You are a busy senior lecturer in Contemporary Music at The University of Southern Queensland, what can you tell us about your work there?
(Photographed Above: Jeanie LoVetri, Dr. Melissa Forbes, and participants from Jeanie's first Australian Institute)
(Photographed Below: Dr. Melissa Forbes performing)
The life of an Australian university academic is one of being jack of all trades, master of some! First, my work involves teaching at both the undergraduate, honours and postgraduate levels. I teach across several aspects of our
Bachelor of Creative Arts (Music) program, which is a contemporary music program with the aim of producing versatile musicians. I teach first year courses on preparing for success as a musician, courses on the studio practice of music, a musicology course on critical perspectives, as well as a small amount of one on one singing teaching. We have a great degree at USQ and an amazing academic team.
At the postgraduate level, I supervise several PhD students and currently have students conducting research on teaching CCM in music theater, on creativity in piano teaching, and on the impact of piano on high-level vocal jazz improvisation, to name a few. In addition to teaching, I am
researching the fields of higher music education and singing for well-being. I’m particularly interested in alternative pathways to, through and beyond higher music education. On the singing for well-being front, I recently collaborated with Dr. Irene Bartlett on a project looking at facilitators of singing groups for people with Parkinson’s disease.
Lastly, Australian academics are required to provide service as part of their academic portfolio by working with the university, the profession and the wider community. My role has been to facilitate bringing Jeanie to Australia so that her work can reach a wider audience here in Australia. It is great for the Australian singing teaching community to have someone of Jeanie’s caliber come all the way from the US and offer
The LoVetri Institute for Somatic Voicework in Australia. It is a great privilege to be able to serve the Australian singing teaching community in this way.
What projects are you currently involved in and finding exciting?
(Photographed Right: Dr. Melissa Forbes performing)
I’m a big one for always evolving as a musician and teacher, and continuing professional development. One thing I am really passionate about is online learning and the opportunities that affords us as musicians. This is particularly important when you live where I do (far away from any music scene). I have become a member of
openstudionetwork.com which is an online platform for learning jazz. It is run by jazz pianist Peter Martin who tours with Dianne Reeves. It’s a fantastic resource, and I’m learning a lot!
I can also highly recommend fellow
Somatic Voicework™ practitioner
Brenda Earle Stokes’ online course which covers elements of piano for singing teachers. I have had skype lessons from Brenda (and she’s a great colleague and friend who will be joining Jeanie in Australia in January). Her online piano course fills a real void for singing teachers. Highly recommended! Another Somatic Voicework™ alumni,
Sharny Russell, will also be releasing a “jazz piano for singers” online course soon, so watch this space.
Jeanie is coming to The University of Southern Queensland in Toowoomba, Australia in January 2019 for all three levels of Somatic Voicework™. What can people expect from this exciting process?
(Photographed Below: Dr. Melissa Forbes performing)
Having attended Jeanie’s US Institute in 2011 and then seen her deliver her course to us here in Australia in 2017, I can see Jeanie’s work is always evolving (just when you think she couldn’t be any more genius!). At both of those courses, I witnessed so many people (including myself) achieving huge breakthroughs in their own teaching, singing and personal development. It is truly a holistic experience and much more than learning how to teach CCM. In addition to extensive exposure to Jeanie’s teaching, people have the opportunity to form wonderful networks with other participants and become part of the larger Somatic Voicework™ community, which is an incredible source of support in multiple ways for everyone.
We will have guest lectures from one of Australia’s leading ENTs,
Dr. Matt Broadhurst, from the Queensland Voice Centre who specializes in the performing voice, as well as
Jane Mott, a speech pathologist and renowned communication specialist. In addition, there will be masterclasses and performances throughout the duration of the Institute.
The University of Southern Queensland is
extremely proud to be the only university in all of Australia to sponsor this elite and highly esteemed course for teachers of singing and voice experts.
What was the response after Jeanie’s first visit to The University of Southern Queensland?
(Photographed Below: Dr. Melissa Forbes performing)
The feedback from participants at our last course in Australia was overwhelmingly positive. We had teachers from all over Australia, New Zealand, and even South Korea attend. Australian singing teachers were incredibly grateful to have someone with Jeanie’s long years of experience and recognized expertise in vocal pedagogy to be in Australia for such a long time (this is SO rare for us!). Here’s what one our international participants had to say:
"It was great honor to see Jeanie and participate in the Somatic Voicework™ workshop in Towoomba! It was so worth travelling to Australia from Korea just for the Somatic Voicework™ because there was everything that I've always wanted to know about the voice! Adding to this, people I met there were so nice. And afterwards, we became part of a network so we could connect to each other no matter where we are. I hope to see all the faculty and participants soon again."
Eunjoo Ryu
Seoul, South Korea
You have been involved in Somatic Voicework™ for quite some years now, what keeps bringing you back to the work? What are you most excited about for the future of the Somatic Voicework™ community?
What keeps brining me back to
Somatic Voicework™is the depth and profundity of the work. I always learn more, and more deeply, each time I am exposed to Jeanie’s work. I’m excited to meet new people at our Australian Institute because
Somatic Voicework™ attracts such great people who become lifelong friends and colleagues. Being involved in this network and learning this work is truly a life-changing experience.
Please check out more from Dr. Melissa Forbes:
Website:
https://www.melissaforbes.com/
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/m_t_forbes
Links To Your Research:
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Melissa_Forbes
https://scholar.google.com.au/citations?user=QiJcOU4AAAAJ&hl=en
Jeanie had a wonderful trip to the DC/Baltimore area in October, working with Somatic Voicework™ teachers, their students and guests. The two-day weekend of Teacher Training Day and Teacher Support Group was, as always, fun and dynamic. She thanks all who participated and who were integral to the success of the weekend including Coordinator Jennifer Suess; guest host at Frederick Community College, Mary Gresock; and home host, Rosanne Fraley and her husband, Dennis.
The big plans are now for the visit to 
Jeanie is almost finished with invitations for next summer’s faculty at the LoVetri Institute for Somatic Voicework™ at Baldwin Wallace University in Berea, Ohio. The confirmed guests include 
on hand to do the “Vocal Health Intensive” for graduates of any Level III in prior years. 
We are also so excited to announce our next online course, 
omplete the course in real time; they watch the video links at their own leisure. 
