The Evolving Singing Voice: The Senior Years
Thursday 6th October 2022, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM (London Time)
This short course draws information from Chapter 6 of Karen’s Book, The Evolving Singing Voice: Changes Across the Life Span – The Senescent Singer.
Vocal changes and their impact on singing sometimes prompt singers in their fifth, sixth, and even seventh decade of life to seek help with their voices.
At this point, a teacher well-equipped with explanations and solutions can be a great help.
Karen has worked with many aging amateur and professional singers one-on-one and within the ensemble setting. She is also an older singer herself.
This course will address the impact of aging factors on “the senescent singer?”
Are there specific exercises that can address changing issues?
What are reasonable healthy expectations for singing?
What causes these changes? What changes in our sensations and why?
At the end of the course, you will have a depth of understanding and many ways to help our beloved senior singers.
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.
Tuesday 17th February 2026
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
(London Time)
Simultaneous Singing and Dancing in Musical Theatre: A Cross-Disciplinary Evidence Review
Debbie Winter
Dr Claire Thomas
This short course invites participants to critically examine the latest cross-disciplinary evidence on the physical and vocal demands of musical theatre performance. Drawing on a comprehensive literature review conducted by Debbie Winter and Claire Thomas (Voice Study Centre, University of Essex), the course explores research from voice science, dance medicine, sports science, and performance pedagogy.
Thursday 19th February 2026
8:30 AM - 10:30 AM
(London Time)
It’s not a virus! Reconceptualizing and De-pathologizing Music Performance Anxiety
Rebecca Herman
Performance Anxiety is one of the most widespread and debilitating challenges facing musicians across all ages, nationalities and musical genres. Despite decades of research and the development of numerous interventions, we do not yet have an established way of supporting performers experiencing performance anxiety. Aimed at performers, teachers, researchers and students, this presentation will first summarise the current state of play in performance anxiety research, before exploring alternative ways to think about performance anxiety, drawing on new research outside of performance psychology...
Thursday 19th February 2026
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Thursday 26th February 2026
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
(London Time)
Performing Pain: Vocal Health in Emotional Roles!
Louisa Morgan
How connected are acted emotions to our real-life emotions? Are they expressed differently? Do they feel different in the body? This 2-part course with Louisa Morgan looks at the potential impact of acted emotion on vocal health, why we should consider it as voice practitioners, and how to care for our performers needing to work with it.