Expanding the Canon for Art Song Literature Classes
Presenters: Sonya Baker and Megan Zuhowski

In examining how we can serve our students through a more inclusive lens, NATS undertook a project to re-imagine how we teach art song literature classes at the university level in 2021. Dr. Sonya G. Baker was co-leader of the committee that worked to publish resources for this new model and mentored DMA candidate, Megan Zuhowski, who piloted the course at James Madison University in Fall 2023. This poster is an introduction to Expanding the Canon in Art Song Literature and its advantages as noted by Zuhowski who taught the course using the old model in 2021.

Repertoire by Women Composers for Early-Stage Singers
Presenters: Theresa Bickham and Jennifer Piazza-Pick

This poster will address repertoire by women composers to suit early and intermediate stage singers. It will offer lists of songs and resources for teachers and singers to begin their research and address the issue of accessibility. Repertoire written in the four languages that are typically studied in the Western-classical pedagogical tradition (English, French, German, and Italian) will be highlighted, and representative selections listed for each language along with their respective anthologies.

Playing the game: Identifying the invisible forces at work in the field of voice pedagogy
Presenter: Dale Cox

The voice pedagogy field, like any professional group, contains social structures. This presentation, based on qualitative research, draws from a multi-sited focused ethnographic research project to establish a concept of the voice pedagogy field using Bourdieu's concepts of habits, capitals and field. In doing so, this presentation uses analysis of the data to map systemic, structural considerations of inclusion and exclusion.

A conceptual framework for exploring the possible mitigation of Music Performance Anxiety through means of Emotion Regulation strategies
Presenter: Thomas Erlank

My poster presentation will take the audience through the following points: the context of my study, what is Music Performance Anxiety, the impact of MPA on singers before/during a performance (including discussing the symptoms of MPA/General Anxiety), what is Emotion Regulation, what is Action Research, and as a conclusion my hypothesis.

What is in a Voice Lesson Anyway? How the Motor Learning Classification Framework Affects Teacher Effectiveness
Presenter: Michaela Kelly

This study uses a mixed methods approach to evaluate if a relationship exists between contents of a voice lesson using the motor learning classification framework (MLCF) and teachers’ self rated effectiveness in the individual voice lesson setting. A significant finding was that across ten voice lessons observed, there was a positive strong correlation between the amount of time students sang and the teachers' self rated effectiveness. Voice teachers can implement the methods used in this study, recording lessons to look for instructional behaviors within the MLCF and completing the voice teaching effectiveness survey, to provide self-reflective tools.

Gender-Inclusive voice lessons: Can we do better?
Presenter: Emily Lowe

An exploration of the existing literature regarding gender-expansive adolescents and their voices. Focusing on "ambient belonging" and creating inclusivity for all.

Combined Respiratory Muscle Training: A Study of Highly-Trained Professional Classical Singers
Presenters: Angélica Aldarondo and Dana Zenobi

This poster shares the results, including sung audio examples, from a 2022-23 study involving a population of international-level operatic and highly-trained professional Classical singers who completed six weeks of Combined Respiratory Muscle Training (cRMT) training and tracked changes in their vocal production before, during, and after cRMT. It will suggest research-informed ways to build RMT and breathing exercises into studio teaching and/or body conditioning routines.

Weaving Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Anti-Racism (IDEA) into Applied Voice at a Primarily White Institution
Presenters: Laura Storm and Dana Zenobi

This poster presents the results of a multi-year effort to weave Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Anti-Racism (IDEA) elements more fully into applied voice study at the undergraduate level. Presenters will share syllabus, assignments, challenges, and successes from two years’ efforts shifting to an intentional IDEA-oriented approach to lessons and studio voice class at a Primarily White Institution (PWI).