4th May 2025, 6pm UK time
The event focuses on creating a teaching environment that is inclusive of all shapes and sizes. In order to keep our guests safe, we will be setting some paremeters for the Q&A
This event is free for VHE Members and £10 for non-members. 30-days access to the catchup recording is available.
Dr. Elizabeth Ann Benson is a dynamic scholar, performer, and educator, known for her expertise in contemporary voice pedagogy. Her book Training Contemporary Commercial Singers has been praised as “a remarkable and long-awaited contribution” (Journal of Singing), and her research has appeared in top journals including Voice and Speech Review, The Journal of Singing, and American Music Teacher. She is a frequent presenter at major conferences and guest speaker for organizations like the Grammy Awards MusiCares, NATS Chat, and the Voice Study Centre.
Her current research explores equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging in the voice studio. She co-authored impactful articles on anti-fat bias and anti-racism in voice teaching, with one selected for Routledge’s Voice and Identity collection (2024). She holds three U.K.-based certifications in vocal health and is a PAVA-Recognized Vocologist.
As a sought-after clinician, she’s led master classes for NYSTA, regional NATS chapters, and universities nationwide. Elizabeth earned her MM from New England Conservatory and her doctorate from CUNY Graduate Center. A past recipient of the NATS Emerging Leader Award and the College of Liberal Arts Diversity Fellowship, she now leads national mentoring programs for NATS and the Music Theatre Educators’ Alliance.
Kate Rosen is a singer, voice teacher, advocate, size accessibility consultant, and researcher. Along with co-author Dr. Elizabeth Benson, her work on fat liberation in the voice studio has been published in The Journal of Singing and in Voice and Speech Review. She has presented on this topic for the Pan American Vocology Association, the National Association of Teachers of Singing, the Musical Theatre Educators Alliance, the Speakeasy Cooperative, the Association for Popular Music Education, and more. Kate earned her Bachelor of Music degree from Oberlin Conservatory and her Master of Music degree from the University of Michigan, both in Voice Performance. She maintains a private studio outside of Detroit, MI, and is the co-founder of community organization Fat Folks Detroit. She also provides size accessibility consulting to increase opportunities for fat people to participate in events and gatherings, working with organizations including the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.
Jenna Brown presents her doctoral research on ethical policy documents for Singing Voice Rehabilitation Specialists through a feminist lens.
This research uses pragmatic feminist post-structuralism to conduct a document analysis exploring how ethical theory is applied to singing voice rehabilitation by specialist singing teachers (SVRS). A critical literature review examines the relationship between traditional and feminist ethical theories and their potential impact on practice.
Themes have been extracted from the ethical literature to create a feminist post-structural analysis framework, facilitating exploration of the foundations of three policy documents currently available to SVRS. Findings are discussed thematically considering the impact of ethical theories on policy and practice.
Conclusions indicate adopting a feminist ethical policy could improve existing documents via a move from legislation and authority towards care and reflexivity.
4th May 2025, 6pm UK time
This event is free for VHE Members and £10 for non-members. 30-days access to the catchup recording is available.
