Research Surveys
NATS supports many types of voice research, and researchers seek to survey the profession in a variety of ways. NATS is pleased to offer members, students of members, and selected partners the opportunity to list links to various surveys being conducted by researchers. Please do not contact the NATS office regarding information on these surveys. Instead, contact the principal investigator provided with each listing.
Want to list your research survey here? All surveys posted here are also distributed one time via e-mail to NATS members as part of the weekly Intermezzo e-newsletter, which distributes on Tuesdays. Send all requests to .
Active Surveys
Applied Singing Teacher Uses of 19th Century Accompanied Vocalises
Hello, my name is Michelle DeFrancesco Bythrow. I am a Ph.D. student in music education at the University of Utah.
Study Purpose: The purpose of this research study is to determine how early 19th-century accompanied vocalises can be effectively utilized to teach undergraduate voice performance majors today. Essentially, this research will discover if the historical-pedagogical significances that have led several professional singers to keep using vocalises are effective reasons to continue studying them today.
Participation: The demographic survey in the link below will take five minutes to complete. At the end of the survey, you will be asked if you would like to participate in a 30-60 minute online, audio-recorded interview. Your participation is completely voluntary. You may choose not to answer a question or are free to withdraw consent and discontinue participation in the interview at any time for any reason without penalty or loss of benefits.
Alternatively, you may also reply to:
Michelle DeFrancesco Bythrow (primary researcher)
574-210-0745
Ph.D. (ABD) student
The University of Utah
The University of Utah IRB has approved this study.
Interpersonal relationships in the 1:1 voice lesson setting
I am a part of an interdisciplinary team of researchers examining the nature of interpersonal relationships within the context of in-person private studio voice lessons.
I would appreciate anyone who has had private singing voice lessons and would like to share their experiences to complete the survey. Please consider sharing this link with students and/or colleagues. We are hoping for as many respondents as possible, and all data is completely anonymized.
Dr. Elizabeth Ann Benson
She/Her/Hers
Associate Professor of Music Theatre, Department of Theatre and Dance, Auburn University
Physical Touch in the Voice Studio - A Survey of Singers
The purpose of this study is to gather data on physical touch in the voice studio, both consensual and non-consensual, and to discover how a voice teacher may or may not use or have used physical touch with a singer in a private voice lesson. The study aims to investigate and understand how physical touch is being used within voice lessons from the perspective of the voice student and their experience in a private voice lesson with their voice teacher.
Participation:
- Participants must have taken a private voice lesson at any point in their lifetime. Both professional and nonprofessional singers, students, and young professionals, 18 years or older, are invited to participate
- No compensation will be provided to participants.
This survey is anonymous and your name or the names of others will not be asked for nor gathered by these survey metrics. Any answer with identifying information will be deleted. If you would like to receive follow up information on the survey results you may follow a separate link at the end of the survey. The link will allow you to add your email address to a listserv for follow up news on the data that is found from these results.
This survey should take no longer than 15 minutes and is approximately 20 questions. You do not have to answer every question and may choose to skip any question you do not wish to answer.
As a content warning, please note that some of these questions pertain to consensual and non consensual physical touch, and sexual assault.
This study has been reviewed and approved by the University of Southern California Institutional Review Board.
INVESTIGATOR CONTACT INFORMATION
If you have any questions about this study, please contact Maria Maxfield or Beatriz Ilari.
IRB CONTACT INFORMATION
If you have any questions about your rights as a research participant, please contact the University of Southern California Institutional Review Board at (323) 442-0114 or email irb@usc.edu.
Maria Maxfield (formerly Lindsey)
DMA Candidate Vocal Arts
Thornton School of Music
University of Southern California
mariasmaxfield.com
Compassion Fatigue, Burnout, and Compassion Satisfaction
We (Drs. Jennifer Gee and Karen Koner) are seeking those currently teaching music in higher education to respond to a brief questionnaire about compassion fatigue, burnout, and compassion satisfaction in their current work environment.
We are authoring this study as an Assistant Professor of Elementary and Choral Music Education (Dr. Jennifer Gee), and an Assistant Professor of Instrumental Music Education and Coordinator of Music Education (Dr. Karen Koner) at San Diego State University. If you choose to participate in this study, you will be asked to contribute your responses to a survey via Qualtrics. The survey will take approximately 10 minutes to complete, and your responses will remain anonymous, and no IP or email addresses will be collected.
If you would agree to participate, you may proceed to the survey link provided below. All information and research data used by the researcher for presentations and publications will have none of the participants' personal identifiers. You cannot be identified in any way. Should you have any questions, please contact me at jlgee@sdsu.edu.
We greatly value your input and expertise and would love to be able to share that with the music education profession.
Jennifer Gee, Ed.S., Ph.D. Principal Investigator
Assistant Professor of Elementary & Choral Music Education, San Diego State University
Karen Koner, Ph.D., Co-Investigator
Assistant Professor of Instrumental Music Education & Coordinator of Music Education, San Diego State University
Changing the current model of the classical vocal degree program
Dear Colleague,
My name is Craig Allen; I am currently pursuing a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Vocal Performance at the University of South Carolina. I invite you and one or more of your students to join me for my dissertation study.
I am researching how to change the current model of the classical vocal degree program to better prepare our students for evolving performance expectations. In many current voice programs, students are expected to add additional languages, repertoire, and multiple singing techniques within the classical canon in each subsequent semester of studio study. As the demands on our 21st century artist is quite different than in the past, vocal pedagogues are adjusting what we teach our students to prepare them for performing challenges ahead. I hypothesize that adding a commercial piece (CM) to their degree plan and addressing the complexities that style requires is paramount to their adaptability in an ever-changing performance world. I propose this addition of CM repertoire take place during the second semester of their sophomore year, so they receive this unique training early in their singing career. Training our artists to be versatile is crucial, as singers are no longer afforded a narrow scope of being trained in one style with the assurance of a profitable career.
How can you assist with this important study?
I am looking for students of vocal pedagogues who are willing to do a brief survey at the beginning and the end of the semester that have not studied a CM piece previously at college. Included in this study is the ability to assess the possible benefits of studying this literature in the student’s voice; future performance goals as well as the analyzation of psychological benefits for the student singer would also be evaluated. If you have experience in teaching CM, I welcome your input and experience. However, if you are new to this area of musical study, I would also provide warmups, exercises, and literature in the style to help guide you and the student, thus assisting you both in this exciting venture.
Please let me know if you would be willing to assist me on this journey next semester. If you have a second or third-year classical degree seeking student who would be interested in including CM repertoire in their vocal studies, please fill out this form.
Craig Allen, MM, BM, BA
DMA Candidate at University of South Carolina
Winthrop University
Adjunct Instructor of Music
College of Visual and Performing Arts
Seeking Singing Teachers for Absolute Pitch Study
We are conducting a study that aims to help singing teachers better understand and teach singers who possess absolute pitch (AP). AP is also known as “perfect pitch”. It is the rare ability to identify or produce any given pitch without a reference. In other words, a person who has AP can sing a “G sharp” off the top of their head. They can instantly name a random note played on the piano without looking at the keyboard. If you have ever taught singing to someone who has this ability, please consider taking part in this ground-breaking research. Participation involves a short, online survey. You do not need to have AP yourself in order to take part. If you are a singer who has AP and you are interested in taking part in the study, please email us.
Further information is available at perfectpitchstudy.org.
Victoria Lambourn
PhD candidate
The University of Melbourne
The Approaches of Singing Teachers to New and Unfamiliar Repertoire
You are invited to take part in a research project about how singing teachers approach new and unfamiliar repertoire. In particular, the study is designed to discover how singing teachers approach their selection of repertoire for their students and in particular, how and if they teach repertoire which they have not seen or performed before. The study is being conducted by Deborah Grace (Master of Research Candidate, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia).
Deborah Grace
Master of Research candidate
Macquarie University
Determining a Normative Value for the Singing Voice Handicap Index-10 (SVHI-10)
The UCSF Voice and Swallowing Center is conducting a new research study titled: Determining a Normative Value for the Singing Voice Handicap Index-10 (SVHI-10). We are currently looking for adult singers to fill out a brief demographic’s questionnaire followed by the SVHI-10 survey to help better identify what it means to be a healthy singer. This will help us when evaluating the difference between normal and abnormal singing voices. The overall survey should take approximately 7 minutes, and it would mean a lot for our research team if you could participate! Please click the link below if you are interested. Thank you in advance for your support of our study.
Sincerely,
The UCSF Voice and Swallowing Center Research Team:
Vyvy Young, MD
Sarah Schneider, MS CCC-SLP
Clark Rosen, MD
Grant Gochman, MS Clinical Research Coordinator
Singing Teacher Perception of Breathiness in Vibrato and Non-vibrato Tones
The purpose of this study is to explore how singing teachers rate voice samples with and without vibrato on a breathiness scale. This study is under the direction of Co-Principal Investigators John Nix, Professor of Voice and Voice Pedagogy at the University of Texas at San Antonio, Dr. Rosemary Lester-Smith, Assistant Professor of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences at the University of Texas at Austin, and Natalie Cummings, doctoral candidate in music at the University of Texas at Austin. This study is overseen by the Institutional Review Board of the University of Texas at San Antonio as study FY21-22-126.
To participate, you must meet the following criteria:
- Be at least 22 years of age;
- Hold at least a bachelor’s degree in music;
- Speak and read English;
- Reside in the U.S.;
- Have intact hearing (with corrective aids if necessary);
- Have access to a computer and headphones for playing audio files, and a quiet location to listen to the files away from other noises and distractions.
If you agree to participate, your role will only include taking an online survey, which consists of some brief demographic questions, listening to 100 short voice samples, and rating the samples in terms of their breathiness. Total participation commitment should be approximately 30 minutes. There are no reasonably expected risks associated with participation. There are no costs involved or compensation for your completion of the study.
For all other questions, please contact John Nix, Co-Principal Investigator via email or at 210-317-2171.
Singing Outside SATB: Teaching Countertenors in the Choral Classroom
The purpose of this research is to examine the perspectives and experiences of high school choral directors teaching students that sing outside of their traditional SATB voice classification. This research is being conducted online. We are inviting all those who identify as a high school choral director in the United States. You must be at least 18 years of age to participate in this study. If you agree to be in this research, you will complete an online survey, which will take approximately 15 minutes to complete. The University of Oklahoma Institutional Review Board has approved this research. The first page of the survey serves as your informed consent. The deadline to participate is April 15.
Your participation in this research is completely voluntary; you may choose to withdraw at any time. If you have any questions pertaining to this research project, you may contact either Melissa Baughman (405-325-2081) or the OU-NC IRB (405- 325-8110) at any time.
Thank you in advance for your assistance!
Sincerely, Dr. Melissa Baughman
Assistant Professor of Vocal Music Education
University of Oklahoma
Voice Building in Collegiate Studios
If you are a current collegiate applied-voice instructor, or a recently retired collegiate instructor (within 5 years), who resides in the United States, you qualify to participate in a research study examining the voice-building practices taking place within the collegiate voice studio. Eligible subjects will undergo a short survey consisting of demographic information and short answer questions. There is no compensation for participation in this survey.
Kristen Janell Sullivan
M.M., D.M.A.
Ph.D Music - Performing Arts Health, Candidate
Mindfulness for People with Voice Disorders
Seeking participants for a research study measuring the effects of mindfulness on singers and speakers with voice disorders.
Participants will take part in an 8-week mindfulness course, modeled after the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) curriculum, which will be delivered online over Zoom. Before and after the course, participants will complete the following questionnaires:
- Mindful Attention Awareness Scale
- Perceived Stress Scale
- Voice Handicap Index (all participants) and Singing Voice Handicap Index (singers only)
Some participants may be assigned to a control group. The control group will take the questionnaires at the same times as the other participants but will not take the mindfulness course. They will be offered the chance to participate in the course later. (Eligibility requirements for study participants and for the control group are identical.)
Participation in the study is completely voluntary. No compensation will be given. Participants may withdraw from the study at any time and for any reason without penalty while still participating in the mindfulness course.
This study has been approved by the West Chester University Institutional Review Board Protocol #IRB-FY2022-111.
Eligibility Requirements:
- Participants must have been diagnosed with a voice disorder and received and concluded voice therapy with a speech-language pathologist
- The ability to speak clearly, loudly, or consistently is not required
- The course may not be appropriate for participants who: 1) have an active addiction, 2) are suicidal, or 3) have untreated psychosis, PTSD, depression, or anxiety that would interfere with their ability to complete the course.
- The first 20 people who meet the eligibility requirements will be enrolled.
How to Sign Up:
- Fill out this secure form, which will determine your eligibility.
- Eligible participants will be given the opportunity to attend a Zoom meeting outlining details of the mindfulness course, the research study, and the consent process.
- Email questions to Catherine K. Brown.
Catherine K. Brown
Graduate Student in Applied Mindfulness
West Chester University
The Effect of Chemotherapy Treatment for Hodgkin Lymphoma Cancer on the Singing Voice
- Have you had ABVD Chemotherapy for Hodgkin Lymphoma?
- Would you be willing to fill out a confidential questionnaire on the effects of chemotherapy on your voice?
- The questionnaire will take no longer than 25 minutes.
- The goal of the study is to provide information to singers and voice teachers about the effects of ABVD Chemotherapy voice regimen on the singing voice.
- Confidential responses will be used as data in a research study conducted by Shantelle Przybylo at the University of Toronto.
Shantelle Przybylo
University of Toronto
MMus, BMus
DMA Candidate
Perceived voice changes among young adults who vape
The Laryngology Division in the Department of Otolaryngology at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis and the Department of Communication Disorders and Sciences at the University of Memphis is conducting a survey study titled: Perceived voice changes among young adults who vape.
The purpose of this study is to understand if there are perceived changes in voice quality and function among young adults that vape or juul. Your participation in this research study is invaluable and voluntary. Responses will be kept confidential and the surveys will not contain information that will personally identify you. The results of this study will be used for academic purposes only.
If you have any questions about the research study, please contact Sandra Stinnett, MD. This research has been reviewed according to University of Tennessee Health Science Center IRB procedures for research involving human subjects.
Thank you very much for your time and support.
Drew Smith, MD, MS
PGY-1 Resident Physician
Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
Diversifying Art Song
The past two years have brought many changes to our artform; for many, the past two years have continued to highlight the imbalanced inclusion of artists from underrepresented groups in classical music. The purpose of this survey is to better understand individual experiences with performing works by composers from underrepresented groups, and the differences in familiarity between the varying levels of vocal performance.
This survey on diversity in the study and performance of art song is being conducted by the Kassia Database and in affiliation with the Institute for Composer Diversity Art Song Works Database. This survey is completely anonymous and should take no longer than 5 to 10 minutes to complete.
Eligible participants must be at least 18 years of age. All levels of study and performance are welcome to participate. Participants who have not been introduced to works by underrepresented groups are encouraged to participate.
Logan Contreras, DMA
Lecturer, Colorado State University Pueblo
Founder, Kassia Database
Co-Coordinator, Institute for Composer Diversity
Voice Teaching for the 21st Century
Dear Singers, Teachers, and Pedagogues,
We invite you to fill out a brief survey to help us understand more fully the current teaching for aspiring voice teachers in university programs. Below is a brief (5 minute) survey that we'd love you to participate in. The survey is divided between those with less than 5 years of teaching experience and those with more than 5 years of experience. Please share with students and colleagues as well!
We hope these efforts will help us to better understand the context and teachings of 21st Century Voice Pedagogy! Thank you!
AATS - American Academy of Teachers of Singing
Committee of Mary Saunders, Jeanne Goffi-Fynn, Jeanie LoVetri, Chris Arneson, and Darlene Wiley.
Musician's Psychological Flexibility Survey
Professional musicians from across the world often face many problems during their career, including: performance anxiety; perfectionism; low motivation to practice; stressful auditions; burnout & career uncertainty; performance-related pain & injury; psychological distress; and more.
We have created a new questionnaire to measure a phenomenon called psychological flexibility, and we need your help in determining whether it is effective. According to new research in performance science, a special relationship may exist between psychological flexibility and how severely you experience these problems. We hope to better understand this relationship by kindly asking for your participation in completing it.
Musicians who are eligible to participate are:
- At least 18 yrs old
- Fluent in English & can read at least at the 8th grade level
- Employed full-time, part-time, or other, as a performing musician with regular performances* for at least 2 consecutive years over the past 10 years (any performance type - solo, duet, chamber or small group, full group, band, other - within any genre of music). Performances can be in-person and/or virtual.
* “Regular performances” is used broadly here and can range from weekly performances (once a week, multiple times a week), to monthly performances (once a month, multiple times a month - but less frequently than 1x a week), to yearly performances (multiple times a year - but less frequently than 1x a month). Performing only 1x a year is not frequent enough to be considered regular. If your performances over the past 10 years fell into any of those 3 categories, for at least 2 consecutive years, we would consider them regular.
If you participate, you’ll be asked to electronically complete this & four other questionnaires, plus additional questions about yourself, your career, and your performance/practice habits. Total time commitment is 45 to 60 minutes.
All participants who complete all questions will be entered into a raffle to win one of multiple $20 Amazon gift cards AND will be invited to attend a webinar on managing performance anxiety by a leading expert! Plus, one lucky participant who attends the webinar will win a FREE COPY of the primary researcher’s forthcoming book on how musicians can train to be more psychologically flexible.
Please read & sign the study’s consent form before participating, which is located at the URL below. We are running a parallel study at the University of Melbourne’s Conservatorium of Music, in Melbourne, Australia, and our colleague there (Dr. Margaret Osborne, PhD) has agreed to host the URL site to collect your data.
If you have any questions about the study, please contact before you decide to participate.
Start the study:
Musician's Psychological Flexibility Survey
Thank you,
Dana Zenobi, DMA
David Juncos, PsyD
Margaret Osborne, PhD
Dana Zenobi, DMA She/Her
Assistant Professor of Music (Voice)
Butler University Vocal Competition Director
Butler University - Jordan College of the Arts
4600 Sunset Ave.
Indianapolis, IN 46208
www.danazenobisoprano.com
