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.
Tuesday 2nd December 2025
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
(London Time)
Vocal Health, Well-being and Hindustani Classical Music
Dr Sunny Sandhu
Join Dr Sunny Sandhu for a 2-hour course that introduces participants to the ancient practice of kharaj exercises in the Dhrupad tradition, focusing on the deep and resonant lower octave of the voice. Through guided breathing, slow tonal exploration, and sustained notes, students will learn techniques that strengthen the vocal cords, expand range, and develop clarity and stability in sound production!
Thursday 4th December 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)
(R)evolutionary Voice Training: harnessing human instinct to accelerate vocal transformation!
Maddie Tarbox
Human beings and our vertebrate ancestors have been communicating via vocalization for millions of years – those sounds did not start as complex language, but as animal mimicry, acoustic cuing, and emotional primal sounds. Join Maddie Tarbox for this two hour session as she unpicks the repertoire of instinctive shortcuts that can lower cognitive load and accelerate vocal change!
Tuesday 9th December 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)
Low Male Voices (LMVs): Development, Technique, and Repertoire
Dr Dann Mitton
Join Dr Dann Mitton for this two hour workshop where he explores the Development, Techniques, and Repertoire favoured for Low Male Voices (LMVs). Typically labelled as 'Bass' and 'Baritone', these classifications are used in classical music, choral settings, and vocal pedagogy to help determine suitable repertoire and vocal roles. In contemporary music, the distinctions are less rigid but still useful for understanding vocal range and timbre.