The Wanda L. Bass School of Music is hosting an event in celebration of World Voice Day on Wednesday.
Kelly Holst, associate professor of music, organized the event. World Voice Day is officially celebrated Tuesday, April 16, but many events celebrating the day also take place during that week, and the day is celebrated internationally. This is the first time OCU will host a World Voice Day event.
“It’s something I’m particularly interested in, so I just decided we should do something here because we have lots of people who use their voices on a daily basis who may not even know that there are ways they can take care of their voices and have a healthier, more productive use of the voice,” she said.
Holst said she is passionate about the subject. She said that in her vocal pedagogy class, students have appreciated information about this topic, but not all students have room in their schedule to take a full course.
The event will include use of the voice lab in the basement of the Wanda L. Bass Music Center, tables set up in the Atrium and workshops in the Medium Rehearsal Hall.
Holst said the voice lab is state-of-the-art, and the lab has computer programs which run various voice games.
“You can work on how you use your breath, and how you change pitch, and how you sing with a stronger tone or a softer tone, things like that. So, it’s a way to introduce people to our voice lab as well,” she said.
Holst said she wants to increase awareness of the resources on campus students can access to learn about their voice and protect it.
Holst said the voice lab will be open the entirety of the event. Tables in the atrium will feature depictions of vocal anatomy, a station to assemble a model larynx out of paper, a table for straw phonations, tables for vocal health, and recommended recordings of professionals using their voices.
Four workshops will be hosted in the Medium Rehearsal Hall:
- 2-2:30 p.m. – Alexander Technique for Optimal Vocal Health taught by Rachel Barnard, adjunct faculty of voice
- 2:30-3 p.m. – Breath taught by Kate Brennan, associate professor of voice and acting
- 3-3:30 p.m. – Vocal Health Q&A taught by Kelly Holst, associate professor of voice and acting
- 3:30-4 p.m. – Mindfulness & Meditation taught by Ashley Harness, coordinator for the Center for Excellence and Teaching in Learning
Ashley Harness said her workshop will be a beginning mindfulness session.
“Typically, a beginning mindfulness session is going to first introduce the term mindfulness and what it means, and a little bit about why it matters,” Harness said. “I would assume in this instance, in reference to how it can kind of help you connect with yourself, we talk about how it can help with stress and anxiety.”
Kate Brennan said her workshop will depend partially on the attendees.
“If it’s largely students that I’ve had before, we might be able to do things that are a little more in-depth. But if it’s a range of students from across the campus, maybe students that aren’t voice practitioners, we’ll start with really simple in-depth breath exploration because if breath is the blueprint for sound, then you really can’t explore it enough,” she said. “And I think, as a result, it’ll be a really relaxing endeavor.”
Brennan said the workshops will help with self-care during the stressful end of the year. It also may help with the allergy season and will be fun, she said.
Rachel Barnard, said her workshop on Alexander technique is about a way of moving with minimal effort.
“All human beings carry quite a bit of tension, and with singing, although there are muscles working, extraneous tension in your neck or shoulders or jaw can inhibit your sound when the actors do things related to this as well,” she said. “I’m just going to be talking about that Alexander technique and giving people a chance to try a couple of things related to Alexander technique that might help them relax their bodies and get into better alignment.”
Sarah Schulz, music theater sophomore, said she will be attending and doing as much as possible. She said she is excited for the workshops and is hoping to get a different perspective through seeing what others ask, particularly at the Q&A.
“The voice is our instrument. It’s the thing that we communicate with but also the thing that we can do so much creation with, and it’s with us our whole lives because it is us,” Schulz said. “And so celebrating it and learning more about it is so helpful for everybody; for musicians, not only musicians, but for everyone that’s involved.”
Holst said she hopes the event can reoccur every year, as use of the human voice is one of the most amazing things a person can do.
“I think every single person can discover an improved quality of life through how they find efficient and healthy voice use,’” Holst said.
Leave a Reply