Today Alexa is joined by a singer and voice coach who was the first artist to perform at London’s O2 Arena. She has taught music to more than 4,000 children and has worked on ITV’s The Voice Kids. In 2019 she was awarded an MA from the Voice Study Centre where her work focused on the benefits of singing and songwriting on mental health. Author of The Creative Songwriting Journal and If You Can’t Say It Sing It! Sophie Garner is on Singing Teachers Talk. 

KEY MOMENTS

‘It enables people to literally have a voice’ 

‘I love the work. I’d do it even if I wasn’t being paid’ 

‘You’re only a really good teacher if you can teach something in its simplest terms’ 

RELEVANT LINKS & MENTIONS

• Lean Fall Stand by Jon McGregor 
• Mental Health First Aid England: mhfaengland.org
• Teaching Singing to Children and Young Adults by Dr Jenevora Williams 
• The Young Musician’s Guide to Songwriting by Lisa Donovan Lukas
• Songwriting Without Boundaries by Pat Pattison 
• The Theory and Practice of Vocal Psychotherapy by Diane Austin
• Recovery of Your Inner Child by Lucia Capacchione 
• The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

ABOUT THE GUEST

Sophie began her career upon leaving school as an actress, training with The National Youth Theatre of Great Britain where she worked with Matt Lucas (Great British Bake Off and Les Misérables). Deciding her singing was her first love, she set out on a path focused on music. Her professional singing career has seen a great deal of experience. She was the very first artist to play London’s iconic O2 Arena! She has been a vocal coach for ITV’s The Voice Kids, taught music to 4,000+ kids, runs four adult choirs and is a specialist in working with brain injury and dementia through singing on a weekly basis for Headway and various specialist neurology care units. Sophie graduated in 2019 from Voice Study with her Master’s degree (distinction) in her expert area: the benefits of singing and songwriting on well-being and mental health.

Sophie is also a public speaker and mentor for young adults, providing songwriting workshops, teacher training and presentations across the UK.

EPISODE RESOURCES 

Guest Website:

• www.sophiegarner.com
• www.thecreativesongwritingjournal.com

Social Media: 

• Instagram: @sophie.garner

Contact Email:

• [email protected]

BAST Training helps singers gain the confidence, knowledge, skills & understanding required to be a successful singing teacher.

"The course was everything I hoped it would be and so much more. It's an investment with so much return. I would recommend this course to any teacher wanting to up-skill, refresh or start up." Kelly Taylor, NZ ...more

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Alexa is joined on Singing Teachers Talk this week by osteopath and former ballet dancer and singer, Jennie Morton. Jennie works as a performance coach for singers and actors, focusing on anatomical efficiency, the embodiment of artistry, movement education and rehabilitation from vocal injury. She is here to tell you how you can elevate your performance through your anatomy. 

KEY MOMENTS

‘We call instrumental musicians the athletes of the small muscles’ 

‘People’s bodies actually develop around the instrument’ 

‘Your body is an organic instrument’ 

‘The body ideally has equal tone on the right and left’

RELEVANT LINKS & MENTIONS

• Singing Teachers Talk Podcast - Ep.40 Integrated Skills: Teaching Singing to Dancers with Jennie Morton
• Masters Degree in Performing Arts Medicine at University College London
• Chris JohnsonVocal Coach
• Singing With Your Whole Self by Samuel H. Nelson and Elizabeth L. Blades
• BAST Training Membership

ABOUT THE GUEST

 After a long performing career as a ballet dancer, West End musical theatre performer, and lead singer of a London big band, Jennie is now a clinical osteopath specialising in the field of Performing Arts Medicine. She provides treatment for musculoskeletal, neurobiological, and psycho-physiological issues from her base in Los Angeles. She also works as a performance coach for singers and actors, focusing on anatomical efficiency, the embodiment of artistry, movement education, and rehabilitation from vocal injury. Jennie co-created the MSc in Performing Arts Medicine at University College, London, and lectures internationally to artists, arts educators, and healthcare professionals on the subject of performance-related injuries. She is the author of three books: The Authentic Performer: Wearing A Mask And The Effect On Health; The Embodied Dancer: A Guide To Optimal Performance; and Dancing Longer, Dancing Stronger. Her website www.jenniemorton.com contains many of her published articles and educational resources, as well as links to her online courses on a range of health topics.

EPISODE RESOURCES 

Guest Website:
jenniemorton.com

Social Media:
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@jenniemorton9317

Contact:
[email protected]

BAST Training helps singers gain the confidence, knowledge, skills & understanding required to be a successful singing teacher.

"The course was everything I hoped it would be and so much more. It's an investment with so much return. I would recommend this course to any teacher wanting to up-skill, refresh or start up." Kelly Taylor, NZ ...more

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Today Alexa is joined by a singer-songwriter, speech pathologist and voice rehabilitation specialist. She's also the author of Everyday Voice Care: The Lifestyle Guide for Singers and Talkers, with other publication credits including the Journal of Voice and Voice and Speech Review. Joanna Cazden is on Singing Teachers Talk to tell you how you can help your singers maintain a vocally healthy lifestyle.  

KEY MOMENTS

‘I was afraid to tell anyone about it. I had no clue what was going on. I had no idea of going to a doctor’

‘Contradiction is part of the health journey’

‘That system is designed by survival to be out of mind and unconscious’

‘We're balancing this seesaw of considering vocal health, but also not becoming neurotic’

EPISODE RESOURCES 

Guest Website
joannacazden.com

Social Media
Youtube

Book Link - Everyday Voice Care: The Lifestyle Guide for Singers and Talkers by Joanna Cazden:

Hal Leonard

Amazon

RELEVANT LINKS & MENTIONS

• Vocal Health Education
• Homunculus
• American Speech-Language Hearing Association: asha.org
• Brain, Mind and Voice Therapy by Joanna Cazden at the ASHA Convention (2017)
• Mirroring People: The New Science of How We Connect with Others by Marco Lacoboni 
• Joanna Cazden’s talk on Empathy and Self-Care for The Voice Foundation
• Musicophilia by Oliver Sacks
• Kate Devore
• The Vocal Pitstop: Keeping Your Voice on Track by Adam D Rubin MD

ABOUT THE GUEST

Joanna Cazden is a voice rehabilitation specialist, singer-songwriter, and educator in Santa Cruz CA, recently retired from the Voice Clinic at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, where she was senior speech pathologist for 18 years. Her book Everyday Voice Care: The Lifestyle Guide for Singers and Talkers (Hal Leonard, 2012) is widely used in vocal performance and pedagogy programs, and her lectures to national and international groups are regularly praised for her ability to bridge medical, artistic, and humanistic points of view. Other publication credits include the Journal of Voice, Voice and Speech Review, and numerous music magazines and guest blogs.
Joanna toured widely in the feminist-folk circuits of the 1970s-80s, released six solo albums, and continues to perform with local folk, jazz, and chamber ensembles. In addition to her music

BAST Training helps singers gain the confidence, knowledge, skills & understanding required to be a successful singing teacher.

"The course was everything I hoped it would be and so much more. It's an investment with so much return. I would recommend this course to any teacher wanting to up-skill, refresh or start up." Kelly Taylor, NZ ...more

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Joining Alexa on this week's episode is a musician, university professor and founder of Creative SEO. She manages her own music studio and helps musicians to create their own paid opportunities to live the life that they deserve. Dr Tonya Lawson is on Singing Teachers Talk to tell you how you can improve your SEO and earn passive income.  

KEY MOMENTS

‘Now I don't worry when I have a student cancel. Instead, I'm like, hey, I have extra time in my day now’

‘Passive income takes time. There is no get rich quick’

‘You have to do what feels intuitive to you, what feels natural to you. If you've always enjoyed writing, do that. If you feel really comfortable on camera, then courses’

‘A lot of creatives, they've heard about seo, but they don't even know what it is’ 

RELEVANT LINKS & MENTIONS

• Amazon Associates: https://affiliate-program.amazon.co.uk/
• Sheet Music Plus Affiliate Program: https://affiliates.sheetmusicplus.com/affiliates
• Blog - The Best Clarinet Mouthpiece for Beginners, Intermediate, and Advanced Players: https://www.tonyalawson.com/best-clarinet-mouthpiece/
• Jasper AI: https://www.jasper.ai/
• Grammarly: https://www.grammarly.com/
• John Mueller Twitter: https://twitter.com/johnmu
• Yoast: https://yoast.com/wordpress/plugins/seo/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAiJSeBhCCARIsAHnAzT_xoowZ9e3QH5e_OfWTV1PK8EpY9_3svgqWzfdy6wdBMzSKx3kj4NYaArXoEALw_wcB
• Search Engine Journal: https://www.searchenginejournal.com/
• Search Engine Roundtable: https://www.seroundtable.com/

ABOUT THE GUEST

Dr Tonya Lawson is a professional clarinettist turned SEO specialist who specialises in helping freelance creatives build out passive income streams so they can live the life they deserve. 

Not only is Dr Lawson a professor at Middle Tennessee State University, but she also maintains a large private studio, runs 2 niche websites, and creates digital courses that provide musicians with the knowledge they need in order to have sustainable and profitable businesses.

EPISODE RESOURCES 

Guest Website:

• https://tonyalawson.com/

SEO Membership: 

• https://tonyalawson.com/creative-seo/

Social Media: 

• Instagram: @dr.tonyalawson
• Youtube

BAST Training helps singers gain the confidence, knowledge, skills & understanding required to be a successful singing teacher.

"The course was everything I hoped it would be and so much more. It's an investment with so much return. I would recommend this course to any teacher wanting to up-skill, refresh or start up." Kelly Taylor, NZ ...more

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Our guest today is best known as The Holistic Artist Coach and the founder of the Parr Method, and she's on a mission to empower artists to create a career that they love. With over 20 years experience in the industry, Wendy Parr has created a development pathway to assist artists in defining and elevating their skills as well as embracing their authenticity for true connection through music.

KEY MOMENTS

‘Now let's start doing it the way it feels good to you’

‘I want to help people get back the freedom of that three year old, seven year old, 15 year old self’

‘My goal is to empower artists to have tools and insights and processes to shrink that time period and to spend less time wandering and wondering’

‘I'm breathing through this song instead of making sure I hit the marks’

RELEVANT LINKS & MENTIONS

• Alec Chambers - Dark Can Be Beautiful: https://youtu.be/tjWdj1_d16E
• Allie Moss: https://www.alliemoss.com/
• Singing Teachers Talk Podcast - Ep. 43 Vulnerability, Individuality and Technology: The Songwriting Journey with Allie Moss: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4UyFlWqus2SeZDeJUJ5Trb?si=51b69d593c8a46f8
• Book - Nobody Ever Asked Me About the Girls: Women, Music and Fame by Lisa Robinson
• Facebook Group - The Parr Pack: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theparrpack/

ABOUT THE GUEST

A multi-hyphenate artist, educator, and networking magician, Wendy Parr is best known as The Holistic Artist Coach. With 20+ years in the entertainment industry, her mission is to empower artists to define their artistic purpose and create a career they love. As founder of The Parr Method, Wendy has turned her processes + coaching into an incredible Artist Development Pathway through online courses and private sessions. Whether it's through 1:1 coaching or leading artists through her flagship artist development course, Compass, her processes + ideology help creatives elevate their skills and foster authentic connections with each other.

EPISODE RESOURCES 

Guest Website:

• www.wendyparr.com

Social Media: 

• Instagram: instagram.com/wendyparr

BAST Training helps singers gain the confidence, knowledge, skills & understanding required to be a successful singing teacher.

"The course was everything I hoped it would be and so much more. It's an investment with so much return. I would recommend this course to any teacher wanting to up-skill, refresh or start up." Kelly Taylor, NZ ...more

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Today Alexa is joined by Erin Ross, Strategic Communications Specialist with the popular business management software platform My Music Staff. Erin is on Singing Teachers Talk to tell you how you can organise your studio business. You’ll also find a special offer for a 60-day free trial just for podcast listeners in the links below. 

KEY MOMENTS

‘It gives you time to actually focus on what you enjoy doing’ 

‘How can we improve the experience so that as a teacher or as a studio owner, you're not spending all of your time outside of lessons handling more administrative tasks’

‘Now the world is so fast paced, everyone's on the go. We find there's been such an increase in people working on their phones,

RELEVANT LINKS & MENTIONS

• My Music Staff Trial Deal: Sign up for a special 60-day free trial today at mymusicstaff.com/singing-teachers-talk
• Singing Teachers Talk Podcast - Ep.92 How to be Resilient in 2023 with Line Hilton: https://linktr.ee/basttraining?utm_source
• Duet Partner: https://duetpartner.com/
• Website builders mentioned: Wix; Squarespace; Wordpress
• My Music Staff Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Mymusicstaff

ABOUT THE GUEST

Erin Ross is the Strategic Communications Specialist at My Music Staff, the #1 business management software for private music teachers and music studios. She oversees social media, partnerships, trade shows, and, well... anything with words! She loves to find new, creative ways to help music teachers learn more about how My Music Staff can help manage their students, organise their calendar, automate online payments, and much, much more!

EPISODE RESOURCES 

Guest Website:

• mymusicstaff.com

Social Media:

• Instagram: @mymusicstaffapp
• Private Facebook Group: @MyMusicStaffCommunity

BAST Training helps singers gain the confidence, knowledge, skills & understanding required to be a successful singing teacher.

"The course was everything I hoped it would be and so much more. It's an investment with so much return. I would recommend this course to any teacher wanting to up-skill, refresh or start up." Kelly Taylor, NZ ...more

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Happy New Year! January is usually the time when we set resolutions for the year, but let’s face it, most of us aren’t going to see them through a couple of weeks, let alone a whole year. So this week on Singing Teachers Talk, Alexa and BAST founder Line Hilton discuss how to be more resilient in 2023, how you can improve resilience in your students, and what you can put in place to make sure you achieve your goals.

KEY MOMENTS

‘We have the resolution, but we don't put a plan in place or have support.’

‘Physical things are just a little bit more obvious than with mental low resilience’

‘The singing teacher quite often is privy to a lot of stuff that other people are not in that person's life’

RELEVANT LINKS & MENTIONS

• Singing Teachers Talk Podcast - Ep. 32 The Bio-Psycho-Social Model with Stephen King: https://linktr.ee/basttraining?utm_source
• Duncan Rock: https://duncanrocknutrition.com/
• Rock On Ruby (slogan clothing): https://rockonruby.co.uk/?gclid=Cj0KCQiA7bucBhCeARIsAIOwr-8qNWJZranfBEK3TqAmO02l_ujYUkszuAWssDHgxhcZd2Z7HFgkjVgaAiQzEALw_wcB
• Marisa Peer: com
• Mel Robbins: com
• Instagram: @linehilton
• British Association for Performing Arts Medicine (BAPAM): https://www.bapam.org.uk/
• Dr Mark Hyman: https://drhyman.com/
• Dr Rangan Chatterjee: https://drchatterjee.com/
• Mind Charity: org.uk
• Help Musicians: https://www.helpmusicians.org.uk/
• Mindset by Carol S. Dweck
• Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker
• Insight Timer App
• The Chimp Paradox by Professor Steve Peters
• Singing Teachers Talk Podcast - Ep. 33 The Chimp Paradox by Professor Steve Peters Book Review: https://open.spotify.com/episode/05XH8aZkXCrSq4rKsLIwCs?si=366951a969514cb4
• The High Five Habit by Mel Robbins
• Norman Doidge: https://www.normandoidge.com/
• The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks
• Lifetime by Russell Foster

 
EPISODE RESOURCES 

Guest Website:

• basttraining.com

Social Media:

• @basttraining

BAST Training helps singers gain the confidence, knowledge, skills & understanding required to be a successful singing teacher.

"The course was everything I hoped it would be and so much more. It's an investment with so much return. I would recommend this course to any teacher wanting to up-skill, refresh or start up." Kelly Taylor, NZ ...more

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Joining Alexa today on Singing Teachers Talk is the Head Tutor of Singing at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts, Michael Vickers. The experienced teacher, who also works in private practice with aspiring and professional performers, is here to talk about preparing singers for drama school auditions. 

KEY MOMENTS

‘There are things I started teaching differently after having seen how panels work'

'Go to the website and constantly check what they're looking for'

'Be flexible in that moment. Whatever they ask, dive in and try it'

RELEVANT LINKS & MENTIONS 

• Italia Conti: italiaconti.com
• NATS Rubric Video 2018 Final with Matt Edwards: https://youtu.be/42lTQYJXxTY
• Singing Teachers Talk Podcast - Ep. 89 How to Teach Musical Theatre Styles Successfully with Dr Matt Edwards: https://linktr.ee/basttraining?utm_source
• Mix Registration by Ingo Titze: https://vocology.utah.edu/_resources/documents/mixed_registration_titze.pdf
• Linda Hutchison: https://www.bapam.org.uk/practitioner-search/miss-linda-hutchison/
• Lewisham Voice Clinic: https://www.lewishamandgreenwich.nhs.uk/voice-clinic/
• Singing Teachers Talk Podcast - Ep. 87 How to Manage Allergies and Upper Respiratory Infections with Laryngologist Declan Costello:https://linktr.ee/basttraining?utm_source

ABOUT THE GUEST

Born in Leeds, Michael Vickers is an established singing teacher and educator based in London. He is the Head Tutor of Singing at Italia Conti and additionally works in private practice as a singing teacher with both aspiring and professional performers. His work also encompasses singing voice rehabilitation.

Michael trained at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, where he received his undergraduate degree in Vocal Studies and then his Master's Degree on the school's prestigious Opera Course. Michael's teaching is underpinned by substantial study and teaching experience, and he has been fortunate to learn from a range of world-leading pedagogues and clinicians. Notably, Michael has a significant collaborative relationship with the Voice Clinic at Lewisham Hospital, where he has volunteered weekly since 2018.

EPISODE RESOURCES 

Guest Website:

• www.voiceteacher.co.uk 

Social Media: 

• @michaelvickersvoice

BAST Training helps singers gain the confidence, knowledge, skills & understanding required to be a successful singing teacher.

"The course was everything I hoped it would be and so much more. It's an investment with so much return. I would recommend this course to any teacher wanting to up-skill, refresh or start up." Kelly Taylor, NZ ...more

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Co-authors Lydia Hart and Stephen King are back on the podcast to talk about their recently published book, ‘Help! I’ve Got a Voice Problem’. A book which should belong on every singer and voice user’s bookshelf as well as on display in the voice teacher's studio; so that everyone has the opportunity to understand how voice problems can occur. 

KEY MOMENTS

‘The book is dedicated to everyone without a voice’

‘When framing the journey of voice through a biopsychosocial perspective, all of those questions become clearer’ 

‘I'm fairly confident that the stuff that we have committed to paper has an almost universal truth about it’

EPISODE RESOURCES 

Guest Website:

• voicecarecentre.co.uk 

Social Media:

• @lydiahartvoice

RELEVANT LINKS & MENTIONS

• Stewart Harris
• Sing Like Never Before by Justin Stoney with illustrations by Mark Pate
• VoiceWork: Art and Science in Changing Voices by Christina Shewell
• Lydia Flock
• Singing Teachers Talk Podcast - Ep.32 The Bio-Psycho-Social Model with Stephen King
• Singing Teachers Talk Podcast - Ep.58 Understanding the Speaking Voice with Lydia Hart
• Singing Teachers Talk Podcast: Ep.88 What can be Learned from Teaching 100,000 lessons with Bob Marks
• Help! I’ve Got a Voice Problem book
• Lydia’s contact email: [email protected]
• Stephen’s contact email: [email protected]

ABOUT THE GUESTS

Lydia Hart:

Lydia Hart is a specialist Speech and Language Therapist, working in the field of Voice and Upper Airway. She works with people experiencing difficulties with their speaking or singing voice, or other throat symptoms. Lydia is known for being vibrant, caring and sensitive, taking time to hold a holistic space for clients to explore and improve their symptoms. Lydia is also a singer, and voice therapy – which ultimately means working with a person, not a diagnosis – is a true vocation for her.

Alongside her work at Voice Care Centre, Lydia works for the NHS including the Joint Voice Clinic at Wexham Park Hospital, with leading laryngologist Declan Costello. This involves assessment and management of a range of voice disorders, from muscle tension dysphonia to vocal cord paralysis, and her clinical expertise is constantly expanding.

Lydia is dedicated to developing her knowledge and experience in fields outside of Speech and Language Therapy, in order to provide truly holistic, biopsychosocial care. She is currently undertaking a Diploma in Hypnotherapy with Chrysal

BAST Training helps singers gain the confidence, knowledge, skills & understanding required to be a successful singing teacher.

"The course was everything I hoped it would be and so much more. It's an investment with so much return. I would recommend this course to any teacher wanting to up-skill, refresh or start up." Kelly Taylor, NZ ...more

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Today’s guest is the Associate Professor of Voice and Theatre, Coordinator of Musical Theatre Voice Training and Artistic Director of the CCM Vocal Pedagogy Institute of the Shenandoah Conservatory. He has written articles for the Journal of Singing and has contributed to The Manual of Singing Voice Rehabilitation by Leda Scearce and the So You Want to Sing series by NATS. Dr Matthew Edwards is on the podcast to talk about teaching musical theatre styles.

KEY MOMENTS 

‘It doesn't have to be in depth about understanding every muscle name, but just that basic biomechanics of how the respiratory system works’

‘So to me, it's about getting them to understand the basics so they can troubleshoot on their own’

‘Donors change as the economy changes’

RELEVANT LINKS & MENTIONS

• How The Voice Works Course
• Singing Teachers Talk Podcast: Ep.84 The Benefits of Cross-Genre Training with The Voice Collective
• Thomas Cleveland at the Vanderbilt University Medical Centre
• Respiratory Function in Singing: A Primer for Singers and Singing Teachers by Thomas J Hixon
• Respiratory Function in Speech and Song by Thomas J Hixon
• Breathing for Singers: A Comparative Analysis of Body Types and Breathing Tendencies by Jennifer Cowgill
• Journal of Singing
• Etude Magazine
• Cinderella (original): https://youtu.be/a0iOeAHeCA8
• Cinderella (revival): https://youtu.be/rVY3nV21Ixs
• National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATs)
• Vocal Authority: Singing Style and Ideology by John Potter
• Ken Bozeman
• Acting in Musical Theatre: A Comprehensive Course by Joe Deer & Rocco Dal Vera
• Cross-Training in the Voice Studio: A Balancing Act by Norman Spivey & Mary Saunders-Barton
• So You Want to Sing CCM (NATs Series) edited by Matthew Hoch
• Training Contemporary Commercial Singers by Elizabeth Ann Benson
• Highbrow-lowbrow: Emergence of Cultural Hierarchy in America - The William E Massey Sr. Lectures in American Studies
• The Rise and Fall of the Broadway Musical by Mark Grant
• The Theatre Will Rock by Elizabeth Lara Wollman

ABOUT THE GUEST 

Matt Edwards is currently Associate Professor of Voice and Theatre, Coordinator of Musical Theatre Voice Training, and Artistic Director of the CCM Vocal Pedagogy Institute at Shenandoah Conservatory.

Edwards' work lies at the intersection of identity, technique, and artistry. He uses evidence-based techniques that coordinate the instrument and empower performers to communicate the human experience through song. Former and current stude

BAST Training helps singers gain the confidence, knowledge, skills & understanding required to be a successful singing teacher.

"The course was everything I hoped it would be and so much more. It's an investment with so much return. I would recommend this course to any teacher wanting to up-skill, refresh or start up." Kelly Taylor, NZ ...more

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