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.
Tuesday 5th August 2025
1:00 PM - 12:00 PM
Tuesday 12th August 2025
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Tuesday 19th August 2025
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Tuesday 26th August 2025
1:00 PM - 12:00 PM
Tuesday 2nd September 2025
1:00 PM - 1:00 PM
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1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Tuesday 16th September 2025
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Tuesday 23rd September 2025
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
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Tuesday 9th September 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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There is intrinsic value in lifelong singing. Singing with others is a noble deed that brings immeasurable satisfaction. Singing together involves teamwork and offers myriad rewards. It can enhance personal well-being, develop skill sets, and promote friendship. At any age, singing improves mental agility and calms an agitated mind. It is an activity everyone can include in daily life anywhere and at any time. Singing should have no expiration date. Lifelong singing should not be a lofty ambition, but rather a way of life. Our interactive workshop will involve choral vocal exercises (warmups and cooldowns) as well as skill building strategies for tone quality and range that are age and size appropriate for older singers.
Thursday 11th September 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)
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Healthy vocal production depends on a finely tuned, athletic apparatus—a symphony of muscular interaction engaging the respiratory system, the laryngeal mechanism, and the resonance spaces of the pharyngeal, oral, and nasal cavities. Among these, the tongue stands out as one of the most critical yet least understood contributors to voice production. Join Dr Angelika Nair as she unpicks the essential anatomical insights that reveal the tongue’s role in shaping sound, influencing resonance, and impacting style and intelligibility!