Stammering: vocal hindrance or vocal liberator?
Tuesday 11th June 2024, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM (London Time)
What connects Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Ben’s Brother and The Who? The answer is they’ve all produced songs containing stammered lyrics. Integrating stammering, a communication difference often viewed as something to be fixed through therapy, within musical art may, superficially at least, appear to be an unusual decision but what if we could see beauty in stammering and represent it in art, poetry, song, flags and even font? Come to this workshop to find out how this has been done.
The recent brain research highlighting stammering as a form of neurodivergence is shifting therapy approaches with increasing emphasis on the value of stammered voices. They encourage us to reflect on what matters in conversation and how stammering can add dimension and freedom to vocal performances.
This session will present what stammering is (and isn’t), link the approach-avoidance conflict with performance anxiety and consider what it means to be fluent. The potential physical and emotional struggle contained within the stammering experience is acknowledged alongside opportunities to view stammering through alternative, more supportive lenses, with opportunity to consider what you might do in your practice as a stammering ally.
By the end of this workshop, you’ll understand why King George VI practised speeches with a gramophone playing in the background, where metronomes have been used in therapy and know why speaking with marbles in your mouth is never a good idea!
Carolyn Andrews
Carolyn Andrews is an independent speech and language therapist and senior teaching fellow at the University of Strathclyde. With 25 years’ clinical experience she specialises in adult voice problems and adult stammering, and enjoys walking alongside her clients and students to build their knowledge, practice and voice use.
Attend this course for as little as £22 as part of the Voice Professional Training CPD Award Scheme.
Learn MoreSorry, 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 18th August 2026
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday 25th August 2026
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday 1st September 2026
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday 8th September 2026
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday 15th September 2026
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday 22nd September 2026
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
(London Time)
Musical Theatre Vocal Pedagogy Certificate
Kevin Wilson
Join Kevin Wilson for this six-part certificated course, offering an in‑depth, practical exploration of contemporary voice teaching for musical theatre. Across six focused classes, participants develop a systematic approach to vocal technique, diagnosis, and repertoire selection that reflects the stylistic, physical, and emotional demands of the genre. The curriculum integrates vocal science, embodied voice work, registration theory, and stylistic awareness across the five major sub‑genres of musical theatre.
Thursday 3rd September 2026
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)
Common Medical Diagnoses and Treatments in Voice Patients
Dr Robert Sataloff
Join world-renowned ENT surgeon, author, and professional singer Professor Robert Sataloff for this short course on common medical diagnoses and treatments in voice patients. Whether you are treating voice disorders or navigating the world of academic research, this course provides an excellent opportunity to learn from a true expert in the field. This course is suitable for voice teachers, singers, speech-language pathologists, ENT specialists, and anyone passionate about advanced voice care and credible research.
Thursday 10th September 2026
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)
Dalcroze Eurhythmics in the Voice Studio
Dr Tish Oney
The Dalcroze Method taught by Swiss music teacher Émile Jaques-Dalcroze (1865-1950) has long been valued as a tool for teaching music in group settings (ensembles, choirs, music classes, etc.) But what about its one-on-one use in the applied voice studio? Join Dr. Tish Oney for this interactive short course and learn about the history and principles of this important method of music education. Through the employ of Dalcroze movements and concepts, singers and teachers explore music in ways that can reduce tension and increase the fun of music making, while encouraging discovery of technical and theoretical skill-building practices.