The Vocal Athlete

Wendy D. LeBorgne · Marci Rosenberg

Jun 2014 · Plural Publishing

About this ebook

 The Vocal Athlete and the companion book The Vocal Athlete: Application and Technique for the Hybrid Singer are written and designed to bridge the gap between the art of contemporary commercial music (CCM) singing and the science behind voice production in this ever-growing popular vocal style. This book is a must have for the speech pathologist, singing voice specialist, and vocal pedagogue. Heavily referenced, this text is ripe with current research on singing science as it relates to the CCM voice.

In addition to general singing science, The Vocal Athlete is the first book of its kind to address the unique vocal and physiologic demands of commercial singing from a sound scientific and pedagogical standpoint. Historical review of classical vocal pedagogy is interwoven and transitioned to current pedagogy of CCM. Anyone who trains singers will gain insight into the current research and trends regarding the commercial music artist. Specifically, promotion and maintenance vocal wellness unique to the high demands of the CCM artist are provided for career longevity. Readers are provided additional resources on the multidisciplinary roles relative to managing vocal injury for this high risk group of singers.

The Vocal Athlete distinguishes itself from other pedagogy texts by incorporating current peer reviewed literature in the area of CCM and its studio application. Also unique to this text are chapters on body alignment, traditional and holistic medicine, the lifecycle of the voice, and the physiology of belting.

About the author

 Wendy D. LeBorgne, PhD, CCC-SLP, is a voice pathologist, a singing voice specialist, and director of the Blaine Block Institute for Voice Analysis and Rehabilitation and The Professional Voice Center of Greater Cincinnati. Additionally, she holds an adjunct faculty position at Cincinnati College-Conservatory. Dr. LeBorgne's original, peer-reviewed research on the performing voice has been published in multiple scientific journals and she presents nationally and internationally on the professional performing voice. Dr. LeBorgne teaches workshops and master classes on vocal health and belting at major music schools and conservatories throughout the United States. Her clients can be found on local and national stages as well as TV and film. Dr. LeBorgne also maintains an active professional performing career.

Marci Daniels Rosenberg, BM, MS, CCC, is a trained singer and senior speech-language pathologist at the University of Michigan Departments of Otolaryngology and Speech-Language Pathology. As the lead speech pathologist and voice and singing specialist at the Vocal Health Center, Ms. Rosenberg rehabilitates injured voices. She lectures nationally in the areas of management of vocal injuries for professional voice users and vocal athletes, and application of exercise physiology and motor learning principals to voice therapy. Ms. Rosenberg currently serves on the speech pathology faculty at the Contemporary Commercial Music Vocal Pedagogy Institute at Shenandoah Conservatory. In addition to clinical work, Ms. Rosenberg teaches voice workshops and master classes and also maintains a small private voice studio. She continues to perform in many vocal styles.