Regular voice training for students
Workshop premiere in summer semester 2016
A familiar moment for many people – your voice begins to stutter, crack, go hoarse in the middle of an important presentation. Though many are terrified of these kinds of moments, what many don’t realise is that every person has the potential to train and strengthen their voice to avoid them permanently. Manfred Hendricks, Music Representative of Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences, recently arranged a bilingual workshop to teach students the basic skills and techniques to getting the most out of their vocal chords.
The first two-hour voice training workshop, recently held by Manfred Hendricks and the Career Service team of the Faculty of Society and Economics, provided a look at the basic techniques of strength, projection and clarity of voice. Around 30 students from all three faculties in Kleve took part.
In addition to background information about how the human voice functions anatomically, students were introduced to helpful training methods designed to bring immediate and effective results. This allowed students to begin preparing for their upcoming oral examinations and presentations straight away.
The workshop was initiated by Imke Hans, who provides career service support in the Faculty of Society and Economics: “Students often touch on voice-related issues when discussing job or telephone issues. Nervousness in an interview is normal, but when it’s combined with the uncertainty that comes from an unsteady voice, that can lead to embarrassing problems. The Career Service team always strives to provide students with new skills and insight that will help them land their first career, so this workshop was a good fit.”
Due to the high demand for the workshop, the Career Service and Manfred Hendricks will continue to refine and improve the concept so that it can be offered in both Kleve and Kamp-Lintfort in the future. “Voice control is very important for students. The many participants in the workshop prove that,” said Hendricks. The resonance motivated him to expand the offer in summer semester 2016 even further: “From now until the end of the semester, I’ll be offering regular voice training and feedback sessions each week. This offer is open to all students and no registration is necessary.”
The voice training sessions are held every Wednesday at 4.30pm on the Kleve Campus (01 EG 007) and will continue through 6 July 2016.