Dr Jenevora Williams

Dr Jenevora Williams Voice science PhD & singing teacher sharing evidence-led practical tools for singers, teachers and practitioners. Focus on young voices, vocal health and rehab.

Work with me via 1:1 sessions, Evolving Voice courses, or Vocal Health Education training. Dr Jenevora Williams has been training teachers for fifteen years. She has worked with teachers at all levels: with music teachers on INSET days to supervising those undertaking MA and PhD studies in Vocal Pedagogy. Her courses can be bespoke in length and in content, depending on what is going to be the most useful. Alternatively you can sign up for one of the many courses that she runs during the year. Course content is always absolutely up to date; Jenevora is constantly studying, reading and thinking. She has a network of expert colleagues across the world with whom she will consult and discuss the latest research in the field. Jenevora also offers a private mentoring service for singing teachers who would like some individual guidance with their work. This can either be in person or online.

There are so many reasons people join a choir.The singing is important, of course, but so are the people you meet, the c...
23/09/2026

There are so many reasons people join a choir.

The singing is important, of course, but so are the people you meet, the conversations you have and the sense of belonging that can grow around making music together.

Clare Stevens’ article in the autumn issue of the ISM Music Journal explores some wonderfully varied examples of community choirs. Alongside those featured in the carousel, there’s also the Gloucester Dementia Choir, which takes most of its members by referral from social services.

It’s a joy to see Olivia Sparkhall and Rebecca Berkley featured too, both talking about choirs built to reach people their local provision was missing.

And Jeremy Haneman, who directs The Mixed Up Chorus, describes it beautifully:

“We don’t just sing, we like to have conversations, sometimes across quite significant social divides.”

Being able to recognise a common humanity with someone and sing a song with them can be the first step towards helping divisions. I love the idea that community can be a superpower.

The full article is available online to Independent Society of Musicians members.

Routes to Resilience - https://mailchi.mp/jenevorawilliams/routes-to-resilience-6753790Facing up to the fear of failure ...
18/09/2026

Routes to Resilience - https://mailchi.mp/jenevorawilliams/routes-to-resilience-6753790
Facing up to the fear of failure - “The secret of life, though, is to fall seven times and to get up eight times.” Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist
Navigating vulnerability
Recognising the dangers of perfectionism - including missing deadlines, fear of risks, inability to delegate, and anxiety
Understanding ‘the randomness of all things’
Separating your ‘self’ from your ‘work’
Perseverance

Last Saturday I spoke at the British Voice Association President's Day in London. The theme was resilience, and we began...
18/09/2026

Last Saturday I spoke at the British Voice Association President's Day in London. The theme was resilience, and we began with defining what this means for the performer. It's the ability to recover, and spring back into shape.
It's not being tough, it's being bouncy!

I considered six major ingredients for resilience:

Facing up to the fear of failure - “The secret of life, though, is to fall seven times and to get up eight times.” Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist.

Navigating vulnerability - Recognising that sensitivity is essential for co-operation and creativity.

Recognising the dangers of perfectionism - Including missing deadlines, fear of risks, inability to delegate, and anxiety.

Understanding ‘the randomness of all things’ - Success is nearly all due to chance and luck.

Separating your ‘self’ from your ‘work’ - So difficult for singers!

Perseverance - Bouncing back.

📸 Me Lori L. Sonnenberg, Voice Pathologist at the BVA day.

It was a fascinating and really thought-provoking day, and there’s more to share with you soon 🤗

07/09/2026

When we’re working with the voice, it’s tempting to think about one thing at a time: the position of the body, the way we breathe, what the larynx and tongue are doing, or how the sound feels.

But the body doesn’t really work that way. Everything is connected. 🌿

That’s one of the things I find so fascinating about the voice. A small change in one place can have effects much further afield, and our physical state isn’t separate from how we’re feeling either.

I explore these connections in a little more depth in 'Running Commentary No. 12', where I delve a little deeper into how it all fits together. If this has got you thinking, you can find it over on my YouTube channel. 🎧

What are we putting in front of the next generation of voice teachers? 🎓For me, teaching singing has to begin with an un...
03/09/2026

What are we putting in front of the next generation of voice teachers? 🎓

For me, teaching singing has to begin with an understanding of the whole developing voice. Young singers are not simply small versions of adult singers, and good teaching needs to take account of the changes taking place as their bodies, voices and understanding develop.

That means drawing on more than vocal technique. We need to understand child development, anatomy and physiology, motor learning, vocal development and the research that helps us make sense of all of these things in practice.

Teaching Singing to Children and Young Adults brings this thinking together, with the third edition drawing on the latest research and literature in vocal pedagogy, child development and voice science. 📚

If you’re teaching Voice Pedagogy to voice majors this year, this might be a resource worth considering for your course. It’s designed to give future voice teachers a practical, research-informed foundation for understanding and teaching the developing voice.

If you’ve been hoping to book in a lesson with me, here’s where you can find me this month.I have three dates available ...
01/09/2026

If you’ve been hoping to book in a lesson with me, here’s where you can find me this month.

I have three dates available for in-person sessions in London: 9th, 18th and 27th September, and there’s also availability for sessions at home in Guildford or online.

If you’d like to book, do get in touch. It would be lovely to work with you 🤗

There is something wonderful about learning and teaching alongside people who are just as curious as you are.For me, the...
28/08/2026

There is something wonderful about learning and teaching alongside people who are just as curious as you are.

For me, the most valuable learning is the kind that challenges our thinking, changes the way we work, and reminds us why we started teaching in the first place.

I’m so glad Elaine shared these thoughts after the St Andrews Vocal Pedagogy Course. Thank you, Elaine, for putting it into words so beautifully. It’s a joy to keep learning alongside you. ❤️

Young voices aren't just small adult voices.Understanding how they develop and change can make a real difference to the ...
25/08/2026

Young voices aren't just small adult voices.

Understanding how they develop and change can make a real difference to the way we teach, from choosing appropriate exercises to supporting singers through the changes of puberty.

That’s what we’ll be exploring on my 'Teaching Young Voices' course.
Over two days, we’ll look at vocal development from early childhood through to adolescence, changing voices, vocal health, warm-ups, lesson structure and the different ways young singers learn.

In-person spots are now fully booked, but there are still some places available to join me online via Zoom.

📅 5th - 6th September 2026
💻 Online only places remaining.

17/08/2026

Our larynx is doing a remarkable amount of work behind the scenes. So when we change something in our voice, it’s not surprising if it takes a little while for the brain to catch up.

I like to think of this as giving the brain more and more information, one variable at a time. And if something suddenly feels much harder, that’s useful information too. It tells us something about what the voice is having to coordinate.

There’s no need to force it. A little curiosity, repetition and play can go a long way.

Have you noticed that your voice responds differently to different vowels, words or movements? Sometimes those little changes can tell us quite a lot.

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Manchester

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