Teaching the passaggio and high range of tenor, baritone and bass voices in Western Classical and contemporary genres
Thursday 8th August 2024, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM (London Time)
American pedagogue Berton Coffin referred to the passaggio of tenor, baritone, and bass voices as “the hole in the sky.” Coffin recognized that if the singer could master the passaggio area, range expansion above it would be possible, opening up exciting possibilities for the singer technically, expressively and perhaps professionally.
This course will explore strategies for successfully teaching tenor, baritone, and bass voices how to negotiate the passaggio and to access the extension above it for both Western Classical and Contemporary genres of singing.
The course will begin with a review of relevant anatomy, physiology, and acoustics, providing a framework for the science-informed pedagogical strategies that follow. Habilitative exercises and developmental repertoire selection will be included in the discussion. Similarities and differences in approach between Western Classical and Contemporary genres will be a particular focus of the course.
Throughout the course, time will be provided where attendees can ask questions.
Professor John Nix
John Nix is Professor of Voice and Voice Pedagogy and chair of the voice area at the University of Texas at San Antonio. His mentors include Barbara Doscher...
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.
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Tuesday 19th May 2026
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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.
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Louisa Morgan
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