Wholehearted Voice Pedagogy

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...

On this episode of the podcast, we continue our conversation about artistry, this time focusing on it from the perspective of Western classical music. My very special guest is my dear friend and colleague, Elizabeth Mondragon, an in-demand DC-based mezzo soprano. I have written more art song for Elizabeth than any other singer. She is innately musical and has some wonderful insights on balancing a...

In this episode of the podcast, we focus on equity-centered teaching and how it intersects with trauma-informed practices. Our special guest is Alex Shevrin Venet, who is an educator and professional development facilitator. She is also the author of Equity-Centered Trauma Informed Education and Becoming an Everyday Changemaker.  Alex Shevrin Venet's Contact Information: https://www.unconditionall...

On this episode, we consider ways to co-create safe, student-centered learning spaces for transgender and genderqueer students. My special guest is Dr. William Sauerland, Associate Professor of Music and Director of Choral Studies for the School of Music at Purdue University Fort Wayne. He is the author of Queering Vocal Pedagogy (Roman & Littlefield) among many other published articles and ch...

In this episode, we discuss the importance of continuing to expand our island of knowledge as voice teachers. My very special guest is Dr. Vindhya Khare, who teaches me a tremendous amount about female sex hormones and their impacts on the singing voice. I am so grateful for her vulnerability and tremendous knowledge, and can affirm you will learn so much from this episode! Dr. Vindhya Khare's Con...

Wholehearted Voice Pedagogy has officially been published by Routledge Press and is now available wherever books are sold! To celebrate, I had some wonderful conversations with previous guests Justin Petersen and Dr. Felix Graham,  my colleague Dr. Luvada Harrison, and former student, Adalynn Eller. Listen to find out more about what's in the book and how this wonderful array of pedagogues are thi...

In this last episode before my book release, I share three lessons I learned while researching, writing, and trying to get the book published. No guests this week—it's just you and me. I hope this story inspires your own journey toward creativity, passion, and truth. David Sisco's Contact Information: www.davidsisco.com Stay engaged!! Subscribe to this channel and find this podcast on all platform...

What is trauma? How do we assess trauma and activate a trauma-informed response? And how do we balance this with self-care? In this episode, I have a wonderfully rich conversation with voice teacher and vocologist Megan Durham about engaging trauma-informed care in the voice studio. Megan shares some fantastic resources and insights. See show notes below.  Megan’s Contact Information: https://www....