News / Student & Alumni News

MA Voice Pedagogy student May Oskan presents twice at APME online conference

Friday 26th January 2024

It is with great delight that we can announce that current MA Voice Pedagogy student May Oskan recently presented not one but two papers at the Association for Popular Music Education’s (APME) 3rd Annual Graduate Student Conference, which took place online on 19th and 20th January 2024.

May’s first paper – Fear No Sound: Exploring Pedagogies for Rough Vocal Effects (RVEs) in Popular Music – offers a working model for teaching rough vocal effects (such as screaming, growling and vocal distortion), integrating current research, video resources and firsthand training experience.

May’s second paper – Vocal training experiences and perceptions among adult Professional Contemporary Gig Singers (PCGS) – features a mixed methods study examining the self-reported experiences, needs and perceptions of gig singers in order to explore the question of how voice teachers can best support working and aspiring professionals.

Our warmest congratulations, May!

May Oskan

May Oskan teaches voice, musicianship, and songwriting from her private studio in Oakland, California and has designed curriculum and workshops for several other vocal studios as well...


Recent Posts

After The Session

After The Session: Pop Pedagogy - an Overview with Kim Chandler

Voice Study Centre
Wednesday 28th October 2026

A recap of our recent session with Kim Chandler, broadcast live from a recording studio in Marbella, southern Spain. When a session singer, industry vocal coach and academic walks into one room, you get a very particular kind of masterclass. Kim brought all three hats to our latest short course, a two-hour "whistle-stop tour" of the 15 areas she believes a pop-specific vocal pedagogy should cover. Fittingly, she taught it from the very room where the vocals for Kung Fu Fighting in Kung Fu Panda 3 were recorded.

Read More...
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.

Read More...