The Brain, Music, And Optimal Performance
Thursday 2nd March 2023, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM (London Time)
This clear yet delightfully quick-paced introduction to cognitive neuroscience for the voice studio nimbly weaves together discoveries in neuroscience with the experience of vocal artistry to show how singing can be viewed as a perception-action cycle.
From the outset, practical-application exercises demystify how the conscious mind integrates with unconscious sensory and motor processes to unleash our body’s intelligence to produce optimal and even peak performance in the expressive and artistic endeavor we know as singing.
Through this further expansion of voice science and pedagogy into the field of cognitive neuroscience, singers learn to take charge, to mindfully integrate their audio-motor intentions with expert motor response.
The teacher becomes equipped to better understand optimal flow of information, where disruption may occur, and how to guide the student in setting the right goal for the task of the moment — to get the thinking right.
Dr Karen Leigh-Post
Karen Leigh-Post, Voice Department Chair, and Professor of Music at Lawrence University is internationally recognized as a pioneer...
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.
Monday 15th June 2026
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Tuesday 16th June 2026
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Wednesday 17th June 2026
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Thursday 18th June 2026
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Friday 19th June 2026
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
(London Time)
Introduction to Postgraduate Academic Skills - Summer Bootcamp - Join Live!
Debbie Winter
Hosted by our very own Director of Studies (Debbie Winter), join our comprehensive Introduction to Academic Skills course, designed to equip you with essential tools and strategies for success in higher education. Perfect for bridging the gap between undergraduate and postgraduate study, this course offers a pathway to our full MA for students without an existing degree. We offer both live, interactive sessions and standalone, pre-recorded content.
Thursday 18th June 2026
9:00 PM - 11:00 PM
(London Time)
Body wisdom for vocal performers and educators: What the heart and lungs can teach us about sustainable and joyful vocal practice!
Dr Mark Seton
Join Dr Mark Seton as he discusses his recent research with creatives (260 participants) on how many are seeking to be more empowered in their personal and professional lives, as well as more embodied and enduring in the midst of rapidly changing life and work. This foundational and interactive workshop takes us on an embodied journey into how the actual heart functions and its crucial partnership with our lungs. In this course we’ll learn from their collective wisdom how to remain healthily ‘opened’ and ‘closed’ at the same time, to breath in and breath out, allowing time for both refreshment and recovery between each beat of our hearts, and each drawing of breath.
Friday 19th June 2026
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)
Singing for Lung Health: The Basics
Dr Rachel B. Goldenberg
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. Join Dr. Rachel B. Goldenberg, a singing teacher and speech-language pathologist, as she introduces the foundational concepts of Singing for Lung Health (SLH) and discusses the evolution of the field and its practical applications for respiratory health. While there was little research 15 years ago, SLH is now described as an "exploding field" that bridges the healthcare and music worlds!