Short Courses & Events / Archive

Vowel Modification and Authenticity in Classical Singing

Thursday 23rd October 2025, 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM (London Time)

This presentation and discussion is an introduction to Sound Spectrum, Amplitude, Formants, Overtones, the Overtone Series, Vowel Formants, and how they work together (Formant Tuning) to create acoustic boosts in classical singers.

It includes the most up-to-date nomenclature agreed upon by the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America in 2015 (Titze, Boseman, ed. al). It also includes nomenclature from the Bel Canto period to bring alignment of artistic training and it's scientific understanding: Chiaroscuro, The Florentine Camarata, Caccini’s Le Nuove Musiche, Appoggio, etc. Stratagies for singers like Lifted Soft Palate, Mediated Larynx, Neck alignment, Vowel Modification, Adduction of the Vocal Folds (Hyperadduction – Hypoadduction), and resonance inertia, will be introduced and discussed.

🏷️ Price £30 (UK VAT inclusive)
🎥 Recording automatically sent to all who book (even if you cannot attend live)
▶️ Rewatch as many times as you like
📜 Certificate of attendance available

Dr John Seesholtz

Dr. John Seesholtz, baritone, is the cofounder of the Canciones project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of Latin American music throughout all stages of academia and former Director of Vocal Pedagogy at the University of Colorado.

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Attend this course for as little as £22 as part of the Voice Professional Training CPD Award Scheme.

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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.

Music Theory Fundamentals for Voice Pedagogues
Tuesday 5th May 2026
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday 12th May 2026
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday 19th May 2026
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday 26th May 2026
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday 2nd June 2026
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday 9th June 2026
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
(London Time)

Music Theory Fundamentals for Voice Pedagogues

Dr David Cane

Voice pedagogy has advanced significantly in the last decades in relation to knowledge of the vocal apparatus (anatomy and mechanics), acoustics, and performance psychology (to name just a few subfields) – this is a wonderful thing! Nonetheless, musicianship and the foundations of music theory are still relevant to the teaching and coaching of singers and this course aims to empower voice teachers and coaches with skills to support the fundamental musicianship development of their students.

Prosody in conversation – crucial for effective communication?
Tuesday 12th May 2026
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
(London Time)

Prosody in conversation – crucial for effective communication?

Beatrice Szczepek Reed

In this course, we will take an introductory look at what prosody is and consider its functions in natural everyday dialogue. Prosody refers to the rhythm, stress, and intonation of speech. It's the musicality of language that helps convey meaning, emotion, and emphasis in conversation!

Feldenkrais Method® - its application in speech and song!
Thursday 14th May 2026
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
(London Time)

Feldenkrais Method® - its application in speech and song!

Marina Gilman

The Feldenkrais Method® is a form of somatic education that uses gentle movement and directed attention to improve physical and mental functioning, including singing and speaking. Since we are not always aware of the source of tension or discoordination, it is difficult to make the necessary adjustments to ensure optimal use of the voice!