Shenandoah Conservatory is the first university in the United States to offer a Master of Music in Contemporary Commercial Music (CCM) Voice Pedagogy. We continue to be a leader in the field, guided by a collaborative and highly accomplished faculty who value identity, technique and artistry.
Vocal Pedagogy Degree available online beginning Fall 2023.
The Master of Music in Voice Pedagogy degree will be available online beginning in the Fall of 2023. All courses are taught in FLEX format which gives the learners the option of attending class in-person or remotely. Learners can come to campus when they are able or complete the whole degree online. In addition to the core coursework, our on-campus learners will have access to all of the conservatory’s opportunities.聽
The curriculum immerses learners in a pedagogic wonderland of anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, acoustics, historical and contemporary vocal techniques, repertoire and the practical skills necessary to run a successful business. Students who are interested in research can actively participate in projects that are presented at The Voice Foundation Annual Symposium: Care of the Professional Voice and frequently published in the Journal of Voice.
However, you need more than great research and pedagogical skills to train CCM singers. Singing is an art. To get the best results, you need to honor and guide the creator in front of you. At the , you will explore what it means to be an artist and consider your own artistic voice. Then, throughout the degree, you will cultivate that voice with private lessons, vocal styles class, supervised private teaching and your culminating performance. Best of all, you will be exposed to multiple perspectives from faculty that all respect and honor each other’s work.
At Shenandoah, we do not produce cookie-cutter teachers. Instead, we train independent thinkers who are culturally responsive, rooted in science, educated in the history of our traditions and well versed in a wide range of approaches. If you are looking for a place where you can transform your teaching under the guidance of knowledgeable and caring faculty that truly want to see you succeed, then apply for the Master of Music in Pedagogy (Contemporary Commercial Music 鈥 CCM Voice) at Shenandoah Conservatory. Auditions slots fill quickly; applicants are encouraged to apply by December 1. The application deadline is January 15 or when all audition slots are full.
Janette E. Ogg Voice Research Center (JOVRC)
The internationally recognized Janette E. Ogg Voice Research Center serves as a central hub for our voice pedagogy students. Our faculty have authored dozens of journal articles, book chapters and books, and they regularly present research, masterclasses and pedagogical workshops at international conferences including the the Pan-European Vocology Conference, Pacific Voice & Speech Foundation, the UCSF Voice Conference, Johan Sundberg鈥檚 Function of the Singing Voice in Sweden, Acoustic Society of America, National Association of Teachers of Singing, Vocology in Practice, International Voice Teachers of Mix, Musical Theatre Educators鈥 Alliance, the Southeastern Theatre Conference and many universities through the world. Students frequently collaborate with faculty on research projects that are presented at the Voice Foundation Annual Symposium: Care of the Professional Voice and published in the Journal of Voice and the Journal of Singing.
Research tools available in the JOVRC:
- VoceVistaPro with glottal enterprises PC-2 EGG 鈥 we also have a modified version of VoceVista that allows longer LTAS measurements, and a portable EGG with boom microphone, headphones, and a USB computer connection.
- Glottal enterprises Aeroview software, Rothenberg dual chamber CV mask and a custom-built NEH handle with dual microphones and dual pressure sensors. We also have on loan an MS-110 data interface with the associated transducers and mask and a NEH 2.5 handle.
- Multispeech 3700 from KayPentax
- Madde and Apex from KTH (Decap, RTSect, and Director Musices are also available)
- Praat
- Dr. Speech Real Analysis
- Speechstation 2 from Sensimetrics
- Student versions of Waveview, Aeroview, and Nasality, with training exercises from glottal enterprises.
We actively network with medical professionals in the region and collaborate with other university programs within the School of Health Professions.
Contemporary Commercial Music (CCM) Vocal Pedagogy Institute
The gives teachers the tools they need to transform their students into captivating performers. Musical theatre, jazz and commercial artists need a different set of tools than classical singers to reach peak performance. However, a one-size-fits-all approach doesn鈥檛 work for the current professional landscape. Audiences want unique voices, new perspectives and different approaches to storytelling. At the CCM Vocal Pedagogy Institute, we show you how to integrate evidence-based technique with the singer鈥檚 identity to unlock the artist inside. You will leave the Institute a better pedagogue, performer and mentor.
Classes
The聽Master of Music in Pedagogy 鈥 Voice (Contemporary Commercial Music)聽is designed for the singer and teacher of singing who works with CCM styles and genres, including world music. The repertoire choices for the culminating performance for this degree may be taken from any CCM genre: pop, rock, folk, jazz, musical theatre, etc.
Students gain the pedagogical skills to teach in a wide range of styles including musical theatre, country, pop, jazz, rock, and blues.
The curriculum includes:
- Anatomy and Function of the Singing Voice
- The Business of Studio Teaching
- Supervised Private Teaching
- Comparative Vocal Teaching Methods
- Repertoire for the Singing Teacher
- Technology in the Studio
- CCM Vocal Pedagogy Sessions (3 for CCM, 1 for classical)
Performance Opportunities & Ensembles
Shenandoah Conservatory produces more than 400 performances each year. Enroll in a dynamic curriculum and start preparing for a meaningful career in the arts.聽You will practice your craft in front of audiences and develop a plan for your professional launch into the industry that focuses on your personal desires and aspirations.
Embrace extensive performance opportunities with top-tier facilities from theatres, concert halls and dance studios. Unite with fellow artists and join an alumni family that takes center stage from Broadway to the concert halls of Europe.
Ensembles
Shenandoah Conservatory is home to more than 20 instrumental, vocal,聽and dance聽ensembles that present numerous performances聽every year. These performances take place throughout 四虎影视鈥檚 vibrant campus on its various stages, including a concert hall, recital hall, proscenium stage, black box studio, outdoor amphitheater and more, to venues and performance spaces in聽the Northern Shenandoah Valley and around the world. Ensembles constantly engage聽with Shenandoah鈥檚 dynamic faculty and an array of distinguished guest artists聽through residencies, workshops and unique performance opportunities.
Faculty
Shenandoah Conservatory鈥檚 prestigious faculty is dynamic, creative, and passionately committed to the highest levels of artistic excellence. A deeply caring community, they mentor students with a wealth of professional expertise, balancing rigorous expectations with compassion and wisdom. At Shenandoah, you will study with, and perform for, award-winning composers, Metropolitan Opera singers, Grammy Award winning conductors and international competition winners. You will learn from leading scholars in music and premiere works created by accomplished dance artists and cutting-edge directors. Shenandoah Conservatory鈥檚 faculty embodies the highest levels of professional accomplishment and the deepest commitment to furthering the artistic growth and creative aspirations of students in every discipline.
Faculty Presentations
The Voice Foundation Annual Symposium: Care of the Professional Voice
- Sophia Dove, Kate Elmendorf, Christine Petersen, David Meyer: 鈥淪inging Voice Symptomatology Following Presumed SARS-CoV-2 Infection鈥
- Mohammad Obeid,David Howard, Dan Wilson, David Meyer: 鈥淰ocal Tracts in Virtual Reality 鈥 A Preliminary Report鈥
- David Meyer, Sajan Lingala, Subin Erattakulangara, Wahidul Alam, Rushdi Rusho, Jarron Atha, Gary Christensen, David Howard, Eric Hoffman, Ingo Titze: 鈥淧hysical Modelling of High-Resolution Hybrid CT+MRI Vocal Tract Images鈥
- David Meyer, Sajan Lingala, Jarron Atha, Gary Christensen, David Howard, Eric Hoffman: 鈥淢inimal CT Dosages Necessary for Blended CT+MRI Vocal Tract Imaging鈥
- Emily Castleton, David Meyer: 鈥淔ormant/Harmonic Coupling Patterns in Contemporary Belt as Observed in 鈥楢nd I Am Telling You鈥 from Dreamgirls as sung by Amber Riley鈥
- Edrie Means Weekly: 鈥淰ocal Cool Down: Restoring Balance Post Heavy Voice Load鈥
- Carolyn Sebron, David Meyer: 鈥淎 Lifelong Joy: Persistence and Retention Of Older African American Singers鈥
- David Meyer and Matt Edwards: 鈥淐onnecting the Actor and the Singer鈥
- Kathryn Green, David Meyer, Christina Trinidad: 鈥淪inging in the Mask or Formant Tuning?鈥
- Kathryn Green, Warren Freeman, Philip Sargent: 鈥淎n Analysis of Vocal Demands for Broadway Leading Ladies鈥
- Aaron Johnson, Matt Edwards: “Dynamic Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study of Vocal Tract Kinematics in Contemporary Musical Theatre Singing”
- Edrie Means Weekly: 鈥淐urrent State of Who’s Teaching What in Non-Classical Music鈥
- David Meyer: 鈥淐ost-effective Aerodynamic and Acoustic Measures for Singing Voice Education鈥
- Edrie Means Weekly: “Do Classical Singers Maintain Training Program Post College”
- Matt Edwards and Leda Scearce: 鈥淩ock Rehab: A Collaborative Approach to Working with the Injured Singer鈥
- Edrie Means Weekly: 鈥淧athology Pathways of Professional Singers Singing in Multiple Styles鈥
- David Meyer: 鈥淪eeing Vowels 鈥 Formant Resonances in 3D Modeled Vocal Tracts鈥
- Matt Edwards: “Demographic Changes that will Forever Alter the Future of Voice Pedagogy”
- David Meyer: 鈥淪eeing Voice 鈥 Visualization of Vocal Tract Shaping with MRI鈥
- Edrie Means Weekly: 鈥淰ocal Health Practices of Choral Conductors鈥
- David Meyer: 鈥淔ast Dynamic Speech MRI at 3 Tesla Using Variable Density Spirals and Constrained Reconstruction鈥
- Matt Edwards: 鈥淔unctional Training for Pop/Rock Singers鈥
- David Meyer: 鈥淧erfect Harmony 鈥 the Future of Cross-over Singing Voice Education in University Music Programs,鈥
- Matt Edwards and Kathryn Green: 鈥淲hy and How to Integrate Pop/Rock in your Voice Studio鈥
- Matt Edwards: 鈥淐rossing Over: From Classical to Commercial and Musical Theatre Styles鈥
- Matt Edwards: 鈥淓thno-historical barriers to CCM Voice Pedagogy鈥
- Kathleen Bell, David Meyer: 鈥淭he Effect of Drinking High pH Water on SelfReported Results from the Reflux Symptom Index and a Singer Specific
蚕耻别蝉迟颈辞苍苍补颈谤别.鈥 - Kathryn Green, Matt Edwards: 鈥淐aro mio ben鈥 Won鈥檛 Fly on Broadway 鈥 Crossover Pedagogical Strategies for Music Theatre and Classical Voice鈥
NATS National Conference
- Matt Edwards, David Meyer: 鈥淐CM Voice Pedagogy and the Singing Voice Specialty.鈥
- Edrie Means Weekly: 鈥淐ountry Singing for Musical Theatre 101鈥
- Matt Edwards: 鈥淭eaching the Singer Songwriter鈥
- Matt Edwards: 鈥淜eeping Pop/Rock Voices Healthy on the Road鈥
- Edrie Means Weekly: 鈥淟egit Singing in Musical Theatre鈥
- Matt Edwards: 鈥淪inging with Audio Technology鈥
- Edrie Means Weekly: 鈥淏ringing the Song To Life: It’s a Matter of Style鈥
International Congress of Voice Teachers
- Matt Edwards, David Meyer: 鈥淭he Future of Collegiate Voice Pedagogy: A SWOT Analysis of Current Practice and Implications for the Next Generation of Singers and Teachers of Singing.鈥
PEVOC Pan European Vocal Conference (Dresden, Germany)
- Kathryn Green, Amy Asbury: 鈥嬧 鈥淒octoral Vocal Pedagogy Curriculum Design in the United States鈥
NCVS National Conference of Voice Science (Salt Lake City, Utah)
- Kathryn Green, David Meyer, Matt Edwards: 鈥淐CM Vocal Pedagogy and the Singing Voice Specialist鈥
ASHA Conference
- Katrina Miller, Juliana Rivelli, David Meyer: 鈥淭he Relationship Between Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) and Young Singers: A Survey鈥
Pan American Vocology Association
- Matt Edwards, David Meyer: 鈥淐ollegiate Voice Pedagogy Analysis of Current Practices.鈥
- Matt Edwards: 鈥淧anel: Interdisciplinary Voice Care in an Imperfect World鈥
- Edrie Means Weekly: 鈥淪inging with Style in Musical Theatre鈥
- Matt Edwards and Leda Scearce: 鈥淯ntying the Knot: Resolving Muscle Tension Dysphonia in Singers in the Clinic and Studio鈥
- Edrie Means Weekly: 鈥淰ocal Cool Down: Restoring Balance Post Heavy Voice Load鈥
- Edrie Means Weekly: 鈥淭hey鈥檙e Injured! 377 Voice Educators鈥 Retraining Approaches鈥
- Matt Edwards and Leda Scearce: 鈥溾嬧婬abilitation and Rehabilitation Considerations for Working with Rock Singers鈥
- Edrie Means Weekly: 鈥淏ody & Voice: A Collaborative Approach for Addressing Voice Issues鈥
Southeastern Theatre Conference
- Matt Edwards: 鈥淪o You Want to Sing Rock ‘N’ Roll?,鈥 鈥淗ealthy Belting: Free Your Voice,鈥 鈥淵ou can sing ANYTHING,鈥 Riffing 101: How to spice up your vocals,鈥 鈥淔unctional Training for All Styles,鈥 鈥淟et鈥檚 Get Rocked!鈥
- Edrie Means Weekly: 鈥淪inging In Styles,鈥 鈥淐onnect The Singer and The Actor,鈥 鈥淭he Singing Actor,鈥 鈥淪inging in Style in Musical Theatre,鈥 鈥淭o Belt or Not to Belt,鈥 鈥淎udition Prep Workshop, 鈥淪ong Authenticity: A Marriage of Singing and Acting,鈥 鈥淟egit Singing in Musical Theatre,鈥 鈥淐ountry Singing for Musical Theatre鈥
Association for Popular Music Education
- Matt Edwards: 鈥淲hat Science Can Teach us About the Singing Voice and Why it Matters鈥
- Matt Edwards: 鈥淭eaching Rock Singers Without Destroying Their Voices鈥
NANAS 鈥婲ational Association of Native American Studies
- Kathryn Green: 鈥淭he Orthography of the Seneca Language鈥
PAS7+ (Vienna, Austria)
- David Meyer, Sajan Goud Lingala, David Howard, Eric Hoffman, Ingo Titze: Pilot Study 鈥 High Resolution Hybrid CT+MRI Vocal Tract Imaging.
National Voice Medicine Forum (Shenzhen China)
- David Meyer: 鈥淔unctional Training of the Singing voice鈥
Chinese National Art Voice Conference (GuangZhou, China)
- David Meyer: Keynote Presentation, 鈥淭he Art and Science of the Singing Voice鈥
Faculty Guest Lectures, Workshops & Other Media Appearances
David Meyer
Kabarak University School of Music and Performing Arts, Nakuru, Kenya, Harvard University/Brigham and Women鈥檚 Hospital, Queensland Conservatorium Research Centre, Griffith University, Brisbane Australia, Voice Foundation Annual Symposium: Care of the Professional Voice
Edrie Means Weekly
University of Central Oklahoma, Virginia NATS, Peabody, New England Conservatory, University of Jacksonville, Morgan University, Arizona NATS, Lehigh Valley NATS, Greater Philadelphia NATS, Lawrence Conservatory, Wisconsin NATS, North Carolina NATS, Viterbo University, Morgan State University, Howard University, Young Artists of America, Penn State University, Liberty University, Maryland NATS, D.C. NATS, Ozark Region NATS
Kathryn Green
Universit盲t Berlin (Germany), Universit盲t L眉beck (Germany), Universidade de S茫o Paulo, S茫o Paulo (Brazil)
Matt Edwards
The U.S. Air Force Singing Sergeants, The U.S. Navy Sea Chanters, NYC NATS, Summer Vocology Institute, Vocology in Practice, Webster Conservatory, Penn State University, Ithaca College, Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, Florida State University, University of Portland, Cascade Chapter of NATS, Minnesota NATS, Eastern NY Region of NATS, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Vocal Arts & Science Symposium at the University of Southern Mississippi, Sheridan College, Lawrence Conservatory, Missouri State University, Gettysburg College, Illinois Wesleyan University, South Texas NATS, Westminster Choir College Voice Pedagogy Institute, NATS National Conference (Boston and Las Vegas), Carolina Voices, Hardin-Simmons University, Lehigh Valley NATS, DeSales University, Snow College, Texas Women鈥檚 University, Brigham Young University, Toronto NATS, Otterbein University, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, University of of Alabama, Wright State University, Valley of the Sun NATS, Duke Voice Care Center, Georgia NATS, Georgia Southern University, Ohio Northern University, Virginia NATS, Arts Bridge
Podcasts, Radio & Other Online Media
- David Meyer: NPR鈥檚 The Academic Minute, 鈥淐OVID-19 and Singing鈥
- David Meyer: NATS Webinar, 鈥淩eentry After COVID-19: Concerns for Singers.鈥
- David Meyer: NATS Webinar, 鈥淎fter COVID-19: Concerns for Singers鈥
- Matt Edwards: The Happy Singer Podcast
- Matt Edwards: NATS Chat 鈥淐ollege Auditions鈥
Faculty Honors
Van Lawrence Fellowship, presented by the Voice Foundation and NATS
- David Meyer
- Matt Edwards
- Edrie Means Weekly
International Exchanges Grant from the Royal Society in London
- David Meyer
NATS Intern Program Master Teacher
- Matt Edwards
- Edrie Means Weekly
Journal of Voice: Best Clinical Medicine Paper 鈥淪afer singing during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: what we know and what we don’t鈥
- David Meyer
Application & Audition Information
Admission to Shenandoah Conservatory graduate programs is highly competitive and the audition schedule fills rapidly. Early application and audition registration is recommended.聽