The Race of Sound – Why Do We Think We Can Hear Race Vocally?
Thursday 24th October 2024, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM (London Time)
Why and how do we make assumptions about a person’s race, gender, or age based on the timbre of their voice? Within the context of the United States, we will examine historical precedents for racialized listening to voices as well as contemporary realities, utilizing a framework for critically interrogating the racializing processes embedded in vocal and listening practices. The case studies we will draw on range from classical voices (such as Marian Anderson’s) to jazz (Jimmy Scott) and voice technologies (the vocal synthesis software Vocaloid). In considering the physiological basis for voice, we learn that there are actually no racial markers. And in taking the power of formal and informal voice lessons seriously, we can begin to deconstruct how voices and listening strategies are shaped within a racialized world.
This session will draw from my book The Race of Sound: Listening, Timbre, and Vocality in African American Music (Duke University Press, 2019).
Nina Eidsheim
Nina Eidsheim is the author of Sensing Sound: Singing and Listening as Vibrational Practice and The Race of Sound: Listening, Timbre, and Vocality in African American Music, and co-editor of the Oxford Handbook of Voice Studies and Refiguring American Music.
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.
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It holds true that improving vocal technique creates better sound and vocal freedom. But what if I told you there’s a hidden physical issue preventing some singers from progressing—one that most pedagogues, teachers, and even medical professionals are unaware of…?
Tuesday 8th April 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Student-Centred Voice Pedagogy: Working with your Students to Develop Artistry
Jeanne Goffi-Fynn
In this seminar, we’ll discuss the five aspects of student-centred pedagogy. Voice instruction is in many ways a personal journey toward artistry and this path involves an intimate and individualized educational experience that occurs between the student and their teacher. This relationship is an integral part of the teaching and learning process.