04/08/2025
And that’s a wrap on . Thank you for hosting us National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS).
The final day today, yet again saw so many presentations on offer. Highlights for me were a thought provoking talk by Cheri Montgomery on the tongue and vowels. Cheri talked about how we might consider adapting the IPA charts to make them even more useful for nuances in vowel shaping when singing, with guidance for this coming through looking at tongue shape and musculature movements. It was an interesting proposition and one I’d like to explore further with some of my anatomy, acoustics and linguistic colleagues.
After this I attended a workshop with miskie from voice and yoga where we looked at guided myofascial release. As a vocal massage therapist Bristol Voice Care this was of great interest to me. It integrated many of the protocols I follow and use daily in my work with clients, and allowed me to experience being taught self massage, which was a great reminder of what it is like to be in the client position. I will be returning full of enthusiasm and revised skills to share these ideas and practical moves with my clients. Watch this space for some future workshops in the autumn!
After this I had the joy of watching Samyukta Ranganathan present a workshop on Indian Classical Singing. As always Samyukta’s talent as a performer and teacher shone through and we explored more gamakas and forms of ornamention and agility structures together. I also met Christopher Sierra from Boston Conservatoire and we began hatching a plan for a the three of us to co-author a study in agility cross training. I’m already super excited about this and can’t wait to continue our conversations and maybe even plan a trip to Boston in the near future. It was also Chris’s birthday today - happy birthday!
The evening saw the conference rounded off with another speech by Lynn Helding who gave a companion talk to her presentation earlier in the week. The take away for me from both her talks is that the integration of art and science in vocal pedagogy is essential and multifaceted and respecting the diversity of interconnecting parts is vital to serve our students well.
A final panel discussion of composers and creators discussed the balance between tradition and innovation and how voice teachers, singers, composers, scientists, clinicians and all manner of other professionals need to continue the conversations. Supporting each other with mutual respect, healthy debate and challenge and most importantly putting the student first as a whole person is vital for the advancement of our art.
Thank you to everyone who made this week possible. To and DTP and UCL for funding my research and development as an academic and supporting my attendance. To the wonderful people who I have enjoyed fruitful and collaborative conversations with Emily May Lowe Jenevora Williams Edwin Pitt Mansfield Emily Bender Samyukta Ranganathan Larissa Kelloway Anne Slovin rethazi oskan Elizabeth Benson David Sisco and many more of you who I am sure to have forgotten.
It’s been great to see you all!
