Vocal Health Toolkit: Working with young voices with Olivia Sparkhall

Choir directors are often the first port of call for a young singer when they encounter a problem with their voice but it’s not always easy to know what to say. This session will equip you to offer up-to-date advice but, even more importantly, will teach you how to work with children to keep their voices healthy as they go through puberty. We’ll look at whether it’s worth doing vocal warm-ups and cool-downs, what sort of difference staying hydrated can make, and whether it’s alright to eat dairy on the day of a concert. In this session, Olivia Sparkhall will cover some vocal anatomy and explain what to look out for with teens going through voice-change, how the monthly cycle can affect girls, and how to help boys through the different stages of their vocal development.

This session includes 75 minutes of training, plus 15 minutes for discussion. The session is held on Zoom, from 5 to 6.30pm, with a link sent out to participants the day before. The session is recorded, so you can attend the session live or catch up with the recording later at a time to suit you!