News

Voice Study Centre Alumnus Jennifer Rhodes to Present at the AOTOS Summer Conference!

Wednesday 1st May 2024

Jennifer works as a freelance Singing and Voice/Accents tutor, predominantly in conservatoire settings.  Her work with singing actors has often been cross-curricular and covering a variety of musical styles.   Jennifer’s studies throughout the MA Voice Pedagogy programme have enabled her to deepen connections between the fields of spoken voice, linguistics and singing, and to implement this into her teaching studio.  The culmination of this work was the designing of a teaching strategy to assist students with singing in regional accents. 

Jennifer is excited to present her work at the upcoming AOTOS Summer conference:

Singing in Regional Accents: The Cause for a Teaching Strategy

Accent coaching in conservatoires typically occurs in Spoken Voice lessons.  The challenges that may arise from transitioning between spoken and sung text, led to the development of a teaching strategy for Singing in Regional Accents.  A recent focus group enabling experienced Singing teachers to give their feedback on the strategy revealed overwhelmingly positive results (Rhodes, 2024).  It is hoped that this strategy is developed and that it ignites broader discussions surrounding accent training and representation in musicals.

Jennifer Rhodes

Jennifer is a lecturer and voice and singing teacher working primarily with musical theatre performers. Jennifer is Subject Lead in Spoken Voice at Bird College and has previously taught at Mountview. She also manages a private teaching practice in London with students ranging from singing actors to corporate clients.


Recent Posts

Student Interviews

Negotiating Authenticity: Tre Cooper Explores Cross-Genre Singing and Stylistic Decision-Making

Voice Study Centre
Friday 23rd October 2026

What does it mean for a singer to sound authentic when performing in a genre outside their usual style? And how can voice teachers help singers develop stylistic versatility without losing their individual artistic identity?

Read More...
After The Session

After The Session: Practical Magic*: The Art & Science of Balancing Voices with SOVTs and VFEs with Melanie Tapson

Voice Study Centre
Thursday 22nd October 2026

What makes a vocal exercise effective? Is it the tool itself, the way we use it, or our understanding of what happens when we put it into practice? In Practical Magic: The Art & Science of Balancing Voices with SOVTs and VFEs, voice teacher and professional singer Melanie Tapson explored the science behind two widely used approaches to voice training: Semi-Occluded Vocal Tract Exercises (SOVTs) and Vocal Function Exercises (VFEs). Combining scientific explanations with practical demonstrations and interactive activities, the session examined how these techniques can support vocal efficiency, stamina and sustainable voice use. Rather than treating exercises as a one-size-fits-all solution, Melanie encouraged participants to understand what each exercise does, how individual voices respond and how to adapt techniques to achieve meaningful results.

Read More...
After The Session

After The Session: Introduction to Vocal Acoustics for Spoken and Sung Voice with Gökçe Kutsal

Voice Study Centre
Wednesday 21st October 2026

How can understanding the science of sound help us become more effective voice teachers, singers and researchers? In our recent two-part course, Introduction to Vocal Acoustics for Spoken and Sung Voice, Gökçe Kutsal explored the fascinating relationship between the physics of sound and the way we produce, hear and understand the human voice.

Read More...