International perspectives on contemporary commercial music voice pedagogy

International perspectives on contemporary commercial music voice pedagogy

Contemporary commercial music (CCM) voice pedagogy has emerged since the late 1980s as a discipline in its own right, distinct from classical voice pedagogy. Two of the key figures responsible for the recognition of the new discipline hail from opposite sides of the globe, yet their journeys have been remarkably similar. Beginning in the late 1990s, Dr Irene Bartlett has been instrumental in establishing CCM voice pedagogy in Australia, and has developed an innovative and highly successful post-graduate pedagogy Masters degree at Griffith University. During this very same period, Jeannette LoVetri has pioneered and championed CCM voice pedagogy in the USA, advocating for the CCM discipline through bodies such as NATS, the American Academy of Teachers of Singing and The Voice Foundation. Both pedagogues have researched and published extensively on CCM; Irene specialises in research on contemporary gig singers, and Jeanie has worked closely with voice scientists and medical professionals in her published research. Both Jeanie and Irene have been deeply engaged with advances in voice science, and ground their pedagogy in anatomy, physiology, and hence, the function of the singing voice. This interactive workshop will outline and demonstrate these two pioneering pedagogical perspectives. As a student of both Irene and Jeanie, Dr Melissa Forbes will facilitate this collaborative workshop and provide an overview of the parallel development of both pedagogies. Through a series of singing demonstrations and activities, participants will have the opportunity to experience the ways in which CCM voice and bodily engagement differ functionally from classical singing.

Workshop presentation.