Voice and Emotion in Speech and Song!
Monday 19th January 2026, 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM (London Time)
Emotion is performance. Did you know that ancient Romans didn’t smile when they were happy, and that smiling was an invention of the Middle Ages? Broad, toothy-mouthed smiles, known as the Duchenne smile, became popular as recent as the eighteenth century as dentistry became more accessible and affordable (Feldman Barrett, 2017, p51). Emotion is an exchange between a performer and an audience, even when we are not on a stage.
Discover how we use our voices to communicate emotion, both through verbal content and nonverbal vocal cues like tone of voice, volume, and prosody.
While there has been a significant amount of research conducted into how speakers use emotion in the voice and how listeners perceive it, how this relates to performance is a relatively new field of research (even if we have been talking about it as practitioners for centuries!).
Join us for an exploratory session where we reflect on how speakers and singers encode their voices with emotion to communicate expressively. We'll delve into how emotion occurs in social contexts in the ‘real world’ and address emotional performance in both spoken and sung voice
🏷️ Price £30 (UK VAT inclusive)
🎥 Recording automatically sent to all who book (even if you cannot attend live)
▶️ Rewatch as many times as you like
📜 Certificate of attendance available
Louisa Morgan
Louisa Morgan is a lecturer, voice teacher and researcher, with a special focus on spoken and sung emotion. Louisa lectures with Voice Study Centre (spoken voice lead). Previously, Louisa taught technical singing for the MA/MFA Musical Theatre students at the Guilford School of Acting (GSA) and Italia Conti, and she was also a spoken and singing voice coach for the Acting students at the Cygnet Training Theatre.
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 23rd June 2026
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)
Introduction to Vocal Psychotherapy: Songs of the Self
Dr. Diane Austin
This presentation draws on the methods and techniques of Vocal Psychotherapy, a new in-depth model of music psychotherapy developed by Dr. Austin, that incorporates breath work, natural sounds, vocal improvisation, and songs and dialogue within a client and therapist relationship to facilitate intrapsychic and interpersonal change and growth.
Thursday 2nd July 2026
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.
Monday 6th July 2026
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Friday 10th July 2026
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Monday 13th July 2026
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Friday 17th July 2026
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Monday 20th July 2026
7:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Friday 24th July 2026
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)
Certificate in Foundations of Vocology with Adam Roberts
Adam Roberts
This 30-hour Vocology Cohort Intensive provides a comprehensive overview of basic vocal anatomy, physiology, and theories of voice production & perception, fundamentals of vocal health, pathology, evaluation, performance, and habilitation of the speaking and singing voice, and a survey of research, resources, and professional opportunities. Each week, advanced students contribute to cohort-centred learning with additional resources, discussion facilitation, and critical analysis. The course assessment will also be useful for those who wish to prepare for the PAVA recognised designation.