Singing Teachers Talk

How can singing teachers better support neurodivergent singers? In this insightful episode, Alexa is joined by singer, educator and former hospital school deputy head Sarah Marion to explore neurodiversity in singing lessons. From ADHD, autism, Tourette’s and anxiety, to sensory overload, perfectionism and performance overwhelm, Sarah shares practical ways teachers can create safer, more flexible and inclusive learning environments. Discover why structure and preparation matter, how music can support communication and connection, and why focusing on each singer’s individual ‘superpowers’ can transform the way we teach. 

WHAT’S IN THIS PODCAST?  

7:33 What is a hospital school?  

8:02 The role of music in education and neurodiversity  

17:34 Supporting singers with ADHD 

19:26 Supporting singers with autism and Tourrette’s  

22:42 Recognising the signs of overwhelm 

24:00 Preparation, predictability and structuring the singing lesson 

30:27 Supporting neurodivergent singers in rehearsals and auditions 

31:43 Helping neurodivergent singers with organisation  

36:34 The neurodivergent teacher  

38:44 Rethinking professionalism and making adaptations 

About the presenter HERE

RELEVANT MENTIONS & LINKS 

Alternative Provision Huh - The Importance to the Arts and Wider Opportunities’ by Myatt and John Tomsett 

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.280 What Singing Teachers Need to Understand About Performance Anxiety with Mel Toy 

ABOUT THE GUEST 

Sarah is a Wirral-based singer and pianist with a lifelong passion for music and performance. In her twenties, based in Manchester she performed extensively with bands, session work and solo gigs, including a stint working abroad. Sarah is a classically trained singer to post graduate level. Following her performing career, Sarah dedicated 30 years to teaching music in Wirral comprehensive schools. During this time, she led numerous school productions and successfully prepared students for GCSE music examinations, inspiring a new generation of musicians. During the last 10 years in education Sarah became a Deputy Headteacher in a hospital school specialising in Trauma Informed Teaching, creating teaching toolkits for reducing anxiety in young people with poor mental health, often comorbid with a diagnosis of neurodiversity. Sarah now combines her time between performing, 1:1 Teaching and has a mentor role with the SSAT. [Schools Students and Teachers Network] 

Youtube 

Instagram: @sarah_marrion_sings 

🎁 Free Resource: Get your copy of How to Assess the Singer’s Voice with Confidence — a practical guide to help you understand what’s going on in any singer’s voice.  >>> DOWNLOAD HERE

At BAST Training, we help singers turn their experience into a meaningful teaching career. Building the confidence, knowledge, and real-world skills to teach with confidence, clarity, and compassion.

“The BAST Advanced Foundation has given me more than the tools I need to teach — it’s given me confidence, a community, and a future.” Jess McGlinchey, UK

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What does it take to be ready to step into multiple roles in the musical theatre industry Today, Alexa is joined by West End performer and vocal coach Corinne Priest to talk about her time in Titanique, where she covered Céline Dion, Rose and Molly Brown alongside her role as a backing vocalist. Corinne shares how she prepared to embody Céline’s unmistakable vocal style, the realities of switching between multiple tracks, and why making a role fit your own voice is so important. They also explore the growing vocal demands of musical theatre, life as a swing, and what it takes to build the versatility and vocal sustainability needed for eight shows a week.  

WHAT’S IN THIS PODCAST?  

1:33 Corrine’s favourite song in a contract so far  

2:18 Corrine’s journey into the Musical Theatre industry 

4:15 Representation: drama school and agencies  

7:45 Titanique  

23:24 Impersonation as a training tool  

24:30 Vocal coaching Vs performing  

26:25 Corrine’s top tip for current musical theatre demands  

29:45 Corrine’s contract wish list  

About the presenter HERE

RELEVANT MENTIONS & LINKS 

London School of Musical Theatre (LSMT)  

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.221 How Knowing Musical Theatre History Makes You a Better Performer with Molly Marie Walsh 

The Criterion  

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.279 On Vocal Crashes, Career Lessons and Sustainable Singing with Chris Killik 

Mischief Comedy 

ABOUT THE GUEST 

Corrine is a professional Musical Theatre Performer and Vocal Coach, originally from Somerset. 

Training: London School of Musical Theatre 

2025 Vocal Balance Accredited Teacher  

Corrine is a guest tutor at Urdang Academy and full time Singing Teacher at Emil Dale Academy, and also teaches private 1:1s. 

Credits include: BGV2, cover Celine Dion, Rose and Molly Brown in Titanique the Musical (Criterion Theatre, Lido2Paris), Beauty in Beauty and the Beast (Playhouse Theatre), Swing, cover Sister Mary Robert, cover Sister Mary Patrick in Sister Act (UK Tour), Workshop of Disruption (Park Theatre), Fairy Queen / Resident Director in Claus The Musical (The Lowry), Ensemble in Les Misérables (Sondheim Theatre), Dance Captain in Les Misérables: The Staged Concert (Sondheim Theatre), Elizabeth Benning in Young Frankenstein (English Theatre Frankfurt), Swing, cover Fantine, cover Gavroche, assistant Dance Captain, assistant Children's Director, in Les Misérables (UK & International Tour), Lucy in Can't Stop It (The Other Palace), Lucy in Ushers: The Front of House Musical (Edinburgh Fringe & Arts Theatre), Ghost of Christmas Past in A Christmas Carol (Blackpool Opera House), Soloist in Stephen Sondheim 85th Birthday Gala (Theatre Royal Drury Lane), cast in God: The Stephen Sondheim Parody (London Theatre), Amy Thomas in Girlfriends (Union Theatre), Lead Vocalist onboard Holland America Line, and Viv Nicholson in Spend Spend Spend (Bridewell Theatre).  

Corrine won The Stephen Sondheim Student Performer of the Year award and more recently won a What's Onstage Angel award in 2021. Corrine also recorded the critically acclaimed one-woman song-cycle Heart of Winter, available on iTunes and Spotify.  

Website 

Instagram: @corrinepriest @coachingwithcorrine 

🎁 Free Resource: Get your copy of How to Assess the Singer’s Voice with Confidence — a practical guide to help you understand what’s going on in any singer’s voice.  >>> DOWNLOAD HERE

At BAST Training, we help singers turn their experience into a meaningful teaching career. Building the confidence, knowledge, and real-world skills to teach with confidence, clarity, and compassion.

“The BAST Advanced Foundation has given me more than the tools I need to teach — it’s given me confidence, a community, and a future.” Jess McGlinchey, UK

Start with the foundations >>> ENROL NOW

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What if performance anxiety isn’t just about what happens on stage? In this episode, Alexa is joined by performance rehabilitation coach and PhD researcher Mel Toy to dig beneath the surface of music performance anxiety. They unpack the surprising factors that can shape anxiety, why common advice doesn’t always help, and how singers and teachers can approach performance with more curiosity, compassion and individuality. They also discuss the surprising impact of noise, sleep and everyday life and why anxiety isn’t always easy to spot. A thought-provoking conversation for singing teachers and performers that challenges some common assumptions about anxiety and performance.  

WHAT’S IN THIS PODCAST?  

2:05 ‘Music Performance Anxiety’ as a social anxiety disorder  

8:52 Creating well-being environments for learning 

12:40 A note on cognitive reframing  

24:52 Anxiety contributors  

31:16 Spotting anxiety 

35:05: Stress and progress   

46:30 What about when it’s the teacher who is anxious?  

51:23 Mel’s research 

About the presenter HERE

RELEVANT MENTIONS & LINKS 

Singer & the Self 

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.271 Singer & the Self: Rethinking Singing Teacher CPD with Becky Gilhespie 

Cat Ogden  

The Singer’s Guide Podcast by Tessa Smith - Trust the Process: Alexa Terry on Unfinished Sounds and Developing Your Voice  

This is your Brain on Food by Dr Uma Naidoo 

Wendy Parr 

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.94 Developing The Singer Into an Artist with Wendy Parr 

Lydia Hart 

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.277 Identity, Self-Worth and Burnout in the Performing Arts with Claire Cannon 

ABOUT THE GUEST 

Mel Toy is an experienced voice and performance coach, voice massage practitioner, and vocal health specialist dedicated to empowering artists and performers to unlock their creative potential. With a holistic approach that integrates tailored technical exercises, artistic development, and rehabilitative techniques, Mel works to help clients overcome both physiological and psychological challenges, fostering their creative freedom and promoting vocal wellbeing. 

In addition to her client-focused work, Mel is a seasoned lecturer in voice and contemporary performance. Since 2018, she has taught at leading institutions, including the British Institute of Modern Music (BIMM Institute London), the Voice Study Centre, and the Eastern Institute of Technology (Hawke's Bay). Through these roles, Mel has guided singers and musicians in developing their vocal technique, performance health, collaborative songwriting, and career strategies. She also supervises undergraduate and Master's theses and serves as a reviewer for the Sages Music and Science Journal. As part of her international teaching experience, Mel has contributed to the European Vocal Camp and joined the team in 2025 for the launch of their Asia-Pacific camp. 

Mel is a certified Vocal Coach through the Institute of Vocal Advancement and Modern Vocal Training, as well as a Vocal Health Habilitation Practitioner with Vocal Health Education. She has also delivered masterclasses on Music Performance Anxiety, Performance Psychology, and Vocal Massage to global audiences, helping vocal coaches, singing teachers, and other support practitioners better assist their clients in managing performance-related stress and anxiety. 

In addition to her vocal techniques education, Mel is a researcher and academic, holding a BA Hons in Creative Musicianship and an MSc Psychology. She is currently undertaking doctoral research through the Department of Culture, Communication, and Media with University College London’s Institute of Education, investigating the ongoing implications of music performance anxiety on the wellbeing of contemporary singers. 

Website 

Social Media: @meltoyvocalcoach 

🎁 Free Resource: Get your copy of How to Assess the Singer’s Voice with Confidence — a practical guide to help you understand what’s going on in any singer’s voice.  >>> DOWNLOAD HERE

At BAST Training, we help singers turn their experience into a meaningful teaching career. Building the confidence, knowledge, and real-world skills to teach with confidence, clarity, and compassion.

“The BAST Advanced Foundation has given me more than the tools I need to teach — it’s given me confidence, a community, and a future.” Jess McGlinchey, UK

Start with the foundations >>> ENROL NOW

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What does it really take to build a sustainable career as a performer? In this episode, Alexa is joined by performer and vocal coach Chris Killik for a warm, funny and refreshingly candid conversation about life in the performing arts. From memorable auditions and unexpected career opportunities to versatility, vocal health and the lessons that only come from experience, Chris shares stories from a career spanning musical theatre, Shakespeare, television and stages across Europe. They also explore how our priorities can shift over time, what it means to truly understand your voice, and why sometimes the most important career moments are the ones you never planned for. 

WHAT’S IN THIS PODCAST?  

0:44 What makes a good audition experience?  

1:44 Auditions gone wrong 

5:49 Chris’ journey into performing arts  

9:29 What did higher education not teach you? 

11:45 What does it mean to be versatile?  

16:28 The vocal crash 

26:57 Performing in the UK Vs Europe  

31:16 Setting up The Educated Voice 

35:30 Performing and being a Dad 

38:20 The remainder of 2026 

About the presenter HERE

RELEVANT MENTIONS & LINKS 

Royal Academy of Music 

Mary Hammond 

Jack Shepherd  

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.112 Helping Musical Theatre Singers Build a Reliable ToolboxPhysio Ed 

Chris Johnson Vocal Coach 

Jeremy Ryan Mossman 

Tom Burke 

Anne Marie Speed 

Maureen Scott  

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.241 Is Your Pelvic Floor Affecting Your Voice? A Deep Dive 

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.263 The Creative Juggler: Singer, Songwriter and Teacher  

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.197 Backing Adele and Beyond: The Art and Craft of Backing Vocals  

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep. Ep.69 Understanding Pregnancy for the Singer and the Self-Employed  

Associated Studios  

ABOUT THE GUEST 

Theatre credits include:Freddie Mercury inFriday Night Fever!(O2 Arena);Wish You Were Dead(National Tour);How to Build a Better Tulipand Return to the Forbidden Planet(Upstairs at the Gatehouse); Redemption Roomand Iconfidant(Online);Andrew Lloyd Webber Gala(European Tour);Twelfth Night, A Midsummer Night's Dreamand Much Ado About Nothing(Park Theatre); The Wind in the Willows(Kew Gardens); Private Lives(Playhouse Theatre, Stockholm); Chicago(City Theatre Stockholm);Jesus Christ Superstar(Turku City Theatre, Finland); The Hired Man(Old Laundry Theatre, Windermere); Love Story(Duchess Theatre); Ash(Arcola Theatre);Sail Away(Lost Musicals, Lilian Baylis Theatre, Sadler's Wells); Closer Than Ever(Cheltenham Playhouse); Closer(Helsinki Fringe) and Merrie England(Finborough Theatre). 

Concert credits include:Backing Singer for Elton John's Concert for Diana(Wembley Stadium) and Chess in Concert(Royal Albert Hall). 

Recording credits include:12 Tenors; Love Story(the musical); and his own original music, of which his debut song 'Who Will You Burn For?' reached no. 3 in the iTunes charts. 

Vocal Coaching 

Alongside performing, Christopher is a vocal coach who has studied a wide range of vocal methodologies over the years, weaving together the best of each into a rich, multifaceted approach to teaching singing. He previously founded The Educated Voice, a company that ran five-day intensive courses across Scandinavia, bringing over top West End vocal teachers to deliver cutting-edge training in voice technique to international students. He now runs his own vocal coaching practice from his studio in Walthamstow, London.  

Website 

Instagram: @christopherkillik 

🎁 Free Resource: Get your copy of How to Assess the Singer’s Voice with Confidence — a practical guide to help you understand what’s going on in any singer’s voice.  >>> DOWNLOAD HERE

At BAST Training, we help singers turn their experience into a meaningful teaching career. Building the confidence, knowledge, and real-world skills to teach with confidence, clarity, and compassion.

“The BAST Advanced Foundation has given me more than the tools I need to teach — it’s given me confidence, a community, and a future.” Jess McGlinchey, UK

Start with the foundations >>> ENROL NOW

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What’s the story behind one of the best-known vocal products on the market? In this episode, Alexa is joined by Maria and George from Vocalzone to uncover the fascinating history behind the century-old family business, and why its distinctive pastilles have become a backstage staple for performers around the world, including Tom Jones, Katherine Jenkins and Michael Ball.  

They also get into some of the debates that have divided singers and singing teachers over the years- including the ever-contentious question of menthol - tackling myths, misconceptions and strongly held opinions around vocal care. Expect fascinating history, practical insight and plenty of brilliant behind-the-scenes stories along the way. 

WHAT’S IN THIS PODCAST?  

1:55 The history of Vocalzone 

5:37 What’s it like working with family?  

7:45 What are the Vocalzone products?  

11:32 Safety checks 

16:54 What do Vocalzone products actually do?  

23:34 The menthol argument 

28:10 The other ingredients: myrrh tincture & peppermint oil 

31:46 How to properly use the Vocalzone pastilles  

38:07 What should singing teachers understand about Vocalzone?  

About the presenter HERE

RELEVANT MENTIONS & LINKS 

Vocalzone, Saviours or Destroyers?  

Line Hilton  

ABOUT THE GUEST 

Vocalzone is a vocal care brand with a history stretching back more than a century. Originally formulated in 1907 by William Lloyd for legendary Italian tenor Enrico Caruso, Vocalzone’s distinctive throat pastilles first went on sale in 1912 and have since become a familiar part of the toolkit for singers and professional voice users around the world. 

Today, Vocalzone produces a range of pastilles, teas and throat spray designed to support hardworking voices, utilised by everyone from singers and actors to broadcasters, teachers and public speakers. With its roots firmly in the performing arts, the brand continues to combine its remarkable heritage with a focus on the needs of modern voice users. 

Website 

Social Media: @vocalzonehq 

🎁 Free Resource: Get your copy of How to Assess the Singer’s Voice with Confidence — a practical guide to help you understand what’s going on in any singer’s voice.  >>> DOWNLOAD HERE

At BAST Training, we help singers turn their experience into a meaningful teaching career. Building the confidence, knowledge, and real-world skills to teach with confidence, clarity, and compassion.

“The BAST Advanced Foundation has given me more than the tools I need to teach — it’s given me confidence, a community, and a future.” Jess McGlinchey, UK

Start with the foundations >>> ENROL NOW

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What happens when being a singer becomes more than what you do, and starts to define who you are? In this episode, Alexa is joined by vocal coach Claire Cannon to explore the connection between burnout, identity and life in the performing arts. They unpack the idea of identity foreclosure, the pressures of tying self-worth to success, and why burnout is about far more than simply feeling tired. From external validation and industry expectations to the importance of developing a sense of self beyond your work, this conversation offers plenty to reflect on for singers, teachers and anyone whose passion has become their profession. 

WHAT’S IN THIS PODCAST?  

3:04 What is burnout?  

12:29 Burnout and the self-employed  

19:41 Identity foreclosure  

26:01 How long does it take to feel burnt out? 

29:31 Language and identity  

38:15 Burnout and peer pressure 

About the presenter HERE

RELEVANT MENTIONS & LINKS 

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.72 Become a Vocology in Practice Authorised Teacher with Claire Cannon & Kaya Herstad Carney 

Vocology in Practice 

Mental Health UK Burnout Report 2026 

ABOUT THE GUEST 

Claire Cannon is a professional vocal coach, mentor and performer based in Cheshire, UK, working with aspiring and professional singers both in person and online. 

A graduate of the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA), Claire holds a Diploma in Song and a Degree in Performing Arts (Music). She began her teaching journey with BAST in 2014 and has continued to develop her expertise in vocal pedagogy, achieving a Certification in Contemporary Vocal Coaching, becoming a Vocology in Practice (ViP) Authorized Instructor, Vocal Health First Aider and Mental Health Informed Practitioner. She also holds a Level 2 qualification in counselling and a master’s degree in Vocal Pedagogy, specialising in efficient, evidence-based approaches to vocal health and occupational wellness. 

Alongside her coaching, Claire brings more than two decades of professional experience across live performance and session work. Her professional credits include multiple single releases as lead vocalist and co-writer for electronic dance group ‘Flip & Fill’, as well as recording the female vocals for the Emerald Storm international tour. 

Through her private studio, Claire Cannon Voice, and her work in higher education, she specialises in developing healthy, resilient and authentic voices that can meet the demands of a career in the music industry. Claire has a particular passion for musical theatre and enjoys working with performers on repertoire selection and audition prep. 

Claire’s approach considers the whole performer, combining vocal technique with wellbeing, psychology and artistry. She believes effective coaching should help singers not only develop their voices, but also understand their instrument, build confidence and develop an authentic identity that can support them throughout their careers. 

Website 

Social Media: @clairecannonvoice 

🎁 Free Resource: Get your copy of How to Assess the Singer’s Voice with Confidence — a practical guide to help you understand what’s going on in any singer’s voice.  >>> DOWNLOAD HERE

At BAST Training, we help singers turn their experience into a meaningful teaching career. Building the confidence, knowledge, and real-world skills to teach with confidence, clarity, and compassion.

“The BAST Advanced Foundation has given me more than the tools I need to teach — it’s given me confidence, a community, and a future.” Jess McGlinchey, UK

Start with the foundations >>> ENROL NOW

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What’s really happening inside the larynx when we sing? In this fascinating episode, Alexa is joined by laryngologist and singer Dr Jennifer Rodney - aka Singing Surgeon MD - for a rare look inside the voice in action. From vocal registers and tension to vibrato, breathiness, vocal fry and more, Jennifer brings vocal anatomy to life - and even scopes herself live to show us what’s happening in real time. Whether you’re a singer, voice teacher or simply fascinated by how the voice works, this is an episode you won’t want to miss. Listen to the full episode, or head over to YouTube to watch the live demonstrations.  

WHAT’S IN THIS PODCAST?  

3:19 Who does Dr Jennifer Rodney see in her clinic?  

5:44 The difference between rigid and flexi laryngoscopy  

7:46 Does flexi laryngoscopy hurt? 

10:51 Live scope! 

42:26 Why can some people sing well when others cannot? 

44:36 Does ‘everyone’ have a laryngeal abnormality? 

46:33 What does Dr Jennifer wish singers knew more about? 

About the presenter HERE

RELEVANT MENTIONS & LINKS 

Sin City Laryngology 

Jennifer’s Laryngeal Karaoke 

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep. With Nick Gibbins 

Vanderbilt University Medical Center 

Baylor Scott & White Health 

ABOUT THE GUEST 

Dr. Rodney grew up in Saint Petersburg, FL, and has sung professionally throughout her life. Her background in music led her to become a laryngologist. Dr. Rodney’s practice welcomes patients with voice, airway, and swallowing disorders. Her areas of expertise include medical and surgical care of disorders that affect the voice, professional voice, benign and malignant laryngeal lesions, and vocal cord paralysis. Dr. Rodney also has expertise in neurolaryngological disorders, such as spasmodic dysphonia. She works collaboratively with speech-language pathologists in The Voice Center to provide multidisciplinary care. She also enjoys training young physicians and has published many articles in the field of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery. In her spare time, Dr. Rodney enjoys singing, attending live performances, kayaking, traveling with her husband and spending time with her children. 

Social Media: @singingsurgeonmd 

🎁 Free Resource: Get your copy of How to Assess the Singer’s Voice with Confidence — a practical guide to help you understand what’s going on in any singer’s voice.  >>> DOWNLOAD HERE

At BAST Training, we help singers turn their experience into a meaningful teaching career. Building the confidence, knowledge, and real-world skills to teach with confidence, clarity, and compassion.

“The BAST Advanced Foundation has given me more than the tools I need to teach — it’s given me confidence, a community, and a future.” Jess McGlinchey, UK

Start with the foundations >>> ENROL NOW

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As September rolls around and a new academic year begins, Alexa reflects on what it means to return to singing, teaching and learning with a fresh perspective. She shares some gentle reminders for singers and singing teachers alike about progress, curiosity, collaboration and being a little kinder to ourselves and each other along the way. 

Whether you’re heading back into the studio, starting something completely new, or simply wondering what you want to take into the new academic year ahead, this episode is an encouraging listen to help you step into September feeling inspired, grounded and ready for what’s next. 

About the presenter HERE

RELEVANT MENTIONS & LINKS 

Lori Sonnenberg  

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.199 The Truth About Muscle Tension Dysphonia 

Line Hilton 

Gemma Sugrue 

ABOUT THE GUEST 

Alexa is the Deputy Head of Singing at one of the UK’s leading performing arts schools - Italia Conti, and she also runs a private singing tuition practice in the South of England. In addition, Alexa is the host of BAST Training’s Singing Teachers Talk podcast, and acts as both unit tutor and mentor for their level 5 vocational singing teaching qualification, as well as mentoring on their foundation course.[Text Wrapping Break][Text Wrapping Break]After graduating with a BA Musical Theatre degree, Alexa Terry donned her sailor’s cap and performed as a lead soloist on cruise ships travelling the Mediterranean, Caribbean and Baltic seas. She trod the boards in London’s West End as the protagonist in a new Musical Theatre project, studied as a librettist with Book, Music and Lyrics (BML), and has written for the likes of BritishTheatre.comas a reviewer. Alexa has also presented on topics of Musical Theatre repertoire, authentic Musical Theatre performance, and imposter syndrome for Vocology in Practice and The Sing Space; and at the BAST Intensive Weekend of Summer 2026, Alexa delivered talks in diagnosing and assessing voices and choosing repertoire to build technique. 

Website 

Instagram: @AlexaTerryVocalCoaching  

🎁 Free Resource: Get your copy of How to Assess the Singer’s Voice with Confidence — a practical guide to help you understand what’s going on in any singer’s voice.  >>> DOWNLOAD HERE

At BAST Training, we help singers turn their experience into a meaningful teaching career. Building the confidence, knowledge, and real-world skills to teach with confidence, clarity, and compassion.

“The BAST Advanced Foundation has given me more than the tools I need to teach — it’s given me confidence, a community, and a future.” Jess McGlinchey, UK

Start with the foundations >>> ENROL NOW

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In this episode, Alexa and Line take a closer look at the familiar idea of the singer as a ‘vocal athlete’. Drawing on examples from across the performing arts, they explore what the comparison can teach us about the demands placed on singers, and where it might not tell the whole story. From training and performance to vocal health and wellbeing, this conversation invites us to think differently about what singers ask of their voices and bodies, and how we can better support them along the way. 

WHAT’S IN THIS PODCAST? 

0:24 When did you first hear the term ‘vocal athlete?’ 

3:36 The definition of ‘athlete’ and where it holds up for singers 

11:46 Where does the analogy fall down? 

25:37 A language debate 

30:50 The future of the term ‘vocal athlete?’  

About the presenter HERE

RELEVANT MENTIONS & LINKS   

Line Hilton  

The Vocal Athlete by Marci Daniels Rosenberg & Wendy D. LeBorgne  

The Singing Athlete by Andrew Byrne 

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.232 The Vocal Athlete: Inside Touring Life with Mindy Pack 

Denosh Bennet 

Rob Stevenson 

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.81 Teaching Famous Voices with Robert ‘RAab’ Stevenson 

Sport In Art with Jan Sebastian Tomsa 

Line’s substack article  

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.150 Part Two: Finding the Best Posture and Alignment for Singing with Jennie Morton 

Singing Teachers Talk Ep.61 Measuring Vocal Load in Contemporary Musical Theatre 

Dr Steven Zeitels  

🎁 Free Resource: Get your copy of How to Assess the Singer’s Voice with Confidence — a practical guide to help you understand what’s going on in any singer’s voice.  >>> DOWNLOAD HERE

At BAST Training, we help singers turn their experience into a meaningful teaching career. Building the confidence, knowledge, and real-world skills to teach with confidence, clarity, and compassion.

“The BAST Advanced Foundation has given me more than the tools I need to teach — it’s given me confidence, a community, and a future.” Jess McGlinchey, UK

Start with the foundations >>> ENROL NOW

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What if the ‘right’ song could help bridge the gap between vocal exercises and repertoire? In this episode, Alexa explores how snippets of songs can become useful technical stepping stones. Discover how to analyse repertoire for its vocal demands, identify opportunities for skill-building, and weave them into your lessons so that the singer is always ‘singing.’  

About the presenter HERE

RELEVANT MENTIONS & LINKS 

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.205 10 Songs to Inspire Your Singing Lessons 

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.210 10 Songs to Celebrate Pride in Your Studio 

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.212 10 Songs to Find Your Pop Style 

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.219 10 Songs for Male Contemporary Musical Theatre Singers 

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.223 10 Songs for Child Singers  

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.251 10 Songs for Tween Girls  

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.258 10 Plus ‘Legit’ Songs for Musical Theatre Singers  

Ben Platt 

Listen to Run Away by Ben Platt HERE 

Ultimate Guitar Tab 

ABOUT THE GUEST 

Alexa runs a singing tuition practice in the South of England, and is a singing tutor at one of the UK’s leading performing arts schools – Italia Conti, where she also regularly panels auditions and assessments. Alexa is the host of the BAST Training Singing Teachers Talk podcast, mentors for the BAST Training Level 5 qualification, and has presented on topics of Musical Theatre repertoire, authentic Musical Theatre performance, and imposter syndrome for Vocology in Practise and The Sing Space.  

SEE FULL BIO HERE (Add link to the podcast website page) 

Website 

Instagram: @AlexaTerryVocalCoaching  

🎁 Free Resource: Get your copy of How to Assess the Singer’s Voice with Confidence — a practical guide to help you understand what’s going on in any singer’s voice.  >>> DOWNLOAD HERE

At BAST Training, we help singers turn their experience into a meaningful teaching career. Building the confidence, knowledge, and real-world skills to teach with confidence, clarity, and compassion.

“The BAST Advanced Foundation has given me more than the tools I need to teach — it’s given me confidence, a community, and a future.” Jess McGlinchey, UK

Start with the foundations >>> ENROL NOW

basttraining.com | Stay Updated