The Neuroscience of Speech and Song
Wednesday 2nd October 2024, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM (London Time)
Every syllable and every song comes from a 1kg lump of cells in our skulls that we call the brain, and that’s not half of what it does! Understanding how the brain works is important, but understandably this can get a little complicated and sometimes even a little intimidating.
The Neuroscience of Speech and Song offers an engaging and accessible introduction to the fascinating interface between the brain and some of the things that we use it for. This course is designed to unravel the complex processes underlying how we speak and sing, using simple and accessible language.
The mind and the brain are two sides of the same coin. You would expect an expert in digestion to have a working knowledge of the stomach, wouldn’t you? In just the same way we might expect that an expert in certain kinds of human behaviours -like speaking and singing- should have some understanding of how the human brain is able to do these things.
This course will start from basics and assume very little prior knowledge. We will cover the basic structure of the brain and how it works in general, then narrow in on specific processes that are relevant to speech and song. Examples may be drawn from clinical cases such as Parkinson’s Disease because understanding ways in which the brain sometimes does not work as it should can help us understand how it typically would.
Dr Michel Belyk
Dr Michel Belyk is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Edge Hill University. He studies the human voice, all the things that it says, and how it is able to say them.
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.
Thursday 13th March 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)
Are kids just young adults? Paediatric voice disorders, anatomy, and physiology
Dr. Rita Patel
Are children simply young adults when it comes to their voice? This short course will dive deep into paediatric voice disorders, exploring the key anatomical and physiological differences between children’s vocal development and that of adults. Understanding these distinctions is crucial for effective diagnosis and treatment of voice disorders in children.
Tuesday 18th March 2025
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Tuesday 25th March 2025
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Tuesday 1st April 2025
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
(London Time)
Empowering Your Personal Brand and Expressing Identity: Practical Strategies for Voice Professionals
Joshua Lee-Cummins
This three-week course provides voice professionals with a structured and interactive approach to defining their identity, connecting with their audience, and implementing small but impactful changes to enhance their practice.
Tuesday 18th March 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)
Understanding Muscle Physiology: Towards an Applied Framework for Singing Voice Training and Rehabilitation
Dr. Mary Sandage
If singers are vocal athletes, then muscle physiology considerations should be part of our training and rehabilitation programs. A web search for guidance to train up for a 5k will yield millions of hits, while strength and conditioning requirements for recital preparation yields very little.