First-Ever CCM Panel At Voice Foundation Symposium on June 4, 2006
The First Contemporary Commercial Music Panel took place at the 2006 Voice Foundation Symposium: Care of the Professional Voice on Sunday, June 4, 2006. Contemporary Commercial Music (CCM) is the new term for what used to be called "non-classical" and covers music theater, jazz, cabaret, rock, pop, country, folk, R&B, gospel, rap, alternative and other styles.
The panel was attended by several hundred enthusiastic participents including many teachers and performers of CCM and was an outstanding success. Many were first time attendees of the Voice Foundation Symposium, an interdisciplinary gathering of voice doctors, voice scientists, speech pathologists, voice teachers and performers.
Jeannette LoVetri, Panel Moderator, gave a short talk entitled "Overview of CCM in the 21st Century" discussing the need for research in these generally ignored styles of singing. She hoped that in the future researchers and CCM performers would collaborate to understand more about these styles and their vocal requirements, and to address CCM vocal health issues. She further discussed the increasing demands being placed on teachers who have classical vocal training to now serve the needs of CCM students. (Jeannette LoVetri's keynote speech) The talk was followed by questions presented to the panel, and ended with questions from the audience.
The first two CCM styles represented were music theater and jazz because these two styles are most commonly taught in university programs. These CCM experts put forth ideas regarding their medical, clinical and scientific interests and needs. The doctor, scientist and clinician discussed what they could do in order to have those needs addressed by research. Other CCM styles will be included in subsequent panels over the next several years. There were many spirited exchanges on the panel reflecting the divergent views on the subject.
Many in the audience asked questions of the panel and offered their own views on CCM. In fact, there were so many questions, that the time alloted to the panel was extended by thirty minutes.
The significance of this first CCM panel cannot be overemphasized. Almost all voice research conducted on singers has been done on classical artists, with some small portion on music theater "belters" having been done as well. All the other styles of the primarily American-created CCM (with the exception of jazz, which is taught in many college conservatories and universities), have been virtually ignored by science and formal academic programs. This panel initiated dialog between science and performers and ushered in a new era of exploration and understanding in both of these worlds. A poll of the CCM performers in the audience showed that many were willing to participate in research to further understanding of their styles of singing.
A database is being set up by Dr. Anita Kozan to coordinate researchers and CCM singers who wish to do research. Anyone interested should contact Dr. Kozan.
Brief biography of the panelists:
Dominique Eadeis a vocalist, composer and founding teacher of the vocal jazz improvisation program at the New England Conservatory in Boston. She has performed with many of the most well-known jazz artists of our time and has made several highly successful CD's of her own. Recently she appeared in New York City and garnered rave reviews for her performance in the New York Times. Many of her students are recognized jazz and commercial music performers. Dominique is interested in all areas of vocal health and research.
Robert Edwin is a nationally recognized Music Theater and Contemporary Commercial Music expert, writer, editor, lecturer and teacher. He is also well known for his work with children and for writing his column for the past 20 years in the Journal of Singing, the house organ of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, where he is also a Board Member. Robert has been a frequent guest teacher at the Symposium, has a very busy private practice in Cinnaminson, New Jersey and has many successful students performing in various CCM styles. He is interested in vocal health and research in all areas of CCM.
Doug Hicks, PhD iis a nationally recognized speech pathologist and voice researcher. He has worked with many celebrated CCM performers from all over the USA and was instrumental in developing the proposal for this CCM panel because of his own work with professionals in various venues. He has developed many techniques to meet their vocal health needs and is interested in continuing to work with colleagues in other disciplines to expand the awareness of CCM in the research, clinical and medical communities.
Robert Thayer Sataloff, MD, DMA, FACS is nationally and internationally recognized as on of the world's leading otolaryngologists. He is Chairman of The Voice Foundation and has a doctorate in music as well as in medicine. He is a conductor as well as a surgeon and has been instrumental in making care of the professional voice an established specialty in medicine, speech pathology and vocal pedagogy. He has published numerous books and articles and has also mentored many people towards greater understanding of the human voice in all its facets.
Johan Sundberg, PhD is nationally and internationally recognized as one of the world's leading voice scientists. He is the author of a vast number of research papers, articles, and a book and is currently working with CCM styles in his research in Stockholm at the Royal Academy of Music, in the Acoustics Lab. He has mentored many individuals, guiding them in various venues toward careers involved with voice research or utilizing voice science as a part of their work.
Jeannette LoVetri is a Singing Voice Specialist working with CCM performers on Broadway, in folk, rock, jazz, gospel and many other styles, and is Artist-in-Residence at Shenandoah Conservatory in Virginia, faculty at New York University Steinhardt School of Education in the Voice Department, Voice Specialist of the Brooklyn Youth Chorus, and guest lecturer at Columbia Teachers College in New York. She has been participating in these Symposia since 1978.
Anita Kozan, PhD, CCC is a Speech Language Pathologist and Singing Voice Specialist. She is Manager of the Voice Rehabilitation Center of Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis, Minnesota and is an expert at rehabilitation of injuring speaking and singing voices. If you wish to be entered into the database for research in CCM please contact Dr. Kozan.
Anyone who would like further information on the Symposium should contact The Voice Foundation at:
THE VOICE FOUNDATION 1721 Pine Street Philadelphia, PA 19103 Phone: (215) 735-7999 Fax: (215) 735-9293 www.voicefoundation.org E-mail: office@voicefoundation.org
The Voice Foundation's 35th Annual Symposium:
Care of the Professional Voice was held
May 31 - June 4, 2006
The Westin Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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