Online Research Symposium: Singing, Wellbeing and Social Inclusion
Friday 24th September 2021, 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM (London Time)
The Voice Study Centre and De Montfort University’s Mary Seacole Research Centre are delighted to announce their next online symposium on Singing, Wellbeing and Social Inclusion on 24 September 2021 between 9am and 12:30pm (BST).
The symposium will be held on Zoom and is free of charge.
Programme:
9:00 Welcome with Prof Raghu Ragavan (Mary Seacole Research Centre, De Montfort University) and Debbie Winter (Voice Study Centre)
9:15 Prof Johann van der Sandt, University of Bozen/Bolzano, Italy
Musical Habits and Wellbeing of adolescent choir singers in Italy, Austria and Finland during Covid-19 Lockdowns
9:45 Dr Sanna Salminen, University of Jyväskylä, Finland
Benefits of Singing reflected in the conceptual framework of social inclusion
10:15 Celi Barberia, Sing Up Foundation, UK
Sing Up: Children and Young People and the benefits of singing
10:45 Emily Foulkes, Singing for Health Network and Voice Study Centre, UK
Singing for Health
11:15 Dr Motje Wolf, De Montfort University and Voice Study Centre, UK
The Effect of Covid-19 Lockdowns on Performer Identities of Professional Singers in the UK
11:45 Plenary
12:15 Good-bye
Dr Motje Wolf
Dr Motje Wolf was awarded a PhD in Music Education from De Montfort University Leicester (UK) and an MA from the University of Leipzig (Germany) in Musicology and Dramatics. Her research focuses on vocal pedagogy, epistemology and pedagogic knowledge exchange.
Emily Foulkes
Emily gained a Distinction in her Master’s in Voice Pedagogy, specialising in Singing for Mental Health, Pain Management, and Trauma-Informed Practice...
Johann van der Sandt
Johann van der Sandt completed his studies at the University of Pretoria, and his choral conducting at the Institute of Choral Conducting in Gorinchem, Netherlands. He is a sought after juror, composer and choral clinician.
Dr Sanna Salminen
Dr Sanna Salminen is an acknowledged music educator in her home country. She works as a university teacher in Music Pedagogy under the Department of Education at the University of Jyväskylä.
Celi Barberia
Celi Barberia has been working in music education for over 15 years, through fundraising and policy roles at Youth Music and then communications and marketing roles at Sing Up and has had a lifelong passion for the arts, education and working in charities.
Sorry, this is an archived short course...
We have plenty of upcoming short courses coming soon. See details of some of them below or look at the full list of short courses.

Tuesday 5th August 2025
1:00 PM - 12:00 PM
Tuesday 12th August 2025
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Tuesday 19th August 2025
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Tuesday 26th August 2025
1:00 PM - 12:00 PM
Tuesday 2nd September 2025
1:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Tuesday 9th September 2025
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Tuesday 16th September 2025
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Tuesday 23rd September 2025
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
(London Time)
Certificate in Acting Approaches for Singing Teachers

Louisa Morgan
Are you a singing teacher looking to elevate your students’ performances? Join our very own Louisa Morgan, as she takes a deeper dive into acting approaches that singing teachers can use to integrate powerful acting techniques into singing lessons. This 8 session course is perfect for those who want to help their singers connect deeply with the story behind the song. Gain practical tools and techniques that you can immediately apply in your teaching! Come along live for an interactive experience, or watch on playback at your leisure.


Tuesday 23rd September 2025
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
(London Time)
How to Put the Perceptible Breath at a Singer's Disposal

Tanya Aspelmeier
Join the renowned Tanya Aspelmeier in this breath-related workshop specifically designed for the singer and singing teachers. Participants will learn exercises based on Professor Ilse Middendorf's therapeutic breathing method "The Perceptible Breath". This somatic discipline trains a person’s skills of perception to learn about their individual breath, body and nervous system and how they can regulate it by harnessing their own mental powers.

Wednesday 24th September 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Thursday 25th September 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)
Mitigating Music Performance Anxiety (MPA) Within the Teaching Studio: Theories & Practical Strategies

Dr David Juncos
In recent years, an alternative model for treating MPA has shown great promise among practitioners - training music teachers to use interventions from evidence-based coaching models aimed to treat MPA, rather than continually referring students with MPA to receive psychotherapy like CBT.