Our Director, Debbie Winter, sat down with MA Voice Pedagogy student Christine Descher while she was in the process of preparing her research for publication.
We are now delighted to share that Christine's study, Singing as a Triple Threat: Performers’ Experiences Across Musical Theatre Disciplines, has been published in Voice and Speech Review (Descher, 2026).
Drawing on her experience as a performer and voice teacher working in musical theatre, Christine was inspired to explore an area that remains relatively under-researched: performers' experiences of combining singing, acting and dancing, and the impact this has on singing performance. Through interviews with musical theatre performers, her research examined the challenges, perceptions and strategies associated with performing across these disciplines simultaneously.
In this candid conversation, Christine discusses the inspiration behind the project, her research process, and some of the key themes that emerged from the study. She also reflects on the importance of practitioner-led research and how continued investigation in this area can contribute to performer training, vocal health, wellbeing and sustainability within the musical theatre industry.
Watch the full interview below to learn more about Christine's research journey and the findings of her newly published study.
Reference
Descher, C. (2026). Singing as a Triple Threat: Performers’ Experiences Across Musical Theatre Disciplines. Voice and Speech Review, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/23268263.2026.2673745
Interested in Musical Theatre Research?
Christine is also a member of the Musical Theatre Research Alliance (MTRA), a growing international community of practitioners, educators and researchers committed to advancing scholarship, innovation and knowledge exchange in musical theatre.
Christine Descher
Christine is a singer, voice teacher, and coach. She trained in and taught western classical music and now specialises in musical theatre.
Recent Posts
Student Interviews
How the MA Voice Pedagogy helped Blue Cain build a career as a singing teacher
Voice Study Centre
Wednesday 5th August 2026When Blue Cain joined the MA Voice Pedagogy, they weren't an established singing teacher. In this interview, they share how the programme helped them launch a career in singing teaching, discuss their experience of studying online with ADHD, and reflect on their research into gender-diverse voices.
Read More...
Course Reviews
Masterclass Insights: Applying the Meisner Technique to Singing with Jillian Paige
Voice Study Centre
Tuesday 4th August 2026Yesterday, the Voice Study Centre recently welcomed back Jillian Paige, founder of Meisner in Music, for an interactive workshop exploring how Sanford Meisner’s renowned acting methodology can be transformed into a practical framework for vocalists. While traditional acting approaches often prioritize internal character analysis or objective-driven choices, the Meisner Technique operates on a foundational principle: to sing freely and express fully, your focus must be directed outward. So what did we learn?
Read More...
Blog
How MA Voice Pedagogy Student Aramat Arnheim-Sharon Contributed to Published Voice Research
Voice Study Centre
Wednesday 29th July 2026Watch our interview with MA Voice Pedagogy student Aramat Arnheim-Sharon as she discusses her contribution to a published research chapter exploring voice, vibration, wellbeing and emerging health research. Discover how postgraduate study supported her journey into academic research, and hear about her current MA research and the development of new tools for voice pedagogy.
Read More...