Date Created

5-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Arts

Department

College of Performing and Visual Arts, Music, Music Student Work

First Advisor

Malde, Melissa

First Committee Member

Spivak, Mandy

Second Committee Member

Kauffman, Deborah

Third Committee Member

Pugh, Kevin

Abstract

Despite important innovations in the use of technology in vocal instruction, individualized, faceto- face communication remains the predominant delivery modality for applied voice lessons and vocal coaching. Applied voice instructors and vocal coaches consistently identify non-verbal, gestural communication as a significant dimension of these instructional interactions. Existing scholarship has examined the expressive use of gesture in musical performance, the role of gesture in facilitating pitch accuracy acquisition among young singers, and the neurological responses of singers to gestural input. However, systematic investigation of gesture as a pedagogical instrument from the perspective of the instructor remains underdeveloped in the literature. This study examined the incidence, application, and perceived efficacy of intentionally deployed non-verbal gesture by applied voice instructors and vocal coaches working at the collegiate and professional levels. Data were collected through an initial survey administered to vocal instructors and coaches, approximately one-half of whom subsequently participated in a structured follow-up interview. The study investigated when and how instructors encounter and cultivate non-verbal gesture as a communicative and pedagogical technique; how participants negotiate the balance between verbal instruction and gestural communication in applied voice lessons and vocal coachings; and how vocal instructors and coaches assess the efficacy of gesture across diverse singer populations and instructional contexts. Analysis of survey and interview data indicates that intentionally deployed non-verbal gestures can be highly effective, yield consistent outcomes, and integrate productively with a range of teaching styles and methods to advance singers' technical and interpretive development. Specific areas of inquiry include the intentional deployment of gesture by voice instructors and vocal coaches; the functional specificity of individual gestures; the perceived impact of gesture when working with singers at varying levels of technical proficiency and interpretive maturity; and the adaptation of gestural choices in response to the singer's learning style, the instructor's pedagogical orientation, and the broader teaching environment. Appendix A presents a catalogue of gestures, along with their documented instructional applications, as identified by applied voice instructors and vocal coaches during the follow-up interviews. Appendix B presents written responses of participants who answered “other” to questions in the survey.

Abstract Format

html

Language

English

Extent

89 pages

Rights Statement

Copyright is held by the author.

Digital Origin

Born digital

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