Vocalise with Vocal Ease

Singer Challenges 2 Anatomy of the Larynx 3 The Breath Cycle 4 Understanding How the Vocal Folds Make Sound 5 Fun Facts About the Vocal Folds 6 Development of the Young Voice 7 Voice Structure Basics 8 Classifying the Voice 9-10 Building Healthy Vocal Technique 11 Useful Technique Tools 12-13 Belting Vibrato and Mix 14-15 Repertoire to Build Young Voices 16-17 The Voice Team 18 How to Choose a Voice Teacher 19 General Vocal Hygiene & Medical Information 20-21 Laryngologist Contact Information 22 2

General Singer Challenges

• Our instrument is INSIDE our body and we cannot see most of how it works. Furthermore, what we feel may not accurately represent what’s happening on a physiological level. • Physical, mental, and emotional factors can have a big impact on singing, and how we feel and sound can change constantly. • As human beings, we cannot hear ourselves accurately. • Every human body is different, so every singer will need a slightly different approach. • There is no universally agreed upon terminology to talk about singing. • Voice teachers have a WIDE variety of backgrounds and there are no universal qualifications. • Voice science changes constantly and there’s still a lot we don’t know!

Musical Theatre Singer Challenges

• Musical Theatre singers have to be incredibly versatile because the art form encompasses so many different musical styles. • Professionals must have the endurance to perform 8 shows per week, sometimes while rehearsing or doing publicity events at the same time. • We often have to dance while singing. • In Musical Theatre, your “voice type” tends to be associated with how you look as much as (and sometime more than) how you sound. • Industry members (Agents, Managers, Casting Directors, Directors, Music Directors, Composers, etc.) often have little to no understanding of voice science. • Musical Theatre performers are under tremendous pressure to deliver a product in a highly competitive field, whether that product is healthy for their bodies or not. • Musical Theatre isn’t a particularly lucrative profession, so self-care can be difficult! 3

Anatomy of the Larynx

Illustration credit: New York University, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/laryngitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20374262 4

The Breath Cycle

Step #1: The diaphragm contracts to flatten and the external intercostal muscles contract to pull ribs apart. The diaphragm pushes the the abdominal organs down and abdominal muscles release to make room for increased lung volume.

Step #2: As the volume of the lungs increases, air pressure decreases and a vacuum is created inside of them. Air is inhaled.

Step #3: Elastic recoil causes lung volume to decrease. The external intercostals and the diaphragm relax.

Step #4: As the volume of the lungs decreases, air pressure increases. Air is exhaled.

IMPORTANT: In normal breathing, we don’t use any muscles to exhale. We can, however, engage the internal intercostals and the abdominal muscles to exhale more fully or to regulate the rate at which we release air, as will be necessary for singing.

Illustration credit: https://step1.medbullets.com/respiratory/117007/muscles-of-respiration

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Understanding How the Vocal Folds Make Sound

Interarytenoids (IAs) Posterior Cricoarytenoids (PCAs) Lateral Cricoarytenoids (LCAs) Vocal Folds Trachea Cricothyroid Muscle Thyroid Cartilage The human vocal folds (view from above)

Image 1: When you breathe in, the PCAs Image 2: As exhaled air comes through the make the vocal folds abduct, or pull apart. Trachea, the LCAs and IAs make the vocal folds adduct, or come together. Air moves over your vocal folds causing them to vibrate. The vibrations are what makes sound.

Image 3: Pitch is determined by the Image 4: The Crico-Thyroid muscle pulls length of your vocal folds. When the folds the Thyroid Cartilage forward and down are shorter and fatter, you get lower causing the vocal folds get longer and pitches. skinnier, resulting in higher pitches. When females sing very high notes or when male singers use their falsetto range, the vocal folds may be stretched so much Illustration Credit: Bethea Medical Media Photo Credit: Sydney Voice and Swallowing that they don't touch fully. 6

Illustration credit: https://www.sccpre.cat/pngs/674714/, http://www.clipartly.com/wow-speech-bubble-png/, Additional illustrations by Ashleigh Junio 7

Development of the Young Voice

● The human larynx takes many years to fully develop, both in terms of anatomy and coordination. Parts of the human instrument won’t finish developing until after puberty, and it can take years beyond that for the voice to reach its full potential (mid 20s-mid-30s for most singers).

● The larynges of male and female children are believed to be the same until the introduction of hormones in puberty, when they begin to change in size. Female larynges increase approximately 20-30%, males 60-70%. Voice changes during puberty typically take between 6 months to 1 year, but can take as long as 3 years.

● Cisgender Males: During puberty, testosterone and dihydrotestosterone cause the larynx to increase drastically in size and the vocal folds to become thicker. Overall range will narrow and then drop approximately one octave. This is a period of tremendous vocal instability and it may be necessary to adjust vocal exercises and repertoire often during this time to make the singer more comfortable. Although there is not very much scientific proof, anecdotal wisdom says that young males who train their voice (gently) through puberty may experience less instability than those who don’t.

● Cisgender Females: Menstruating females will experience changes in their vocal folds that correspond with their monthly hormonal cycle. Premenstrual Voice Syndrome (PMVS) results in vocal fatigue, decreased range, and loss of vocal power. This is thought to be the result of vocal fold swelling and thicker mucous secretions, which change how the folds move. It’s very common for young females to have a “breathy” quality to their voice because how their laryngeal musculature develops. This is perfectly natural and will improve with time and training. There is no need to force the breathy quality out of the voice.

● Transgender Males- the introduction of testosterone will change the size of the larynx and the thickness/length of the vocal folds, resulting in lower speaking/singing pitches. As with cisgender males, transgender male vocal ranges are likely to drop approximately one octave, and the singer is likely to experience vocal instability during this time.

● Transgender Females- the introduction of estrogen does not change the size of the larynx or the thickness/length of the vocal folds, but it’s possible that some transgender females will experience Premenstrual Voice Syndrome like cisgender females.

● Rule of thumb for ALL singers going through hormonal changes: Proceed with vocal training carefully and be open with your voice teacher. If they have a sense of what you’re experiencing physically, they can help you reach your voice goals more efficiently! 8

Voice Structure Basics

Every human voice is unique- as unique as a fingerprint, in fact- but there are some things that will be useful for all singers to know about their instrument.

Vocal Range- The full range of notes that a person can sing. Vocal range is often expressed with a letter and a number. The letter is the name of the note being sung while the number refers to octave in which it appears on a piano keyboard. For example: B3-C6.

Vocal Tessitura- The range of notes that is the most comfortable for a person to sing. This is often a more useful concept that exact vocal range because it indicates where the voice naturally wants to “live” and where it sounds best. This is also expressed with a letter and a number, and can be helpful to have on your resume.

Voice Structure- It may not surprise you to know that the singing community has a LOT of different ways to talk about how a voice is structured, and not everyone agrees on the science or the terminology. That being said, many people will agree that the voice can essentially be broken into three different sections:

1. High Voice- The higher part of the singer’s range (sometimes referred to as head voice, loft, or falsetto) 2. Low Voice- The lower part of the singer’s range (sometimes referred to as the chest voice or modal voice) 3. Middle Voice- The part in between the high and low voices (sometimes referred to as the mix)

Passaggio- An Italian term that means “passage” and is commonly used to describe the transition from one part of the voice the another (these are also sometimes called “Lift Points” or “Breaks”). Although the exact nature of the Passaggio is highly debated, many people will agree that there are two in each voice:

1. Primo Passaggio- the transition between the low and middle voice. 2. Secondo Passaggio- the transition between the middle and high voice.

Singing in or through these areas is often a bit tricky, especially when it comes to the Secondo Passaggio. Many young singers report that the voice will feel unstable or weak in that area, and it is a common place for the voice to “crack” or go off pitch. 9

Classifying the Voice

When it comes to singing, performers, teachers and industry members often need to categorize voices. Below are some terms and ideas that may be useful to know as you start to develop your voice and communicate about it with others.

Voice Type- In musical theatre, we typically see voice type expressed with these terms (*The notes listed are general tessituras rather than exact complete range and can vary from person- to-person): ● Bass- The lowest male voice type (C2- E4) ● Baritone- The middle male voice type (F2-G4) ● Tenor- The highest male voice type (B2- C5) ● Alto- The lowest female voice type (E3- E5) ● Mezzo-Soprano- The middle female voice type (G3-G5) ● Soprano- The highest female voice type (C4-C6)

Other Factors in Determining Voice Type

Location of the Secondo Passaggio- This often says a lot about a developing singer’s voice type (sometimes as much as or more than vocal range/tessitura). Here are some approximate pitch ranges where different voice types commonly transition from middle voice to high voice:

● Lower Male Voices- C#4-Eb4 ● Higher Male Voices- E4-F#4 ● Lower Female Voices- C#5-Eb5 ● Higher Female Voices- E5-F#5

Vocal Characteristics- Voices can also have different characteristics that make them unique. For example, you might have two sopranos who can sing the same physical notes, but one could have a big, rich sound while the other has a light, silvery sound. This depends largely on your personal anatomy, but the kind of training you’ve had might also influence your vocal characteristics. 10

Just a Few Ways to Describe the Voice:

Large Sparkly Pingy Medium Bright Silvery Small Woolly Opaque Heavy Fuzzy Translucent Light Warm Round Rich Cool Smoky Slender Resonant Strident Dense Croaky Thick Silky Husky Rough Steely Nasal Smooth Dark Color Twangy Penetrating Light Color Ringy Shrill Floaty Feathery Top-Down Forward Woofy Bottom-Up Back Voluminous Shimmering

Voice Type is Complicated, ESPECIALLY in Musical Theatre Since voice type involves MANY factors- range, tessitura, secondo passaggio and vocal characteristics- it can be difficult to classify, ESPECIALLY in young singers whose instruments aren’t fully developed. Additionally, while the Classical voice world has a widely used classification method called the “Fach” system to account for all of these factors, the musical theatre world does not. In fact, in musical theatre your vocal type is often heavily associated with how you look or, frankly, what the music team needs you to be.

Okay, So How Should I Classify Myself? When you’re young and your voice is developing, it’s best to pay attention to how things feel more than anything else. It’s more important that you know how to operate your voice in a healthy, sustainable way than that you have an exact label for your instrument. Furthermore, the idea of voice type means different things to different people. If someone wants to classify your voice (a teacher, a director, a music director, etc.), try it on for size and see if it ends up being useful for you, but don’t be surprised if that classification isn’t accurate, changes over time, or has to be “translated” depending on whom you’re talking to and what they need to know about your voice.

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Building Healthy Vocal Technique

Goals of Building Vocal Technique: ● Achieve optimal body alignment for your anatomy and maintain a sense of physical ease when singing. ● Use generous, efficient airflow. ● Use appropriate vocal tract shapes for the sounds you want to make. ● Improve resonance in the vocal tract to get fuller, clearer sound without any additional vocal effort. ● Stretch, un-press, and balance the voice. ● Increase vocal range, flexibility, stamina, agility. ● Create a broad skill set so the singer has more choices when it comes to artistic expression. ● Allow the singer to create the sound they want over and over again without becoming fatigued, and help them produce the sound under a variety of circumstances (illness, working in different venues, singing with and without amplification, etc).

An Ideal Voice Lesson/Practice Session Should Include: ● A 10-20 minute warm up to coordinate the voice. Incorporate vocalises that: o Energize your breath o Work your middle voice o Stretch into your head voice o Promote generous, efficient airflow while singing with less pressure. o Help prepare your voice for the type of repertoire you’re going to sing. ● Practice your repertoire for 20-30 minutes ● Do a 5-10 minute cool down (any gentle, relaxing vocal exercise)

Practice Tips: ● Begin hydrating at least one hour in advance of any voice lesson, practice session or performance. ● Daily practice is best. The human voice starts to lose coordination in just 2-3 days without it. ● Always warm up before you work on repertoire or perform. ● Try to give yourself a quiet, distraction-free place to practice. ● Silent practice is a great way to learn music without taxing your voice at all! Try going through the motions of singing without making any sound three times, then actually singing the piece on the fourth repetition. ● Try not to sing to hoarseness or to sing when you’re already hoarse. ● ''If I don't practice one day, I know it; two days, the critics know it; three days, the public knows it.’’ ~ Jascha Heifetz, violinist 12

Useful Technique Tools

SOVTPs SOVTP stands for “Semi Occluded Vocal Tract Posture”, and it’s a class of voice tool that can make a BIG difference in your vocal health. SOVTPs are great because they often energize the breath and reduce pressure at the vocal fold level. Many of them also have acoustic benefits on the voice. You might already be using some of these magical tools in your voice lessons, but if not, ask your voice teacher to help you add them into your practice! Please note that your voice may not feel comfortable with every SOVTP all the time, so do a little experimenting, and if something doesn’t feel good, try a different one! ● Lip Trill/Lip Buzz- Making sound while pressing the lips together gently and blowing air through them to make them flap. ● Raspberry/Tongue Trill- Making sound while sticking your tongue out and blowing air to make the tongue vibrate. ● Straw Singing- Making sound and blowing air through a straw. Smaller diameter straws may be more comfortable for higher voices while larger diameter straws will be more comfortable for lower voices and compromised voices. ● Cup Bubbles- Straw singing but into a small amount of water so that you blow bubbles while you sing. This is GREAT when your voice feels tired! ● Rolled “R”s or singing through another consonant like an “V” or “Z”. ● Humming or singing on an “NG” sound (like in the word “sing”). ● Placing the pads of your fingers against your lips, and making sound while you puff your cheeks out. Make sure the sound is gentle in this one!

The “1-10” Tool This tool is helpful when you’re trying to gauge how much vocal effort you’re using. At the end of a song or singing session, rate your level of vocal fatigue on a scale from 1- 10. ● 1-4: Low level of vocal effort. The singer’s sound quality is good, the voice does not feel tired, and the singer could easily keep going with no negative difference in how the voice feels or sounds. ● 5-7: Moderate level of vocal effort. The voice may feel slightly fatigued and there may be a small change in sound quality, but the singer could continue for some time without experiencing discomfort, hoarseness or pain. ● 8-9: High level of effort. The voice feels noticeably fatigued and the sound becomes strained. The singer is already experiencing discomfort, hoarseness 13

and/or pain and should stop singing or adjust their technique to get to a lower number on the scale. ● 10: Dangerous level of effort. The singer cannot produce sound without strain, discomfort, or pain, or they may be unable to make sound at all. Continued attempts to sing at this level may result in serious injury, and the singer should stop immediately.

The “Now and Next Day” Tool Every voice is different and this is a great tool to gauge if your singing habits are sustainable for your anatomy. At the end of a lesson, practice session or performance, take stock of how your voice feels using the “1-10 Tool” (see above). Ideally, you want the number to be a 7 or lower. The next morning, evaluate your voice again. If the number is within the 1-4 range, you’re probably singing in a way that is sustainable for you. If the number if the number is in the 5-7 range, proceed with caution and consider adjusting your vocal load/technique/hygiene. If the number is 8 or higher, you are most likely singing in a way that will result in injury and you should adjust your vocal load/technique/hygiene immediately.

The “Sound and Feel” Tool A singer will often judge their voice based solely on how it sounds. Unfortunately, we can’t ever hear ourselves accurately, and even if we could, sound quality is only ONE way to evaluate vocal health. Here are some great guidelines to self-evaluate courtesy of vocal pedagogue, Jeanie LoVetri: ● If it sounds good and feels good and does the job over and over again, you’re probably singing in a way that is healthy for you. Yay! ● If it sounds good but feels bad, proceed with caution! It’s probably advisable to adjust your technique so it feels better. ● If it sounds bad and feels bad it IS bad and you should stop doing it immediately and make technique adjustments.

Some Signs of Vocal Fatigue ● Lack of ability to sustain a long phrase ● Unusual pitch problems, loss of tone focus, distortion in the sound ● Irregularity in the vibrato (for example: if your vibrato is normally quite even but after you’ve been singing for a while, it becomes more irregular) ● Delayed onset of the vocal folds (i.e. a small pause between the singer trying to make sound and sound actually coming out) ● Loss of high notes, low notes and soft notes ● Frequently licking lips ● Attempting to relieve tension in the face, neck and shoulders ● Perspiring more ● Poor posture ● Frequent or unplanned taking of breaths ● Excessive clearing and swallowing ● Struggle to get a full breath 14

Belting, Vibrato and Mix

What do belting, vibrato and mix have in common? They’re all terms that drum up a LOT of conversation and controversy! Let’s take a moment to talk about these three concepts and how they might factor into your singing life.

Belting Most singers recognize belting when they hear it, but it might surprise you to know that there is no universally agreed upon scientific definition of what belting is on a physiological level, nor is there agreement on how (or if) to train the skill. It’s also possible that different singers create a belt sound in different ways, making it a highly individualized skill.

What Does a Belt Sound Like?- A bright, excited sound that can range from being conversational to having a cry-like quality. Some other words commonly used to describe belting are: twangy, brassy, ringy, chesty, pingy, nasal, chatty, etc.

Things That MIGHT Be Related to Belting- ● Closed Quotient- How much time the vocal folds spend closed in a vibratory cycle. ● Subglottal Pressure- The pressure of airflow moving from the lungs through the vocal folds as they vibrate. ● Speed Quotient- How symmetrically or asymmetrically the vocal folds move when vibrating. ● TA Activation- How much the thyroarytenoid muscle (TA) is contracted while phonation occurs. ● Formant Tuning- Shaping the vocal tract to boost resonance and/or highlight certain harmonics in the voice. ● Vowel choices- Some vowels like [ae] (like in “cat”) and [e] (like in “they”) seem to promote a belt sound. ● Laryngeal Position- It seems that many singers use an elevated laryngeal position when belting, particularly high belt.

Ashleigh’s Recommendations for Training Belt ● Find a teacher who has a good grasp of basic voice science AND has some personal experience with belting. ● Find a teacher who is comfortable teaching belt. If your teacher doesn’t feel confident in this area, it’s best to find someone who does. ● Experiment with belting in your voice lesson where you can have a trained pair of ears listening to your sound. ● Pay attention to how you FEEL as much or even more than how you sound. Use the “1-10”, “Now and Next Day” and “Sound and Feel” tools listed above.

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Ashleigh’s Recommendations for Training Belt (cont’d) ● Start with songs that don’t require you to belt very high or very low. Experiment with belting on pitches that are close to your speaking range until your voice is more developed. ● Pace yourself vocally. Practice belting for limited amounts of time, always with a warm up beforehand. Begin by singing through a song on a SOVTP like a lip trill or perhaps on a blank syllable like “nyah”. I recommend starting lightly at first to get the basic coordination. Once that’s in place, add the lyrics, THEN attempt to belt. ● TRAIN YOUR HEAD VOICE! Although belt science is still relatively new, it seems likely there is a link between a developed higher register and sustainable belting technique.

Vibrato When you’re listening to a singer and you hear a slight, periodic modulation of their pitch (i.e. a very small wobble), that’s what we call vibrato. Vibrato can vary greatly from person to person in terms of speed and the amount of modulation (or wobble) you hear. In Western music, particularly in classical styles, vibrato is considered aesthetically pleasing and is often associated with a voice being healthy and developed; however, there is much debate over whether it’s is a true marker for health or simply a characteristic that is present in some voices but not in others. Because the exact nature of vibrato is not fully understood, I recommend focusing on other aspects of vocal health such as balancing the voice, blending registers, using breath and vocal tract shapes efficiently, singing with a minimum amount of effort, and maintaining good vocal hygiene overall. If those things are being addressed, vibrato may appear in the voice and become something that can be controlled, but if not, that’s fine, too! I personally do NOT advise trying to force vibrato into the voice through vocal exercises or physical manipulation (such as pressing quickly on the abdominal wall), as this very often results in vocal tension or imbalance.

Mix There are really two definitions of mix that musical theatre singers need to understand.

1. The more scientific definition- The middle range of the voice where the cricothyroid (CT) and thyroarytenoid (TA) muscles are both engaged to a substantial degree. It may be helpful to think of it this way: in the upper range, the CT is the star of the show. In the lower range, the thyroarytenoid muscle TA is the star of the show. When a singer is in their “mix”, the CT and TA muscles are sharing the spotlight, although it’s possible for one to be a bit further downstage than the other. A LOT of musical theatre lives in this range of the voice. 2. The more common definition- Very few musical theatre industry members know what a mix is on a scientific level, so in our business, mix is often used more as a vocal characteristic. In this sense, when someone is described as “singing in their mix”, what’s usually meant is they are making a sound that is neither a completely legit sound, nor a completely belted sound, but somewhere in between. A LOT of musical theatre lives in that sound spectrum.

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Repertoire to Build Young Voices

When it comes to voice building, it’s important to choose repertoire wisely and to understand that the songs you sing to improve your technique may not always be the songs that you sing for an audition. Below are some general guidelines and a list of songs that may be helpful to try. As always, work closely with your voice teacher to know exactly what will be best for your instrument.

Goals of Choosing Repertoire to Build a Young Voice

In general, choose a song that: • Has a vocal line that is uptempo or mid-tempo rather than a slow ballad (pay attention to how fast you have to sing rather than the tempo of the accompaniment because they aren’t always the same). • Has more descending vocal lines than ascending vocal lines. • Does not spend too much time in the highest or lowest limits of your voice. • Has vowels that are generally compatible with the pitches/style being sung or are relatively easy to modify. • Is a medium-level challenge for where you are in your vocal development. If a song is too advanced for you, you’re unlikely to get much benefit from it and you may even cause damage to your voice.

To improve your higher range and mix, choose a song that: • Lives primarily in the middle high voice and, if possible, stretches briefly past your secondo passaggio (musical theatre material tends to have a lower tessitura than classical music, so you may need to cross genres occasionally to build those high voice skills or simply transpose a MT song to be slightly higher than the original key). • Uses some amount of head voice/falsetto/light mix. • Has some lyrics that promote lip rounding and the lifting of the soft palate, such as [u] (like “shoe”) or [o] (like “over”). The vowel [a] (like “father”) may also be useful to some singers.

To improve your belt, choose a song that: • Lives primarily in your lower middle voice. High belting is an advanced technique and should be saved for when your voice teacher thinks you’re ready! • Has some lyrics that promote lip spreading and the back of the tongue lifting towards the soft palate, such as [ae] (like “cat”), [e] (like “hey”), or [E] (like “let”). The vowel [i] (like “see”) may also be useful for some singers. 17

Suggested Musical Theatre Repertoire for Female Voice Building

High Voice/Legit and Middle Voice/Mix Do, Do, Do- Oh Kay! (Beg Int) Many a New Day- Oklahoma (Beg Int) Look to the Rainbow- Finian’s Rainbow (Beg Int) A Little Bit in Love- Wonderful Town (Beg Int) I Have Confidence- The Sound of Music (Int) Far from the Home I Love- Fiddler on the Roof (Int) Some Things Are Meant to Be- Little Women (Int) Moonfall- The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Int Adv) Yes My Heart- Carnival (Int Adv) Home- Phantom (Int Adv) It Wonders Me- Plain and Fancy (Int Adv)

Belt I Wanna Be Bad- Good News (Beg Int) Journey to the Past- Anastasia (Beg Int) Naughty- Matilda (Beg Int) Disneyland-Smile (Int) Everything Else- Next ot Normal (Int) Say the Word- The Unauthorized Biography of Samantha Brown (Int Adv)

Suggested Musical Theatre Repertoire for Male Voice Building

High Voice/Legit and Middle Voice/Mix Ten Minutes Ago- Cinderella (Beg) Who Will Buy?- Oliver (Beg) Not While I’m Around (Beg) I’ve Got a Crush on You- Strike Up the Band (Beg Int) Alone in the Universe- Seussical (Beg Int) Lucky in Love- Good News (Int) On the Street Where You Live- My Fair Lady (Int) If I Can’t Love Her- Beauty and the Beast (Int) Johanna- Sweeney Todd (Int Adv) Sailing- A New Brain (Int Adv) Old Red Hills of Home- Parade (Int Adv)

Belt Beautiful City- Godspell (Beg Int) Go the Distance- Hercules (Int) Giants in the Sky- (Int) Favorite Places- Ordinary Days (Int) World’s Greatest Dad- Elf (Int Adv) Freeze Your Brain- Heathers (Int Adv)

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The Voice Team

Just as with high-level athletes, it’s quite common for a high-level singer to work with a whole team of people to make sure their training and care needs are being met. Below is a list of people who you will most likely need on your Voice Team.

• Vocal Technique Teacher- The person who helps you build your vocal skills (pitch, range, agility, stamina, vocal quality, etc). • Vocal Coach- The person who helps with song interpretation (acting, artistic expression). • Accompanist, Collaborative Pianist- A pianist who plays repertoire and can help you prepare for auditions/performances in terms of musicianship. • Laryngologist- An Otolaryngologist (ENT) who specializes in caring for voice problems. If you’re having a vocal issue, this is the person who makes your diagnosis, oversees your medical team and treatment plan, prescribes medication, and performs surgery when needed. • Speech Language Pathologist- Medical professionals who work to prevent, assess, diagnose, and treat speech, language, social communication, cognitive-communication, and swallowing disorders in children and adults. They evaluate vocal function and oversee voice therapy sessions. Try to find one who has experience with singers (many don’t!). • Singing Voice Specialist- A voice teacher with special training that equips them to practice in a medical environment with patients who have sustained vocal injury. There is no official certification for this, so if you’re finding your own, do a little research on their training. 19

How to Choose a Voice Teacher

Voice teachers have a wide variety of backgrounds and there are no universal qualifications or certifications. It can be a challenge to find the right person for your needs, but here are some helpful hints.

Where to Look: ● Ask for peer recommendations. ● See if you can study with a voice faculty member at a local college or performing arts school if their programs have a good reputation. These teachers’ skills are often vetted in some way. ● Try searching online sites such as the National Association of Teachers of Singing (www.nats.org) or TakeLessons.com. ● If you can’t find someone locally, consider online lessons with a proficient teacher. BAA can help with this!

Ashleigh Recommends Looking for Someone Who: ● Is curious and asks questions instead of claiming to have all the answers. ● Is open to you collaborating with other professionals to meet your needs. ● Has some understanding of vocal science or is willing to learn. ● Has some understanding of musical theatre styles or is willing to learn. ● Has a personality/teaching style that appeals to you. ● Who can actively listen and respond to your vocal needs IN THAT MOMENT. ● Who has your goals and progress in mind more than their own personal agenda.

Some Questions to Ask: ● What degree(s)/training do they have? ● What organizations are they affiliated with? ● What is their teaching philosophy? Do they subscribe to one methodology or are they more flexible? ● What are their priorities when working with young singers? ● Do they have personal experience as a performer? ● Are they comfortable teaching multiple styles of music? ● Are they comfortable teaching your child’s gender and age group? ● Do they attend conferences and read current scientific literature? ● What are their piano skills? ● Are you able to speak to some of their current students or observe their lessons?

The Bottom Line: There’s no such thing as a perfect voice teacher, so take some time to decide what’s most important to you and start there. This will help you in your search and ensure you find someone who meets your needs. Don’t be surprised if you have to try a few different teachers to find the right fit. 20

General Vocal Hygiene & Medical Information

The Basics ● Aim for a minimum of 7 hours of sleep per night to properly rest the body. ● Hydration- aim for at least 64 ounces of water per day (and more is better for singers). o Systemic Hydration- Drinking water (takes 1-2 hours to take effect but has long- term benefits) o Surface Hydration- Steam (immediate effect but short-term benefits) ● Moderate caffeine, alcohol, and any other substances that change how your voice operates. There is also a link between alcohol abuse and laryngeal cancer. ● Don’t smoke or vape. Short-term negative effects include heating and irritation of folds. Long-term effects include laryngeal cancer. ● Take care of your body and mind. Vocal production is linked to both! ● Balance voice use. Build in adequate periods of vocal rest. ● Apply good technique to singing AND speaking. ● Avoid excessive coughing and throat clearing. ● GET A BASELINE VOCAL EXAM! This is a vocal exam that includes a laryngeal stroboscopy (i.e. a special camera will be used to view your vocal folds in action). It’s great to get this done for the first time when you’re feeling healthy so you can take it to your laryngologist for comparison if you have any vocal issues in the future.

What to Do When You’re Sick ● Rest. ● Hydrate with clear liquids that don’t contain caffeine. ● Don’t sing to hoarseness or when you’re already hoarse. ● Monitor coughing and consider a short-term suppressant if appropriate. ● Check medication side effects. Any medication that has upper respiratory side effects has the potential to impact the voice negatively. ● Feel free to use “home remedies” such as teas, drops, sprays, lozenges, vinegar, steam for comfort, but know there’s often not enough evidence to know if they have positive benefits from a scientific standpoint. ● Use caution with remedies that contain alcohol (drying), menthol and eucalyptus (irritating), and benzocaine (can mask pain). Opt for products with glycerin (coating), slippery elm (mucilaginous, anti-inflammatory), and pectin (anti-inflammatory, antacid) instead.

General Medical 411 ● Know the side effects for your medications. Check the FDA website, talk to your doctor. ● Oral decongestants, antihistamines and antibiotics are common medications that can have a drying effect on the upper respiratory tract.

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General Medical 411 (cont’d)

● Acid Reflux can be a serious problem for singers, but it’s also something that’s over diagnosed by general practitioners. Consider seeing a laryngologist if you’re concerned. Generally, it’s best to try adjusting diet and behavior first. Medication should be a temporary solution. ● If you are prescribed steroids for a vocal issue, know that you probably need at least 30mg per day of a Prednisone-equivalent to be effective. This is new(ish) science, so you may need to request that amount from your doctor. ● If you will be undergoing a procedure that requires general anesthesia, talk to your surgeon and your anesthesiologist and let them know you are a singer. They may be able to offer options to lessen the possibility of vocal fold damage from intubation.

Seeing a Medical Professional ● When should you see a medical professional? AS SOON AS YOU THINK SOMETHING MIGHT BE WRONG. ● Some things to watch for are: o Pain or discomfort when singing or speaking. o It requires more effort than usual to make sound. o Prolonged periods of hoarseness, vocal fatigue or becoming fatigued more easily than normal. o An unusual change in your vocal quality or your ability to produce sound. o IMPORTANT: If your child feels a “pop” or experiences intense, sudden hoarseness, they should stop singing or speaking immediately. This could indicate a vocal fold hemorrhage and it’s important for them not to use their voice until they’ve seen a Laryngologist and had it checked out.

Vocal Rehabilitation ● There’s a lot of stigma when it comes to singers and vocal problems, but high-level singers are VOCAL ATHLETES, and sometimes athletes get injured. You want to maintain vocal health if at all possible, but there is no shame in seeking medical attention for a problem! ● Having a vocal problem does not mean you’re a “bad singer”. Vocal problems CAN be behavior-related, but they can also be the result of genetics, illness, medication side effects, hormonal changes, high performance expectations, etc. ● Having a vocal problem does NOT mean your career is over! Most vocal problems are highly treatable with behavior changes and/or medication. ● Be diligent in your prescribed treatment and be patient with yourself! ● If your voice team determines that you need to adjust some of your singing/speaking/vocal hygiene behaviors, take that seriously. When it comes to voice therapy, you get out what you put in. ● Surgery will not be required in most cases. It’s almost never a first step. ● Full vocal rest is rarely prescribed and it’s generally still possible to practice and perform when you’re in treatment, though you’ll probably have to adjust how you’re doing things. ● Be open and honest about your vocal problem. Most of the people in your vocal community will want to support your recovery, but they can’t offer help if they don’t know it’s needed! ● Prioritize long term vocal health. This can be difficult when it means missing a professional opportunity, but you only get one voice and you have to be protective of it!

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Laryngologist Contact Information

NEW YORK

Dr. Milan Amin Director of the NYU Langone Voice Center 345 East 37th Street, Suite 306 New York, NY 10016 Phone: (646) 754-1207

Dr. Jenny Cho Mount Sinai St. Luke's and Mount Sinai West 200 West 57th Street, 15th floor New York, NY 10019 Phone: (212) 956-0187

Dr. Michael J. Pitman Chief of the Division of Laryngology at Columbia Medical Center 880 Third Avenue New York, New York 10022 Phone: (212) 305-5289

Dr. Lucian Sulica Director of the Sean Parker Institute for the Voice at Weill Cornell Medical College 240 East 59th Street, 2nd Floor New York, NY 10022 Phone: (646) 962-7464

*Please note the that I’ve listed some individual doctors above, but these offices will often have many qualified professionals working with them and it’s not uncommon to see a different member of the team or even work with a group of people.

National Database of Voice Teams https://uiowa.edu/voice-academy/nurses-office/voice-team-locator#NY