Short Courses & Events / Archive

The Ever-Evolving and Developing Singer’s Voice Across the Lifespan

Tuesday 14th January 2025, 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM (London Time)

At every age vocal function is dependent upon how the body is progressively and constantly changing. Growth and development directly impact the singing voice. A deeper understanding of chronological development over the span of a lifetime offers an informed perspective for optimal, strategic, and realistic expectations for vocal production at each and every age.

The twenty-first century has been an exciting time as voice science and its application in the voice studio is more accessible than ever. Acoustics, anatomy, the mind, different styles and genres have broadened our perspective. New developments signal that more and more teachers will teach students ranging from children to senior adults. NATS recently added Children & Youth categories to their National Student Auditions along with an active “Affinity Group” that meets to talk about teaching these young students. We are also seeing a surge of singers who want to remain musically active into their senior years and come back to the voice studio to rejuvenate their singing. Academic pedagogy courses typically apply well for normal young adult and mature adult voices.

Knowing changing factors throughout our singers’ life spans can help us toward optimal strategies, exercises, approaches, repertoire, and vocal expectations factor in growth and development. As teachers we address breathing, onsets, intonation, sound, vowels, flexibility, range, sensations, musicianship, language, and more. An informed age perspective makes teaching even more fascinating when we factor in the laryngeal, respiratory, and resonance changes that benefit from incremental remapping of one’s singing throughout life. Furthermore, we can know a lot more about the timing of these changes and take that into account as we strategize instruction and realistic expectations for each singer. For the teacher all of this contributes to, and transforms, how effective our teaching is.

Equipped with this information we learn that “normal” varies according to age from our youngest to our oldest singers. This course will span the entirety of singing lives from birth through old age. What a joy it is to have known some of my students from the time they were infants who came to their mother’s lessons, hearing them sing as children, then being their teacher during high school and college. How good it is to assure a college-age adult male that they are not only improving, but they are also growing and those notes in the passaggio that are frustrating have a future. Then sure enough, in a few months they experience a clearer path to the top.

Singers during the years of hormonal stability benefit from factoring in aging. As they approach their 50’s and 60’s they feel those changes. Teachers can help professional and amateur singers understand, accept, and maintain their voices as they age.

🏷️ 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. 

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Attend this course for as little as £22 as part of the Voice Professional Training CPD Award Scheme.

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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.

Certificated Public Speaking Coach qualification - with John Henny
Tuesday 22nd July 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Tuesday 29th July 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Tuesday 5th August 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Tuesday 12th August 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Tuesday 19th August 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Tuesday 26th August 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)

Certificated Public Speaking Coach qualification - with John Henny

John Henny

Would you like to be a certified public speaking coach? Join the renowned John Henny for this exciting new online course! This six-week online certification course is designed to equip voice teachers with the specialised skills needed to work with public speakers, corporate trainers, educators, and presenters. Unlike a general public speaking course, this program is specifically tailored to train-the-trainer, giving voice professionals structured methodologies, coaching techniques, and applied skills to enhance vocal delivery, confidence, and influence in professional speakers.

Transitioning From Soprano To Mezzo-Soprano - Pedagogical Approaches!
Thursday 24th July 2025
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
(London Time)

Transitioning From Soprano To Mezzo-Soprano - Pedagogical Approaches!

Dr Caitlin Moore

This workshop will explore the considerations for transitioning from soprano to mezzo-soprano. We will examine the history and vocal science related to voice classification as well as interviews with singers and voice teachers. Interviews feature singers who have experienced this Fach change themselves, as well as voice teachers who have helped singers navigate this shift.

Towards a Jazz Pedagogy: Lessons from Legends and Educators!
Tuesday 29th July 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)

Towards a Jazz Pedagogy: Lessons from Legends and Educators!

Dr Autumn Griffin

Join Dr Autumn Griffin as she explores the foundational tenets of jazz pedagogy as both a conceptual and practical framework for teaching, in this two-hour workshop. Drawing from her research in “Towards a Jazz Pedagogy: Learning with and from Jazz Greats and Great Educators,” she’ll investigate how jazz (its historical and cultural legacy, structure, improvisation, and relationality) can be mobilized to inform dynamic, liberatory educational practice!