Current Figures
Vocal Pedagogues whose contributions to the world of vocology in the modern era are ongoing.
Joan Melton
Director, One Voice Centre for Integrative Studies; Emeritus Professor, Theatre and Dance, CA State University Fullerton; Artistic Associate, NY Classical Theatre
Joan Melton, PhD, ADVS, is a researcher in cross-disciplinary performance techniques and a pioneer in the integration of singing and voice/movement training for actors. She holds a Bachelor of Music and PhD in music theory, a Masters in vocal performance, and the Advanced Diploma in Voice Studies from the Central School of Speech and Drama, London.
Johan Sundberg
Ph.D. in Musicology Uppsala University
Johan Sundberg (born in 1936, Ph.D. in musicology Uppsala University 1966, doctor honoris causae 1996 University of York, UK) has a personal Chair (Emeritus) in Music Acoustics at the department of Speech Music and Hearing (KTH), Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm.
Dr. Joseph C. Stemple
Speech Language Pathologist, PhD, Professor Emeritus of Communication Sciences and Disorders in the College of Health Sciences at the University of Kentucky
Joseph C. Stemple, PhD is Professor Emeritus of Communication Sciences and Disorders in the College of Health Sciences at the University of Kentucky. His university tenure followed a twenty-five-year clinical career as founding Director of the Blaine Block Institute for Voice Analysis and Rehabilitation.
Kittie Verdolini Abbott
Professor of Communication Sciences & Disorders at the University of Delaware
Katherine Verdolini Abbott, PhD, CCC-SLP, MDiv, is Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Delaware. Her clinical master’s degree in speech pathology was completed at Indiana University (1983), and she completed her PhD in experimental psychology at Washington University (1991).
Matthew Edwards
Shenandoah Conservatory Voice Professor & Director of Musical Theatre; CCM Vocal Pedagogy Institute Artistic Director; Musical Theatre Educator’s Alliance Secretary
Matt Edwards is one of the leading voice teachers for commercial and musical theatre styles in the United States. He is currently Associate Professor of Voice and Coordinator of Musical Theatre Voice at Shenandoah Conservatory where he is also Artistic Director of the CCM Vocal Pedagogy Institute.
Kenneth Bozeman
Emeritus Professor of Music; Vocal Acoustics & Resonance Expert; Teacher of Singing, Voice Science, & Pedagogy
Kenneth Bozeman, Emeritus Professor of Music, tenor, holds performance degrees from Baylor University and the University of Arizona. He subsequently studied at the State Conservatory of Music in Munich, Germany on a fellowship from Rotary International.
Bob Marks
Renowned Vocal Coach & Voice Teacher, Music Director, Accompanist, Author
Robert (“Bob”) Marks is a voice teacher, coach, conductor, arranger, author, and director. Mr. Marks holds a degree in speech and voice pathology and has taught at the American Musical & Dramatic Academy and the Weist-Barron School in New York.
Dr. Peak Woo
Board certified otolaryngologist specializing in laryngology, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Dr. Peak Woo is a board certified otolaryngologist specializing in laryngology (voice and throat disorders). His main interest is in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the throat. During his 25 years in academic medicine, he spearheaded the development of the computerized videostroboscope and the high-speed video imaging system, now standard for imaging of vocal fold vibration.
George Shirley
Distinguished University Emeritus Professor of Voice from the University of Michigan, Opera Star, Singing Teacher
Opera Singer George Shirley was born on April 18, 1934 in Indianapolis, Indiana, to Irving and Daisy Shirley. By age four, Shirley had begun performing, joining his mother and father as a musical trio within the Indianapolis church community.
Line Hilton
MSc PAM, B. MusEd (Jazz), Cl. Hyp, MHA, Wraw Master Practitioner
Highly respected in the performing arts world, Line Hilton is a voice, performance, and resilience coach. Her mission is to help people find their voice and build the confidence needed to explore their full potential so they can thrive, both at work and in life.
Brad Story
Professor of Speech, Language, & Hearing sciences, Researcher
Brad Story, PhD, is Professor in the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences and Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs in the College of Science at the University of Arizona. Dr. Story received his BS in Applied Physics from the University of Northern Iowa in 1987 and his PhD in Speech and Hearing Sciences from the University of Iowa in 1995.
Lisa Popeil
Voice Teacher, Creator of the Voiceworks® Method & the “Total Singer”
Lisa Popeil, MFA in Voice, has studied voice for 60 years and has taught professionally in all styles of singing for over 40 years. Based in Los Angeles, Lisa is the creator of the Voiceworks® Method, the Total Singer DVD and the Total Singer Workshop.
Jenevora Williams
Voice Teacher, Trainer of Voice Teachers, Vocal Rehabilitation Specialist, Author, Veteran Performer
Dr Jenevora Williams is passionate about teaching and a leading exponent in the field of vocal health, rehabilitation and singing teaching. She was the first singing teacher to be awarded a PhD in voice science in the UK, and won the 2010 BVA Van Lawrence Prize for her outstanding contribution to voice research.
Joan Lader
Care of the Professional Voice
Joan Lader has spent the last 40 years providing vocal training and rehabilitation for professional voice users. This was commemorated in June 2016 when she was awarded the American theater’s highest honor, a Tony Award for “Excellence in the Theater.”
John Nix
Professor of Voice and Voice Pedagogy, The University of Texas at San Antonio
John Nix is Professor of Voice and Voice Pedagogy at the University of Texas at San Antonio. His mentors include Barbara Doscher and Ingo Titze. Current and former students have sung with the Santa Fe, Arizona, Chautauqua, St. Louis, Nevada, Omaha, and San Antonio opera companies, and two have served as NATS Intern Master Teachers.
Karen Brunssen
Professor and Co-chair of the Department of Music Performance at Bienen School of Music, Northwestern University
Mezzo-soprano, Karen Brunssen is Professor and Co-chair of the Department of Music Performance at Bienen School of Music, Northwestern University. She served as President-Elect, President, and Immediate Past-President of NATS from 2016 – 2022.
Jacob Lieberman
Registered Osteopath & Psychotherapist, Specialist in the Management of Vocal Crisis
Jacob Lieberman is an internationally acclaimed expert on physical and psychological management of voice disorders. As an osteopath and psychotherapist, he has developed the Lieberman Protocol for laryngeal examination as well as manual therapy for the solution of muscle tension and the mobilization of the laryngeal joints.
Kari Ragan
Voice Teacher, Singing Rehabilitation Specialist, Trainer of Voice Teachers, Author
As a singing voice rehabilitation specialist (SVS), Dr. Ragan works in affiliation with the University of Washington Laryngology program to help rehabilitate singers with injured voices. She has maintained a thriving Independent Voice Studio for nearly forty years.
Lynn Helding
Professor of Practice in Voice and Voice Pedagogy at the USC Thornton School of Music, Editor-in-chief of the Journal of Singing
Helding is a devoted teacher, counting among her private clients members of the Los Angeles Opera and the Los Angeles Master Chorale. Her USC voice students have won fellowships to the Aspen and Tanglewood Music Festivals, among others. She was recognized as a “legendary figure in the field of voice pedagogy".
Kenneth Tom
Emeritus Professor California State University Fullerton; Integrative Voice Specialist; Researcher; Author
Kenneth Tom, Ph.D., is Associate Professor Emeritus in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at California State University, Fullerton. He received his A.B. in German and Music from the University of California Berkeley, with additional studies in musicology, literature and linguistics at Georg-August Universität in Göttingen, Germany.
Chris Johnson
Voice Teacher & Founder of TeachVoice
Chris Johnson is an internationally recognized Voice Teacher and the founder of TeachVoice. With a professional singing career spanning 15 years and vocal coaching experience since 2007, he has spent years looking after professional voices, analyzing voice research, and working with leading experts to develop real-world vocal coaching applications.
Patti Hay Peterson
Professor Emerita, voice and voice pedagogy
Patti Peterson is a soprano who has sung art song recitals and oratorio in the U.S. and Germany. She specializes in American music and the songs of Edvard Grieg.
John Henny
Voice Teacher, Author, Lecturer
John Henny is a leading vocal coach in the music industry, with over 30 years of experience, renowned for his teaching skills. His techniques are designed to maintain vocal health, improve overall sound quality, eliminate voice cracks, and extend the singer’s range, allowing them to express themselves without limitation.
Marci Rosenberg
Singer, Clinical Singing Voice Specialist, Speech Pathologist, Author
Marci Rosenberg, BM, MS CCC-SLP, is a singer, speech pathologist, and clinical singing voice specialist. An active performer in her earlier years, Marci completed her degree in vocal performance at Peabody Conservatory before entering the field of Speech-Language Pathology.
Irene Bartlett
Head of Pedagogy and Jazz/Vocal studies at Griffith University
Irene’s teaching centres on the development of healthy, sustainable singing technique and performance longevity for singers of all styles. Currently as Coordinator of Contemporary Voice, Head of Pedagogy and Jazz/Vocal studies at Griffith University in Queensland, Australia, Irene delivers ‘in person’ training, mentoring and degree supervision for her postgraduate, doctoral and undergraduate students.
Andrew Byrne
Voice Teacher, Vocal Coach, Composer, Performer, Music Director, Author, & Creator of The Singing Athlete Program
Andrew Byrne is a voice teacher, vocal coach, composer, performer and music director. He is the creator of The Singing Athlete™, a training program that applies functional neuroscience and athletic training to the voice studio. Andrew was twice named one of the “Favorite Vocal Coaches” in NYC Backstage Reader’s Choice Awards, and is also a frequent contributor to their experts column.
Sarah K. Brown
Singing Teacher, Speech Pathologist, MS, CCC-SLP
Sarah is a singer, singing teacher, and licensed speech pathologist based in New York City and is the founder of SKB Voice Studio. Her specialized combination of singing background, performance experience, and clinical expertise have enabled her to serve elite performers including Tony-nominated Broadway performers, Metropolitan Opera singers, and TV/film stars.
Filipa Martins Baptista Lã
Director of the Laboratory of Voice, Music, and Language at the Faculty of Education of UNED
Filipa Lã has over 10 years of experience as an independent researcher in the field of vocal science and pedagogy, and has led national and international interdisciplinary research projects in the areas of Social Sciences and Arts and Humanities.
Mary Saunders Barton
Penn State Professor Emeritus- Musical Theatre Voice and Voice Pedagogy; Vice Chair- American Academy of Teachers of Singing; Author
Mary is a Penn State Professor Emeritus, currently residing in New York City where she maintains a private studio for professional musical theatre performers. She is also an adjunct professor in the musical theatre program at Montclair State University.
