Recent Research in Singing

Abstract

Recent Research in Singing Donald Simonson (bio) RECENT RESEARCH IN SINGING The following list of recent research in singing is a brief sampling of dissertations/theses published during the last year. It is by no means comprehensive and reflects only a small fraction of the available documents. If you have published recent research in singing, voice pedagogy, voice science, vocal repertoire, pedagogic methodology, or other topics of interest to the membership of NATS, please send citations and abstracts to Donald Simonson at drs@iastate.edu for review and possible inclusion in future columns. ________ Bidstrup Graham, Kelly. "From Broadway to Community, the Job of a Music Director for Musical Theatre." M.A. Thesis, University of Colorado at Boulder, 2022, 67 pages; ProQuest 2681016185. "What in the world do music directors do? Despite musical theater being a billion dollar industry, the backbone of these productions, the music director, is often unknown and even less so understood within the theatre industry. In this study I interviewed nineteen music directors from across the professional and educational spectrum in search of crystallizing a common set of best practices that can be utilized by new musical directors, but more importantly, can be used by non-music directors in the industry to improve their working relationships with music directors, in order to create more musical theater in meaningful and creative ways." (ProQuest/Author Abstract) ________ May, Nicholas A. "The Effect of Nonlinear Source-Filter Interaction on Aerodynamic Measures in a Synthetic Model of the Vocal Folds and Vocal Tract." Ph.D. Dissertation 2022, Bowling Green State University, 321 pages; ProQuest 2684505746. "According to nonlinear source-filter theory, as the strength of the coupling between the source and filter increases, typically by a decrease in the vocal tract cross sectional area, the resultant increase in the inertance of the vocal tract yields an increase in the interactions between acoustic pressures within the vocal tract and the changing glottal airflow and/or the vibratory pattern of the vocal folds. The purpose of the current research was to examine the effects of parametric vocal tract constrictions mimicking epilaryngeal tube and lip narrowing on aerodynamic and projected glottal area measures in a dynamic self-oscillating physical model of the vocal folds and vocal tract. "Multilayered silicone vocal fold models were created (after Murray & Thomson, 2011, 2012) and mounted to a simple synthetic trachea and supraglottal vocal tract model. Four constriction cross sectional areas were examined at two locations yielding 16 possible experimental vocal tract conditions. Vocal fold model adduction and tension were held constant across all experimental conditions; three constant subglottal pressures were examined. "Results indicate that: 1) mean phonation threshold pressure (PTP) at onset and offset, phonation instability pressure (PIP) onset, phonation pressure range (PPR) onset, phonation threshold flow (PTF) at onset and offset, phonation instability flow (PIF) onset and offset, and phonation flow [End Page 263] range (PFR) onset and offset were all found to generally decrease given a constriction in the epilarynx tube region; 2) mean PIP offset, and PPR offset were all found to generally increase given a constriction in the epilarynx tube region; 3) mean PTP at onset and offset and PTF at onset and offset were all found to generally decrease given a constriction in the lip region; and 4) mean PIP onset and offset, PPR onset and offset, PIF onset and offset, and PFR onset and offset were all found to generally increase given a constriction in the lip region. Thus, results indicate that both constriction magnitude and location are relevant factors in determining glottal aerodynamics and projected glottal area measures." (ProQuest/Author Abstract) ________ Moreno, Amanda Marie. "An Examination of the Effects of Body Mapping Instruction on Singers' Static Standing Posture and Posture While Singing." Ph.D. Dissertation, The University of North Dakota, 2022, 159 pages; ProQuest 2682732045. "Physical posture is one of the fundamental aspects of vocal technique, and voice pedagogues suggest that effective alignment is necessary for healthy vocal production. Body Mapping (BMG) is a somatic method that focuses on the understanding and correction of errors in a person's body map to facilitate effective movement for musical activity. Because this method has balance, physical alignment, and posture as...