Wholehearted Voice Pedagogy

On this episode of Wholehearted Voice Pedagogy, I have the incredible pleasure of reconnecting with Mirna Valerio, who is a former educator, ultramarathoner, cyclist, skier, DEI professional, and author of a wonderful memoir entitled A Beautiful Work in Progress. We talk about the foundational elements of resilience by exploring her life's journey. There are several nuggets of wisdom here, which I...

On this episode of Wholehearted Voice Pedagogy, I have the joy of talking to my dear friend and colleague Christopher Preston Thompson about the multifarious life of an adjunct voice teacher. Christopher currently teaches at two City University of New York (CUNY) schools in addition to his work at NYU Steinhardt and a busy career as a performer and scholar. Christopher shares wonderful thoughts ab...

On this episode of Wholehearted Voice Pedagogy, I have the absolute pleasure of talking to Rabih Lahoud, who is a German-Lebanese singer, composer, and educator. We discuss his book Stimme im Flow (Voice in Flow) and the powerful connections that exist between singer and audience, student and teacher. This is a dynamic conversation that I'm so happy to share with you. Enjoy!  Rabih Lahoud's Contac...

Remember getting a checklist from your teacher of things to bring on your first day of school? Well, on this episode of Wholehearted Pedagogy, we're going to consider what should be on the voice teacher's checklist as we head back into this new season of teaching. Here's a little bit about what I'm thinking about. As always, I'd love to hear if this resonates with you, and what else should be on o...

On this episode of the podcast, I have a fascinating discussion with Dr. Belinda McMahon about her research on the voice and identity. We dive into her PhD dissertation to discuss the many influences on an individual's speaking and singing voice and how this necessarily impacts how we teach in the voice studio. This is a do-not-miss episode! Like, subscribe, and share for more! Dr. Belinda McMahon...

On this episode of Wholehearted Voice Pedagogy, I sit down with Director/Choreographer Seán Curran to explore the similarities and differences in how singers and dancers train—and what each discipline can learn from the other. This conversation grew out of an exploratory workshop of The Siren of the Drunken Boat, a new music theater work created by my colleague Michael Kelly and me under Seán's di...

On this episode of the podcast, I have the joy of speaking to my dear colleague Dr. Isaí Jess Muñoz about how leadership shapes academic institutions and arts organizations. Based on his work as Chair and Artistic Director of the Vocal Arts Department at Boston Conservatory at Berklee, former Interim Dean of the Music Division, Immediate Past President of the National Opera Association, and servic...

On the next episode of Wholehearted Voice Pedagogy, Sondrine Bontemps shares her experience of what precipitated her experiencing a vocal injury and how she overcame it. I'm so grateful for her generosity and openness, knowing we all need to be having these conversations out in the open more. We talk about de-catastrophizing and the work required to rediscover a healthy voice. So proud of this one...

On this episode of the podcast, I continue my conversation with recent graduates of NYU Steinhardt, talking about what their first year out of school has been like for them. Here, I speak with Julia Ortiz-Luis and Andrea Bush, both of whom graduated with a MM in Vocal Performance (Musical Theatre) and an Advanced Certificate in Vocal Pedagogy. Talking to them was such a great reminder to me of how...

On this episode of the podcast, I have an in-depth conversation with two-time Grammy Award nominee and soprano Laura Strickling about collaboration. Laura has had a wonderfully varied career and offers great insights on collaborating with everyone from pianists, to composers, to labels. We also talk about collaborating together on my new album, Infrastructure: The Songs of David Sisco.  Laura Stri...

On this episode of Wholehearted Voice Pedagogy, I have the pleasure of speaking to Mariana Beauchamp and Josh Gaba about their first year out of college (Mariana completed a MM in Vocal Performance/Musical Theatre with a Certificate in Vocal Pedagogy, and Josh a BM in Vocal Performance/Contemporary Voice). They generously share their insights on the transition from being a student to a working art...

On this episode of Wholehearted Pedagogy, I have the pleasure of talking to Dr. Adam L. Kelly, Professor of Sport and Exercise and Director of Research for Athlete and Youth Sport Development (RAYSD) Lab at Birmingham City University, United Kingdom. Adam and his colleagues have been researching the influence of nature and nurture on talent development in sports. This has a direct correlation to t...

On this episode of Wholehearted Voice Pedagogy , I talk to Jina Nam about assessing the singer, both in an initial lesson and throughout the working relationship with a student or client. Jina's background as a voice teacher, performer, and SLP adds nuance to this conversation, which I'm so happy to share with you! Jina Nam's Contact Information Website: https://www.jinanamvoice.com/ IG: https://w...

On this episode of Wholehearted Voice Pedagogy, I have the great pleasure of speaking to Dr. Nicholas Perna, who is Associate Professor and Director of Vocal Pedagogy at the University of Colorado Boulder, where he directs the Berton Coffin Voice Lab. Together, we dive into the murky topic of ethics. Nick generously shares his personal experiences and offers some potent moments of reflection for a...

On this episode of Wholehearted Pedagogy, I talk to Dr. Cate Denial about her book, A Pedagogy of Kindness . We discuss ways of expressing kindness while maintaining healthy boundaries and academic rigor. Cate has some incredibly helpful advice about how to engage kindness within institutional structures and how to navigate conflict with students. So much food for thought in this episode! Be sure...

On this episode of the podcast, I have the tremendous pleasure of speaking to Dr. Jennifer & Dr. Mark McQuade who, after 16 years of teaching in higher education, moved into secondary education and independent studio teaching. They generously reflect on the differences in teaching styles and relating to students. Their investment in student excellence and student care is a wonderful model for...

On this episode of the podcast, we explore the concepts of "power-over," "power-with," and temporary and permanent inequality through the lens of Relational-Cultural Theory. My special guest Jovan Rivera-Lovato offers fantastic insights on these frameworks through their Masters thesis "Unsettling graduate social work education at DePaul University." Consider how you can engage RCT's "Five Good Thi...

On this episode of the podcast, I talk about using humor as a pedagogical tool with my dear friend and colleague, Justin Petersen, author of the Substack, "A Voice Teacher's Chrestomathy." How are you using humor in the voice studio to your students' benefit? How do you use it as a means of self-care? This episode is filled with laughter and insights. Enjoy! Contact Information for Justin Petersen...

On today's episode, I talk to Broadway performer and life coach Kelli Youngman Singh about the role of motivation and mindset in achieving our goals. She shares some great insights through her personal experience and those with clients, along with practical ways of manifesting your highest aspirations. Kelli also encourages teachers to activate curiosity when students encounter resistance. This op...

In this first episode of Season 2, David reflects on several of the most meaningful and memorable moments from the first season of the podcast and talks about all that is to come! Enjoy great insights from Dr. Ritu Agarwal, Dr. Brian Manternach, Dr, Marisa Lee Naismith, Dr. Noélia Luna Archambeault de Hernández, Dr. Elizabeth Benson & Kate Rosen, Alex Shevrin Venet, Amer Khosla, Justin Peterse...

On the final episode of this season of Wholehearted Voice Pedagogy, I have an in-depth conversation with Dr. Brian Manternach about his new book, Voices of Influence. Brian opens up about the impact of his family and mentors, including his doctoral voice teacher at Indiana University, Robert J. Harrison (or Bob). Brian beautifully illustrates how voice science and growth-fostering relationships ca...

On this episode of Wholehearted Voice Pedagogy, I have a far-ranging conversation with my dear colleague Anthony Turner about what it means to be a teaching artist. Anthony opens up about his life, his training, and what he's curious about these days. There are plenty of insights (not to mention lots of laughs) in this episode. I'm so pleased to share it with you! Anthony Turner's Contact Informat...

On this episode of the podcast, I have the pleasure of talking to Dr. Elizabeth Ann Benson and Kate Rosen about Fat Liberation in the Voice Studio. I am so grateful to both Elizabeth and Kate for being so open and offering  actionable steps for supporting all bodies in the studio. I personally took so much from this episode and hope you will as well!  Dr. Elizabeth Ann Benson Website: https://eliz...

On this episode of the podcast, I have the pleasure of talking to Dr. Noélia Luna Archambealt de Hernández about the power of culturally-responsive teaching in the voice studio. She shares some very insightful examples of how we can engage this teaching modality in a way that supports student growth.  Noélia's Contact Information: Website: https://www.udel.edu/academics/colleges/cas/units/departme...

In this episode of Wholehearted Voice Pedagogy, David takes a thoughtful dive into the science behind self-care—and why it's not just beneficial, but essential for voice teachers. Drawing from current research, we’ll unpack the proven benefits of meditation, journaling, boundary-setting, and strategies for cultivating a healthier work-life balance. Whether you're feeling burnt out or simply curiou...