VSC Online Symposium 2025

Welcome to The Athletic Artist: Physical and Vocal Demands in Musical Theatre, a symposium dedicated to bridging the gap between artistic training and athletic conditioning for performers.

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Amanda Flynn

Amanda Flynn, our keynote speaker, will be addressing "The Athletic Artist: Physical and Vocal Demands in Musical Theatre." Her background as a performer in Broadway productions like Wicked and Mamma Mia! provides first-hand insight into the demands of the stage. As a Singing Voice Specialist, she collaborates with medical professionals to treat voice disorders and aid in the rehabilitation and retraining of the voice. Flynn's expertise also includes her role as the Production Vocal Coach for Broadway's The Lightning Thief and Be More Chill, as well as her position as a Clinical Assistant Professor and Program Head of Musical Theatre at Pace University. Her work focuses on equipping singers with the tools to actively participate in the long-term health and maintenance of their vocal instrument.

Dr. Amanda Flynn is a highly qualified voice professional and educator with a strong background in both academic research and performance. She holds a Master of Music from NYU and an Advanced Certificate in Vocal Pedagogy. She has also completed specialized training in Vocology from the National Center for Voice and Speech and the Mount Sinai Medical Center. As a Singing Voice Specialist, she frequently collaborates with medical professionals to work with injured singers. A dedicated voice researcher, Amanda has presented her findings at prestigious conferences such as The Voice Foundation and the Fall Voice Conference. She is the author of the book So You Want to Sing Musical Theatre and serves on the board of directors for the New York Singing Teachers' Association (NYSTA) and the Pan-American Vocology Association (PAVA). In addition to her private studio in New York City, she is a Clinical Assistant Professor at Pace University, where she also heads the Musical Theater program. Her extensive experience includes being a Production Vocal Coach on Broadway and a professional performer in shows like Wicked and Mamma Mia!

Presenting their Paper: Debbie Winter and Dr. Claire Thomas

Simultaneous Singing and Dancing in Musical Theatre: Assessing Physical and Vocal Demands 

Musical theatre performers may experience greater physical demands when dancing compared to performers in other dance genres. Due to singing and dancing occurring simultaneously in close proximity to each other, physical and vocal demands are exacerbated. Debbie Winter and Dr. Claire Thomas will discuss their study, which conducted a cross-disciplinary literature review of the physical and vocal impact of simultaneous dancing and singing within a musical theatre context. The review employed a hermeneutic methodology to implement a rigorous search strategy. A quality appraisal system formed part of the inclusion/exclusion criteria. Seventy-four papers were examined, and five key themes emerged from the data. This presentation will discuss how interplay between singing and dancing creates complex training and performance coaching needs, including athletic fitness training, vocal health strategies, and choreographic considerations that minimise the risk of injury, burnout, and vocal pathology.

Debbie Winter is the Director of the Voice Study Centre, where she oversees university partnerships, course creation, course design, and staff training. As the driving force behind the Voice Study Centre, her vision and passion for accessible learning have significantly shaped its success. She specialises in practitioner research methodologies, academic skills building, and has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals on topics such as Methodology, Online Learning, and Music Performance Anxiety. Debbie holds an LLB (Hons) and an MA. Prior to her current role, she lectured in Law and performed professionally in the jazz scene. Recognizing a gap in high-quality training and certification opportunities, she transitioned to a career as a vocal coach, leading to the establishment of the Voice Study Centre.

Dr. Claire Thomas is a singer, singing teacher and voice researcher. She is a Senior Lecturer at Voice Study Centre, and also currently lectures in singing on the Musical Theatre programmes at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and runs a private singing studio just outside Edinburgh. She is an alumnus of Glasgow University, Edinburgh University, The Royal Northern College of Music and The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Claire has recently completed her Professional Doctorate in Elite Performance, with a focus on muscle tension dysphonia in the Musical Theatre voice.

Delivering a Workshop: Louisa Morgan

Excavating Emotionally Engaged Performance. What is the physical and mental toll for Musical Theatre singers?

Louisa Morgan's session will delve into the emotional and psychological complexities of using personal feelings to fuel artistic performance. She will dissect the intricate balance between emotional authenticity and the potential for psychological strain, offering performers an understanding of the emotional vulnerability involved. 

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) and teaches Musical Theatre students on the MA/MFA course at the Guildford School of Acting (GSA). Previously, Louisa taught technical singing at Italia Conti, and she was also a spoken and singing voice coach for the Acting students at the Cygnet Training Theatre. Louisa also taught privately for fifteen years as a voice, singing, and audition coach. Louisa has an MA in Vocal Pedagogy and is currently a PhD researcher at GSA through the University of Surrey, focusing on emotion research in Acting Through Song. She also holds a three-year diploma in Acting with Directing and a BA (hons) in English and Literary Studies. She is a Vocal Process accredited teacher, mentored by Dr Gillyanne Kayes and Jeremy Fisher and was the editor for AOTOS (the Association of Teachers of Singing) from 2023-2025. Louisa recently presented on ‘A text-based Approach to Acting Through Song’ at PEVoC (the Pan European Voice Conference) in Santander, funded as a recipient of the VASTA (Voice and Speech Trainers Association) interdisciplinary engagement grant and will be speaking at the VASTA conference this Autumn 2025.

5:00 pm (GMT) Welcome and Introduction, followed by:

Accessible Summary Schedule

View the full programme:

View the schedule: 

If you'd like to partake in our online symposium, find all the guidelines and information about the submission process by clicking the button below!