Voicing for Life: A Study to Explore the Benefits of Linklater Voice in a Community Music Curriculum

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study had two objectives. Within the training programs of community musicians, we sought to investigate the relationship between community music-makers and voice habilitation practices. We also sought to understand how community music-makers learn to adapt their personal vocal practices to an undergraduate curriculum. Ten community musicians participated in this study. They were drawn from a class that was following aspects of Kristin Linklater’s voice progression framework as laid out in her book Freeing the Natural Voice. Linklater’s material was supplemented with other interventions thought to promote voice habilitation, such as laryngeal massage (Mathieson 2011) and semi-occluded vocal tract exercises. Data was collected through class observations, interviews and surveys. While the body of participants was admittedly small, we did see evidence that the vocal habilitation practices advocated by the Linklater voice progression framework seemed to support the efforts of these community musicians to express themselves more effectively. A greater sample may add dimension to these preliminary findings. More study is needed.