Vocal Acoustics and Implications for Pedagogy
Thursday 15th May 2025, 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM (London Time)
Friday 16th May 2025, 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM (London Time)
Many voice teachers have a firm grasp on the anatomy and physiology of voice production. However, voice acoustics still mystifies much of the singing and teaching population, and for those who do have a working understanding of the scientific principles, applying this knowledge in teaching remains difficult. These two sessions are designed to meet the needs of both groups of teachers, exploring essential elements of singing voice acoustics across multiple genres. The course will be structured so that attendees not only understand the scientific principles of acoustics as they relate to singing voice production, but also understand the practical, “how can I apply this information in an actionable way in my teaching” usage of acoustics.
This “principles first, application immediately afterward” approach will be built into the structure of the course. In a systematic and cyclical fashion, topics will be introduced, the scientific underpinnings will be discussed (answering the question, “what do I need to know”), the relevance of the science to teaching will be described (answering “why should I bother to learn this?”), and application of the science to voice teaching (answering “how will I use this in my teaching?”) will follow before moving on to the next topic. Suggestions will be given on designing voice exercises, developing corrective techniques, and assigning/coaching repertoire. Topics will be sequenced from the general to the more specific level. Care will be taken to consider application options for multiple genres of singing. Ample time will be left for questions during the two sessions.
Professor Nix, the instructor for the course, has been a university pedagogy professor for 20 years as well as an active researcher, and he will bring his extensive experience in relating science to pedagogy to the VSC course.
This is a two part course!
Course Dates & Times:
Thursday 15th May 2025
Friday 16th May 2025
Both at 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Professor John Nix
John Nix is Professor of Voice and Voice Pedagogy and chair of the voice area at the University of Texas at San Antonio. His mentors include Barbara Doscher...
Sorry, 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 16th December 2025
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
(London Time)
Inspired Sound: Unlocking the Science of Choral Acoustics
Professor Helena Daffern
In this session, Professor Helena Daffern will explore the fascinating science behind choral sound, offering choir singers and directors valuable insights into achieving a cohesive and expressive ensemble, no matter what their standard. The concept of choral blend will be examined —what it is, how it can be cultivated, and the roles of intonation and vibrato will be analysed. The decisions that have to be made around intonation when tuning thirds or dealing with modulations over the course of an a cappella piece will be explained in the context of existing research and different singing styles such as barbershop singing and solo voice ensembles.
Tuesday 16th December 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)
Unclenching the Jaw: Options from the Physio Lens
Walt Fritz
“Jaw tension” is one of many potential problems facing the singer, and can cause a direct negative impact on the performance in both direct and indirect ways. The underlying cause of jaw issues is attributed to numerous factors (technique, posture, strength, range of motion, etc.), making it often difficult to identify common denominators. Join Walt Fritz as he examines the evidence supporting stretching, strengthening, and manual therapy interventions to address jaw-related concerns in vocal performers, taking into account their unique needs.
Thursday 18th December 2025
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
(London Time)
Improving Lyric Italian Diction for Classical Singers
Professor Conroy Cupido
Join Professor Conroy Cupido as he offers an in-depth exploration of the most frequent pronunciation errors made by classical singers in Italian lyric diction. Designed for both emerging and advanced singers, the course provides a structured and practical approach to mastering Italian pronunciation as used in opera, oratorio, and art song.