Vocal Pedagogy
Honoring the Masters. Sharing the Journey.
Welcome!
The mission of VocalPedagogy.com is to honor the past and present masters of Vocal Pedagogy & Voice Science, to learn from them, and to share in the journey of beholding the endless miracles, abilities, and beauty of the human voice.
Learn more about the project here.
Monthly Featured Article
Each month we feature a professional who has helped shape our understanding of the voice.
Kaya Herstad-Carney
Head of Education for Waterbear College of music’s online provision, Board member and singing teacher trainer at Vocology in Practice and BAST
Kaya Herstad-Carney has had a varied portfolio career and is a passionate singer, songwriter, performer and a harmony/vocal fanatic, vocal arranger and producer, festival director, event producer, vocal geek and senior lecturer with a wide range of experiences and interests on and off the stage. She has a particular love for performance and artist development in the Contemporary Commercial field. Kaya is an award winning singer/songwriter and regularly performs and writes her own material; “She may be small but she has a big voice.” (Mighty Mojo) Solo or with her band she is particularly fond of playing festivals and has headlined many and supported numerous artists, including John Grant, Brett Anderson (Suede), Noah and the Whale, The Wombats, Lamb, The Farm and Marina & The Diamonds, as well as many performances with Sense of Sound choir including the BBC Nativity and with Seal, Bon Jovi at the Royal Variety Show and Ringo Starr at the Arena for Liverpool Capital of Culture Opening. Kaya won a Silver Award for Best Original Soundtrack at the International Independent Film Awards in LA and was nominated for six other awards. Kaya is the Head of Education (Online) at WaterBear Education and previously have taught at at Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA), at Baardar academy Oslo, ACM Guildford/Clapham/Metropolis and University of Chester. She is also a singing teacher trainer through ViP and BAST (Be A Singing Teacher) A versatile, creative and hard-working individual, Kaya has a genuine enthusiasm, not just for music but working with people and the arts. She is a positive, enthusiastic and energetic music industry professional with a student and person-centred approach.
Vocal Professionals throughout History
Many wonderful people have dedicated their lives to further our understanding of how the voice works.
Marni Nixon
Voice teacher, Actress, Singing Double and Soprano
“Most important, you have to practice a lot. And you have to treat yourself like an athlete. Singing is definitely an athletic activity.”
Marni Nixon (Cariaga, 1985)
Pearl Shinn Wormhoudt
American singer, voice teacher, and author
“We must also not let physiology and physics detract from our paying attention to the singers’ psychology.”
— Pearl Shinn Wormhoudt (2010, p. 12)
Helen Hodam
American soprano, voice teacher, and influential mentor of classical singers
“There was no such thing as a small voice. There were only non-resonant voices.”
— Helen Hodam, as recalled by Carole Haber
Meet Our Contributors
The people who make this site a reality
Emily Hatch
Contributor
Emily is the founder of Colorado Voice Studios with locations in Denver, Grand Junction, Fort Collins, and Loveland. She has been the Vocal Director for several children’s productions including Matilda, Grease, Fiddler on the Roof, 13 The Musical, and High School Musical.
Ajhriahna Henshaw
Past Contributor
Ajhriahna Henshaw is an educator, performer, and researcher in the field of contemporary singing.
Melissa Treinkman
Past Contributor
Melissa Treinkman is a professional opera singer based in Los Angeles and a passionate vocal technician. She is endlessly fascinated by vocal pedagogy and cherishes the opportunity that she has to help others experience vocal freedom.
Fiona Currie
Contributor
Fiona has been teaching for over a decade and is the founder of The Voice Diaries vocal studio. She focusses on vocal health and technique to ensure her singers have the right tools to enjoy longevity in their careers and continue to find joy through singing for many years to come.
Stephen Pitters
Contributor
Dr. Stephen Pitters is a multi-hyphenate countertenor, vocal pedagogue, and dedicated educator based in Los Angeles, California. Since 2023, Dr. Pitters has served as Adjunct Professor of Musical Theatre Voice at the AMDA College of the Performing Arts in Hollywood, where he is a core faculty member of AMDA’s BFA Musical Theatre program. He is profoundly committed to the liberation of voice and self, and he considers teaching to be the most noble profession.
Marcelo Saldias O’Hrens
Past Contributor
Marcelo Saldias O’Hrens is a Chilean Speech-Language Pathologist specialized in voice therapy and voice training. At the University of Chile, Marcelo works as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, and a Clinical Professor of the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders.
Justin Stoney
Creator
Justin Stoney is the Founder of New York Vocal Coaching and an internationally recognized Voice Teacher and Vocal Coach. He is also the host of “Voice Lessons To The World” and the author of “Sing Like Never Before.”
