COLUMBUS, Miss. -- Dr. Susan Hurley, assistant professor of voice at Mississippi University for Women, will speak at the International Congress of Voice Teachers (ICVT) this August in Stockholm, Sweden.
She will present “Tomatis Based Listening: Implications for the Voice Studio,” a discussion of audio-psycho-phonology as pioneered by Dr. Alfred Tomatis (1920-2001). Dr. Hurley will address implications of Tomatis’ theories of audio-vocal control for the pedagogy of singing. The presentation will include a summary of six decades of studies by researchers around the world into the effects of systematic Tomatis-based listening training on singers, speakers and musicians.
Hurley completed her doctoral research on Tomatis listening for singers, and subsequently designed an introductory workshop where singers actively explore the role of the ear in singing.
“Many singers, from high school students to professionals, have expressed curiosity and enthusiasm when hearing of Tomatis’s theories of audio-vocal control,” said Hurley. “Deeper investigation into Tomatis’ work offers us valuable ways to enrich our understanding and to re-contextualize the work we do as singers and as teachers. Speaking at the International Congress of Voice Teachers in Stockholm is a wonderful opportunity to continue to bring awareness of Tomatis listening more firmly into the mainstream among vocal pedagogues.”
ICVT is a quadrennial worldwide gathering of voice teachers for sessions and master-classes, held every four years in a member country. August 2017 in Stockholm marks the 9th ICVT conference since its inception in 1987.
Dr. Hurley, a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, is a performer and teacher who has performed in Europe and the United States in repertoire ranging from opera and musical theatre to concert and recital literature.
She holds a doctor of musical arts degree from Arizona State University, a master of music from Rice University and a bachelor of music from Rutgers University. She joined The W community in August 2016.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 11, 2017