Thinking Outside the Voice Box: Adolescent Female Voice Change
Wednesday 15th January 2025, 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM (London Time)
The purpose of this course is to bring attention to the adolescent [assigned at birth] female changing voice and to encourage new and holistic ways of thinking about female voices.
While considering physical changes during adolescence, we will unpack basic vocal anatomy and physiology, and then discuss what happens to the vocal mechanism during voice change for females vs. [assigned at birth] males. Physiological considerations will also include the implication of hormones on the adolescent female voice during puberty, especially as adolescence is when females [typically] begin a menstrual cycle. While time will prevent us from going too far beyond discussion of adolescent females, we will briefly contemplate the larger implication of hormones on voices of people who experience a menstrual cycle at different stages of life and what that means for those of us teaching female voices across the life cycle. We will consider historical misconceptions about the female changing voice and briefly examination voice classification systems and other foundational ideas in choral music education. Importantly, we will explore more recent research on adolescent female voices that provides new food for thought about working with our singers and talk about practical approaches that support female adolescent singers in multifaceted ways.
Dr Bridget Sweet
Bridget Sweet is Professor of Music Education at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Illinois. She wrote the books Growing Musicians: Teaching Music in Middle School and Beyond (2016) and Thinking Outside the Voice Box: Adolescent Voice Change in Music Education (2019); she co-edited the book Motherhood in the Music Education Academy (2025).
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 22nd April 2025
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday 23rd April 2025
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Thursday 24th April 2025
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Friday 25th April 2025
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Monday 28th April 2025
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday 29th April 2025
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
(London Time)
Certificate In Applied Neuroscience And Voice with Voice Scientist Heidi Moss
This six-day course is designed to provide an introduction to the neuroscience of vocalization. It aims to provide a foundation for those who are looking to fuse science with art and understand that the voice is so much more than an instrument.
Wednesday 23rd April 2025
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
(London Time)
A Critical Overview of Perceptual Motor Learning: Coaching Implications
Michele Capalbo
Perceptual motor learning (PML) theory is characterised by the convergence of perception and action. PML focuses on how we teach, not what we teach, in order to optimise learning and ultimately, performance! This short course will outline strategies for teaching and coaching with both long- and short-term goals in mind. These strategies have been adapted for the voice from motor learning theory and the Alexander Technique.
Thursday 24th April 2025
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Friday 25th April 2025
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
(London Time)
Singing and the Brain: A Harmonious Connection
Dr Patricia Izbicki
Unlock the transformative power of music with our two-part lecture series that delves deep into the fascinating intersection of neuroscience, music education, and music therapy. This course aims to achieve three distinct objectives: to demonstrate the multifaceted benefits of music training and therapy, to equip you with a neuroscience-informed perspective for teaching, practice, and research, and to provide a comprehensive understanding of the science of singing across all stages of life. Join Dr Patricia Izbicki on this captivating journey and unlock the secrets of music's impact on the brain and human development!