Logo for Dr. Shannon Coates with phrase "Voice & The Art of Teaching"
Logo for Dr. Shannon Coates with phrase "Voice & The Art of Teaching"
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POPUP VOICE PED CLASS

Child Voice

Ya’ know what?

Since the advent of Reality Talent TV Shows, independent teachers have seen younger and younger singers come through their studio. And the old myths around teaching children to sing are being busted one by one:

  • Children ‘hurt their voices’ if they start singing before puberty (ummm … tell that to every human being who -WAIT FOR IT- sings before puberty. because: have you NOT NOTICED that children sing ALL THE GOSH-DARNED TIME? And that maybe, JUST MAYBE, it might be a good thing for them to be guided along their singing journey by a PROFESSIONAL WHO CARES ABOUT THEM BEING ABLE TO SING FOR A LONG TIME?)
  • Children should have a grounding in piano and choir before taking voice lessons so that we’re not ‘wasting our time’ in the voice studio (ummm … DO YOU NOT THINK THAT A FABULOUS VOICE TEACHER WHO WORKS WITH CHILDREN CANNOT INCORPORATE MUSICIANSHIP INTO THEIR VOICE LESSONS?)

Hooo boy. I better stop it before this entire page devolves into me just yelling away into the void.

So. All THAT to say: now that we’re working with more and more younger and younger singers in the voice studio? Let’s be sure we understand the anatomy and physiology of the child voice so we can adjust our expectations around vocal growth accordingly AND let’s get even better about structuring voice lessons around child development so their learning is both deep AND fun.

DETAILS:

  • 120 minute class
  • $97
  • Date: Wednesday, 2nd February
  • Time: 10:00-12:00 (et)
  • Delivered over zoom

When you purchase the class, you’ll get an email with the link to the class recording, the downloadable workbook, and links to the resources mentioned in class (plus a few other goodies).

Not in Canada? Head over here.
POPUP voiceped class recording - Child Voice

Here’s what some of the #reallifevoiceteachers who have participated in past POPUP Voice Ped Classes have to say about them:

  • You've brought me full circle in my teaching, Shannon! I spent years teaching voice based solely on imagery (which was the way that voice was taught to me) and then I retired from classroom teaching and had the time to take some voice pedagogy courses.

    Suddenly, I felt like I had missed out on the past twenty years of research and was intimidated by all the voice teachers using what seemed like purely technical terminology to teach voice.

    Then I listen to you, and I see that, although you know all the anatomy and physiology and can teach it, you still stress the need to communicate to our students about feeling and imagery rather than getting too "sciencey". So, I take inspiration from that and am learning to combine the imagery with the technical terminology to facilitate the deeper learning of my students.

    Thank you for all that you do!

    Elspeth Maynard: Voice Teacher & (Retired) Classroom Educator (Windsor, Canada)

  • I feel engaged in what I do again, and empowered as an educator.

    Lisa Mulgrew, Voice Teacher (Lethbridge, Canada)

  • Engaging, Thorough, Truthful

    Erin Milley-Patey, Voice Teacher (Port Elgin, Canada)

  • Dr. Coates was such a dynamic presenter with lots of helpful information for our participants.

    Jennifer Tung, Artistic Director at Mississauga Children's Choir (Mississauga, Canada)

  • I am currently doing a Voice Ped Practicum with Shannon and a group of fabulous voice teachers. The Practicum gave me an opportunity to dive into learning in a hands on, non traditional way that sparked my excitement, interest and curiosity. My co-workers have noticed my joy at work, which is in part due to having our classes spaced out to meet restrictions (which gives me time to BREATHE), but also due to the fact I am excited to go in to work and see RESULTS in my students. I feel valuable. I know when I meet an issue I don’t understand, I have a support group to offer help, insight, and the most current research around any given topic. If we don’t know, we learn together. I am asking questions and getting answers. I am finding new sounds within myself. I am finding myself practicing more, making plans, and dreaming. I am literally full of happiness because I feel I have found something special in what Shannon offers to people like me (aka voice teachers who have not received their doctorate in voice but are successfully working in the field). My confidence is soaring because of the knowledge I have and the results I am seeing.

    Courtney Fowler, Voice Teacher & Owner at CFPA (Paradise, Canada)

  • Dr. Coates's wealth of information, warmth, and vivacious energy made this practicum an absolutely wonderful and enriching experience.

    Tatum D'Souza, Singer, Voice Teacher, Founder at The Vocal Studio (Mumbai, India)

  • Stellar!

    Maureen Batt, Soprano, Teacher, Artistic Director, Recording Artist (Halifax, Canada)

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