“The Human Voice is the most beautiful instrument of all, but it is the most difficult to play” - Richard Strauss.

Every voice is unique . Beyond enabling humans to communicate uniquely through speech, your voice is also a powerful and versatile musical instrument. T o understand how the voice works we must combine knowledge of physiology, acoustics and psychoacoustics (how we perceive acoustic signals based on our hearing system and brain) .

This talk will explore the complex processes involved in voice production , and how the physical and acoustic properties of the vocal system are used in different musical styles. Live demonstrations will illuminate the intricacies of the human voice – and how different types of sound are produced and perceived.

Analytical techniques that are used to understand the voice, including real time acoustic analysis and Magnetic Resonance Imaging, will illustrate how different styles of singing are achieved . These techniques will also reveal the physical properties of different voice types and why they require different vocal techniques and manipulations of the voice system to achieve similar goals. Amid this scientific and practical exploration of the singing voice , finally the truth will be uncovered with pro of that sopranos have the hardest job in a choir... (maybe) .

Helena began singing at the age of 15 which sparked a lifelong passion for singing, especially choir singing. She went on to study a BA and MA in Music, both at the University of York. After completing her PhD in on the Science of Singing in 2008, she completed postgraduate singing training at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. She remained in London as a singer, performing as a consort singer, oratorio soloist and opera singer with companies such as Opera Holland Park and set up a teaching practice. Helena is now a Professor of Music Science and Technology in the AudioLab in the School of Physics, Engineering and Technology at the University of York. She is an advocate for interdisciplinary research associated with music, especially singing, bringing together voice science and acoustics, with practice - led singing techniques and vocal pedagogy. Her research combines the disciplines of music performance, science, and technology to investigate the singing voice and music performance.