Pure Sound vs. Rough Sensation: Sorting the sensations of the sung tone
Presenter: Chadley Ballantyne 

This poster details the interplay of touch and hearing in vocal training, aiming to enhance teaching methods by understanding how we perceive sound and vibration. By linking vibrotactile awareness research with the sensations commonly associated with singing, we can enhance our understanding of these experiences. This interactive poster presentation invites attendees to engage with the physicality of sound through unique sensory experiments. 

First Wireless Voice Dosimeter and App
Presenters: Theresa Brancaccio and Aaron M Johnson 

Quantifying vocal dose, particularly in occupational voice users such as singers and teachers, is crucial for mitigating vocal fatigue and preventing or treating phono-traumatic vocal injury. Our research presents the first wireless dosimeter, a compact (1.25 X1 inch) sensor worn on the sternum and paired with an iPhone App that tracks long-term voice use and provides users with real-time estimates of cumulative vocal dose. 

Korean Vocal Tapestry: Korean Art Songs and Korean Women Composers
Presenters: Won Cho and Kyoung Cho 

In recent years, diversifying vocal music repertoire in the Classical music field has gained prominence, driven by an interest in indigenous traditions and ethnomusicology. Korean women composers, who comprise around 70% of contemporary composers in Korea, have emerged as influential figures, blending traditional Korean and Asian elements with Western music, contributing to inclusivity in vocal repertoire, and advancing the cause of women in Classical music. 

Lessons from group singing research: a three-pronged approach for creating a supportive learning environment for adult beginning singers in the private voice studio
Presenter: Emily DenBleyker 

Adult beginning singers (ABS) are a subset of amateur singers becoming increasingly common in the private voice studio: adult students with a lifetime love of singing but little to no formal training or experience. Very little research about ABS concerns creating a supporting environment for them; the relevant research mainly comes from group singing research. This paper examines this group singing research and reframes their findings in a new light, proposing a three-pronged approach for creating a supportive learning environment for ABS in the private studio: promoting self-efficacy and agency, focusing on participation instead of presentation, and balancing risk and safety. 

A Performing Life: A Survey of the Work and Writing of Dr. Sharon Mabry
Presenter: Rachel Hansbury 

This presentation will document the life and work of acclaimed voice pedagogue Sharon Mabry. Dr. Mabry contributed to NATS for years via her column about contemporary composers. She was a special advocate for the works of female composers and published many valuable resources for singers at all levels. 

Leveling the Playing Field: Enhancing Objectivity and Equality by Utilizing "Specifications Grading" in the Private Studio
Presenter: Seth Killen

Traditionally, objective and equitable assessment of progress in private applied voice lessons has been elusive, with standards varying significantly from one studio to another. This poster introduces the implementation of a grading system developed by Linda Nilson--Specifications Grading--in private applied studios. Through a concise study involving 30 undergraduate singers, it is evident that this system enhances academic standards, reduces student stress, and fosters motivation for excellence, while standardizing and objectifying the assessment process. 

Talking About Tension: Distinguishing Primary Muscle Tension Dysphonia (MTD-!) from Compensatory Hyperfunction in Singing Training vs. Clinical Settings
Presenters: Theodora Nestorova, Françoise Chagnon, and Maude Desjardins 

This collaborative study addresses the lack of consensus on compensatory hyperfunction and Primary Muscle Tension Dysphonia (MTD-1) in singers, exploring the terminological gap through a scoping literature review and laryngoscopic/acoustic evaluations of 17 case study singers. The results propose a novel matrix distinguishing MTD-1 in speaking and singing voices, supplementing the vocal hyperfunction framework, and outline diverse archetypes and gradations of singing non-primary voice hyperfunction (NPVH). The study aims to provide practical applications for a holistic diagnosis when working with singers in training who exhibit tension. 

The Heart of a Woman: Curating the Present Inventory and Promoting Future Settings of Texts by Female Poets of the Harlem Renaissance
Presenter: Alissa Plenzler 

This poster will include information about the current inventory of musical settings created from text by female poets of the Harlem Renaissance along with commentary on why this vein of literature hasn't yet been popularly sourced. Additionally, there will be a QR code linking interested parties to an ever-growing bibliography of sources to explore to jumpstart music creation and awareness of these fantastic writers. Finally, there will be a call to action to look at the landscape of poetic sources represented in our voice teaching, regularly assign repertoire with text that aligns with our students’ lived experience, and encourage the commission of new works. 

“Rendering Visible”: Investigating Student Attitudes Toward and Experiences of Voice Impairment
Presenter: Emily Siar 

A large body of literature suggests that a significant percentage of singers will experience a voice health issue over the course of their education, and a multitude of studies assert the importance of health promotion in schools. However, institutional programming is often geared primarily toward preventing musicians’ injuries, sometimes leaving students who are actively facing impairment to self-advocate and navigate the experience largely unaided. In contrast to a prevalence of studies examining the experiences of instrumentalists facing performance-related injuries, to date, there have been few systematic investigations into the psychosocial experiences of students who have experienced voice impairment in academic contexts.  

Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT) Administered by Singing Teachers: A Tool for Managing Music Performance Anxiety
Presenters: David Juncos and Dana Zenobi 

This poster presents the results of a 2023 study of Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT) used as a tool to help undergraduate singers manage Music Performance Anxiety (MPA). ACT’s scope is limited to MPA, and it can ethically be administered by voice teachers who undergo six to ten hours of training and supervision. Results show that ACT is a valuable tool for teachers looking to help students manage MPA while maintaining the important boundary between studio-appropriate MPA management tools and clinical mental health treatment.