Today Alexa is joined by a singer-songwriter, speech pathologist and voice rehabilitation specialist. She's also the author of Everyday Voice Care : The Lifestyle Guide for Singers and Talkers , with other publication credits including the Journal of Voice and Voice and Speech Review. Joanna Cazden is on Singing Teachers Talk to tell you how you can help your singers maintain a vocally healthy lifestyle. KEY MOMENTS ‘I was afraid to tell anyone about it. I had no clue what was going on. I had no...
Feb 01, 2023•41 min•Ep. 96
Joining Alexa on this week's episode is a musician, university professor and founder of Creative SEO. She manages her own music studio and helps musicians to create their own paid opportunities to live the life that they deserve. Dr Tonya Lawson is on Singing Teachers Talk to tell you how you can improve your SEO and earn passive income. KEY MOMENTS ‘Now I don't worry when I have a student cancel. Instead, I'm like, hey, I have extra time in my day now’ ‘Passive income takes time. There is no ge...
Jan 25, 2023•30 min•Ep. 95
Our guest today is best known as The Holistic Artist Coach and the founder of the Parr Method, and she's on a mission to empower artists to create a career that they love. With over 20 years experience in the industry, Wendy Parr has created a development pathway to assist artists in defining and elevating their skills as well as embracing their authenticity for true connection through music. KEY MOMENTS ‘Now let's start doing it the way it feels good to you’ ‘I want to help people get back the ...
Jan 18, 2023•47 min•Ep. 94
Today Alexa is joined by Erin Ross, Strategic Communications Specialist with the popular business management software platform My Music Staff. Erin is on Singing Teachers Talk to tell you how you can organise your studio business. You’ll also find a special offer for a 60-day free trial just for podcast listeners in the links below. KEY MOMENTS ‘It gives you time to actually focus on what you enjoy doing’ ‘How can we improve the experience so that as a teacher or as a studio owner, you're not sp...
Jan 11, 2023•30 min•Ep. 93
Happy New Year! January is usually the time when we set resolutions for the year, but let’s face it, most of us aren’t going to see them through a couple of weeks, let alone a whole year. So this week on Singing Teachers Talk, Alexa and BAST founder Line Hilton discuss how to be more resilient in 2023, how you can improve resilience in your students, and what you can put in place to make sure you achieve your goals. KEY MOMENTS ‘We have the resolution, but we don't put a plan in place or have su...
Jan 04, 2023•42 min•Ep. 92
Joining Alexa today on Singing Teachers Talk is the Head Tutor of Singing at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts, Michael Vickers. The experienced teacher, who also works in private practice with aspiring and professional performers, is here to talk about preparing singers for drama school auditions. KEY MOMENTS ‘There are things I started teaching differently after having seen how panels work' 'Go to the website and constantly check what they're looking for' 'Be flexible in that moment. Wh...
Dec 21, 2022•50 min•Ep. 91
Co-authors Lydia Hart and Stephen King are back on the podcast to talk about their recently published book, ‘Help! I’ve Got a Voice Problem’. A book which should belong on every singer and voice user’s bookshelf as well as on display in the voice teacher's studio; so that everyone has the opportunity to understand how voice problems can occur. KEY MOMENTS ‘The book is dedicated to everyone without a voice’ ‘When framing the journey of voice through a biopsychosocial perspective, all of those que...
Dec 14, 2022•35 min•Ep. 90
Today’s guest is the Associate Professor of Voice and Theatre, Coordinator of Musical Theatre Voice Training and Artistic Director of the CCM Vocal Pedagogy Institute of the Shenandoah Conservatory. He has written articles for the Journal of Singing and has contributed to The Manual of Singing Voice Rehabilitation by Leda Scearce and the So You Want to Sing series by NATS. Dr Matthew Edwards is on the podcast to talk about teaching musical theatre styles. KEY MOMENTS ‘It doesn't have to be in de...
Dec 07, 2022•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 89
Today Alexa is joined by Robert ‘Bob’ Marks, a voice teacher, coach, conductor, arranger, author and director. His extensive career has seen him act as a musical director for over 200 productions and his clients have included Ariana Grande, Ricky Lake, Sarah Jessica Parker, Natalie Portman, Britney Spears, and Ashley Tisdale. His writings have appeared in the Journal of Singing and he has recently published the book 88 Keys to Successful Singing Performances with co-author Dr Elizabeth Gerbi. KE...
Nov 30, 2022•38 min•Ep. 88
Today we talk to laryngologist Declan Costello who, during the Covid-19 pandemic, helped coordinate research on the perceived dangers of aerosols and singing. A singer himself, Mr Costello is stationed at Wexham Park Hospital in Berkshire as a consultant ear, nose and throat surgeon specialising in voice disorders. KEY MOMENTS ‘General hay fever and stuffiness wouldn't necessarily mean I would suggest stopping singing’ ‘Colds are viral. They will do what they're gonna do’ ‘We didn't go into it i...
Nov 23, 2022•27 min•Ep. 87
BAST has reached its 11th birthday, and to celebrate this milestone Line Hilton, founder of BAST, joins Alexa today on Singing Teachers Talk. Line is here to explain how BAST came about and the pros and cons of singing teacher qualifications. KEY MOMENTS ‘I never wanted to be a singing teacher trainer’ ‘There needs to be a lot more accountability out there for singing teachers who are working with young or sick voices’ ‘The reality is you could go out and start teaching without anything. It's an...
Nov 16, 2022•33 min•Ep. 86
Vocal Massage and Laryngeal Manual Therapist Kate Valentine is today’s guest. Kate, who runs her own treatment space called Valentine Voice Care, discusses how to spot the signs your student may have vocal health issues and how to prevent vocal injury. KEY MOMENTS ‘I used to just throw myself in without any real knowledge of what I was doing’ ‘We coexist with our voice in our body’ ‘I was frustrated because I could see things getting away from me’ RELEVANT LINKS & MENTIONS Voice Care Centre:...
Nov 09, 2022•52 min•Ep. 85
Today Alexa is joined by the founders of The Voice Collective, a voice studio that delivers coaching specialising in body voice connection, musical theatre, pop, rock, rough vocal effects, and cross genre. Cassi Mikat and William Pazdziora are on Singing Teacher’s Talk this week to tell you about the benefits of cross-genre training. KEY MOMENTS I love that. The neutral voice, finding out what feels the most authentic As a voice teacher, I'm interested in making sure all of my students have all ...
Nov 02, 2022•38 min•Ep. 84
In today’s episode, BAST trainer and founder, Line Hilton, returns to discuss the best vocal exercises for sick voices. Listen in to discover the differences between a sick voice and a well one. Line also explores the challenges of working with a student who is feeling below par, or post-operative. KEY MOMENTS ‘It's always good to have a second pair of ears’ ‘’Intrinsic muscles are quite deep, and so you don't necessarily realise one of those deeper muscles is being hyper contracted and overwork...
Oct 26, 2022•42 min•Ep. 83
Today's guest is a musician, song writer, singing coach, and business consultant to voice teachers known as ‘The Voicepreneur’ which is also the title of her very own podcast. Allie Tyler joins Alexa all the way from Colorado to give you advice on growing your teaching business. KEY MOMENTS ‘I don’t love the business side either!’ ‘Follow your curiosities, not your passions’ ‘I felt like I learned more about the voice being a voice teacher than as a singer’ ‘You need to be hyper observant of you...
Oct 18, 2022•45 min•Ep. 82
This week Alexa is joined by a vocal coach, singer songwriter, vocal producer, arranger and artist developer who has worked with the likes of Justin Timberlake, the Dave Matthews Band, Pharrell Williams, Rihanna, Lizzo, Kelly Clarkson, and Kelly Rowland. The list goes on. Robert ‘RAab’ Stevenson is on Singing Teachers Talk. KEY MOMENTS ‘I used to call her the vocal magician. She was able to do all kinds of things with the voice’ ‘They might think I might be harder on them or easier on the big po...
Oct 12, 2022•48 min•Ep. 81
David Juncos is a clinical psychologist, author and performance coach who specialises in music performance anxiety. His treatment approach includes the use of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and he has presented his research on this subject on an international scale. He is a faculty member at the Voice Study Centre and his book, Act for Musicians: A Guide for Using Acceptance and Commitment Training to Enhance Performance, Overcome Performance Anxiety and Improve Well-being , is availab...
Oct 05, 2022•38 min•Ep. 80
Alexa’s guest today is Mark Peacock, the founder and managing director of Price Maker, a company that helps businesses improve their pricing. If you're considering raising your prices, or have a new service to offer and want to know how to price it, Mark is the expert to ask. KEY MOMENTS ‘The myth I want to dispel is that increasing your prices is a scary thing’ ‘Be mindful of your competitors but don’t get hung up about them’ ‘Ask yourself how much your best customer is willing to pay’ RELEVANT...
Sep 27, 2022•42 min•Ep. 79
Expert coach, sound healer, vocalist, author of Coaching for Performance Excellence , and host of The Soulfull Sound podcast, Simone Niles joins Alexa on Singing Teachers Talk. Simone's work includes empowering soul-driven creatives and entrepreneurs to generate meaning in their work and life. BAST Training helps singers gain the confidence, knowledge, skills & understanding required to be a successful singing teacher. "The course was everything I hoped it would be and so much more. It's an ...
Sep 21, 2022•37 min•Ep. 78
This week Alexa is joined by an author, educator, presenter, and vocal coach who specialises in teaching the child singer. She is the founder of Born 2 Sing Kids and mentors other voice teachers in working with this particular demographic. Dana Lentini joins us from New York to tell you all you need to know about teaching children to sing. KEY MOMENTS I always want to grow and become a better version of myself I use lots of props in my lessons to make it fun Think about teaching as a life skill ...
Sep 13, 2022•50 min•Ep. 77
This week’s guest has made it her mission to open up the conversation on mental health in the performing arts. Raffaella Covino has spent the past ten years working on the West End and internationally as a Dance Captain and Swing. She’s also the founder and director of Applause for thought which offers accessible mental health training and support to those in the entertainment industry. Raffaella joins Bronwyn on Singing Teachers Talk to chat about all things mental health. KEY MOMENTS ‘Mental h...
Sep 06, 2022•25 min•Ep. 76
Dr Jenevora Williams was the first singing teacher to be awarded a PHD in voice science in the UK and was awarded the BVA Van Lawrence prize for her outstanding contribution to voice research in 2010. Her research has taken her to subjects such as vocal health, performance anxiety, teaching young singers, and singing in the brain. Dr Jenevora Williams joins Alexa this week on Singing Teachers’ Talk to discuss vocal rehabilitation for singers. KEY MOMENTS ‘Legally you need to be covered by insura...
Aug 30, 2022•53 min•Ep. 75
This week Alexa is joined by a physical therapist, whose approach to manual therapy has evolved to consider bio-psychosocial influences, as well as incorporating shared decision making between clinician and patient, Walt Fritz. Walt is on Singing Teachers’ Talk today to tell you all about manual therapy. Check out the BAST Youtube channel to watch Walt work with Alexa, offering her a series of patient-perspective, self-guided exercises to help relieve symptoms of a vocal difficulty KEY MOMENTS ‘...
Aug 24, 2022•49 min•Ep. 74
BAST founder Line Hilton joins Alexa this week to continue on from a discussion they had in Episode 62 - How to Choose the Best Vocal Exercises. This week the focus is on the larynx and finding the best vocal exercises for larynx stability. KEY MOMENTS ‘Most singers don’t even realise they can control the height of their larynx’ ‘Ask your students to notice what’s happening while they’re singing, awareness is the first step’ ‘This is how it should feel and I can feel where it is’ ‘Many singer ar...
Aug 16, 2022•28 min•Ep. 73
Two guests for you today on the show, firstly it’s Kaya Herstad-Carney who is a BAST trainer and educational director for vocology in practice. Our second guest is Claire Cannon, lead vocalist for Flip and Fill and vocal coach specialising in advanced vocal techniques. The pair joined Alexa this week on Singing Teachers Talk to chat about becoming a vocology in practice authorised teacher. KEY MOMENTS ‘It’s about having the network of experts to take questions to’ ‘If you want to progress and ga...
Aug 09, 2022•39 min•Ep. 72
Joining us today is the founder of the Singing for Health Network who has worked in music for wellbeing and music education for over 20 years. She is the director of the charity Music for Good and holds a masters degree in vocal pedagogy through the Voice Study Centre, where she is now a senior lecturer. Emily Foulkes joins Alexa this week on Singing Teachers Talk about singing for trauma and the Singing for Health Network. KEY MOMENTS ‘We’re hard wired to sing, we were singing before we were sp...
Aug 02, 2022•36 min•Ep. 71
This week's guest is Kim Chandler, a renowned contemporary vocal coach and session singer who teaches professional singers from her studio in Marbella. Her career as a performer has seen her provide vocals for TV and film and she often presents workshops for teachers of voice. Kim has also created the Funky'n'Fun vocal exercise series and a curriculum poster used by fellow contemporary voice teachers in their studios. Kim joins Alexa on Singing Teachers Talk all the way from sunny Spain. KEY MOM...
Jul 26, 2022•48 min•Ep. 70
Something a bit different this week as Alexa is joined by two guests. Cat Ogden is a singer and vocal coach who specialises in singing for mental health and wellbeing, and she is alongside founder of Sing Now, Sarah Joyce. As you’ll see from the episode title, congratulations are in order as both guests on Singing Teachers Talk are expecting, so the topic of conversation today is all around understanding pregnancy for the singer and the self-employed. KEY MOMENTS ‘I was literally vomiting either...
Jul 19, 2022•45 min•Ep. 69
Dr Felix Graham is a New York based performer, teacher, conductor and author, who has presented globally on the subject of gender, trans voice, and inclusion. He is also the musical director for New York’s first transgender singing ensemble. Felix joins Alexa this week to talk all about training transgender voices. KEY MOMENTS ‘It’s a warm safe environment where we can be creative’ ‘Inclusive is not a noun, it’s a verb’ ‘There is no singular language, just singular people’ ‘A label is just a way...
Jul 12, 2022•1 hr•Ep. 68
Founder of Pro Vox in Liverpool, Senior Popular Vocals Lecturer at Leeds Conservatoire, volunteer at the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen Hospital Voice Clinic, researcher and PHD student specialising in singers experiences in using in-ear technology. Carrie Birmingham joins Alexa this week on Singing Teachers Talk to talk us through her speciality, in-ear technology. KEY MOMENTS ‘There are many performers who have tinnitus and some to a level where they can’t perform anymore’ ‘Is your in-ear mix ...
Jul 05, 2022•53 min•Ep. 67
