Kaya Herstad-Carney returns to the podcast but this time she’s brought her Mary Poppins bag of tricks. Join Alexa and Kaya as they discuss the gadgets and props you can use as a singing teacher, the benefits they have to the student's voice and learning, and how best to utilise them in your singing lessons. KEY TAKEAWAYS Using props in singing training provides a kinesthetic experience, prompting students to consider technique and form habits that feel innate. Physical engagement aids...

Amy Walton, with expertise in musical literacy and keyboard skills, joins Alexa to explore essential music theory and piano skills for singing teachers. Trained in jazz performance, she reshaped curriculum at the Academy of Contemporary Music and teaches at Toronto's Singers Edge. KEY TAKEAWAYS Musical literacy and keyboard skills are crucial for singing teachers. They enable accompaniment, enhance communication, and empower independent leadership. Understanding theory and tonality...

Dr. Kari Ragan, is a voice teacher and rehab specialist, Master Teacher for National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Intern Program, co-founder of Northwest Voice Conference. She joins Alexa to discuss NATS’ mission, benefits of membership, and the upcoming conference. Also, insights on NATS International Congress of Voice Teachers 2025 KEY TAKEAWAYS NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing) supports singing teachers with resources, networking, and professional...

Dr Shannon Coates is with us for part two of this discussion on building neurodiversity inclusive voice studios and we're picking up just where we left off last week. Shannon is a singer, voice teacher, and educator who began developing training and educational resources specifically for independent voice teachers. She works with smaller groups of teachers in an eight-month training called the VoicePed UnDegree that runs each year. This week, Shannon helps us to understand the terminology of...

Dr Shannon Coates will be keeping us company over the next two weeks to help us understand how we can build neurodiversity-inclusive voice studios. Shannon is a singer, voice teacher, and educator who began developing training and educational resources specifically for independent voice teachers. She works with smaller groups of teachers in an eight-month training called the VoicePed UnDegree that runs each year. This week, Shannon helps us to understand the terminology of neurodiversity, and...

In this solo episode, Alexa dives into the common struggles of imposter syndrome, low confidence, and feeling overwhelmed that many singing teachers face. As an experienced voice instructor and singer herself, Alexa shares personal stories and insights on managing these challenges in your teaching career and life. Learn how to overcome negative self-talk, build your confidence both in and out of the studio, and avoid burnout through self-care and planning.  KEY TAKEAWAYS Imposter syndrome,...

Joining Alexa this week is Nic Redman, who has been working with the spoken voice for almost 20 years and who is the author of the best-selling book ‘On the Mic’. Nic has featured across the BBC, Times Radio, The Guardian, Irish Times, and The Metro. She offers one-to-one coaching for voice-over artists, narrators, podcasters, and speakers to master their speaking voice, working with the likes of Peloton and comedian Sarah Millican. KEY TAKEAWAYS In Nic's experience, musical theatre often...

Alexa Terry talks about vocal related terminology with BAST founder Line Hilton in Ep.152. Line explains some of the anatomical terminology a singing teacher may encounter in a medical or voice science setting this includes anatomical terms, register names, support and resonance. She and Alexa play a register names pop quiz to see how many of the 107 names they know. Line emphasises the importance of understanding and using terminologies in a flexible and adaptable manner, considering the...

Vocal coach Kerrie Obert joins Alexa to discuss the technique of twang in singing—what it is, how to find it, and how to apply it in a healthy way across your range. We bust myths about twang and larynx position, examine impactful but overlooked research, and learn exercises to develop this bright, forward resonance while avoiding excess tension. For all singers looking to understand the mechanics behind great country, rock, and belt singing, this is an episode you won't want to miss.  KEY...

It’s part two of our chat with West End Musical Theatre performer, lead singer of a London Big Band, and Clinical Osteopath, Jennie Morton. Today Alexa and Jennie will be picking up right where they left off talking about the importance of teachers finding their neutral for their own postural health in the teaching room.  KEY TAKEAWAYS Prioritising neutral posture is pivotal for vocal health. This proactive approach, avoiding extremes and unnecessary tension, prevents issues like deviated...

West End Musical Theatre performer, lead singer of a London Big Band, and Clinical Osteopath, Jennie Morton joins Alexa on Singing Teachers Talk for part one of a two part episode. This week the pair will be discussing how you can help your singers find their best posture and alignment. Listen in for some great exercises you can use with your students to improve their posture.  KEY TAKEAWAYS Concerns have arisen over the long-term health effects of technology-induced postures, especially...

It's Mitch Jarvis from Singing Demos joining Alexa this week. Mitch has been recording vocal reels since 2011 with the mission to help performers stand out from the crowd and get that all-important invite into the audition room. Mitch is here to help us understand the benefits of a vocal reel and how the singer can get the best out of their recording. Make sure you listen all the way until the end for a special offer.  KEY TAKEAWAYS Singing Demos first opened its recording studio in Camden...

It's Claire Delaney who joins Alexa this week to give us a tour behind the scenes of working on the ITV show ‘Mamma Mia! I have a dream’, the search for Sophie and Sky. Claire is a vocal coach with a private business and also teaches at UK Drama School Italia Conti. She initially trained in Opera, performing at the likes of the Royal Albert Hall, and now works with singers of all skill levels from beginners to West End professionals. To celebrate the winners of ‘Mamma Mia! I have a dream’ and...

Are you a vocal coach who has been avoiding vocal acoustics, you know that topic with words such as formant, harmonic, spectrogram and frequency? Maybe you just aren't sure how it applies to teaching singers, or maybe you've tried but it just seems too much to get to grips with. This week Alexa Terry is joined by Ken Bozeman , who is here to help you understand and apply vocal acoustic pedagogy. KEY TAKEAWAYS Vocal Acoustic Pedagogy is the study and application of the scientific principles...

Alexa delves into Style Vs Technique with Kaya Herstad-Carney. A Norwegian powerhouse based in the UK since '99, Kaya is a singer, songwriter and vocal coach, blending creativity and technique. Join us to unravel the secrets behind her success in artist development and vocal education.  KEY TAKEAWAYS Balance is Key: Effective singing instruction involves finding the delicate equilibrium between style and technique. While technique provides the foundational skills for vocal health and...

This week it's Rush Dorsett who's keeping Alexa company. Rush is a voice coach, performing artist, and founder of the Embodied Voice Academy. She has earned accolades in voice science, psychology, and sound healing. Rush is passionate about weaving together spiritual tools with vocal awakening practices to access a singer's highest potential. She is here to discuss the benefits of sound healing for singers and busy teachers like us. KEY TAKEAWAYS YogaVoice® is a unique 21st century...

To help us kickstart the year Alexa is joined by VocalizeU’s very own Big Billy Clark and Elliott O’Connor who were here to help us and the singers we work with navigate the music industry. VocalizeU is a 10-day immersive artist program offering a 360° music education with performance, identity, production, songwriting, theatre, and management. KEY TAKEAWAYS We think when we hear a new artist that what we’re listening to is their first song, but in reality artists put in years of work...

For our final episode of 2023, Alexa is joined by sought-after choral director and vocal coach, Mark De-Lisser. He has worked with the likes of Ariana Grande, Jessie J, and Beverly Knight. He has also been involved in TV shows such as "Our Dementia Choir" with Vicky McClure and "The Masked Singer." Mark made the arrangement of "Stand By Me," which was performed by the Kingdom Choir at the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in 2018. This performance has been streamed over 4...

Voice scientist Aaron Johnson joins Alexa to discuss laboratories, rats, the ageing larynx, and wearable devices to detect vocal fatigue. Aaron has had a career as a professional classical singer and teacher and is now a researcher and speech-language pathologist specialising in vocal habilitation and rehabilitation. He is currently an associate professor in the Department of Otolaryngology at New York University Grossman School of Medicine, is the co-director of NYU Langone Voice Center, and...

BAST founder Line Hilton joins Alexa to discuss the best vocal exercises for pitch accuracy training. You’ll find lots of helpful information on perceived tone deafness, singing and the premenstrual voice, navigating matching pitch, whether being ‘pitchy’ is a thing, props you can use in your lessons, and of course, some amazing vocal exercises you can use with your singing students.  KEY TAKEAWAYS There are several reasons that people may struggle with pitch, these include factors like...

Founder and CEO of Full Voice, Nikki Loney, is keeping us company this week with a teaching career spanning over three decades. Nikki works with music education specialists, children's composers, and musicians to create music education resources for young vocal students. She hosts her own podcast called "Full Voice" and is a member of NATS and the Speakeasy Cooperative. Nikki joins me to discuss the success of play-based learning and how we can make singing lessons fun. KEY...

Joining Alexa this week to chat about the Alexander Technique is Patrick Ardagh-Walter, a professional singer who has worked with the likes of the Royal Opera. He's a trained Alexander Technique teacher himself and is an assistant at a training school for teachers of the Alexander Technique in Paris. Patrick is here to tell us where the technique originated from, how it can benefit singers, and he also shares with us an exercise that we can try out for ourselves and use in the studio with the...

Joining Alexa today is Professor of Performing Arts Pedagogy at Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Roberta Wolff. As well as teaching on the Guildhall PGCert programme, she provides professional development on teaching skills to teachers across the performing arts disciplines. Roberta is also a workshop leader, coach, and piano teacher. In this episode, we will discuss how to create optimal learning environments to serve children and young adult singers. KEY TAKEAWAYS Students arrive at...

Nate James is an independent soul artist with a successful career to date, having sold over a million albums, received MOBO nominations and urban music awards, and he has headlined festivals across Europe. He has also toured with the likes of Amy Winehouse and John Legend. Nate joins Alexa today to fly the flag for the music industry's LGBTQIA+ community, sharing his own personal story, including how his school teacher supported him in his early years. He discusses the response to...