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GREETINGS FROM THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR VOICE AND SPEECH

This is the ninth issue of our newsletter Vocal Vibrations. It is designed to help keep you—our friends, clients, workshop participants, board members, fellow researchers and former students—aware of the exciting work taking place at the National Center for Voice and Speech. The NCVS is the world’s only voice research and clinical care facility integrated into a performing arts center.

We hope you find this newsletter informative and interesting. We invite you to take a few minutes to read about the latest news from the National Center for Voice and Speech at The Denver Center for the Performing Arts and The University of Iowa. This issue focuses on our Denver site and some of its investigators.

I’m pleased to announce that Dr. Tobias Riede, a well-known researchers from Berlin, Germany, and Dr. Douglas Montequin, a researcher and clinician from the University of Madison, Wisconsin, have joined us. Their biographies are fea-tured in this issue. ▼

nat iona l cen te r fo r vo i ce and speech ▼ I ngo R . T i t ze , Ph .D . , execu t ive d i rec tor

The NCVS opened its doors to the public for seminars and tours from 2pm – 6pm on April 26, 2006 in celebration of World Voice Day. World Voice Day is April 16th, but due to conflicts with the Easter

Holiday, it was celebrated at the NCVS on the 26th. Activities included Seminars on “Learning an Accent” with Jennifer Thomas from the DCPA’s Denver Center Theatre Academy, and “Safe Screaming” with Douglas Montequin from the NCVS.

On going activities had the NCVS labs open for tours for the public to see research happening in the NCVS. The Parkinson’s Team showed videos of how the Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT) has improved lives of people with Parkinson’s Disease and people with Down Syndrome. They also demonstrated the Virtual Therapist – where people can receive LSVT remotely via computer. The Occupational Voice Team showed their research in ‘Caring for the Teaching Voice’ – demonstrations and infor-mation about on-going research into vocal fatigue and strategies being developed to prevent vocal fatigue. There was also an exhibit for the Vocal Academy Website – a comprehensive on-line resource for teachers. Tobias Rieda, a visiting researcher and Leopoldina Research Fellow, was in the Voice Biomechanics lab and demonstrated vocal extremes from the animal world. The Audio and Voice forensics laboratory was open for the public to explain fact and fiction about voice recognition and voice prints often seen in movies. The Tissue Engineering lab was also open for the public to learn about how voice scientists are studying cells to determine how the cells in our body respond to vibration and other related voice topics. Finally, our old friend Pavarobotti was on-hand to great the public outside an exhibit about biomechanical simulation of the voice.

University of Colorado Hospital Voice Practice at the NCVS also provided free blood pressure and voice screenings. ▼

Ingo R. Titze, Ph.D.Executive Director

Angela Halpern demonstrates LSVT Virtual Therapy.

NCVS CelebratedNCVS Celebrated

World Voice Daywith public tours April 26, 2006World Voice Daywith public tours April 26, 2006World Voice Day

On April 16th, the National Center for Voice and Speech recognized World Voice Day with otolaryngologists and other health profession-als around the world. In commemoration with World Voice Day and National Hearing and Voice Month, the NCVS has compiled “Vocal Tips to Live By” to help keep your voice healthy and keep you talking.

VOCAL TIPS TO LIVE BY

• Try to avoid substances that can dry out your voice, such as cough drops with menthol, caf-feine, and alcohol. Certain medications can be drying as well, so ask your physician about potential drying effects if you use your voice extensively (for a list of the 200 most frequently prescribed medications in the U.S. and their effects on voice and speech, visit http://www.ncvs.org/ncvs/info/vocol/rx.html).

• Stay hydrated. Drinking about 8 large glasses of water today spread out over the day will help your vocal cords tomorrow. Alcohol, caf-feine, and carbonated beverages work against you; these may soothe your throat but are detrimental to your voice.

• Try not to shout, scream or speak over loud background noises for a prolonged period of time – this can seriously damage your voice. (Sorry, sports fans)

• Repeated clearing your throat or coughingcan cause trauma to the vocal fold tissue. Instead, trying using “a silent cough” to clear mucous – you do this by making the sound “huh” with a burst of air but no voice.

• Build in little vocal breaks throughout the day to help with vocal recovery and to prevent vocal fatigue (even eating lunch alone instead of with your colleagues can provide a benefi -cial rest to your voice on days you use your voice the most).

• Stress can make your voice tense and tight. There are voice disorder which are related to muscle tension. Make time to relax each day.

• Don’t smoke anything. Smoking actually breaks down the cellular repair process built in the vocal mechanism, resulting in increased vocal fatigue, susceptibility to vocal trauma, and increased risk of laryngeal cancer.

• Get enough sleep. Sleep is your body’s prime time for repair. Not only does your voice need the rest and repair, but so does the rest of you.

Remember: hoarseness or breathiness that Remember: hoarseness or breathiness that Rememberlasts for more than two weeks may signal a voice disorder and you should consult with a voice pathologist. This is typically a vocology voice pathologist. This is typically a vocology voice pathologistcertifi ed SLP (speech language pathologist) or a laryngologist (ear, nose and throat physician who has specialized in voice).

The NCVS Team just before the World Voice Day activities.

The NCVS Team just before the World Voice Day activities.

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MEET THE STAFFDOUGLAS MONTEQUIN

Doug Montequin, Ph.D./CCC-SLP joined the NCVS team in Denver in January, 2006. As a voice pathologist, Doug deals not only with general ‘voice’ problems, but also diagnoses and treats other upper airway problems related to acid refl ux, poor exercise performance, chronic coughing, asthma, and allergies. Trained as an actor and

theatrical voice/dialect coach, Doug returned to school for a M.A. in Speech Pathology/Audiology from the University of Iowa. He completed a Master’s Thesis under Dr. Ingo Titze as well as his Doctoral Thesis while completing his Ph.D. in Speech and Hearing Sciences at the University of Iowa. Doug became interested in the Voice Science fi eld through theatrical practice. While performing in an experimental theatrical production, he was using many ‘vocal extremes’ including repeated shouting and screaming. After being warned by an ENT that he was using his voice in a ‘dangerous’ way, he wanted to learn the mechanics behind how performers produced vocal extremes without voice problems, since many trained actors have used vocal extremes for thousands of years without apparent voice problems.

TOBIAS RIEDE

Tobias Riede, NCVS Visiting Researcher and Research Assistant Professor for Colorado University – Denver. Tobias Riede has studied Biology and Veterinary Medicine with his Post-Doctorate in Zoology, and also practiced as a veterinarian. While at the NCVS, Tobias will be working on physical model experiments with the anatomy of

animal larynges as well as understanding the sound production of elk. While studying Biology, Tobias began his fi rst acoustic project on acoustic communication of a grasshopper species under the supervision of Günter Tembrock, father of bioacoustics, which led later on to sound production projects in mammals and birds. Recently Tobias found that the song birds have a similar motor pattern as humans have for articulation. This is documented in the following publication: Riede, T, Suthers, RA, Fletcher, NH, Blevins, WE (2006): Songbirds tune their vocal tract to the fundamental frequency of their song. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science 103: 5543-5548.

RICHARD SANDERS

Richard Sanders – NCVS Research Associate, Chair of the Music and Entertainment Studies Department, University of Colorado at Denver, Professor of Music, University of Colorado at Denver. Richard joined the NCVS team in 2005 and is currently working on grant proposals to quantify the speaking voice – similar to fi nger print analysis, but

applied to the voice. He also does audio and video forensics work and serves as an expert witness in local, regional and national cases such as the Kobe Bryant case, Oklahoma City bombing case, Columbine shooting case and the Jon Benet Ramsey case, to name a few. He fi nds it interesting and exciting to have centers such as the NCVS and UCD together, they both bring different skill sets to research, and it is his hope that together we can do much more than could be accomplished separately.

GET INVOLVED

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R E S E A R C H R O U N D U PR E S E A R C H R O U N D U PR E S E A R C H R O U N D U P

Volunteer Opportunity for Voice and Speech Research Study:

• Do people ask you to repeat?

• Are your voice and speech not as clear as they use to be?

If so, you’re not alone. For more than 15 years, Dr. Lorraine Ramig and her team at the National Center for Voice and Speech (NCVS) have been studying voice and speech in Par-kinson’s disease (PD). In continuing our research, we are seeking individuals with PD (ages 45-85) to participate in a research study looking at how two different behavioral treatments impact speech, voice, swallowing and movement in PD. You will be paid for your participa-tion. No charge for assessments or treatment. Parking is paid. Individuals without PD can also participate—your participation is voluntary. also participate—your participation is voluntary. also participate

Principal Investigator: Lorraine Ramig, PhD, CCC-SLPFor more information contact:Jill Petska, MS, CCC-SLP303-893-6025 jpetska@dcpa.org National Center for Voice and Speech1101 113th Street Denver, CO 80204www.ncvs.org(COMIRB: #00-606, UCB HRC #1000.22)

Teacher Volunteers Needed for Voice Use Study

The National Center for Voice and Speech, a division of the Denver Center for the Perform-ing Arts, has a multi-year grant from the National Institutes of Health to study voice use in teachers.

We are seeking Research Volunteers who:

• teach full-time in the Denver area

• have vocal fatigue (not a requirement to participate)

• can commit to a two-week (14 days of 14 hours per day) regimen of wearing a voice data collection device

Qualifi ed individuals will receive:

• study related offi ce visits for various vocal therapies to test what aids in preven-tion and recovery

• compensation provided

If you are interested in participating in this study or have questions:

Principal Investigator: Ingo R. Titze, Ph.D.COMIRB Protocol #: 168

CARING FOR THE TEACHING VOICE

Nearly one quarter of the U.S. workforce depend on a healthy, versatile voice as a tool for their profession. A healthy voice is a primary component of life for many of us – we use it in school, on the job, and for social interaction. However, we of-

ten take our vocal health for granted, regularly abusing it by smoking, shouting, drinking alcohol and caffeinated drinks, or using poor speaking techniques. And when problems do occur, we often ignore the need for treatment, leading to more signifi cant problems.

Teachers are particularly susceptible to voice problems (e.g., hoarseness, lar-yngitis, or vocal pathologies). While teachers comprise only 4.2% of the U.S. workforce, they make up 20% of those seen in voice clinics. To demonstrate the signifi cance of this issue, these voice problems in teachers cost the US economy $2.5 billion annually on expenses such as medical care, substitute teachers, and $2.5 billion annually on expenses such as medical care, substitute teachers, and $2.5 billion annuallyearly retirement.

Why are teachers particularly susceptible to voice problems? In one of our valuable Why are teachers particularly susceptible to voice problems? In one of our valuable Why are teachers particularly susceptible to voice problems?ongoing research studies, funded by the National Institutes of Health, we are currently studying the voice use of teacher volunteers in the Denver area (yes they are compen-sated for their participation and enrollment is still open for more) to help us answer this question and other vocal health related questions. So far this study has produced more than 15 scientifi c and medical journal reports (see our website for more information: http://www.ncvs.org/ncvs/groups/occupational/index.html). ▼

OrAndrew Starr

Participant Coordinator303.960.5372

Eric HunterResearch Scientist

303.446.4839

ELLIE CAULKINS OPERA HOUSE OPENS IN DENVER THE PERFORMING ARTS COMPLEXby Peter S. Popolo

September 10, 2005 marked the Gala Opening of the Ellie Caulkins Opera House, Denver’s new lyric opera house “whose acoustics are specifi cally

intended to glorify the singing voice,” to quote Marc Shulgold of the Rocky Mountain News. The ECOH, affectionately known as the “Ellie,” is the latest physical addition to the Denver Performing Arts Complex, which houses the Colorado Ballet, Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Opera Colorado, and the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, of which the NCVS is a division.

The Ellie was constructed within the completely hollowed-out shell of the Denver Municipal Auditorium, which was originally built to host the Democratic National Convention of 1908. The ECOH is named for Eleanor Newman Caulkins, Denver’s “First Lady of Opera” and Opera Colorado’s Lifetime Honorary Chair, known as Ellie to her family and friends. She has been a leader on Opera Colorado’s Board of Directors for over 20 years, is a member of the board of the Metropolitan Opera Association, and has served as president and vice president of the Metropolitan Opera National Council. A pledge of $7 million dollars was made to the new opera house in her honor by her family and her late husband, George Peck Caulkins, Jr. In addition to all she does, Ellie has occasionally sung as an alto in the Opera Colorado chorus – I am pleased to have performed with her in Opera Colorado’s 2002 production of Puccini’sTosca in the Buell Theatre, and in the Opening Gala performance of “Va Pensiero,” from Verdi’s Nabucco, in the Ellie Caulkins Opera House.

A true lyric opera house, like the famous opera houses of Europe, the Met in New York City, and now the Ellie in Denver, is a carefully designed acoustic space shaped like a lyre, a musical instrument whose shape resembles an omega (Ω) more than a horseshoe. The lyric opera house relies on an intimate spacing of the audience to the performers, with every seat having a direct sightline to the stage, so that the performers’ voices are carried effi ciently to the audience un-amplifi ed. The interior of the Ellie was designed by master-architect Peter Lucking, of Semple Brown Designs, Denver and Pittsburg, in close cooperation with acoustics consultant Robert F. Mahoney of Robert F. Mahoney and Associates, Boulder, CO.

The star-studded roster of singers at the Gala included headliners Renée Fleming, soprano, Ben Heppner, tenor, and James Morris, bass-baritone; Kristin Clayton, Cynthia Lawrence, and Emily Pulley, sopranos; Judith Christin, Theodora Hanslowe, and Marcia Ragonetti,

mezzo-sopranos; Julian Gavin and Garret Sorenson, tenors; Robert Orth, Charles Taylor, and Yalun Zhang, baritones; and Hao Jiang Tian and Stephen West, bass-baritones; and the Opera Colorado Chorus. The Gala was conducted by Maestro Stephen Lord, a recent Opera Colorado favorite, and featured the world premier commissioned by Opera Colorado, At the Statue of Venus, a musical scene with music by Jake Heggie and libretto by Terrence McNally. ▼

VOICE ACADEMY WEBSITE AVAILABLE TO OCCUPATIONAL VOICE USERS 24/7:Recent changes to www.voiceacademy.orgmake information about vocal health easier than ever to access. The Voice Academy is a virtual school dedicated to preserving the vocal health of schoolteachers, the occupational group at highest risk for voice disorders. Development of the original site was funded by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, and thus, contained required registration and data collection features. Now that the data have been gathered, the site has been re-worked so that users may enter the Voice Academy without preliminary registration steps.

“The basic content of the website remains the same,” said Julie Ostrem, the project’s director, “It’s just easier to come and go.” As users move through the site, they learn how classroom acoustics support or burden the teachers’ voice; how amplifi cation systems can ease the teacher’s vocal load; and how a healthy lifestyle keeps the speaking voice in tip-top shape.

Although the Voice Academy was developed specifi cally for schoolteachers, other workers who heavily depend on their speaking voices can also benefi t: counselors, sales personnel, lawyers and telephone workers. ▼

SUMMER VOCOLOGY INSTITUTE: SVI 2005 completed with another round of enthusiastic students. The SVI is accepting applications on a space available basis through May 1. Please check the NCVS Website for more information: www.ncvs.org/ncvs/svi if you are interested in applying. ▼

VISITING THE NCVS: If you or your group would like to visit the NCVS, please contact us at 303-446-4834.

IN THE NEWS•••

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In this past year's Instrumentation for Voice class, students had an opportunity to use the videostroboscope on the instructor Eric Hunter.

In this past year's Instrumentation for Voice class, students had an opportunity to use the videostroboscope on the instructor Eric Hunter.

Christine Bergan, M.M., M.A., CCC-SLP

Christine Bergan is a doc-toral candidate in voice science in the Depart-

ment of Speech and Language Pathology and Audiology at The University of Iowa. She

passed her Ph.D. comprehensive exams in 2003, is currently A.B.D. status, and is nearing the completion of her dissertation.

Christine’s dissertation is on the application of perceptual learning principles to selected vocal qualities (subharmonic roughness, breathiness, and strain) through an auditory training proce-dure. Of interest is the determination of whether the principles of “blocked” vs. “random” stimuli presentation and “massed” vs. “spaced” prac-tice schedule have any impact on the listener’s ability to accurately and reliably rate these vocal qualities. Additionally, the transfer/generaliza-tion of these skills from the synthesized training stimuli to natural voice stimuli is being investi-gated, as a measure of true learning. Subjects are assigned to four distinct training paradigms groups and asked to complete three pre-tests, three training sessions, three short-term reten-tion tests (at 1 day post-training) and three long-term retention tests (at 14 days post-training). Stimuli are presented through an interactive software program (E-Prime) in a “stimulus-rat-ing-feedback-stimulus repetition” format. Mea-sures of interest will be any effects the type of training (random/blocked, massed/spaced), type of stimulus (natural vs. synthesized), and voice quality type (rough, breathy, strained), have on a subject’s ability to improve the accuracy and reli-ability with which they rate these voice qualities.

Christine has earned a master’s degree in speech and language pathology (University of Iowa-May 2001), a master’s degree in vocal performance (UNI-1996), and a bachelor’s degree in music education (voice-Evangel University-1986). She taught

K-12 vocal and instrumental music in the public schools for eight years, has been a private in-structor of voice and piano for the past 18 years, and continues to be an active performer.

Christine has been a certifi ed speech and lan-guage pathologist treating both pediatric and adult/geriatric patients since May 2002. She has been a guest presenter/speaker for two of the Voice Foundation’s “Care of the Professional Voice” Symposiums held in Philadelphia, PA. She has been the fi rst author on two articles, both published in the Journal of Voice, and the second author on a third article, published in Logopedics, Phoniatrics, and Vocology. An interactive “Vocal Jeopardy” Game created by Christine is available on the NCVS website under “tutorials”. ▼

NON-PROFITORGANIZATIONU.S. POSTAGEPAID

PERMIT NO. 225DENVER, CO

The Denver Center for the Performing Arts1101 13th Street • Denver, CO 80204

TO CONTACT THE NCVS:

voice-care@dcpa.orgPhone: 303.446.4834

FAX: 303.893.64871101 13th Street

Denver, CO 80204 www.denvercenter.org/voice

National Center for Voice and Speech

Vocal Vibrations EditorVocal Vibrations EditorVocal VibrationsKaren Rogge-Miller

303.893.6027 krogge-miller@dcpa.org.

Graphic Design: Melanie Simonet

for Voice and Speech