POSTER PAPER SESSIONS

Pure Sound vs. Rough Sensation: Sorting the sensations of the sung tone
Presenter: Chadley Ballantyne 

This poster details the interplay of touch and hearing in vocal training, aiming to enhance teaching methods by understanding how we perceive sound and vibration. By linking vibrotactile awareness research with the sensations commonly associated with singing, we can enhance our understanding of these experiences. This interactive poster presentation invites attendees to engage with the physicality of sound through unique sensory experiments. 

First Wireless Voice Dosimeter and App
Presenters: Theresa Brancaccio and Aaron M Johnson 

Quantifying vocal dose, particularly in occupational voice users such as singers and teachers, is crucial for mitigating vocal fatigue and preventing or treating phono-traumatic vocal injury. Our research presents the first wireless dosimeter, a compact (1.25 X1 inch) sensor worn on the sternum and paired with an iPhone App that tracks long-term voice use and provides users with real-time estimates of cumulative vocal dose. 

Korean Vocal Tapestry: Korean Art Songs and Korean Women Composers
Presenters: Won Cho and Kyoung Cho 

In recent years, diversifying vocal music repertoire in the Classical music field has gained prominence, driven by an interest in indigenous traditions and ethnomusicology. Korean women composers, who comprise around 70% of contemporary composers in Korea, have emerged as influential figures, blending traditional Korean and Asian elements with Western music, contributing to inclusivity in vocal repertoire, and advancing the cause of women in Classical music. 

Lessons from group singing research: a three-pronged approach for creating a supportive learning environment for adult beginning singers in the private voice studio
Presenter: Emily DenBleyker 

Adult beginning singers (ABS) are a subset of amateur singers becoming increasingly common in the private voice studio: adult students with a lifetime love of singing but little to no formal training or experience. Very little research about ABS concerns creating a supporting environment for them; the relevant research mainly comes from group singing research. This paper examines this group singing research and reframes their findings in a new light, proposing a three-pronged approach for creating a supportive learning environment for ABS in the private studio: promoting self-efficacy and agency, focusing on participation instead of presentation, and balancing risk and safety. 

A Performing Life: A Survey of the Work and Writing of Dr. Sharon Mabry
Presenter: Rachel Hansbury 

This presentation will document the life and work of acclaimed voice pedagogue Sharon Mabry. Dr. Mabry contributed to NATS for years via her column about contemporary composers. She was a special advocate for the works of female composers and published many valuable resources for singers at all levels. 

Leveling the Playing Field: Enhancing Objectivity and Equality by Utilizing "Specifications Grading" in the Private Studio
Presenter: Seth Killen

Traditionally, objective and equitable assessment of progress in private applied voice lessons has been elusive, with standards varying significantly from one studio to another. This poster introduces the implementation of a grading system developed by Linda Nilson--Specifications Grading--in private applied studios. Through a concise study involving 30 undergraduate singers, it is evident that this system enhances academic standards, reduces student stress, and fosters motivation for excellence, while standardizing and objectifying the assessment process. 

Talking About Tension: Distinguishing Primary Muscle Tension Dysphonia (MTD-!) from Compensatory Hyperfunction in Singing Training vs. Clinical Settings
Presenters: Theodora Nestorova, Françoise Chagnon, and Maude Desjardins 

This collaborative study addresses the lack of consensus on compensatory hyperfunction and Primary Muscle Tension Dysphonia (MTD-1) in singers, exploring the terminological gap through a scoping literature review and laryngoscopic/acoustic evaluations of 17 case study singers. The results propose a novel matrix distinguishing MTD-1 in speaking and singing voices, supplementing the vocal hyperfunction framework, and outline diverse archetypes and gradations of singing non-primary voice hyperfunction (NPVH). The study aims to provide practical applications for a holistic diagnosis when working with singers in training who exhibit tension. 

The Heart of a Woman: Curating the Present Inventory and Promoting Future Settings of Texts by Female Poets of the Harlem Renaissance
Presenter: Alissa Plenzler 

This poster will include information about the current inventory of musical settings created from text by female poets of the Harlem Renaissance along with commentary on why this vein of literature hasn't yet been popularly sourced. Additionally, there will be a QR code linking interested parties to an ever-growing bibliography of sources to explore to jumpstart music creation and awareness of these fantastic writers. Finally, there will be a call to action to look at the landscape of poetic sources represented in our voice teaching, regularly assign repertoire with text that aligns with our students’ lived experience, and encourage the commission of new works. 

“Rendering Visible”: Investigating Student Attitudes Toward and Experiences of Voice Impairment
Presenter: Emily Siar 

A large body of literature suggests that a significant percentage of singers will experience a voice health issue over the course of their education, and a multitude of studies assert the importance of health promotion in schools. However, institutional programming is often geared primarily toward preventing musicians’ injuries, sometimes leaving students who are actively facing impairment to self-advocate and navigate the experience largely unaided. In contrast to a prevalence of studies examining the experiences of instrumentalists facing performance-related injuries, to date, there have been few systematic investigations into the psychosocial experiences of students who have experienced voice impairment in academic contexts.  

Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT) Administered by Singing Teachers: A Tool for Managing Music Performance Anxiety
Presenters: David Juncos and Dana Zenobi 

This poster presents the results of a 2023 study of Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT) used as a tool to help undergraduate singers manage Music Performance Anxiety (MPA). ACT’s scope is limited to MPA, and it can ethically be administered by voice teachers who undergo six to ten hours of training and supervision. Results show that ACT is a valuable tool for teachers looking to help students manage MPA while maintaining the important boundary between studio-appropriate MPA management tools and clinical mental health treatment. 

Antagonism in Voice Training: Muscle Pairs, Range of Motion, and Contrasting Sounds
Presenters: Chadley Ballantyne and Alyson Culbertson 

The proposed poster explores the dynamic relationships between antagonistic muscle groups that enable varying ranges of motion in the vocal instrument. It outlines exercises, muscle functions, and their results, aimed at enhancing teaching methods for voice instructors. The focus is on facilitating singers' understanding of their vocal instrument's complex biomechanics, encouraging self-exploration over prescriptive methods to shed unhelpful habits and improve vocal technique across styles. 

Window of Tolerance: a student’s zone of emotional safety
Presenter: Sarah DeYong 

A visual representation of the zones of emotional arousal: hypoarousal, hyperarousal, and the Window of Tolerance. Brief descriptions of trauma, Trauma-Informed Voice Care, and some trauma-informed studio adjustment suggestions.

Act Like a Singer/Sing Like an Actor: Five Steps to Incorporating Acting into the Applied Voice Studio for Musical Theater
Presenter: Alisa Hauser

This is a streamlined, time-efficient method for voice teachers to be both technician and coach within the limited time frame of traditional voice lessons. 

Pre-Performance Rituals
Presenter: Oksana Komarenko 

This research delves into the fascinating world of pre-performance rituals in music education. By investigating the types, frequency, and effectiveness of these rituals as perceived by students, this study offers valuable insights into how such traditions can reduce anxiety and elevate performance. Understanding the psychology behind these practices empowers educators to guide students in crafting rituals tailored to their unique needs, ultimately enhancing the pursuit of peak musical performance. 

Physical Touch in the Voice Studio; A Survey of Singers
Presenter: Maria Maxfield 

Data will be presented and synthesized from the 2023 study titled “Physical Touch in the Voice Studio; A Survey of Singers." The main objective of the study was to gain information on physical touch in a voice lesson from the perspective of the student, and to support voice teachers in reconsidering this practice within their voice studios. The study had 147 participants comprised of professional and non-professional singers, students, and young professionals, 18 years and older. 

Collaboration & Implementation of Comprehensive Voice Screenings for Singing Students between a University & a Clinic: An Educational Case Study
Presenters: Theodora Nestorova, John Mac Master, and Françoise Chagnon 

This initiative, "Comprehensive Voice Screenings for Singing Students," addresses the lack of direct access to vocal health resources for university singers, combining expertise from vocologists and medical professionals to offer holistic vocal assessments. Their multi-step screening process involves interviews, medical exams, and analyses, aiming to enhance students' vocal health awareness and provide early intervention when needed. The initiative's outcomes may pave the way for collaborative vocal care models in educational settings, benefitting students' well-being and potentially serving as a model for other institutions. 

How American Negro Spirituals Influenced Both Resistance to Nazis and Civil Rights Boycotts
Presenter: Chandi Plummer 

Embark on a journey through time and across continents to discover how American Negro Spirituals inspired future generations suffering injustice and motivated them to action. Did you know that spirituals impacted lives from Abyssinian Baptist Church during the Harlem Renaissance, to Dietrich Bonhoeffer in Germany during WWII, and from Myles Horton and the Highlander Folk School in Monteagle, TN, to Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in the Civil Rights Movement? American Spirituals must continue to be programmed for the concert stage both for their historical significance and artistic beauty, and also because of their power to transform. 

What's On Your Mind: Stress Reduction for Singers through Mindfulness
Presenter: Maria Smithwick

Unmanageable stress levels are persistent obstacles for many singers. To help singers better manage stress, this poster research will explore the practice of mindfulness and offer four breath-based mindfulness exercises. The exercises will include stretching, box breathing, positivity journaling, and external meditation. 

The Value of Method: Applying the principles of bel canto to the modern studio
Presenter: Ariana Wyatt 

This poster will analyze the principles of the bel canto method as they pertain to skill acquisition, and apply them to the modern studio. In our current environment, method can be the most valuable tool in a teacher's toolbox. 

Margaret Bonds' Edna St. Vincent Millay Songs
Presenter: Dana Zenobi 

This poster introduces the NATS community to the compelling musical results of the combined artistic efforts of composer Margaret Bonds (1913-72) and poet Edna St. Vincent Millay (1892-1950). These six virtuosic settings of Millay’s brilliant sonnets on themes of love, desire, and heartache were left in manuscript form, like much of Bonds’ compositional work, at the time of her passing but have recently become available in scores from Videmus, Classical Vocal Reprints, and Hildegard Publishing Company. 

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).