Institute Schedule

 9 am – noon: 

• PowerPoint Lecture: “The Third Pillar of Voice Science: Cognition” (Helding)

  • Topics include:

    • History of Voice Science as a field; The “Three Pillars” of Voice Science

    • How Learning Works: the Triumvirate of Attention, Learning and Memory

    • Motor Learning

Noon - 1:30 pm: Lunch

1:30 – 4:30 pm:

• PowerPoint Lecture: “Systems of the Voice 1: Basics of Respiration” (Helding)

  • Topics include:

    • • Physiology of Respiration

      • How Breathing affects Timbre

      • Four Breathing Techniques for Singing (based on R. Miller’s “National Schools”)

      • Difference Between Breath Support & Breath Control

• Fagnan : 

  • The bel canto approach to breathing (Il respiro)

  • Practical application of respiration principles with exercises designed to enhance both the inhalation and breath-management phases of singing.

  • Conducting gestures that inspire proper breathing.

  • Introduction of choral repertoire to be used this week.

9 am – noon

•  PowerPoint Lecture: “Systems of the Voice 2: Phonation” (Helding)

  •  Topics include:

    • Physiology of Phonation

    • Onsets, Glottal Closure and the coup de la glotte

    • Vibrato

  • Fagnan:

    • The difference between vibration and vibrato

    • Vibration = the focused core/sweet-spot of the voice

    • Is vibration a friend or a foe in the choral context?

    • Is vibrato a friend or a foe in the choral context?

    • How to make both vibration and vibrato elements of good unison and blend rather than its detractors

Noon - 1:30 pm: Lunch

1:30 – 4:30 pm

•  “Systems of the Voice 3: Articulation/ Part One” (Helding) 

  • Basics/Overview of Articulation

  • Vowels

• Fagnan:

  • Chiaroscuro resonance balancing and its positive effect on tone and in-tone-ation.

  • The Intrinsic Pitch of Vowels and how it affects intonation in both solo and choral singing.

  • Exercises to enhance chiaroscuro resonance while limiting the effect of the intrinsic pitch of vowels.

• 9 am – noon PowerPoint Lecture: “Systems of the Voice 4: Articulation/ Part Two” (Helding and Fagnan)

• • • Consonants

• • Fagnan:

    • Tonus-Enlivening Articulation. How consonants can be resonance’s best friends and encourage, rather than hinder, true sostenuto singing.

    • Be careful what you ask for in terms of diction! The 'singer's real mouth'.

Noon - 1:30 pm: Lunch

• 1:30 – 4:30 pm “Systems of the Voice 5: Resonance: A Brief Primer” (Helding)

• Fagnan:

  • Using the combination of the core of vibration and chiaroscuro resonance for true sostenuto/expressive singing. 

  • La nota mentale 

  • Short repertoire rehearsal

• 9 am – noon: Fagnan: A Choral Acoustics Overview: proving the old (bel canto principles) by means of the new (acoustical analysis).  

  • Trip to Fagnan’s Vocal Acoustics Lab to witness many of the principles studied in action. 

    • Seeing Vocal Tract Acoustics in Action:

    •  Harmonics and the Vocal Spectrum, Vowel Formants, Vibrato, Acoustical Analysis and more fun stuff!

    • Short rehearsal of repertoire

• • Noon - 1:30 pm: Lunch

• 1:30 – 4:30 pm: “Systems of the Voice 6: Registration” (Helding)

  • Fagnan: 

    • Discussion and application of vocal exercises and concepts designed to improve register transitions in the choral setting (Helding and Fagnan)

    • Messa di voce: Bel canto's answer to register equalization and energized soft singing (Fagnan)

9 am – noon:  

• Open Forum. Registrants submit questions ahead of time (the night before) for Fagnan & Helding, who curate an open discussion.  

• Science-Informed Masterclass for Singers: for solo singers to demonstrate science-informed voice pedagogy principles (Helding). Voice teachers and choral conductors alike need to provide the best models for their singers/choristers. This will be your chance to receive personal feedback on how to do just that in a safe and low-stress environment.

Noon - 1:30: Lunch

1:30 – 4:30 pm: 

• Science-Informed Masterclass for Choral Directors to demonstrate science-informed voice pedagogy principles and especially how to elicit consistent, beautiful, energized sounds from your singers/choristers (Fagnan)

• Possible short/informal choral concert.

Evening: 

• Institute Dinner & Farewell