Singing and Teaching Singing

inging and Teaching Singing: A Holistic Approach to Classical Voice, Fourth Edition continues to be a beloved resource for singers and their teachers, speech-language pathologists, and laryngologists and an adopted text for instructors and students in voice, singing, and performing arts courses. Janice L. Chapman is able to draw on her experiences as a singer with some of the world's leading opera companies to present a teaching technique specifically focusing on voice in the areas of classical and opera singing. Interspersed with the concepts and components of Chapman's methods are vignettes from her life and career, animated by her conversational and vibrant style to guide (and entertain) the reader through the book in a step-by-step fashion. Now expand to include joint authorships with Dr. Ron Morris, the fourth edition draws on his experience as a speech and language therapist, audiologist, and singer, and widens the scope of the book to view current studio teaching practices through a scientific lens.

The philosophy of teaching presented combines three main facets: Holistic, Physiological, and Incremental. The Holistic segment emphasizes that the act of singing involves the whole person (i.e., body, mind, spirit, emotion, and voice); the Physiological segment stresses anatomy, muscular function, and effects of muscular interactions so that students and teachers alike can understand and visualize the functional workings of the torso, larynx, and the vocal tract and their impact on good singing practices; and the Incremental section shows that the act of singing and the teaching of singing can be broken down into manageable components that have a natural hierarchy that eventually interact and interlock. This teaching model provides a framework to master one element at a time, with the resulting effect of a complete and integrated mastery of technique. Chapman recommends this framework for rehabilitative work with the dysfunctional singer, for working with the developing singer, and for the ongoing development and maintenance of the technically able professional singer.


This highly-readable text includes contributions from renowned voice professionals, case studies, evidence-based and practical examples, exercises, and videos.

New to the Fourth Edition

New editor and co-author, Ron Morris, BSpThy (Hons); MMusStud (Voice), MSPAA, MASA (CC), PhD
The addition of completely new chapters on Laryngeal Registration, Vocal Acoustics and Acoustic Registration
Clarifications and exercises by Dr. Ron Morris on the use of the Accent Method breathing as a highly effective remedial and training technique
Expanded and updated information on Breathing and Support, Vocal Acoustics, Registers (Laryngeal and Acoustic), Teaching and Learning, Hearing and Singing, and Manual Therapy
Exercises have been significantly expanded and now are contained in a chapter of their own, which includes some information on lesson structure and practice
Significant updates reflect the current state of research and the latest advances in voice science and pedagogy have been referenced throughout
A new glossary has been added for ease of reading and clarification of pedagogical terms used in the text