Humans have been expressing emotions and telling stories through song throughout our entire history as Homo sapiens. It has been a way for our species to find group cohesion and solidify important social bonds for tens of thousands of years. In fact, some scientists even postulate that song could have been the precursor to BOTH music and language.
But what has happened, like many other aspects of human society, is that things started to get complicated. As cultures moved around the globe and humans strived to push forward, subtle intricacies infiltrated even our most fundamental of behaviors. Both skill training and opportunity have been reduced for many who desperately wish to sing. Music has been cut from schools. We have lost much of our innate musical experiences for simple accessibility reasons. Even simple age bias limits performing opportunities for great talent, or fails to adapt to a changing instrument.
This project strives to make the study of voice and vocal performance available to those who may otherwise fall through the cracks. Specifically, this project will offer:
- Private lessons and/or group lessons to individuals who do not have the financial means.
- Private lessons and/or group lessons to individuals with unique profiles, like cochlear implants. aging voices, or neurodivergence: singing offers many benefits for these populations.
- Discounted or free access to voice science and vocal pedagogy courses.
- Performance opportunities: particularly for the adult amateur/over 40 demographic in classical singing which often gets overlooked in other programs. There is an inherent age bias in the system, and many wonderful singers are not even allowed to apply to programs based solely on age.
Science has proven singing is good for both brain and body health. It is a right, not a privilege.