NATS Chat Schedule + Replays
NATS Chat, sponsored by Inside View Press, invites guests to discuss various topics in an online webinar. Sessions are often held one Sunday per month of the academic year at 7–8 p.m. ET (6–7 p.m. CT; 5–6 p.m. MT; 4–5 p.m. PT). Kari Ragan is the host and coordinator for NATS Chat. See replays
NATS Chat 2026-27: Upcoming Chats
November 8, 2026
Vocal Health the Musical: What a Decade of Singer Data Means for Your Studio
Featuring Adam Lloyd, SLP-D, CCC-SLP, MM, PAVA-RV
Host: Kari Ragan
Is classical technique “healthier” than others? What if the question in vocal health, “Which genre is most at risk?” is the wrong one? This session draws on a decade-long longitudinal study of undergraduate voice majors across classical, musical theatre, contemporary commercial music, and jazz to reframe how we think about singer health in the studio. Attendees will explore patterns in vocal fold pathology, changes in vocal function, and differences in self-perception across training environments. Moving beyond genre-based assumptions, this presentation highlights how vocal load, training habits, and self-monitoring shape outcomes over time. We will focus on practical evidence-based strategies for hydration, pacing, recovery, and vocal hygiene that are clear, actionable tools for teachers. Participants will also gain insight into how to recognize early warning signs, support sustainable technique, and build collaborative relationships with medical and voice care professionals. Designed for teachers working across styles and levels, this session equips attendees with research-informed strategies they can immediately apply to support healthy, resilient singers.
December 13, 2026
A Decade of Change: The Evolution of Acoustic Voice Pedagogy
Featuring Ken Bozeman, Chadley Ballantyne, Ian Howell
Host: Kari Ragan
Over the past decade, acoustic voice pedagogy has moved from the margins of voice teaching into mainstream pedagogical discourse. Advances in research, technology, and teacher education have expanded our understanding of how acoustic principles can inform studio instruction while raising important questions about application, communication, and evidence-based practice. Join Ken Bozeman, Ian Howell, and Chadley Ballantyne for a conversation exploring how acoustic pedagogy has evolved, where it has influenced teaching most significantly, and what opportunities and challenges lie ahead.
January 17, 2027
Independent, Academic, Hybrid: The Evolving Landscape of Voice Teaching
Featuring: Randall Umstead, Lily Guerrero, Jerry Elsbernd
Host: Kari Ragan
The voice teaching profession has changed dramatically over the past several decades. Today, many teachers work across multiple settings—independent studios, academic institutions, clinical environments, commercial and classical genres, and hybrid careers that defy traditional labels. Yet longstanding biases and misconceptions about these varied career pathways continue to persist, shaping perceptions of professional identity, leadership, and participation within our field and organizations such as NATS. This roundtable conversation will explore the evolving landscape of voice teaching, examine assumptions that may no longer reflect the realities of the profession, and consider how we can better recognize, support, and learn from the diverse ways voice teachers build meaningful careers and contribute to our community.
February 21, 2027
Performance Longevity and the Aging Voice
Featuring: Brianna Crawley, MD
Host: Kari Ragan
The human voice possesses a magic unparalleled in the natural or artistic world. An ongoing source of wonder is its interplay with the body over the course of a lifetime. The vocal organ- the larynx- changes significantly with age, in concert with the entire phonatory apparatus. This discussion will explore age-related changes of the adult voice and the anatomy and physiology that produce them. It will include current methods to protect and enhance the aging voice to promote healthy voice use across the lifespan.
March 21, 2027
Understanding Sensory Awareness in Singing
Featuring: Abbey Tabor
Hosts: Kari Ragan & Nick Klein
Voice production is shaped not only by motor coordination, but also by how individuals perceive and process sensory information from within their bodies and the world around them. Why do some singers readily connect with sensory cues and kinesthetic instruction while others struggle to perceive what they are being asked to feel, hear, or coordinate? Drawing from emerging research on interoceptive and exteroceptive sensory processing, this session explores how individual differences in sensory awareness may influence voice learning, communication, and response to instruction, offering new perspectives for more individualized and effective voice teaching.
April 11, 2027
Practical Approaches to “Mix” in the Studio
Featuring: Kevin Wilson, Mike Ruckles, and Marci Rosenberg
Host: Kari Ragan
“Mix” remains one of the most discussed—and variably defined—concepts in voice teaching. This NATS Chat will focus less on debating terminology and more on practical studio application: exercises teachers have found useful, how they cue them, and what may be happening functionally and acoustically when they work. Panelists will explore how “mix” can present differently across voices, styles, and pedagogical approaches while sharing practical tools and teaching strategies from their own studios.
May 23, 2027
Beyond the Straw II: Strategic Application of SOVTEs
Featuring: Lynn Maxfield, Marci Rosenberg, Nandhu Radhakrishnan
Host: Kari Ragan
Last year’s very popular NATS Chat, Beyond the Straw: Expanding the SOVT Toolkit, introduced a variety of semi-occluded vocal tract (SOVT) techniques beyond traditional straw phonation. In this follow-up session, the conversation will take the next step, focusing on practical application, clinical reasoning, and individualized implementation. Learn how experienced teachers and clinicians select among SOVTE options, match tools to specific goals, and integrate these techniques into voice training and rehabilitation. Participants are encouraged to watch the original NATS Chat replay on YouTube for foundational concepts and background.
NATS Chat 2026-27 Season: Replays
Replays from the 2026-27 season will be shared on this page and in the archives.
October 4, 2026
AI and the Voice Studio: Opportunity, Ethics, and Expertise
Featuring Ian Howell, Cary Lee, Kayla Gautereux
Host: Kari Ragan
Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the landscape of education, communication, scholarship, and professional practice. As these technologies become increasingly integrated into our daily work, voice teachers are being called upon to consider their impact on teaching, research, publishing, professional communication, and much more. What does this mean for voice teachers in both academic and independent studio settings? How do we navigate the opportunities and ethical questions that accompany these emerging technologies?
Together, we will explore how to harness the benefits AI can offer while considering important questions surrounding accuracy, transparency, privacy, and professional responsibility. We will also examine the aspects of voice teaching that remain uniquely human—perception, artistry, mentorship, relationship, and professional judgment—and consider not only what AI can enhance, but what it cannot replace. Ultimately, this conversation asks how voice teachers can use AI as a tool while preserving the expertise, discernment, and human relationships that remain central to effective teaching.
