Singing for Health Network Series Workshop 5: Singing for Parkinson's
Thursday 10th December 2020, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM (London Time)
All sessions are recorded and will be sent out to all registered participants.
Voice Workshops
Health and wellbeing: Singing for Parkinson’s
Aims
- The student will gain a holistic understanding of the symptoms of Parkinson’s.
- The student will understand the neural, cognitive, and motor learning challenges present within sessions.
- Teachers and facilitators will experience how to use their existing knowledge of vocal pedagogy and body mapping to create an enhanced singing programme specifically targeting the needs of their clients.
Objectives
- Can recognise and react appropriately to Parkinson’s symptoms within a singing session.
- Can deigns targeted exercises to enhance the therapeutic benefits of sing for Parkinson’s classes.
- Can begin to develop a toolkit of strategies that can support motor learning.
- Can develop safe working practices for themselves and their clients.
Session
What is Parkinson’s?
- An overview of symptoms and the possible profile of our clients
- Established therapies
- The benefits for people with Parkinson’s of being part of a sing for Parkinson’s programme
What the research suggests
- The neurological and cognitive implications of Parkinson’s for the singers.
- Skill acquisition and motor learning in a choral Parkinson’s class.
Putting theory into practice.
- Integrating research and a knowledge of singing pedagogy to enhance the therapeutic outcomes for a Parkinson’s vocal session
Break out groups 1
Develop aims and objectives for:
- One targeted physical warm-up
- One vocal exercise
- Suggest a song that demonstrates how you will develop these exercises.
- Reflection in action: consider how you may need to adapt to the clients learning needs.
Setting up a Sing for Parkinson’s Group.
Break out group 2
Things to consider
- A question of diversity.
- What are the barriers to attendance?
- Thinking about a community approach.
- What are my biases and assumptions as I teach the class?
Health and safety round-up
References and Bibliography
Elizabeth Drwal Stuttard
Elizabeth is a Vocal Coach and Choral Facilitator, Community Dance Facilitator and Researcher...
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 16th December 2025
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
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In this session, Professor Helena Daffern will explore the fascinating science behind choral sound, offering choir singers and directors valuable insights into achieving a cohesive and expressive ensemble, no matter what their standard. The concept of choral blend will be examined —what it is, how it can be cultivated, and the roles of intonation and vibrato will be analysed. The decisions that have to be made around intonation when tuning thirds or dealing with modulations over the course of an a cappella piece will be explained in the context of existing research and different singing styles such as barbershop singing and solo voice ensembles.
Tuesday 16th December 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Unclenching the Jaw: Options from the Physio Lens
Walt Fritz
“Jaw tension” is one of many potential problems facing the singer, and can cause a direct negative impact on the performance in both direct and indirect ways. The underlying cause of jaw issues is attributed to numerous factors (technique, posture, strength, range of motion, etc.), making it often difficult to identify common denominators. Join Walt Fritz as he examines the evidence supporting stretching, strengthening, and manual therapy interventions to address jaw-related concerns in vocal performers, taking into account their unique needs.
Thursday 18th December 2025
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
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Professor Conroy Cupido
Join Professor Conroy Cupido as he offers an in-depth exploration of the most frequent pronunciation errors made by classical singers in Italian lyric diction. Designed for both emerging and advanced singers, the course provides a structured and practical approach to mastering Italian pronunciation as used in opera, oratorio, and art song.