My Semester in Vocal Pedagogy

Being able to be apart of this past semesters class of Vocal Pedagogy has strengthened my knowledge of body mapping and how to teach voice lessons, but it has also brought all kinds of new learning into my toolbox of knowledge. I believe that I have grown so much as an educator and a student by applying the principles of this class into the improvement of my voice teaching and how I approach my own voice along with its function. 

One of the topics that I found most interesting this semester was about how we have control of your laryngal position. I was under the assumption that it functioned similar to the diaphragm where it moves to accommodate for space but we has humans weren't able to feel it or move it voluntarily. Through body mapping, experimentation and observation, I am now have more awareness of laryngal position in my own voice and how I can explain that to my own students. I am hoping to continue the observation of laryngal position and tilt and how I can effective utilize that tool in teaching voice lessons. 

The idea of vocal formants still seems to be this cloud of questions because of how much it can affect other parts of the voice. I think that it is so interesting that vocal formants affect vowel shape and resonance. There are so many factors to singing and how we need to be innately aware of all of them and how they function together and/or shouldn't function together.

I am most excited to continue to gain knowledge about belting and how I, as a mostly classically trained singer, can incorporate that learning into my own singing. Voice experts have agreed that if you want to learning about belt, you need to find a voice teacher who has vast experience teaching it. To make myself a more well-rounded voice teacher, gaining knowledge about belting and it's biological function it essential to continue in my current and future occupational goals. 

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