Singing for Lung Health: The Basics
Tuesday 2nd April 2024, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM (London Time)
According to a 2016 study, nearly 1 in 5 people living in the UK have received a diagnosis of lung disease, making it highly likely that clinicians and voice teachers will encounter a singer living with a lung disease such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or pulmonary fibrosis.
Dysfunctional breathing patterns can result from attempts to compensate for underlying pathology. Mounting evidence touts the benefits of better breathing patterns for patients with obstructive and restrictive lung diseases, however learning to sing may impact other systems.
Reduced respiratory capacity is associated with dysphonia and patients with lung disease are at a higher risk of developing complications due to swallowing problems. Singing can strengthen the muscle associated with phonation and swallowing, bring awareness to the oral motor mechanism, and assist in coordinating multiple physiological components critical to the management of lung disease.
In this presentation, we will explore the current available research and theories about why singing is beneficial to people living with impairments in the respiratory system.
Dr Rachel B. Goldenberg
Dr Rachel B. Goldenberg is a leading authority on singing and lung disease. Dr Goldenberg’s doctoral dissertation focused on the use of singing lessons as an adjunctive airway clearance technique for cystic fibrosis, and...

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.

Tuesday 5th August 2025
1:00 PM - 12:00 PM
Tuesday 12th August 2025
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Tuesday 19th August 2025
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Tuesday 26th August 2025
1:00 PM - 12:00 PM
Tuesday 2nd September 2025
1:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Tuesday 9th September 2025
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Tuesday 16th September 2025
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Tuesday 23rd September 2025
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
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Louisa Morgan
Are you a singing teacher looking to elevate your students’ performances? Join our very own Louisa Morgan, as she takes a deeper dive into acting approaches that singing teachers can use to integrate powerful acting techniques into singing lessons. This 8 session course is perfect for those who want to help their singers connect deeply with the story behind the song. Gain practical tools and techniques that you can immediately apply in your teaching! Come along live for an interactive experience, or watch on playback at your leisure.


Thursday 18th September 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)
The Cannabis Question: What Voice Practitioners Need to Know!

Dr Dann Mitton
As cannabis use has become more common, socially accepted, and legalized, voice professionals are increasingly fielding questions about its effects. This two-hour session with Dr Dann Mitton offers a clear, research-informed overview of what we currently know about cannabis and the singing voice. The session is built around real-world questions voice teachers and singers are asking: Does smoking cannabis dry out the vocal folds? Is vaping safer than smoking? What should I know if my student uses cannabis for anxiety or pain? Could some voice types be more at risk than others?


Tuesday 23rd September 2025
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
(London Time)
How to Put the Perceptible Breath at a Singer's Disposal

Tanya Aspelmeier
Join the renowned Tanya Aspelmeier in this breath-related workshop specifically designed for the singer and singing teachers. Participants will learn exercises based on Professor Ilse Middendorf's therapeutic breathing method "The Perceptible Breath". This somatic discipline trains a person’s skills of perception to learn about their individual breath, body and nervous system and how they can regulate it by harnessing their own mental powers.