Debbie Winter is the director of the Voice Study Centre and creator of the popular Facebook group Voice Geek. Debbie has published three peer-reviewed articles and partnered with the University of Wales Trinity Saint David to form a training pathway in vocal pedagogy. Hear her discussion with Alexa on taking the academic route on this week’s Singing Teachers Talk.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Debbie believes the academic route to becoming a singing teacher is good because it enables people from diverse backgrounds and builds on their knowledge in the right areas. It also allows you to think critically about the work you do and form your own opinions from the different methodologies you study. It allows you to build your own pedagogical pathway.
- The course Debbie is involved with is a master’s degree so you will need a degree-level qualification already to qualify. There is now a foundation degree where those without a degree already can work towards the master’s course if they have the right real-world experience.
- A lot of the students go on to write pieces of work that have been published in well-respected places.
- The Voice Study Centre also opens up its doors for free for special talks on skill development. There are also cheap and affordable courses that are open to everyone.
BEST MOMENTS
‘A lot of foundation students go on to do some publishable work’
‘We give 5 times more support than your average academic degree’
‘You can’t be a lone wolf in the academic field’
EPISODE RESOURCES
Guest Website:
Social Media:
- @voicestudycentre
Relevant Links & Mentions:
- Voice Geek Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/VoiceGeek
- Cardiff Metropolitan University: cardiffmet.ac.uk
- University of Wales Trinity St David: uwtsd.ac.uk
- Estill: com
- Juliet Russell: com
- Emily Foulkes: musicforgood.uk/projects-3
- Dr David Juncos
- Sophie Garner: com
- Chadley Ballantyne:chadleyballantyne.com
- Jeanie LoVetri Somatic Voicework:com
- Dr Trineice Robinson-Martin: com
- Line Hilton:com
- Respiratory Function in Speech & Song by Thomas J Hixon
- Voice and Speech Trainers Association (VASTA): vasta.org
- The Voice and Speech Review (VASTA)
- Rockford Sansom: com
- Journal of Voice:org
- Journal of Interdisciplinary Voice Studies
- National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS): org
- Journal of Singing (NATS): nats.org/cgi/page.cgi/about_journal_singing.html
- Christian Herbst (Vocal Registers Research)
- British Voice Association: britishvoiceassociation.org.uk
- Association of Teachers of Singing (AOTOS): org
- British Association for Performing Arts Medicine (BAPAM): org.uk
- Debbie Winter: debbie@voicestudycentre.com
ABOUT THE GUEST
Debbie Winter (LLB Hons, MA) lectured in Law and sang professionally on the jazz scene before deciding to change careers and become a vocal coach. Debbie worked in partnership with the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) and leading pedagogues to develop a unique training MA pathway in Vocal Pedagogy.
She is the Director of The Voice Study Centre and is responsible for all aspects of provision ranging from academic content, staffing, recruitment, pastoral care, business development and innovation.
Debbie was nominated for the Student-Led Teaching Fellowship awards for her outstanding work on the previous programme at Cardiff Metropolitan University and is the only external provider to receive such recognition. The programme was also shortlisted for the Music Teacher Awards for Excellence ‘Outstanding Music Educational Product’ in 2019 and UWTSD has recognised the Voice Study Centre to be a Centre of Excellence.
Debbie has also established the popular Facebook group Voice Geek, which consists of 5.3k members. She has also published three peer-reviewed articles on practitioner research and performance anxiety and is on the Editorial Board of the Voice and Speech Review published by Routledge.
Link to podcast presenter’s bios
