CURRENT PEDAGOGICAL METHODS IN SINGING VOICE REHABILITATION
Dr. Karen Wicklund, Soprano and Singer's Wellness Specialist
Of Special Note, Inc., Chicago Center for Professional Voice
In the collaboration team of voice teacher, speech-language pathologist and physician, the voice teacher is perhaps the most critical collaborator due to the ongoing nature of the relationship with his/her student. The teacher and student who have built a relationship of trust and respect should be able to continue working together when and if vocal injury occurs, especially if the voice teacher is prepared with adequate rehabilitative pedagogical methods. Because rehabilitative techniques are not always a part of voice pedagogy courses in most university training, a teacher may seek out workshops, courses in speech pathology, and/or collaborative rehabilitative training internships to bolster his/her knowledge of therapeutic techniques.
The presenter of this presentation possesses a doctoral degree in voice and is also degreed in speech pathology. She will describe her work with a University of Illinois at Chicago otolaryngologist in the rehabilitation of several professional singers. The singers had various disorders such as spasmodic dysphonia, vocal cord paresis from recurrent and superior nerve damage, vocal cord nodules, polyps, GERD, and muscular tension dysphonia. A single-subject study format will be used to present methods and results. Vocal recovery schedules and specific vocalizes for each type of disorder will be discussed and demonstrated. In addition, specific therapeutic song repertoire choices and vocal hygiene recommendations for the injured singer will be discussed.