Presented by Emily Siar

Voice teachers have no shortage of ways to describe the act of singing. How do we make sure we’re on the same page to best serve our students? This session explores foundational terminology in voice pedagogy related to respiration, registration, and resonance. Participants will gain a clearer understanding of the semantics behind these systems, leaving them better equipped to engage in informed, collaborative dialogue with colleagues and students.

Presented by Ian Howell

Timbre is often dismissed as too subjective to have pedagogical utility. However, long-established psychoacoustic phenomena may be directly connected to real and repeatable functional coordinations in a singing voice. This presentation focuses on these simple aspects of timbre that will dependably occur when the trained ear is stimulated by specific kinds of sound waves. These aspects of sound then become both a sign that a given function has occurred and also a stimulus to generate that function. 

Presented by Mike Ruckles 

Hysteresis describes how a system’s current state/function is strongly influenced by its previous state/function. In this session, we will explore the effects of hysteresis on the singing voice, and how we can harness its properties to our students’ great benefit in the studio. These tools become especially powerful in training the crossover singer who seeks to navigate dramatic shifts in their singing attractor states (e.g. Verdi to Schwartz). This session will also feature a masterclass component, offering practical context and application. 

Presented by Leda Scearce 

Having a voice disorder can be a challenging experience for singers. However, with the support of an expert vocal health team, the singer can usually recover. This workshop will explore the journey of the singer from the point they first experience symptoms, through the evaluation process, rehabilitation, and finally the return to typical vocal activities, emphasizing important tools for the singing teacher as they navigate that path with their student. The workshop will include didactic instruction as well as hands-on, interactive experiences.   

Presented by Tom Burke

In this workshop, you’ll discover a novel approach to helping students access a wider range of voice qualities easily using “magic words”—phonemic prompts designed to efficiently establish the vocal fold, vocal tract, and velar configurations needed for speaking and singing across different qualities and registers. 

Presented by Joan Lader

Renowned voice teacher Joan Lader, recipient of the Tony Award Honors for Excellence in Theater and NATS 2026 NMTC Honoree, will present a performance class for all Winter Workshop attendees and NMTC semifinalists. Drawing on her extensive experience with elite performers and recording artists, as well as clinical rehabilitation, she will demonstrate strategies for building healthy, sustainable technique.

Presented by Melissa Malde 

In this interactive session, participants will explore how to make healthy and efficient movement choices that promote artistic freedom in their singing.