Teachers Of Singing Research Articles

Number 13 / Part I. Music. 8. The Development of Music-Pedagogical Education of Ukraine in The 60's –70-ies of The XX Century

Abstract The article has analyzed and systematized the development of musical-pedagogical education in Ukraine in the 60's -70-ies of XX century. It has summarized the experience of training of specialists with higher musical-pedagogical education at the faculties of Humanities, where the 50's - 60's graduates received diplomas of philologists, historians, geographers with additional qualification of a teacher of music and singing. It has also been grounded the establishment of the first musical-pedagogical faculties at educational institutions in different regions of Ukraine (Kyiv, Luhansk, Drohobych, Odesa, Zaporozhia). Having based on the analysis of the archival documents it has been revealed the main directions of the formation of teaching staff of specialized departments, organization of the educational process, creation of the art groups, participation of students in research work, teaching practice at secondary schools. It has been proved the importance of concert performance and musical educational work in the pedagogical formation of prospective teachers of music and singing. Their role in raising the level of musical and aesthetic education of children and youth in the 60's of last century has been proved. The 70‟s years of the twentieth century of the history of Ukraine are known as the years of corresponding changes in the socio-political processes, "thaw" in all spheres of life, particularly in the organization of higher education activity. This period of musical-pedagogical education is characterized by democratization and the search for more advanced forms of the educational-upbringing process.

Merging the arts of song and dance: New methodical options for teaching students within the disciplines of song and dance

To learn, acquire knowledge, and develop skills is an embodied process. In this article, the authors argue that merging the fields of song and dance is dependent on a deeper understanding of how the mind and the body interact, and they utilize the concept of enactive cognition to explain these processes. The authors maintain that students need insight into these processes in order to improve their learning and, consequently, their performance. Retrospective examples taken from three educational situations within the musical theatre context elucidate the discussion of the concepts of alignment and breathing. These frequently used concepts are often a source of confusion and misunderstanding for the student. To alleviate this, a stronger, interdisciplinary dialogue among the singing and dance teachers who are involved in the genre of musical theatre needs to be developed. The authors suggest collaborative teaching as a means to develop the teaching methods and as the pathway to attaining a common base when integrating the skills of singing and dancing.

Bridging the gap between classical and contemporary vocal technique: implications for the choral rehearsal

Within the traditional choral canon, choral teachers are expected to teach authentic performance practice that incorporates changes in vocal production among varying genres and style periods from Renaissance to Contemporary. Contemporary commercial music (CCM) requires a different vocal approach than the standard Western classical tradition, yet most singing teachers are not being trained in vocal technique associated with CCM in traditional university music departments. Since choral singers are asked to create a variety of vocal qualities and switch between those qualities within a single performance, this article argues that singing teachers should be trained to utilize a multifaceted approach to developing vocal technique, given that recent singing pedagogy literature implies that there is a significant lack of training in the areas of CCM. The scope of this article is to discuss the main tenets of breath, onset, and resonance inherent in both bel canto and contemporary vocal technique by examining both vocal science and traditional vocal pedagogy. By developing a pathway between these styles, teachers enhance their teaching of diverse repertoire without having to learn an entirely new pedagogy. From changes within these three tenets, numerous vocal qualities can be created that are sustainable and healthy for all singers.

Prevalence of Hearing Loss in Teachers of Singing and Voice Students

Singers and voice teachers are exposed to a range of noise levels during a normal working day. This study aimed to assess the hearing thresholds in a large sample of generally healthy professional voice teachers and voice students to determine the prevalence of hearing loss in this population. A cross-sectional study was carried out. Voice teachers and vocal students had the option to volunteer for a hearing screening of six standard frequencies in a quiet room with the Shoebox audiometer (Clearwater Clinical Limited) and to fill out a brief survey. Data were analyzed for the prevalence and severity of hearing loss in teachers and students based on several parameters assessed in the surveys. All data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel (Microsoft Corp.) and SPSS Statistics Software (IBM Corp.). A total of 158 participants were included: 58 self-identified as voice teachers, 106 as voice students, and 6 as both. The 6 participants who identified as both, were included in both categories for statistical purposes. Of the 158 participants, 36 had some level of hearing loss: 51.7% of voice teachers had hearing loss, and 7.5% of voice students had hearing loss. Several parameters of noise exposure were found to positively correlate with hearing loss and tinnitus (P < 0.05). Years as a voice teacher and age were both predictors of hearing loss (P < 0.05). Hearing loss in a cohort of voice teachers appears to be more prevalent and severe than previously thought. There is a significant association between years teaching and hearing loss. Raising awareness in this population may prompt teachers and students to adopt strategies to protect their hearing.

Teachers' course of Miodrag A. Vasiljevic (1940-41)

Professional development of primary school teachers and subject teachers in historical context, concerning music and teaching music has been scarcely recorded, for the reason of little description of these issues in scientific papers and periodicals. Consequences of this state are reflected in shortage of the reference, which might help potential researchers as an initial impulse in further searching. Data about the Course may help authors of the programme of professional development, as a model or articulating contemporary courses. In the text, we are going to analyse archive materials and periodicals connected to 'Occasional one-year course for teachers of note singing in folk schools' which was realised by Miodrag A. Vasiljevic, with the aid of Ministry of Education of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, in the period between the end of 1939 and spring 1941. Theoretical basis of the paper brings interpreting issues of teaching musical literacy and curricular unadjustabilty of this kind of teaching at higher educational institutions in Serbia. Method of theoretical analysis and historical method pointed at the possibilities of organising systematic education, so that consequences of versatility can be overcome and music teaching can be improved. Analysing materials from the archives of Miodrag A. Vasiljevic determined some facts, which point at possibilities of creating concepts of professional development of teachers and subject teachers for the subject Music in primary schools, in the teaching area connected to development of musical literacy. Observing the results of the Course and the targets the learners of the Course have reached, it can be undoubtly said that positive effects are seen and effectiveness in developing competencies of teachers.

The Singing Teacher's Role in Educating Children's Abilities, Sensibilities and Sensitivities

In the Republic of Kenya, song is widely used to enhance the whole curriculum in lower primary classes. Song is used especially to aid recall and therefore teachers adapt tunes that children already know, inserting relevant words from the subject at hand. Despite this widespread practice, this form of singing in schools is not recognised by the same teachers as music training in the classroom, and so little, if any, effort is put into the actual music production. Teachers do not attend to the sound of the music, as the intention is to capture facts about various things, including the soil, the weather, numbers etc. and present them in a way that the young learners will quickly remember. This paper interrogates the process that 6–8-year-old children underwent as they moved from using song to learn facts (singing to learn), to developing multiple musical abilities and capacities (learning to sing), through participation in the Music for Literacy Development (MLD)1 project in selected schools in the Nyanza region of Kenya.

O DIÁRIO DE AULA COMO UM ESPAÇO PARA (AUTO)NARRATIVA DENTRO DE AULAS DE CANTO CORAL EM UM PROJETO SOCIAL

This article shows a reflection on the teaching of music, highlighting issues related to social projects. The musical educator narrates their dilemmas, written between April 2010 and December 2012, as a teacher of choral singing for teenager in a social project, whose methodology own and self-narratives (OLIVEIRA, 2009) that is reflected through the diaries of class (ZABALZA, 2004). The study aims to investigate the role of the teacher and the ways these in their teaching, using the tool of the daily class as a place to write itself and narrative of oneself, promoting reflections in order to understand and modify their practices and thus shape their professional identity. The text also examines the conflicts present in practice in social projects (KATER, 2004; KLEBER, 2006, 2008;); questions the practice of choral singing (AMATO, 2007; TEIXEIRA, 2008), recounts classroom situations, focusing on professional identities involved in changing practices for achieving teenagers to class percussionists of choral singing.

A Review of Training Opportunities for Singing Voice Rehabilitation Specialists

Training opportunities for singing voice rehabilitation specialists are growing and changing. This is happening despite a lack of agreed-on guidelines or an accredited certification acknowledged by the governing bodies in the fields of speech-language pathology and vocal pedagogy, the American Speech-Language Hearing Association and the National Association of Teachers of Singing, respectively. The roles of the speech-language pathologist, the singing teacher, and the person who bridges this gap, the singing voice rehabilitation specialist, are now becoming better defined and more common among the voice care community. To that end, this article aims to review the current opportunities for training in the field of singing voice rehabilitation. A review of available university training programs, private training programs and mentorships, clinical fellowships, professional organizations, conferences, vocal training across genres, and self-study opportunities was conducted. All institutional listings are with permission from program leaders. Although many avenues are available for training of singing voice rehabilitation specialists, there is no accredited comprehensive training program at this point. This review gathers information on current training opportunities from across various modalities. The listings are not intended to be comprehensive but rather representative of possibilities for interested practitioners.

Singers' and Nonsingers' Perception of Vocal Vibrato

Vibrato, a small, nevertheless an important component in the singing voice is known to enrich the overall singing voice quality. However, in the perception of overall performance, it is often neglected. Singing performance is often appreciated by a mixed audience of those who love music, but not necessarily sing and other singers who may or may not be teachers of singing. The objectives of the present study were aimed at investigating singers' and nonsingers' perception of vocal vibrato and its effect on the ratings of singer's overall performance. Prerecorded audio samples of the chorus of a hymn (How Great Thou Art) as sung by 10 singers (both men and women) were played via a speaker to two groups of judges which consisted of three experienced singers and three experienced nonsingers. The singer judges (SJs) were vocal instructors in Western classical, music theater, pop, and contemporary styles. Seven parameters (presence of vibrato, rate, extent, conspicuousness, quality, periodicity, and type) related to vibrato were evaluated through auditory perception by these two groups of judges on a rating scale developed specifically for the study, and one parameter evaluated singer's overall performance. Cohen's Kappa statistical analysis was used for inter-rater reliability within groups. Nonsinger judges (NSJs) within the group showed varied ratings as did SJs, yet SJs did have higher agreement than NSJs. Chi-square analysis was used across groups. Both groups were distinct from each other in their perception of vibrato. Ratings of singer's overall performance were not affected for NSJs, but certainly affected for SJ. It could not be concluded that ratings on singer's overall performance was affected as a result of vibrato. Since vibrato is often over-ridden by the singer's voice. But a rare occasion can arise where a vibrato may not sound pleasant and can affect the listener's perception of the singer's performance. Often a feedback from listeners would help monitor singers' performance.

Pioneering African American Teachers of Singing

Pioneering African American Teachers of Singing

Prevalence of Abnormal Laryngeal Findings in Healthy Singing Teachers

To determine the prevalence of abnormal laryngeal findings during strobovideolaryngoscopy and objective voice measurement in healthy singers without significant voice complaints. Prospective evaluation of professional singing teachers. A quiet room in a hotel during a convention of the National Association of Teachers of Singing. Seventy-two volunteers (60 females and 12 males), all of whom were trained singers without significant voice complaints. Abnormalities observed on strobovideolaryngoscopy. Abnormalities identified during acoustic analysis. Abnormalities were found during strobovideolaryngoscopy in 86.1% (62 of 72 of subjects, many of whom had more than one abnormality. For the purpose of this study, the authors defined "normal" as having no structural pathology (masses, cysts, ectasias, and so on) and a reflux finding score (RFS) of less than 7. Subjects' evaluations were considered "abnormal" if they had at least one documented laryngeal pathology and/or an RFS≥7. The most common findings were signs associated with laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR). Subjects were also identified with prominent varicosities or ectasias, incomplete glottic closure, and structural abnormalities. LPR was observed in 72% of patients using the physical findings (arytenoid erythema and/or edema) relied on typically to establish the clinical diagnosis as well as using the RFS (16.7% in women and 25% in men). Posterior laryngeal mucosal hypertrophy was also demonstrated in 64% of the participants. Acoustic analysis of female subjects showed that shimmer, relative average perturbation, and maximum fundamental frequency differed significantly from widely used norms. Laryngeal abnormalities occur commonly in asymptomatic patients. Physicians must exercise caution in establishing a causal relationship between an observed abnormality and a patient's voice complaint. Baseline examinations of voice patients when they are healthy and asymptomatic should be encouraged to establish each individual's "normal" condition.

The Teaching Performer: A Survey of Assets Versus Choices in Voice Use

Despite fine instructional texts in voice hygiene such as those of Sataloff (2005), McCoy (2004), and Bunch Dayme (2009), giant strides in diagnostic assessment of vocal risk factors, and compelling vocal dose studies of Titze (2000-2005) and others, challenges continue to persist for singing voice teachers who are also active performers, or "Teaching Performers." The purpose of this study was to investigate the voice hygiene and voice use practices of Teaching Performers in and out of performance periods, and to assess the readiness of these individuals to consider hygienic changes in their vocal routines. Volunteers from the National Association of Teachers of Singing (N=727) were recruited to participate in an anonymous online survey. Strong instrument validity and reliability was determined through expert vetting for content validity, internal consistency testing (coefficient alpha), and test-retest reliability measurement. Teaching Performers (N=596) responded to 26 questions, supplying voice hygiene and usage information through a variety of response platforms. Vocal health and hygiene habits of self-described "successful" Teaching Performers were revealed through descriptive and comparative data analyses. Consideration of results focuses on perceived benefits and current practices of calculated voice use in the careers of active Teaching Performers. Notably, a gathering awareness of relevant factors of voice hygiene and voice use was detected in the participant population also. The results of this survey indicate a persistent need for further study and also may provide a basis for continuing investigations into vocal health, hygiene, and vocal dosing. Additionally, the study results may provide a foundation for the development of further recommendations in the field of singing voice pedagogy.

In Memoriam: Thomas J. Hixon, PhD

With the passing of Thomas J. Hixon, we have lost a premier scientist, an outstanding teacher and mentor, and a distinguished university administrator. He passed away on March 21, 2009, in Tucson, Arizona. Hixon was educated at Bloomsburg University in Pennsylvania (Bachelor of Science) and the University of Iowa (Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy). He did postdoctoral work in physiology at Harvard University. Hixon held faculty appointments at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (1965–1976) and the University of Arizona (1976 until his death). Hixon and his colleagues developed and refined innovative laboratory methods, systematized clinical assessment and intervention for speech and voice disorders, and advanced the understanding of respiratory, laryngeal, and supralaryngeal aspects of speech and song. He authored more than 100 scientific publications, including several articles in the Journal of Voice, and also wrote several books (among them are Respiratory Function in Speech and Song, Respiratory Function in Singing: A Primer for Singers and Singing Teachers, Evaluation and Management of Speech Breathing Disorders: Principles and Methods, and Preclinical Speech Science: Anatomy, Physiology, Acoustics, and Perception). A popular keynote speaker, he gave addresses to the National Association of Teachers of Singing, Pacific Voice Conference, Voice Foundation, British Voice Association, Canadian Voice Care Foundation, Australian National Association of Teachers of Singing, and the Swedish Royal Institute of Technology. Hixon was Editor of the Journal of Speech and Hearing Research (1974–1978) and Editor of the Speech Section of the Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research (2002–2005). His administrative service at Arizona included: head of the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, Dean of the Graduate College, Associate Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies, and Director of Graduate Interdisciplinary Programs. Hixon received a number of awards from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) as well as from other organizations. He was elected a Fellow of the ASHA in 1977, received the Honors of the ASHA in 1995, and was the recipient of ASHA's Kawana Award in 2007. The last award is given in recognition of sustained scientific contributions. He is survived by his wife and scientific collaborator, Jeannette Hoit, and his children, Todd and Kimberly.

Team Management of Voice Disorders in Singers

Team Management of Voice Disorders in Singers

The National Singing Programme for primary schools in England: an initial baseline study

The ‘Sing Up’ National Singing Programme for primary schools in England was launched in November 2007 under the UK government's ‘Music Manifesto’. ‘Sing Up’ is a four-year programme whose overall aim is to raise the status of singing and increase opportunities for children throughout the country to enjoy singing as part of their everyday lives, in and out of school. As part of the Programme's research evaluation, a key focus has been to build an initial picture of singing in primary schools across England. This information could then be used as a ‘baseline’ by which the programme's subsequent impact could be judged, including ‘before’ and ‘after’ measures of schools that receive particular ‘Sing Up’ input. This paper reports an overview of key outcomes of the first five months of baseline profiling (October 2007–February 2008), embracing analyses of the singing behaviours of 3472 children in 76 primary schools. These findings are complimented by additional analyses of children's views on singing in and out of school; and the self-efficacy of their class teachers (n=90), both as singers and as teachers of singing.

Singers' Interest and Knowledge Levels of Vocal Function and Dysfunction: Survey Findings

A questionnaire investigating the levels of interest in and knowledge of vocal function and dysfunction was completed by 129 singers. Those with professional singing experience indicated significantly greater interest and higher perceived knowledge levels than amateurs in areas of vocal anatomy and physiology, vocal hygiene, and functional vocal pathologies. Greater interest levels, but not higher perceived knowledge levels were reported by professional singers (PSs) in the area of the role of the speech-language pathologist (SLP) and the voice. Professionals answered significantly more knowledge-based questions correctly than amateurs in all areas except the role of the SLP and the voice. However, findings indicated wide variability in knowledge levels of both groups. Singing teachers (STs) within the group significantly outperformed the remainder of the group in areas of vocal anatomy and physiology, vocal hygiene, and functional vocal pathologies. Scores of the choir directors (CDs) within the group were not significantly superior to the remainder of the group except in the area of functional vocal pathologies. Implications for a preventative approach to vocal health are discussed.

Vowel Intelligibility in Classical Singing

Vowel intelligibility during singing is an important aspect of communication during performance. The intelligibility of isolated vowels sung by Western classically trained singers has been found to be relatively low, in fact, decreasing as pitch rises, and it is lower for women than for men. The lack of contextual cues significantly deteriorates vowel intelligibility. It was postulated in this study that the reduced intelligibility of isolated sung vowels may be partly from the vowels used by the singers in their daily vocalises. More specifically, if classically trained singers sang only a few American English vowels during their vocalises, their intelligibility for American English vowels would be less than for those classically trained singers who usually vocalize on most American English vowels. In this study, there were 21 subjects (15 women, 6 men), all Western classically trained performers as well as teachers of classical singing. They sang 11 words containing 11 different American English vowels, singing on two pitches a musical fifth apart. Subjects were divided into two groups, those who normally vocalize on 4, 5, or 6 vowels, and those who sing all 11 vowels during their daily vocalises. The sung words were cropped to isolate the vowels, and listening tapes were created. Two listening groups, four singing teachers and five speech-language pathologists, were asked to identify the vowels intended by the singers. Results suggest that singing fewer vowels during daily vocalises does not decrease intelligibility compared with singing the 11 American English vowels. Also, in general, vowel intelligibility was lower with the higher pitch, and vowels sung by the women were less intelligible than those sung by the men. Identification accuracy was about the same for the singing teacher listeners and the speech-language pathologist listeners except for the lower pitch, where the singing teachers were more accurate.

Development of an Auditory-Perceptual Rating Instrument for the Operatic Singing Voice

Although considerable progress has been made in the development of acoustic and physiological measures of operatic singing voice, there is still no widely accepted objective tool for the evaluation of its multidimensional features. Auditory-perceptual evaluation, therefore, remains an important evaluation method for singing pedagogues, voice scientists, and clinicians who work with opera singers. Few investigators, however, have attempted to develop standard auditory-perceptual tools for evaluation of the operatic voice. This study aimed to pilot test a new auditory-perceptual rating instrument for operatic singing voice. Nine expert teachers of operatic singing used the instrument to rate the singing voices of 21 professional opera chorus artists from a national opera company. The findings showed that the instrument has good face validity, that it can be legitimately treated as a psychometrically sound scale, and that raters can use the scale consistently, both between and within judges. This new instrument, therefore, has the potential to allow opera singers, their teachers, voice care clinicians, and researchers to evaluate the important auditory-perceptual features of operatic voice quality.

Effects of Topical Anesthetic and Flexible Fiberoptic Laryngoscopy on Professional Sopranos

This study examined the acoustic and perceptual effects of topical anesthetic and flexible fiberoptic laryngoscopy (FFL) against a control condition on the singing voices of ten professional sopranos. Recordings of a section of an aria, various scales, and a messa di voce exercise were obtained in the three experimental conditions. Acoustic analyses of the same aria section recorded during the three conditions were similar with respect to the distribution of energy across the spectrum (LTAS) and vibrato rate and extent. The ability of the participants to achieve their highest and lowest notes or to complete the messa di voce was also not affected by the anesthetic or FFL. Perceptual ratings of a variety of parameters by experienced singing teachers also revealed little difference across conditions with only "appropriate velopharyngeal closure" found to differ in one comparison. These results indicate that highly experienced operatic sopranos are either not affected by or appear to have the ability to compensate for the presence of anesthetic and the FFL. The most likely explanation is that this group of singers relied on a solid vocal technique. Results will need to be replicated on less accomplished singers before concluding that this medical procedure does not affect the operatic singing voice.

World Voice Day

IN APRIL 1999, Brazilian otolaryngologists established National Voice Week. This event was inspired by data from the World Health Organization that showed a high rate of laryngeal cancer in Brazil. Colleagues around the world recognized the value of this initiative. A variety of societies began collaborating, including the European Laryngological Association (www.elsoc.org), American Laryngological Association (ALA) (www.alahns.org), the Voice Foundation (www.voicefoundation.org), American Broncho-Esophagological Association (www.abea.net), Turkish Professional Voice Association (www.professional-voice.org [in Turkish]), American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery (AA0-HNS) (www.entnet.org), and others, as reviewed previously.1 The AAO-HNS, Voice Foundation, ALA, and other organizations collaborated to celebrate the first World Voice Day in the United States on April 16, 2003. This effort was coordinated with societies in numerous other countries. The World Voice Day tradition has continued and expanded. Additional information, with a history of World Voice Day, can be found at www.entnet.org/AboutUs/historyWorldVoiceDay.cfm. The National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS), and the singing teachers in general, have been conspicuously absent in World Voice Day activities. Most of the singing teachers who have participated are involved through affiliations with laryngologists and speech-language pathologists, and many of them are involved actively in vocal healthcare teams. However, singing teachers and singers should be aware of this well established, international recognition of the importance of the human voice; and NATS members should consider playing a more active role in World Voice Day activities. Annually, the April 16 celebration involves educational and media events throughout the world, as well as web-based educational initiatives that can be accessed through the AAO-HNS's special Internet website at www.entnet.org/ news/voiceday.cfm. Events vary from city to city and are organized by laryngologists and voice team members who are committed to enhancing voice care through professional and public education. In Philadelphia last year, for example, under the sponsorship of the Voice Foundation, World Voice Day events included an author's reading of a children's book to several hundred elementary school children in the Philadelphia school system (with a brief introduction highlighting the importance of a healthy voice); a lecture on voice care for medical professionals in various disciplines and for the general public; an actor's voice workshop; and a concert. World Voice Day represents an opportunity to increase awareness of vocal health and performance among members of the general public and the medical professions, highlighting advances in voice diagnosis and treatment in the United States and internationally. NATS and its members have a long-standing commitment to healthy singing and speaking. NATS members should avail themselves of this opportunity to highlight the human voice to the general public and to our students. …