The Mechanics: Phonetics and Pronunciation!
Wednesday 7th May 2025, 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM (London Time)
This presentation is an introduction to all things Phonetics, the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), and Pronunciation. This course will cover the professional basics of how to interpret the IPA from a ‘descriptive’ view instead of a ‘prescriptive’ view of right-or-wrong. Participants will also be challenged to investigate personal and social views on Pronunciation.
The content of this course is primarily influenced by publications and the philosophy of Knight-Thompson Speechwork (KTS) “a skills-based approach to speech and accent training for actors that places emphasis on developing the speaker’s detailed awareness of—and deep engagement with—the precise physical actions which make up speech.”
Colton Weiss (he/they) is a professional dialect coach, actor, and lecturer (Ohio State Univ.) based out of Columbus, Ohio. Colton has 10+yrs experience working on and off stage ranging from Broadway level musicals and classic opera to outdoor Shakespeare. His clients range from local middle school/high school students and working adults, to professionals performing regionally and on Broadway. Favorite coaching credits include: Actors’ Theatre of Columbus (Robin Hood, Sense and Sensibility - 2023 season), Columbus Children's Theatre (Disney’s Newsies - Dir. Joe Deer), and A.R.T.@Oberon (Violet the Musical - Dir. Sammi Cannold from How to Dance in Ohio). He is a proud graduate of Ohio State and Harvard University and member of the Voice and Speech Trainers’ Association (VASTA).
🏷️ 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
Colton Weiss
Colton Weiss (he/they) is a professional dialect coach, actor, and lecturer (Ohio State Univ.) based out of Columbus, Ohio. Colton has 10+yrs experience working on and off stage ranging from Broadway level musicals and classic opera to outdoor Shakespeare.
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 5th May 2026
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday 12th May 2026
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday 19th May 2026
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday 26th May 2026
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday 2nd June 2026
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday 9th June 2026
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
(London Time)
Music Theory Fundamentals for Voice Pedagogues
Dr David Cane
Voice pedagogy has advanced significantly in the last decades in relation to knowledge of the vocal apparatus (anatomy and mechanics), acoustics, and performance psychology (to name just a few subfields) – this is a wonderful thing! Nonetheless, musicianship and the foundations of music theory are still relevant to the teaching and coaching of singers and this course aims to empower voice teachers and coaches with skills to support the fundamental musicianship development of their students.
Tuesday 19th May 2026
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)
Staging A Coup: History meets science for the coup de la glotte!
Kourtney Austin
Historical vocal pedagogy, voice science, voice health, and performance practice come together in this presentation from Kourtney Austin! The session addresses the historical context for teaching the onset as a fundamental skill, along with a review of a recent publication examining the acoustic effects of different types of onset, and practical studio implementation of onset training. The aforementioned publication is the first known research to objectively measure the acoustic implications of the coup de la glotte, and delineate it from the hard glottal attack.
Thursday 21st May 2026
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)
Letting the Text Live: Reading Aloud with Expression!
Louisa Morgan
This 2-hour interactive session is designed to help you make more deliberate, expressive choices in your speaking of the written word. It will involve plenty of practical exploration and will cover tips and techniques for working with the voice to lift the text off the page. Work with me to refine nuance, precision, and expressive range. We’ll explore a variety of text samples to cover a wide range of real-world situations, so you can get a feel for the different styles and approaches. If you want your spoken text to sound purposeful, engaging, and unmistakably yours, this session will invite you to play with some tools to do just that.