The University of Central Florida’s Department of Theatre recently was accredited as just the third educational affiliate of Estill Voice International, a study and training program that develops vocal skills.
Educational affiliates have at least two faculty members who are certified as course instructors. At UCF, professor Steven R. Chicurel is a certified course instructor and assistant professor Tara Snyder is a certified master teacher.
The training program helps singers and speakers find a full range of expression in their voices, while promoting healthy vocal habits. The program was formalized in 1988 by Jo Estill, a classical opera singer who went on to research voice science.
“Students of Estill Voice Training Systems succeed because they learn about identifying problems in singing and speaking and then come up with efficient and permanent ‘fixes,’” Chicurel said. “Estill Voice Training provides a unique delivery system at the university level. Unlike traditional voice programs in music and theatre, where weekly private lessons are the norm from the first semester onward, students at UCF take the first two semesters of voice as a class.”
The University has joined Motherwell College in Scotland and Mars Hill College in North Carolina as educational affiliates.