The Voice Skills Approach To Voice Analysis And Action Planning
Thursday 11th May 2023, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM (London Time)
In this talk, Christina will describe the approach and the Voice Skills Framework and participants will have the chance to practise perceptual analysis on a short video, where the ‘client’s’ spoken voice issues are likely to be relevant to their sung voice. She will then demonstrate and lead an exploration of core exercises for each of the 8 voice skills parameters.
Christina’s book, Voice Work: Art and Science in Changing Voices (2009) has become a core text for voice practitioners since it addresses the theory and practice of voice work with both normal and disturbed voice.
The Voice Skills approach is central to the book. Developed over many years of practical work with speakers and singers, it is based on Christina’s definition of the ‘Free Voice’, based on 8 core aspects: Body, Breath, Channel, Phonation, Resonance, Pitch, Loudness and Articulation. This will be strong and flexible in both personal and professional contexts and will not tire during speaking or singing – nor will it react under stress during a demanding rehearsal, show, presentation or long social evening.
The Voice Skills Framework uses these aspects in a simple-to-use perceptual voice listening tool which helps to illuminate what is ‘going on’ in a voice, and points a voice practitioner towards appropriate directions for voice work. This system of listening and analysis has been widely taught, both in the UK and in other countries and is used by many different voice practitioners.
Christina Shewell
Christina Shewell, MA, FRCSLT ADVS is spoken voice teacher, and speech/ language therapist with long experience in voice work with a wide range of clients, in both voice therapy and voice development.
Attend this course for as little as £22 as part of the Voice Professional Training CPD Award Scheme.
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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.