stacks, Reverbs and Effects: Teaching Vocal Production Skills
Kelly Hoppenjans
Vocal production, or the process of recording a voice, is a multifaceted practice requiring a diverse set of skills. It has traditionally been considered the role of the producer in a recording studio, and vocalists can often feel intimidated by learning complex technical skills or prohibited by the cost of recording equipment. This course is aimed at voice coaches and vocalists who want to learn to record and shape their vocal tracks, as well as how to teach these skills to voice students. No matter your technical experience or setup, you can record great-sounding vocals!