Stevie Hirner

Friday, March 6th 1:00pm

We Are Voice Teachers Too! is an interactive session designed to share and reinforce current science-informed vocal pedagogy essential to choir directors and their ensembles. For most singers, participation in choir is the only formalized vocal instruction they will receive throughout their lives. As such, it is the responsibility of choir directors to provide well-informed, accurate, and efficient cues and instructions so that they can remain true to the performance practice of the repertoire and do not inadvertently cause harm to singers’ voices or hinder progress in rehearsals.

Attendees will review the four systems of the voice and discuss the nuances of source-filter theory and formant tuning to gain a deeper understanding of the voice. Often, the vocal pedagogy presented in choir is either outdated, is rooted in a Western classical master-apprentice model that may not be supported by modern vocology, or is not applicable when performing music outside of the Western canon. Because of this, there are many misconceptions that lead choir directors to provide instructions that may actually be unhelpful, inaccurate, or even detrimental to the ensemble’s progress or the singers’ vocal development across all styles. Phrases like “support from the diaphragm,” “raise your soft palate,” or “use more air” are commonly heard in choral rehearsals, regardless of the style being performed, even though their effectiveness and accuracy is debatable. Attendees will examine the science behind some of these misconceptions, and volunteers will have the opportunity to lead a vocal warm up of their choosing in order to explore a more effective means of achieving their desired outcome in any genre or style through the application of science-informed practices.