The Moving Voice

In the 2008 edition of the Voice and Speech Trainers Association (VASTA) journal, The Voice and Speech Review's current issue entitled The Moving Voice: the Integration of Voice and Movement Studies, editor Rena Cook brings together more than 70 cutting edge articles on a broad range of current issues in the field voice studies. This issue of VSR has been a confluence of events and people generating passion, process, scholarship and almost 400,000 words. The 2008 VASTA conference in Ashland, Oregon inspired five articles, among which is Scott Kaiser's opening remarks to the conference, Marlene Johnson's interview with Scott and John Sipes on their collaboration as voice and movement directors at Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and Antonio Ocampo-Guzman's thought provoking look at Shakespeare and issues of diversity in terms of themes and casting. Other offerings that will inspire include Marya Lowry's article on Lamentation; Rebecca Root's personal and professional journey with transgender voice; Jeannette LoVetri's groundbreaking work in the singing pedagogy of Contemporary Commercial Music; Ed Blake's practical research with ultrasound imaging that reveals the importance of the transverse muscle in the healthy and efficient support of voice; exemplary scholarship displayed by Ros Steen and her movement colleague Joyce Deans; and an article by Ingo Titze who inspired us at the VASTA conference in Denver, 2007. Topics range from coaching stereotypes with sensitivity to diversity issues, from presenting effective workshops to the importance of adequate hydration, from the thorny issue of touch in the studio and the integration of body and vocal pedagogies. Other articles are grouped into the following categories: Pedagogy and Coaching Vocal Production Ethics, Standards and Practices Heightened Text, Verse and Scansion Private Studio Practice Voice and Speech Science Vocal Health Pronunciation, Phonetics, Linguistics, Dialect/Accent Studies Singing The book also contains book reviews, sources and selected thesis and dissertation abstracts.