10:00 a.m.: Dorm Check-in/Registration Open

12:00 p.m.: Welcome, Introduction, and Light Refreshments

1:15 p.m.:  Anatomy and Physiology: Introduction and Review (Instructor: Tara Stadelman-Cohen CCC-SLP)

3:30 p.m.:  Systemantic Voice Teaching: The Voice Teacher/Diagnostician (Instructor: Kevin Wilson)

5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.: Massachusetts Voice Center - Vocal Health and Pathologies (Instructors: Dr. James Burns, Tara Stadelman-Cohen CCC-SLP, and Carol Krusemark CCC-CLP)

8:30 a.m.: Wake-up! Stretching: Exercises for your students (20 minutes)

9:00 a.m.: Breathing for Singing: An Informed Choose Your Own Adventure (Instructor: Tara Stadelman-Choen CCC-SLP)

11:00 a.m.: Comparative Pedagogy: First Lesson/Q&A (Instructor: Bill Cotten)

12:30 p.m.: Lunch

1:30 p.m.: Registration: Defining Registration

2:45 p.m.: Comparative Pedagogy: Teaching Tenors/Q&A (Instructor: Bradley Williams)

4:30 p.m.: Comparative Pedagogy: Topic TBA/Q&A (Instructor: Penny Bitzas)

6:00 p.m.: Dinner

7:00 p.m.: Master Class: High School/Young College Students (Instructors: Penny Bitzas and Kevin Wilson)

8:30 a.m.: Wake-up! Vocalizing: Effective warm ups for your students (20 minutes)

9:00 a.m.: What is Belting? How do I Teach It? (Instructor: Kevin Wilson)

11:00 a.m.: The Male Belt (Instructor: Michael Hanley)

12:30 p.m.: Lunch

1:30 p.m.: Comparative Pedagogy: Crossover Singers (Instructor: Mary Saunders-Barton)

3:00 p.m.: Repertoire for the Musical Theater Studio: Repertoire as a teaching tool (Instructor: Michael Hanley)

4:00 p.m.: Rock/Pop/Contemporary Styles and Repertoire (Instructor: Sheri Sanders)

6:00 p.m.: Dinner

7:00 p.m.: Master Class with Mary Saunders-Barton

9:00 a.m.: Alexander Technique: What is it? (Instructor: Sara Goldstein)

10:00 a.m.: Alexander Technique: Master Class (Instructor: Sara Goldstein)

11:00 a.m.: Comparative Pedagogy: Grounding Female Voice (Instructor: Patty Thom)

12:30 p.m.: Lunch

1:30 p.m.: Master Class: Pop Styles in Musical Theater (Instructor: Sheri Sanders)

3:30 p.m.: Discussion Panel with Boston Conservatory and Guest Faculty, Evaluation, and Salutations

Anatomy and Physiology of the Speech Mechanism

This introduction to the Vocal Pedagogy Workshop is an in-depth review of anatomy and physiology, and the body systems used in singing. Led by Tara Stadelman-Cohen of the Massachusetts General Hospital Voice Center, this session will prepare the basic foundation for the workshop participants.

Vocal Health Seminar

MGH Voice Center doctors and speech pathologists discuss up-to-date developments in vocal hygiene, singer-specific pathologies, surgeries, and rehabilitation. This is a fascinating look into the medical profession of caring for the professional voice. Q&A session with representatives from the MGH Voice Center will follow the presentation.

What is Belting? Teaching Musical Theater and Contemporary Voice

Kevin Wilson, professor of voice and director of vocal pedagogy studies will lecture and lead a discussion on vocal registration and current pedagogical trends in teaching musical theater. Participation is welcome and encouraged as you discover or refine your approach to teaching contemporary voice. This lecture will include a live teaching demonstration.

Alexander Technique in the Voice Studio

Led by Sara Goldstein, professor of voice and Alexander specialist, this workshop will explore the principles of the Alexander Technique via discussion and group activities. There will be opportunities for short individual performances as well. The Alexander Technique is a method for exploring human reaction with the potential for learning new ways of responding, often with greater ease. The work is experiential. Please come in comfortable clothing and with an open mind!  

The Male Belt

Boston Conservatory musical theater faculty member Michael Hanley will present what is the standard for male “belt” in musical theater today. Discussion will involve what is the aesthetic difference in classical and musical theater singing, as well as vocal exercises to help you in the studio. 

A Systematic Approach to Voice Teaching

Led by Kevin Wilson, professor of voice and director of vocal pedagogy studies, this workshop discusses the major body systems in singing; posture, respiratory, phonatory, resonatory, and articulatory in a step-by-step, clear and methodical approach to teaching voice. Discussion will focus on discovering and differentiating between symptom and cause in technical voice teaching. 

Breathing: Breaking It Down to the Basics

This lecture, led by Tara Stadelman-Cohen, will discuss teaching breathing in the voice studio. There will be discussion of the breathing process, the variations in breathing techniques, and effective language for teaching these concepts. Exercises for developing and securing breathing will be discussed and practiced. Please be prepared to discuss your breathing techniques and exercises with the group on a volunteer basis.

Registration: Keeping It Simple

Brief discussion defining singing registers in the male and the female voice. Discussion will detail the various registers, and the mechanical and respiratory changes that occur. 

Wake-up! Stretching

Led by Kevin Wilson, willing participants will awaken their body with movement exercise designed for the voice studio and for freeing the full body for singing.

Wake-up! Vocalizing 

Led by Kevin Wilson, willing participants will join in a group vocal warm-up that includes easy traditional and non-traditional exercises for efficiently warming up the four systems of voice. 

Repertoire as a Teaching Tool for the Classical Studio

A presentation of both familiar and lesser-known repertoire for the classical studio. Discussion will detail how to select repertoire as a teaching tool for developing technical abilities, and how to build a successful personal music library.

Rock/Pop/Contemprorary Repertoire for the Studio

Sheri Sanders, author of Rock the Audition will present a variety of multi-use repertoire for you to use to prepare students to audition for colleges, conservatories, national tours, and Broadway.

Musical Theater Comparative Pedagogy

Master teacher Mary Saunders-Barton and Kevin Wilson will each instruct a 45-minute demonstration lesson. The lesson process will be complete with warm-ups, vocal exercises, breath and posture work, and potential technical repertoire work. A brief discussion with the instructors will follow. Lesson topics will include cross-over singers, the male belt, and how we belt.

Classical Comparative Pedagogy

Master teachers Patty Thom, Penny Bitzas, Bradley Williams, and Bill Cotten will each instruct a 45-minute demonstration lesson. The lesson process will be complete with warm-ups, vocal exercises, breath and posture work, and potential technical repertoire work.  A brief discussion with the instructors will follow. Lesson topics will include first lesson, grounding the female voice, and training tenor voices.

Young Voices in Classical and Musical Theater

Alexander Technique

Taught by Sara Goldstein

Musical Theater Voice: Belt/Mix/Legit

Taught by guest instructor Mary Saunders-Barton

Pop Styles: Nuancing the Voice for Contemporary Styles

Taught by guest styles specialist Sheri Sanders