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The Communication Sciences graduate students conducted voice evaluations on undergraduate and graduate vocal performance students in the Peck School.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s especially cool to work with people who are in the music department,\u201d said Chana Halpern, a Communication Sciences and Disorders graduate student. Students do not typically get to work with vocal performers in a clinical environment as part of their education.<\/p>\n
Each vocalist\u2019s performance was measured and compared to normative vocal performance data. The clinic looked at categories such as voice quality, resonance, vocal range and respiration. Performers whose vocals parameters deviate far from the norm are referred back for more extensive testing. The hard-data approach to vocal health provided a concrete assessment model for students to learn from.<\/p>\n
Voice is a specialty area in the speech pathology profession, said Croegaert-Koch. For that reason, not every speech pathologist is comfortable working with clients who have voice disorders. Building familiarity with the practice gives 51ÁÔÆæ students, such as Halpern and Emma Saunders, a leg up when beginning their careers.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the voice clinic really shows us how to use these skills in the medical field,\u201d said Saunders. \u201cIf we end up wanting to go into private practice that does vocal therapy, we can use this as experience for it, which a lot of people don\u2019t have.\u201d<\/p>\n
The voice clinic gave Peck School students valuable feedback, too. Jason Martin, a vocal performance major in his final semester, learned that he has a louder-than-average voice and collapsed posture when performing vocally \u2013 notes that reinforced points from his vocal lessons.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt will definitely broaden my awareness and help me prevent vocal injuries in the future,\u201d he said. \u201cI think it\u2019s extremely important, so I\u2019m happy I was able to do this, (and I\u2019m glad) that this was available to other singers in the Peck School of the Arts.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gabrielle Hass, a master\u2019s of music student, found the experience beneficial as well. Hass had been to an ear, nose and throat specialist to evaluate her voice health, but this was the first time she had completed a comprehensive vocal examination. Like Martin, Hass attended the clinic primarily for health reasons. The experience provided her with a baseline performance analysis that she can use to compare her vocal health against other vocalists and herself. However, she also saw value in another aspect of the clinic.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re helping out each other,\u201d Hass said. \u201cThey\u2019re giving me a baseline, and I\u2019m showing them how to work with a vocal professional, which is something a lot of people in this field will end up doing at least a couple times.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Speech and Language Clinic is open year-round to all 51ÁÔÆæ students, not just vocalists, and the services require a minimal fee to offset the costs of materials and equipment and vary based on clients\u2019 needs.<\/p>\n
\u201cStudents who maybe had received speech therapy in the past for a stuttering issue, or something like that, who could just use a tune-up,\u201d Croegaert-Koch said, \u201cwe want them to know that we’re here if they want to come to us.\u201d<\/p>\n