Short Courses & Events / Archive

The Developing Voice

Thursday 2nd September 2021, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM (London Time)

At every age vocal function is dependent on how the body progressively and constantly changes.

This presentation will outline those changes alongside the consequential expectations for the coordinated effort and interplay of respiration, vibration, and resonance when singing. 

What changes impact expectations at different times during the life span?  Hormones? Breath? Vibration? Resonance?

  1. Youth
  2. Young Adult
  3. Senior Adult
  4. Best practices across the life span
🏷️ Price £30 (UK VAT inclusive)
🎥 Recording automatically sent to all who book (even if you cannot attend live)
▶️ Rewatch as many times as you like
📜 Certificate of attendance available

Karen Brunssen

Mezzo-soprano, Karen Brunssen is Professor and Co-chair of the Department of Music Performance at Bienen School of Music, Northwestern University. 

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.

The Contemporary Classical Singer: Incorporating New Music into Vocal Pedagogy!
Thursday 26th June 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Tuesday 1st July 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)

The Contemporary Classical Singer: Incorporating New Music into Vocal Pedagogy!

Page Stephens

There are evolving expectations for vocalists, who now need to perform in a variety of styles beyond traditional classical music. In this two-part course, Page Stephens argues that voice teachers should incorporate contemporary repertoire and techniques into their lessons to help singers grow in expressivity, flexibility, and economic opportunities. The course will cover industry trends, cultural pressures, and economic benefits of contemporary music, and provide tools for integrating new music into vocal education. Interviews with professionals will highlight the strengths and weaknesses observed in the field, and strategies for teaching new music will be discussed.

The identity politics of accent learning!
Wednesday 2nd July 2025
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
(London Time)

The identity politics of accent learning!

Jenru Wang

Jenru Wang has an MFA in Voice Studies with distinction from The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London - in this session, he will begin to explore the complexities accent coaches might face in their work, examining the intersection of language, identity, and cultural sensitivity. Participants will explore how to navigate challenging situations in different contexts and understand what to do—and avoid—when working with diverse clients and materials.

Vocal “Decathletes” – inside the hidden world of Session Singing!
Thursday 3rd July 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)

Vocal “Decathletes” – inside the hidden world of Session Singing!

Kim Chandler

What is a session singer? Officially it’s a freelance, short-term “singer for hire” brought in to be part of a live or recorded musical project. However, it’s more generally understood to be the “behind-the-scenes” singer who is regularly booked for paid recording work. The type of work (and pay) varies a lot. Session singing is a side of the music industry that is largely hidden from the public and isn’t easy to find out much about, even online. Join Kim Chandler as she unpicks this topic, based on 35 years of session singing!