Date of Award

8-2025

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA)

School

Music

Committee Chair

Dr. J. Taylor Hightower

Committee Chair School

Music

Committee Member 2

Dr. Meredith Johnson

Committee Member 2 School

Music

Committee Member 3

Dr. Jonathan Yarrington

Committee Member 3 School

Music

Committee Member 4

Dr. Joseph Jones

Committee Member 4 School

Music

Committee Member 5

Dr. Joseph Brumbeloe

Committee Member 5 School

Music

Abstract

Vocal pedagogy incorporates diverse techniques and methodologies that aim to maintain longevity of the voice and to improve vocal performance, range, and tone. While vocal pedagogy has been extensively studied in Western music traditions, its application in the context of Thai singers remains unfamiliar. This dissertation will investigate the application of vocal pedagogy for Thai singers, with a focus on understanding the unique challenges faced by them. It will outline pedagogical approaches to address these challenges and will therefore lead to more authentic performances. “Complete mastery of the voice as an instrument is an idea toward which every singer must work assiduously… But realize that technique must be mastered to the point of being unconscious before you can really become an interpreter.”1

The academic pursuit of music is a new concept in Thailand. The first College of Music was established in 1994 at Mahidol University. The first musical theater program was then established in 2011 at the same university. With the growing popularity of both musical theater and opera, it has become apparent that a solid vocal technique is essential to help bridge the gap between the classical and musical theatre styles.

Though Thai audiences are now familiar with Western genres such as musical theatre and opera, the idea of cultivating professional singers and performers is relatively new. Thai singing instructors have faced challenges due to a lack of easily accessible information. Western singing instructors, despite their expertise, face communication problems due to language and cultural differences. This has led to misunderstandings and flawed techniques over time, making misconceptions a significant burden in the Thai singing culture. One such misconception is the idea of breath support for belting. Current practice places the breath predominantly in the upper chest which creates an unbalanced breath support and leads to major muscular tension. “The normal breath cycle appropriate to speech is not identical to that required for singing…the tasks of skillful singing require higher rates of breath energy… Elongation of the breath cycle for singing is dependent on a learned technique…appoggio…that results from the thorax and the abdominal wall, the transverse abdominus, the internal oblique, the external oblique, and to a lesser extent, the rectus abdominus.”2

The research will explore issues stemming from Thai language characteristics, language barriers, and cross-cultural miscommunication in vocal pedagogy. Additionally, it will analyze existing literature, including books, articles, and established vocal pedagogical approaches, to provide solutions for supporting Thai singers in their vocal development.

ORCID ID

0009-0008-4937-3293

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