Voicing for Life: A Study to Explore the Benefits of Linklater Voice in a Community Music Curriculum

ABSTRACT

This study had two objectives. Within the training programs of community musicians, we sought to investigate the relationship between community music-makers and voice habilitation practices. We also sought to understand how community music-makers learn to adapt their personal vocal practices to an undergraduate curriculum. Ten community musicians participated in this study. They were drawn from a class that was following aspects of Kristin Linklater’s voice progression framework as laid out in her book Freeing the Natural Voice. Linklater’s material was supplemented with other interventions thought to promote voice habilitation, such as laryngeal massage (Mathieson 2011) and semi-occluded vocal tract exercises. Data was collected through class observations, interviews and surveys. While the body of participants was admittedly small, we did see evidence that the vocal habilitation practices advocated by the Linklater voice progression framework seemed to support the efforts of these community musicians to express themselves more effectively. A greater sample may add dimension to these preliminary findings. More study is needed.

KEYWORDS:

• Community music
• voice habilitation
• Linklater
• vocology

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Amanda Brunk

Amanda Brunk is an NCVS-certified vocologist and adjunct instructor of CCM voice at Wilfrid Laurier University and acting voice at Sheridan College/University of Toronto. Amanda adjudicates regularly for classical, choral, pop, music theater and speech arts in music festivals across Canada. She is vice-president of the Ontario chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing and is a published author for the NATS Journal of Singing. Her students have performed on stages across Canada, on Broadway and in international touring productions.