SOUTHERN MISS SCHOOL OF Music
RHM Vocal Arts and Science Symposium
january 31 - february 1, 2025
HATTIESBURG CAMPUS
SCHOOLOFMUSIC SOUTHERNMISS ASOUND TRADITION
The School of Music family at The University of Southern Mississippi enjoys a friendly and beautiful campus in a vibrant community. Our students and faculty work together to develop as people and musicians, striving for excellence in all areas. An education with us is accessible and affordable, yet the community you build, memories you make, and growth you experience will be priceless.
SOUTHERN MISS SCHOOL OF Music
RHM Vocal Arts and Science Symposium
january 31 - february 1, 2025
HATTIESBURG CAMPUS
Kourtney Austin, PHD
Assistant Professor of Voice University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
Stephen F. Austin, PhD
Professor Emeritus
Former Coordinator of the Texas Center for Performing Arts Health University of North Texas
Jae-Hwa Shin, PhD
School of Media and Communication
The University of Southern Mississippi
William A. Thompson IV
Composer, pianist, electronic musician, and educator
Dr. John D. Sobiesk
Hattiesburg Clinic Ear, Nose, and Throat
Forrest General Hospital
MS. AMANDA WALSH
Interim Director, The University of Southern Mississippi Speaking Center
Dr. Hongzuo Guo
Staff Collaborative Pianist
Southern Miss
Mr. Zhaolei Xie
Staff Collaborative Pianist
Southern Miss
Friday, january 31, 2025
8:30 a.m. – Registration – Coffee/Tea/Refreshments – Marsh HALL Lobby
9 a.m. – Welcome and Introductions – Marsh Auditorium
9:10–9:50 – Dr. William A. Thompson, IV – The Musical Qualities of Speech
10 – 11 a.m. – Dr. Kourtney Austin – Performing Arts Health for Singers
It is widely known singers experience voice disorders and injuries. Such injuries may be mitigated through education of vocal health concepts, and many resources exist to guide singers to competency in this area. Due to lack of awareness and knowledge of other aspects of performing arts health (PAH), singers may be at risk for non-voice-related injuries as a result of their participation in singing activities. While many singers and teachers of singing may feel comfortable talking about voice health and offering specific advice, such as “drink plenty of water” or “avoid yelling and screaming,” far fewer singers feel confident in discussing other principals of performing arts health, such as musculoskeletal, hearing, and mental health concepts.
Whole-person wellness is an essential element in the lives of all performers, and this presentation will encompass each of the four core areas of performing arts health (neuromusculoskeletal, hearing, mental, and voice health). We will explore these areas in both a broad overview format and in an immediately applicable “tips and tricks” design. At the conclusion of this presentation, you will have solid information to understand the occupational risks that surround you, the intrinsic and extrinsic factors you bring to the table, and how to help yourself navigate the internal and environmental factors affecting your performing arts health and wellness.
11:10 A.m.– 12:15 p.m. – Dr. Stephen Austin
Building Strong Voices 12 Different Ways – Part I
Objective: Dr. Austin discusses specific elements of voice training that historically have been a part of a progressive method of voice training.
Learning Outcome: Observers will develop and gain a solid, step-by-step understanding of how to build a strong singing voice and secure singing techniques that have historically been a part of proper singing technique. With experiential engagement, singers/speakers learn the proper use of the body and placement in the delivery of their voices.
12:15 – 1:15 p.m. – Lunch – The Intermezzo @ Woods Gallery
1:30 – 2:15 p.m. – Dr. Stephen Austin – Building Strong VoiceS
Application Session Master Class – Bel Canto – Incorporating the 12 Ways and Methods of Bel Canto
Objective: This is a continuation of Session 1 with the same objective as above. Learning Outcome: Same learning outcome as above
2:30 – 3:30 p.m. – Dr. Stephen Austin
Building Strong Voices 12 Different Ways – Part II
Objective: Dr. Austin discusses specific elements of voice training that historically have been a part of a progressive method of voice training.
Learning Outcome: Observers will develop and gain a solid, step-by-step understanding of how to build a strong singing voice and secure singing techniques that have historically been a part of proper singing technique. With experiential engagement, singers/speakers learn the proper use of the body and placement in the delivery of their voices.
3:30 – 4:30 p.m. – Application Master Class – Incorporating the 12 Ways & Methods of Bel Canto – Dr. Austin
Objective: This is a hands-on, practical workshop to give attendees the opportunity to develop their listening and teaching skills by experiencing what was taught in the first two sessions.
Learning Outcomes: Participants will confirm what they have learned in sessions one and two either by working with someone and being observed by Dr. Austin or by Dr. Austin working with them individually. Either way, there will be direct instruction by Dr. Austin to confirm their understanding of chiaroscuro and how to train their students.
4:30 – 5:30 p.m. – Dr. John Sobiesk or the Drs. Austin
6 – End of Day One – Dinner on Your Own
Saturday, February 1, 2025
8:30 – 8:45 a.m. – Registration – Coffee/Tea/Refreshments – Marsh HALL Lobby
9 – 10 a.m. –Dr. Jae-Hwa Shin – Voice and Public Relations: Harmonizing Authenticity and Technique
Objective: Dr. Shin takes our audience on an adventure of exploring the dynamic interplay between voice training and effective communication; this session bridges the art of vocal performance with the strategic demands of public relations. Drawing from interdisciplinary insights, we delve into foundational vocal techniques, such as chiaroscuro, and their application to crafting compelling public messages.
Learning Outcome: By examining elements like resonance, tone placement, and expressiveness, participants will discover strategies to enhance their vocal clarity and authenticity in professional settings. Whether in the boardroom or on stage, mastering vocal delivery can transform communication into an art form that resonates with diverse audiences. This interactive presentation offers practical tools for voice development, emphasizing its role as a cornerstone of impactful public relations.
10 – 10:45 A.m. – Speaking Workshop – Dr. Shin and Ms. Walsh
(Speech Pathologists, Performers, Orators, Ministers, Conductors, Public Speakers, and Teachers) Objectives: Application of Dr. Shin’s “Voice and Public Relations” Concepts
• Application of foundational vocal techniques of chiaroscuro.
• Mastering vocal delivery through building vocal resonance
• Speaking with clarity and confidence
Learning Outcomes:
Participants will gain applied approaches to improving their speaking voices and speech/ song delivery, along with learning strategies for building vocal resonance for public speaking. Participants will also learn strategies for instructing others in building resonance and clarity in their voices for oration.
11 a.m. – 12 p.m. Review – Dr. Kourtney Austin
Performing Arts Health for Singers – Part II
It is widely known singers experience voice disorders and injuries. Such injuries may be mitigated through education of vocal health concepts, and many resources exist to guide singers to competency in this area. Due to lack of awareness and knowledge of other aspects of performing arts health (PAH), singers may be at risk for non-voice-related injuries as a result of their participation in singing activities. While many singers and teachers of singing may feel comfortable talking about voice health and offering specific advice, such as “drink plenty of water” or “avoid yelling and screaming,” far fewer singers feel confident in discussing other principals of performing arts health, such as musculoskeletal, hearing, and mental health concepts.
Whole-person wellness is an essential element in the lives of all performers, and this presentation will encompass each of the four core areas of performing arts health (neuromusculoskeletal, hearing, mental, and voice health). We will explore these areas in both a broad overview format and in an immediately applicable “tips and tricks” design. At the conclusion of this presentation, you will have solid information to understand the occupational risks that surround you, the intrinsic and extrinsic factors you bring to the table, and how to help yourself navigate the internal and environmental factors affecting your performing arts health and wellness.
12:15 – 1:15 p.m. – Lunch – The Intermezzo @ Woods Gallery
1:20 – 2:30 p.m. – Drs. Stephen and Kourtney AustiN Crossover Acoustics 101 - The Intermezzo @ Woods Gallery
Singers employ a variety of acoustic strategies to accomplish their desired aesthetic and functional goals. This session will discuss important resonance and acoustic principles relative to bel canto and many forms of CCM singing.
2:30 – 3:45 p.m. – Crossover Acoustics Master Class (Bel Canto singers)
Objective: This interactive presentation will address all the ideas and concepts discussed in the “Crossover Acoustics 101” session above. Those concepts will be applied to bel canto singers who aspire to also perform well in the contemporary genres.
Learning Outcome: Participants will be able to identify variations of breathing (breath support), onsets and releases, vowel morphing, vibrato, and phrase weighting that help artists develop a signature style. They will also learn how to approach rhythm and use melodic tools to embellish melodies. Finally, they will practice their analyzation skills by learning a method to use multiple performances to influence their own interpretation.
3:45 – 3:55 p.m. –
4 – 4:45 P.m. – Dr. Stephen AustiN
Building Strong Voices 12 Different Ways – Part III
Objective: Dr. Austin discusses specific elements of voice training that historically have been a part of a progressive method of voice training.
Learning Outcome: Observers will develop and gain a solid, step-by-step understanding of how to build a strong singing voice and secure singing techniques that have historically been a part of proper singing technique. With experiential engagement, singers/speakers learn the proper use of the body and placement in the delivery of their voices.
4:45 – 5:40 p.m. – All-in-One Master Class
CCM, Gospel, R&B, & Musical Theatre Master Class [Bel Canto Singers]
Objective: The singing master class takes the sessions of the day with chiaroscuro / bel canto and the crossover styles, incorporating them into one “hands-on” master class and giving students and teachers another opportunity to test their knowledge (how much they’ve learned) and to learn by experience. For each style, the concepts of breathing, tone placement and tonal quality will be addressed. It is dedicated to students pursuing a degree in voice performance, as well as those who are already established professional singers, teachers of singing, choral directors, vocal ensembles, and small and/or large ensembles. This master class is dedicated to singers in all styles of singing.
Learning Outcome: Voice specialists and avocational voice participants will learn how to work with the professional voice and the classical/legit style of singing, as well as the crossover styles. Singers will learn or re-educate themselves in proper voice technique and management with a review of breath management, resonance, glottal function, and clean vocal fold vibration.
5:45 p.m. – Wrap-up
Objective: This is a time of review and recap of all material covered in the conference.
SOUTHERN MISS VOICE
Southern Miss offers one of the most comprehensive vocal music programs in the Southeast. With expert training in classical technique that also explores a range of genres and styles, we are here to help you reach your potential as a 21st-century musician.
Dr. Kimberley Davis VOICE kimberley.davis@usm.edu
Dr. Taylor Hightower VOICE j.hightower@usm.edu
OPPORTUNITIES
With a 40-member music faculty of dedicated teacher-artists, our arts community is thriving! We regularly produce operas, musicals, chamber and cabaret performances in venues on campus and around the country. The opportunity to make professional debuts and be part of local and regional companies offer unparalleled experience while advancing your education and making connections that will last a lifetime.
Dr. Meredith Johnson VOICE meredith.m.johnson@usm.edu
Dr. Jonathan Yarrington VOICE jonathan.yarrington@usm.edu
THE FUTURE
Our alumni perform on the world stage, from major opera houses to Broadway. They teach in secondary and collegiate programs inspiring the next generation with their artistry.
Scanhereformore informationand auditioninformation.
FEATURED GUESTS
Dr. Kourtney Austin is assistant professor of voice at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. She earned her Ph.D. in performing arts health at the University of North Texas, and holds degrees in voice from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and music education from Northwest Missouri State University. Dr. Austin also studied speech pathology and voice science at the University of Iowa and is a certified vocologist. She previously used this expertise in her own business, Heartland Healthy Voices, providing vocal health seminars, voice rehabilitation, private voice lessons, and transgender voice training in Saint Louis, Missouri.
Dr. Austin was a Teaching Fellow at the University of North Texas and has held faculty positions at Midwestern State University, Grayson College, the Community Music School of Webster University, and has served as Artistic Director of CHARIS, The St. Louis Women’s Chorus. She is a frequent presenter of performing arts health research throughout the United States and in Australia. Her current research interests include using spectral analysis to quantify characteristics of the vocal onset as it applies to vocal efficiency and fatigue. She has presented on varying topics of performing arts health and voice science all over the world, including The Voice Symposium in Shanghai, China; The Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, Australia; the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia; The Voice Foundation Symposium in Philadelphia; and The Performing Arts Medicine Association International Symposium. In June 2024, Dr. Austin presented her research at the National Association of Teachers of Singing National Conference in Knoxville, Tenn. She is a current member of PAMA, PAVA, The Voice Foundation, and NATS.
Stephen F. Austin, Ph.D, professor emeritus of voice and the former coordinator of the Texas Center for Performing Arts Health at the University of North Texas, Denton. He joined the faculty of UNT in 2001 after several years of teaching at Louisiana State University. He taught applied voice and vocal pedagogy. Dr. Austin earned a master’s degree in vocal performance from UNT and continued his studies at the University of Iowa, where he received a Ph.D. in voice science from the Department of Communication Disorders under the direction of Dr. Ingo Titze. His unique training in performance and voice science has placed Dr. Austin at the forefront of interdisciplinary work in voice science and vocal pedagogy. He is an active performer, published author, and a popular lecturer in vocal pedagogy and voice science. He has presented recitals, lectures, and masterclasses across this country, in England, The Netherlands, China and Australia. He has been featured on the faculty of the Annual Symposium: Care of the Professional Voice sponsored by the Voice Foundation in Philadelphia. He has made invited presentations to the national conventions of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Music Teachers National Association and to the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS). He has offered lectures and masterclasses at national and international
conferences and workshops, including the Westminster Choir College Summer Workshop, the international meeting of the Physiology and Acoustics of Singing Conference, NATS mid-winter workshops, and Pan-European Voice Conference held in London, England. He has appeared as special guest at the national conference of the Australian National Association of Teachers of Singing. He has also appeared as special guest for the New York Singing Teachers Association.
Dr. Austin is recognized for his singular contribution to the literature in vocal pedagogy through his column that he created for the JournalofSinging , “Provenance.” He published almost 60 articles in 15 years on the historical principles of voice teaching as derived from the writings of important and eminent teachers of the past. Those articles have recently been released in book form by Inside View Press – Provenance: HistoricVoicePedagogyViewedThroughaContemporaryLens, which is available at voiceinsideview.com.
Dr. Austin is known as an excellent teacher and for his ability to clarify for the voice teaching community the complexities of voice science and to make it applicable to the studio teacher and singer. His articles on this subject have been published in AustralianVoice , the official publication of the Australian National Association of Teachers of Singing; the ChoralJournal; and in the JournalofSinging.His scientific research has focused on the articulatory behavior of classically trained singers and has been published in the JournalofVoice . He is a member of the editorial board of the JournalofSingingand serves on the Voice Science Advisory Committee of NATS. He has served as a member of the Science Advisory Committee of the Voice Foundation, where he was awarded the prestigious Van A. Lawrence Fellowship Award. Most notably, Dr. Austin is a successful teacher and has students singing professionally in this country and in Europe, and with more than a dozen former students in faculty positions around the United States. He retired from the UNT-Denton faculty in May of 2023.
Jae-Hwa Shin, Ph.D., M.P.H., M.B.A., APR, serves as the faculty advisor for the Public Relations Student Society of America and the campus advisor for the National Millennial and GenZ Community. She is also the current chair of the National Communication Association Public Relations Division.
Dr. Shin’s scholarly and scientific contributions have advanced the Contingency Theory of Strategic Conflict Management in diverse cultural settings, with a particular focus on the dynamic landscape of new media and technology. Her achievements in public relations education earned her the prestigious PRIDE Award for Outstanding Public Relations Education. This honor coincided with her latest publication, PublicRelationsTheory:Capabilitiesand Competencies. Another of her books, PublicRelationsStrategiesandTactics, has been adopted by over 300 institutions and is a foundational resource for Accreditation in Public Relations.
Dr. Shin has earned the Advanced Certificate in Effective College Instruction, awarded by the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) and the American Council on Education (ACE). She has also been recognized as a Distinguished Professor of Teaching at The University of Southern Mississippi.
She is a Fellow of the Scripps Howard Leadership Academy, a Jennifer McGill Fellow of the Institute for Diverse Leadership in the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication and the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, and a Leadership Fellow with the Lillian Lodge Kopenhaver Center for the Advancement of Women in Communication. She is also inducted into the Southern Public Relations Federation Hall of Fame in recognition of her significant contributions to the public relations profession, academic discipline and education.
Previously, Dr. Shin served as communication director for the Korea Economic Research Institute and the Center for Free Enterprise of the Federation of Korean Industries.
William A. Thompson IV or “WATIV” is a composer, pianist, electronic musician, and educator. His unique music has attracted the attention of NPR’s “All Things Considered” and the BBC. Thompson’s art has been most profoundly impacted by his one-year tour of duty spent in Baghdad during the Iraq War in 2004 as a Counterintelligence Agent.
Thompson studied jazz piano at the University of New Orleans and earned a master’s degree in jazz studies. In 2022, Thompson earned a Ph.D. as a part of Louisiana State University’s Experimental Music and Digital Media program and began synthesizing music and human speech as sound compositions.
Today, Thompson is an assistant professor of sound at The University of Southern Mississippi, where he teaches and researches audio technology and music. In addition, he continues his career as an improvising pianist and computer musician in the New Orleans area, Mississippi, and abroad.
Dr. John D. Sobiesk is an ENT-otolaryngologist in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and is affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area, including Forrest General Hospital and George Regional Hospital. He received his medical degree from Louisiana State University School of Medicine, where he also served his internship and residency and received his fellowship training. He is board-certified with the American Board of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery. His areas of special interest are pediatric ear, nose and throat diseases and surgical treatment of diseases in the sinuses of all ages, and he has been in practice for more than 33 years. Dr. John D. Sobiesk is highly recommended by patients.
Amanda Walsh is currently the interim director of The University of Southern Mississippi Speaking Center and a visiting instructor in the School of Media and Communication. She is also the current chair of the Southern States Communication Association Applied Communication Division. Amanda has organized and led several public speaking workshops as interim director of the Speaking Center, including two Communicating with Confidence Professionals in Preparation sessions, Public Speaking with English as a Second Language, and Overcoming Speech Apprehension.
Dr. Hongzuo Guo, an accomplished Chinese classical pianist, commenced her musical journey in Harbin at the age of six. She attained her Bachelor of Music in piano performance from the Shenyang Conservatory of Music in Liaoning, China. In 2016, she furthered her studies in the United States. She got her Master of Music in collaboraJve piano and piano pedagogy diploma at the Cleveland Institute of Music in 2018, and completed her Doctorate of Music in Collaborative Piano at Arizona State University in December 2023 under the guidance of notable mentors such as Russell Ryan, Anita Pontremoli, Ning Fu, and Nobuko Nagaoka. As a collaboraJve pianist, Guo has led an indelible mark on the internatonal stage, showcasing her artstry in performances, auditons, recitals, and competitons. Notably, she secured the first prize in the Violin and Piano Duet category at the New York Golden Classical Music International Competition in 2020 and the second prize at the Austria International Duet Competition. Her prowess has also been demonstrated in her participation in esteemed masterclasses, where she has worked alongside globally renowned musicians such as Michael Bunchman, Christina Wright-Ivanova, Martin Kuuskman, Miroslav Hristov, Nicholas Cords, Jorja Fleezanis, Mai Motobuchi, Frank Morelli, and Judith Farmer.
Chinese Pianist Zhaolei Xie was a winner in the Bradshaw & Buono International Piano Competition, which led to his debut in Weill Recital Hall of Carnegie Hall in New York City. He also won the Bronze Medal in the 58th Wideman International Piano Competition. Currently, Mr. Xie is the master collaborative artist in piano at USM. Prior to working at USM, Mr. Xie was an accompanist at Southeastern Louisiana University and the Thurnauer School of Music of Kaplen JCC on the Palisades in New Jersey.
As a solo artist, Mr. Xie has appeared as orchestral soloist with the Monroe Symphony Orchestra, Mid-Texas Symphony Orchestra, Texas Christian University Symphony Orchestra and Southeastern Louisiana University Chamber Orchestra. Mr. Xie has performed piano solo concerts in FestivalSouth in Mississippi, and Miller Recital Hall and Greenfield Hall in New York City. He has collaborated with numerous musicians, including GRAMMY Award-winning chamber musician Andrew Pelletier, Italian international recording artist Elena Cecconi, Norwegian Tuba Soloist Øystein Baadsvik, and artists from Michigan State University, the University of North Carolina, the University
of Memphis, Ball State University, Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, Spokane Symphony Orchestra, etc.
Mr. Xie has appeared as our designated collaborative pianist for previous Vocal Arts and Science Symposia and was also the designated pianist of the Southern Saxophone Workshop and Southern Flute Festival and Competition at USM.
DR. ROBERT HOPE MCCRARY
1936-2016
Robert Hope McCrary was born in Arcadia, Louisiana, to C.L. and Ida McCrary on June 28, 1939. He attended Arcadia High School. He and Donna Ann Johnson were married December 26, 1960. He received his undergraduate degree from Louisiana Tech and completed medical school in 1964 at Louisiana State University in New Orleans, and then completed his internship at Confederate Memorial Center in Shreveport in 1965. Dr. McCrary was a flight surgeon in the United States Army from 1965-67 and then returned to complete his residency in otolaryngology at Confederate Memorial Medical Center, currently LSU University Hospital. Dr. McCrary began his medical practice in Hattiesburg in 1971. He loved football and was a longtime supporter of the USM Golden Eagles, LSU Tigers and the New Orleans Saints. He also had a passion for both fresh and saltwater fishing. Dr. and Mrs. McCrary have two daughters and two sons: Shawn Richards (Arthur) of Brandon; Robert McCrary (Stephanie) of Hattiesburg; Erin Sherlock (Richard) of Highlands Ranch, Colorado; and Joel McCrary of Los Angeles, California, respectively. Their grandchildren are Beau, Josh and Annalee Richards, Sam and Emily McCrary, and Katherine, Bryce and Scott Sherlock.
Thank you Dr. McCrary for your friendship, mentorship, the collaboration we shared, and for your outreach to The University of Southern Mississippi School of Music Voice department.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS AND SPECIAL THANKS
Dr. Colin McKenzie and the School of Music Staff
Dr. Mike Lopinto School of Music PR/Marketing and Event Coordinator
Mr. Finn Langley School of Music Finance Manager
Southern Miss Voice Area Graduate Assistants
Southern Regional Education Service Agency (S-RESA) at Southern Miss
Mr. Warren Woodrow, Executive Director Justin Griffin, Financial and Marketing Director
Ms. Martha L. Resavy
Our Marvelous Collaborative Pianists
Partners for the Arts
We are grateful for your support and belief in this project and for joining us this weekend.
Last but not least, thanks to our wonderful colleagues on the Southern Miss Voice faculty!
To our outstanding graduate assistants, we appreciate you!
Southern Miss TO THE TOP!
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