What would you consider to be the main focus of your career, or your “specialty”?
My specialty is the physiology of voice production. I’m very interested in understanding how sounds are produced, and what the consequences of different setups of the voice source are. I’m very interested in understanding how the voice work source works and responds to different conditions. When I say different conditions I am referring to technical conditions, such as in the repertoire, in exercises in regions where singers present difficulties, but also how the voice source responds to life in general. I am also very interested in understanding the effects of hormones, sex steroid hormones on voice production, and questions related to differences between sexes (not so much the gender, but the sex, biological sex at birth). For example the particularities of the female voice, and how it relates to and how different it is as compared to male voices, and also in children’s voices. Also voice production from a life perspective and lifespan perspective.Through the years, the interest of using real-time visual feedback tools in the voice studio has grew on me, and now I really believe that university colleges would greatly benefit and improve the quality of their teaching if they would have a research lab available to use this type of tools and technology to provide feedback of the voice of their students as well as keeping track of their vocal and artistic development
How did you discover your calling for your speciality? How did it start?
It all began with my experience as a performing artist, a classically trained female singer. Early in my career, I noticed that my voice would change depending on the phase of my menstrual cycle. At first, I thought it was an issue with my technique and that I wasn’t handling my instrument properly. But after doing some research, I realized I wasn’t alone, many women and singers experienced the same thing. However, when I turned to the existing literature to understand why this was happening, I found that it was limited and lacked depth, especially from the perspective of performance. This led me to study voice and its physiology, with a focus on the influence of sex hormones, during my master’s degree. As I continued performing in operas and traveling to different places to sing in recitals and Oratoria concerts, my passion for understanding the singing voice and its physiological aspects grew. This passion ultimately led me to pursue a career in research, with the goal of applying what I learned to my teaching.
What do you love the most about your work?
I love the challenge it imposes on me, it’s very challenging and difficult, because the voice is dependent on many degrees of freedom. So when I listen to a singer and I try to help the
singer to improve his/her voice, it is like solving a puzzle. You have to untangle the pieces that aren’t in the right place and then reassemble the puzzle in the right way. There’s a method to it. Although it’s complex, it requires intelligence to navigate in the correspondence of voice quality and the undergoing physiological and acoustical mechanisms, and then tailor exercises or mental approaches that would allow the singer to make the best adjustments. This makes the process of teaching and learning singing intellectually challenging, and I love that challenge. Beyond that, it’s also emotionally challenging because you’re working with people, and the ultimate goal is to help them. This one-on-one human interaction is something I truly
enjoy, and of course, there’s the satisfaction of knowing that, on that day, I was able to help someone to feel better about his/her voice.
In your opinion, what qualities do you feel make an “excellent” Vocal Pedagogue?
There are many challenges a vocal pedagogue faces, but at the root of them is the need to understand music and the language of the style. Today, there are so many styles to teach, and each style has its own language, its own code, which you need to understand. But because we’re dealing with a musical instrument that exists within a body, it’s not just about learning the code, it’s about becoming the code. It’s like the challenge faced by athletes, but with a key difference: when working with athletes, you transform a gesture into a movement. With artists, particularly singers, you transform physical gestures into sound, and that sound has to carry meaning. It’s not just any sound; it has to convey emotional significance and connect with the listener. That makes it more complex than athletic movements, where the consequence is clear and immediate. With singers, the movement becomes sound, but that sound needs to communicate something deeper, a meaning or emotion. It’s one of the most complex forms of art, because it’s always changing and creating an impact. Sound is movement. Unlike a visual piece of art that remains static once created, the art of singing is always in motion, continuously evolving.
As a pedagogue, it’s crucial to understand how these movements are produced and the physiology behind them. Knowledge of the physiology and acoustics of the voice forms the basis of being an excellent pedagogue. In addition to that, it’s essential to understand the code of the style you’re teaching. You must be able to apply that physiology and acoustics to meet the expectations of the style’s communication and aesthetic parameters. And of course, empathy, congruence, and psychological skills are vital because, as a teacher, you are also a sort of therapist. You’re working with a human being, and the complexities of the mind directly influence what the body does. So, to sum up a very complex topic such as the one you asked me, I’d say that a good pedagogue needs knowledge of physiology and acoustics, an understanding of the style’s code, and the ability to empathize and create a trusting relationship with the person you’re teaching. Sometimes, you’re habilitating or even rehabilitating a voice, and for that, you need to understand human psychology and how to create an environment of trust. Just like in any health profession, voice teachers need to have training in these skills to effectively work with people.
Can you speak to the importance of having mentors? How have mentors influenced your life/career? Can you tell us about some of your mentors?
The importance of having a mentor is crucial. Singing is a practical activity, and no practical skill can be mastered without a mentor. You can read books and gain theoretical knowledge, but you need to experiment and be guided by someone with experience. Without a mentor, it’s impossible to learn a practical skill effectively. In life, everything is learned with the help of a mentor, whether it’s riding a bike or cooking. Even intellectual skills, like writing a book or an article, are taught by someone who helps you improve your craft. Without a mentor, you can be self-taught, but as an artist, collaboration is key. A mentor can be someone who isn’t necessarily a singer but might be a pianist or another skilled musician, helping you understand how to approach a musical phrase, style, or composition. Singing today involves either performing others’ works or composing your own, and without a mentor, it’s hard to progress.
As for how mentors have influenced my life and career, I’ve had both good and bad mentors, and both have been important. The bad mentors helped me see what I didn’t want to become and showed me what bad mentorship looks like. They were psychologically damaging, and their behavior made for a dark period in my life. Unfortunately, there are places where you encounter mentors who see themselves as masters, using their power to belittle you, even making inappropriate comments about your voice that can crush your self-esteem. These experiences helped me understand what a mentor should not be. On the other hand, I’ve also had wonderful mentors who guided me in finding my path in music and singing. One of them was Carol Smith, my singing teacher in England, who is an excellent musician. She taught me how to improve my phrasing, avoid pushing my voice, and understand that music is an art form, not just about power or shouting.
I’ve also had other mentors like coach Håken Hagegård, who helped me express myself more effectively with my voice. In his singer’s studio, we were all respectful of each other, and we learned how to tap into our emotions without letting them disrupt the voice, allowing us to communicate them to the audience. Another influential mentor was Andrew Lawrence King, who taught me about early music and its unique style. He showed me how to adapt my voice for this substyle, which is different from opera. He helped me understand that even within classical singing, different substyles require different vocal techniques.
I also had mentors in other areas, like Jane Davidson in Australia. She’s a psychologist with a background in singing. While she wasn’t a vocal mentor, she taught me how to focus energy and produce results. She was an incredible producer for opera students, always encouraging them to seek performance opportunities. That’s something a mentor should do, help their students find opportunities to perform.
Then there are mentors in the scientific and teaching fields who’ve helped me become a better teacher. One key figure is Johann Sundberg, who continues to teach me the art of writing a good research paper, reporting science well, and finding important answers to help singers improve their instruments. Additionally, colleagues have been invaluable mentors in helping me understand how to guide others in producing sound.
Another important mentor I have to mention is David Howard, who taught me a great deal about electrolaryngography and how it can be used as real-time visual feedback for teaching singers to control their instruments, particularly in terms of the larynx and vocal folds. This technique is non-invasive, and I’ve used it in lecture recitals to explain these concepts for many years. Without his guidance, I would never have encountered this technology, which allows you to visualize an instrument that’s hidden within the body. I’m a strong believer in multi-modal learning, and having various ways to display the sensations a student is experiencing greatly enhances the student’s learning. Most students are multi-modal learners, so combining visual, perceptual, and kinesthetic stimuli is extremely effective. My interdisciplinary background helped me understand the full potential of this technology, not just for studying and assessing the human voice, but for monitoring it in real time during classes.
Another important trait of a mentor is being open-minded and respectful of colleagues. A good mentor must be humble and acknowledge that we don’t know everything. It’s vital to continue learning from others and to stay curious. A mentor or teacher should always reflect on their practice, questioning whether they are doing things correctly and seeking opportunities for improvement. That openness to learning is something I’ve been taught by my mentors, being constantly curious, wanting to know the truth and striving to improve.
When it comes to breathing, what are the most influential tips, insights or research findings that you would like to share with our audience?
Breathing is universal, everyone needs to breathe, but when it comes to singing, breath management is a key element. One of the most striking findings is that every individual is unique and must adapt their breathing to the specific demands of the task. Breathing depends on many factors, including the person’s body, sex, age, and weight. Because of this, breath support in singing cannot be taught with a one-size-fits-all approach, it cannot be taught from a cook book, it must be carefully tailored to each individual.
Another important point about breathing is that, given this uniqueness, it’s essential to customize breathing patterns to each person. There is a well-known Italian phrase in vocal pedagogy, inalare la voce (Inhale the voice – “Giovanni Battista Lamperti”). This expression makes a lot of sense to me in terms of breathing. From my perspective as a mentor, it means that singers should always counteract the elastic recoil of the lungs. Keeping the inhalation gesture active throughout the phrase, during the expiratory phase of the breath cycle, is key to controlling the singing voice.
Some pedagogues interpret this phrase as meaning that singers should use as little airflow as possible, but I don’t see it that way at all. It would be a fascinating project to gather key phrases from great vocal pedagogues and analyze them through a scientific lens. Of course, some might argue that since these pedagogues are no longer alive, we can never truly know what they meant. But to me, this is what inalare la voce represents.
When it comes to the larynx, what are the most influential tips, insights or research findings that you would like to share with our audience?
One important factor is the position of the larynx in the neck and how it affects the stretching of the vocal folds. When ascending in pitch, singers often wonder, What is my larynx doing? Some focus on the tilt of the larynx, while others think about its rising motion. Understanding the role of the larynx as an articulator is crucial.
Additionally, the position of the larynx is influenced by the shape of the tongue, these elements are not isolated. When considering the larynx as an articulator, it’s also necessary to examine the root of the tongue and its position. For the vocal system to remain balanced, three key components must work together: breath, laryngeal position, and tongue movement. These three elements are interconnected, and singers should be aware of how they interact.
When it comes to the vocal folds, what are the most influential tips, insights or research findings that you would like to share with our audience?
If I had to sum up my main advice in one phrase, it would be: don’t overdo it. When it comes to timbre, a key factor is the degree of vocal fold adduction and the space between them, what you might call “distance.”
To develop good control over your larynx and how you use it to produce sound, it’s helpful to visualize phonation types along a continuum. Understanding your vocal limits, how breathy you can go on one end and how pressed you can go on the other is essential. Knowing exactly how to navigate these different phonation modes within this visual scale is crucial, especially for singers who need to transition between them quickly. For example, in commercial contemporary music (CCM), vocalists often shift rapidly between different phonation types, whereas in musical theater or classical singing, the voice tends to remain more within the flow phonation or neutral range.
A key aspect of laryngeal control is understanding the relationship between breath management and the degree of vocal fold adduction. Phonation types play a critical role, and there are specific exercises to help singers train these modes and transition smoothly between them. Mastering phonation types in the larynx is, in my view, one of the most important technical skills a singer can develop.
When it comes to acoustics/resonance, what are the most influential tips, insights or research findings that you would like to share with our audience?
There are many important findings in acoustics and resonance, but one that truly transforms students’ singing is discovering their optimal velopharyngeal opening. It’s crucial to understand that the vocal tract doesn’t stop at the mouth, it extends higher into the nasal passages. What you do with the velopharyngeal opening plays a key role in ensuring smooth vocal fold vibration by preventing nonlinear interactions that could disrupt steady phonation. Put simply, managing this opening effectively is essential for vocal control.
Another significant but underexplored area in vocal research is the impact of subtle tongue adjustments on sound. While we understand the relationship between tongue position, vowel formation (ee, oo, ah), and formant frequencies, I believe that even the tiniest modifications in tongue placement can have a profound effect on both the quality and timing of sound production. Like phonation types, these small adjustments can make a big difference in vocal resonance.
And of course, the tongue is closely connected to the jaw. When there is excessive jaw tension, the tongue’s movement becomes restricted, affecting vocal flexibility. Everything in the vocal system is interconnected, so singers need to remain aware of these relationships when working on resonance.
When it comes to registration, what are the most influential tips, insights or research findings that you would like to share with our audience?
Registration in singing depends greatly on style. Some styles emphasize register shifts as an expressive tool, making them an essential part of the sound, while others aim for a seamless, even tone across the entire vocal range. In many vocal styles, registers play a key role in expression. Some styles aim to minimize register shifts to create a uniform sound throughout the vocal range, while others intentionally highlight them, moving between modal and head registers, making distinct transitions, and using different timbres at various points in the range.
However, beyond stylistic considerations, it’s also important to approach registers from a healthy, sustainable perspective. These shifts are not just about sound; they directly impact vocal longevity. Today, we talk about sustainability in many areas, and it applies to a singing career as well. Being mindful of how you manage registration can contribute to long-term vocal health and ensure a lasting career.
When it comes to vocal health, what are the most influential tips, insights or research findings that you would like to share with our audience?
There are, of course, many well-known vocal health tips – avoiding smoking, staying hydrated, getting enough sleep, and maintaining overall vocal hygiene. But if I had to highlight one key principle, it would be this: If you don’t use your voice, if you don’t train it, you lose it. For vocal health, maintaining a consistent and healthy daily vocal practice is essential. After all, a daily vocal routine keeps the doctor away!
This is especially important during times of vocal change, such as menopause or the natural aging process. If you stop practicing or significantly reduce your vocal exercises, it can be very detrimental. I say this from experience, even as a teacher, I know I should practice every day, but I don’t always do it. However, this is exactly what I emphasize to my students, particularly those reaching their mid-30s and 40s, when significant vocal changes occur, especially for female voices.
So my advice is to maintain consistent, healthy vocal habits. When I say healthy practices, I mean avoiding heavy vocal mechanisms and instead using lighter vocal mechanisms during practice. This connects to the earlier discussion on registration, not necessarily in performance, but in how you approach your daily exercises.
Flow Phonation, Light Mechanism, and avoid overdoing it for long periods; instead, spread your practice sessions throughout the day. That’s what I would recommend.
When it comes to style, what are the most influential tips, insights or research findings that you would like to share with our audience?
For classical and musical theater singing, I would say that beauty and phrasing should be on the mind of the singer over power. These elements are fundamental to these styles.
For more contemporary commercial music (CCM) styles, if vocal demands are higher, especially when using powerful, high-intensity techniques or effects like distortion, it’s essential to counteract these demands after performances or rehearsals.
Think of it like a trombone player: one arm remains static while the other moves. If they don’t do exercises to counterbalance this, one arm will get very big and the other will not. To prevent this, they need to incorporate post-practice exercises that counteract the isometric strain of holding the instrument by engaging in isotonic movements, short, rapid exercises that restore balance.
Similarly, singers who frequently use high-power vocal techniques or stress their voices must incorporate exercises that restore balance and keep the voice healthy. Maintaining this equilibrium is key to vocal health and longevity. Additionally, many performers focus on warming up, but far fewer pay attention to cooling down. I would strongly recommend making vocal cooldowns a regular part of your routine as well.
When it comes to posture, what are the most influential tips, insights or research findings that you would like to share with our audience?
I would emphasize two key points about posture. First, the term “posture” should not be mistaken for a static position. Good posture allows for movement, because breathing is movement, and singing is movement. A rigid or stiff posture is not ideal; instead, posture should support fluidity and freedom of motion.
Second, maintaining good posture is closely tied to physical exercise. Activities like swimming are excellent for singers, as is Pilates, though it’s important to be aware of how Pilates’ core engagement affects breathing. If you understand these nuances, Pilates can be highly beneficial for posture.
In today’s world, we tend to shorten our muscles due to prolonged use of mobile phones, tablets, and computers. This technology-focused lifestyle often leads to static postures, which can limit mobility over time. When muscles remain in a shortened position for too long, we gradually lose the ability to move freely.
For classical singers, who rely heavily on rib cage expansion, it’s essential to counterbalance this with exercises that keep the external rib cage muscles flexible. Using the analogy of a trombone player, who must balance static and dynamic muscle engagement, singers should incorporate exercises in apnea to encourage rib cage flexibility. When we hold our breath after maximally exhaling (apnea), the internal intercostal muscles contract, and they expand again when we inhale. Maintaining flexibility in these muscles prevents stiffness in the long run.
A great colleague of mine, physiotherapist Jacob Lieberman, introduced me to an exercise that focuses on complete exhalation. It involves emptying your lungs as much as possible, holding that state for 10 to 15 seconds, and then allowing a full inhalation. This exercise engages muscles that are not typically used in everyday breathing and helps expand your lung capacity. Without such training, the muscles can become stiff, limiting your breath control.
That’s why deep-sea free divers practice similar techniques, to maximize lung expansion. The lungs have natural elasticity, but if the muscles surrounding them aren’t exercised, they can become restrictive. This technique helps maintain flexibility and prevents the breathing mechanism from becoming rigid.
While I do teach this exercise to my students, it’s important to balance lesson time between vocal technique and these holistic breathing/posture exercises and tips. The miracle doesn’t happen in the lesson, it happens when students practice consistently on their own. My role is to provide them with strategies and monitor their progress, ensuring they stay aware of their breathing habits.
However, research by Kitty Verdolini suggests that isolated breathing exercises, if not integrated into singing, may have limited benefits. While it’s crucial to incorporate breath work into phonation, I also believe singers need to train their breathing as part of a holistic physical system. This is why activities like swimming are so valuable, it requires precise breath control, reinforcing breath management skills that are essential for singers.
When it comes to teaching methods or communicating complex ideas about singing, what are the most influential tips, insights or research findings that you would like to share with our audience?
The most effective approach integrates perception through visual, kinesthetic, and auditory means. This combination works much better than words alone. It’s important to design specific exercises for the purpose you want to achieve, then reflect together with the student on what actions helped them. Knowing how to choose the right exercises from their toolbox to solve specific problems is crucial.
For teaching methods, I recommend tailoring exercises to achieve specific purposes. To communicate complex ideas, integrating kinesthetic, visual, and auditory learning is key. When you engage all three senses – feeling, seeing, and listening, you equip the student to understand better.
Of course, there are singers who want to know more about the science behind their craft. Singing pedagogy doesn’t exist in isolation of the other disciplines that should compose the bouquet of disciplines that singers should study. In a singing studio, the focus is on practical work, singing, practicing, and understanding exercises. But there are other elements that complement this, like reading and having a mentor to help you grasp research papers and complex concepts in physiology and acoustics.
In the music business, many teachers become educators not out of vocation but by circumstance. They start as singers, but out of necessity, they begin teaching. While it’s true that not everyone will be a famous singer, those who do teach need the right knowledge. This is especially important for those pursuing a teaching career. Therefore, it’s essential for students to have access to this knowledge during their undergraduate or master’s studies in singing.
Additionally, other subjects like piano, composition, music history, and repertoire studies are key to well-rounded development. These disciplines all support the center of the voice studio.
In the studio, I would say do it (sing), but outside the studio, students should be encouraged to reflect, read, and experiment. Voice labs, with technology to analyze vocal techniques, can be a great resource for practicing what they’ve learned. While not all studios may have the resources for this, having access to a voice lab outside of class can still be extremely valuable.
Today, the boundaries between voice labs, speech and language pathology settings, and teaching studios are increasingly fluid. A teacher who builds an instrument, helping the student develop their voice, should be at the core of the learning process. As the student improves, they will gain a deeper understanding of their instrument, allowing them to better work with coaches, pianists, conductors, and colleagues in building their style and language. This progression marks the journey of every singer and teacher working together.
Final Thoughts (Words of Wisdom, Books, Resources)?
It’s important for singers and teachers of singing to embrace the study of voice science, including the physiology and acoustics of the voice, and to stay connected with the field of research and researchers. While I don’t expect every singing teacher to know complex techniques like inverse filtering, I do expect them to know who to turn to for that expertise. Teachers should be able to connect with those who specialize in these areas and seek out answers to their questions.
My advice is to collaborate and avoid isolating yourself. It’s crucial to step outside of that comfort zone and engage with professionals from fields such as ENT specialists, electrical engineers, mathematicians, physicians, physicists, linguists, and phonetic experts. The voice is truly interdisciplinary, and to be an effective practitioner in this field, you need to build these important connections.
Please note that Filipa Lã is not affiliated with VocalPedagogy.com and we do not disclose contact information. We hope you enjoyed the interview!
