Matt Edwards

Associate Professor of Voice, Shenandoah Conservatory Artistic Director of the CCM Vocal Pedagogy Institute

Mix it up Monday: Inhaling too much air

If you are a frequent reader of this blog, you know that I do not believe it is “all about the breath,” but that doesn’t mean I believe that breathing … Continue reading

October 28, 2019 · 4 Comments

Mix it up Monday: Performing like a psychopath

“Cognitive dissonance, the mental conflict that occurs when beliefs or assumptions are contradicted by new information. The unease or tension that the conflict arouses in people is relieved by one of several … Continue reading

October 21, 2019 · 1 Comment

Mix it up Monday: How to allow placement to reveal itself (pt. 2)

Two weeks ago I discussed the philosophy of allowing placement to reveal itself instead of forcing it. Last week I gave a few exercises to help a singer discover where … Continue reading

October 14, 2019 · 2 Comments

Mix it up Monday: How to allow placement to reveal itself (pt. 1)

    Last week I blogged about allowing forward placement to reveal itself instead of forcing it to happen. Someone asked “how do you allow the placement to reveal itself?” … Continue reading

October 7, 2019 · 4 Comments

Pedagogical Musings: Evidence-Based Voice Pedagogy

There is a relatively new term that is quickly picking up attention and controversy in our field – Evidence-Based Voice Pedagogy (EBVP). The discussions intensified after Dr. Kari Ragan‘s article … Continue reading

October 5, 2019 · 1 Comment

Mix it up Monday: Allow placement to reveal itself, don’t force it

Students frequently ask me where they need to place their voice. My answer is usually some version of “I don’t know.” I am not being flippant; I honestly do not … Continue reading

September 30, 2019 · 11 Comments

Mix it up Monday: Small dog, big dog

While a slightly raised larynx can provide a beneficial acoustic boost for some CCM singers, it can also become problematic. If you work with musical theatre performers who primarily sing … Continue reading

September 23, 2019 · 5 Comments

Mix it up Monday: The Tongue Depressor

The memories are very clear. It was my freshman year of college and I was looking in a mirror while holding a popsicle stick on my tongue in order to … Continue reading

September 16, 2019 · 4 Comments

Mix it up Monday: Confirmation Bias

One thing that has puzzled me recently is how there is still a strong cohort of teachers that preach that singing “is all about the breath“ when the science clearly … Continue reading

September 9, 2019 · 3 Comments

Mix it up Monday: Cornelius Reid Exercises

Cornelius Reid was one of the most prolific pedagogues in the history of the field, writing eleven journal articles and six books. However, while he was quick to share his … Continue reading

April 29, 2019 · Leave a comment

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