Singing Teachers Talk

What if performance anxiety isn’t just about what happens on stage? In this episode, Alexa is joined by performance rehabilitation coach and PhD researcher Mel Toy to dig beneath the surface of music performance anxiety. They unpack the surprising factors that can shape anxiety, why common advice doesn’t always help, and how singers and teachers can approach performance with more curiosity, compassion and individuality. They also discuss the surprising impact of noise, sleep and everyday life and why anxiety isn’t always easy to spot. A thought-provoking conversation for singing teachers and performers that challenges some common assumptions about anxiety and performance.  
WHAT’S IN THIS PODCAST?  
2:05 ‘Music Performance Anxiety’ as a social anxiety disorder  
8:52 Creating well-being environments for learning 
12:40 A note on cognitive reframing  
24:52 Anxiety contributors  
31:16 Spotting anxiety 
35:05: Stress and progress   
46:30 What about when it’s the teacher who is anxious?  
51:23 Mel’s research 
 
About the presenter HERE
 
RELEVANT MENTIONS & LINKS 
Singer & the Self 
Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.271 Singer & the Self: Rethinking Singing Teacher CPD with Becky Gilhespie 
Cat Ogden  
The Singer’s Guide Podcast by Tessa Smith - Trust the Process: Alexa Terry on Unfinished Sounds and Developing Your Voice  
This is your Brain on Food by Dr Uma Naidoo 
Wendy Parr 
Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.94 Developing The Singer Into an Artist with Wendy Parr 
Lydia Hart 
Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.277 Identity, Self-Worth and Burnout in the Performing Arts with Claire Cannon 
 
ABOUT THE GUEST 
 
Mel Toy is an experienced voice and performance coach, voice massage practitioner, and vocal health specialist dedicated to empowering artists and performers to unlock their creative potential. With a holistic approach that integrates tailored technical exercises, artistic development, and rehabilitative techniques, Mel works to help clients overcome both physiological and psychological challenges, fostering their creative freedom and promoting vocal wellbeing. 
 
In addition to her client-focused work, Mel is a seasoned lecturer in voice and contemporary performance. Since 2018, she has taught at leading institutions, including the British Institute of Modern Music (BIMM Institute London), the Voice Study Centre, and the Eastern Institute of Technology (Hawke's Bay). Through these roles, Mel has guided singers and musicians in developing their vocal technique, performance health, collaborative songwriting, and career strategies. She also supervises undergraduate and Master's theses and serves as a reviewer for the Sages Music and Science Journal. As part of her international teaching experience, Mel has contributed to the European Vocal Camp and joined the team in 2025 for the launch of their Asia-Pacific camp. 
 
Mel is a certified Vocal Coach through the Institute of Vocal Advancement and Modern Vocal Training, as well as a Vocal Health Habilitation Practitioner with Vocal Health Education. She has also delivered masterclasses on Music Performance Anxiety, Performance Psychology, and Vocal Massage to global audiences, helping vocal coaches, singing teachers, and other support practitioners better assist their clients in managing performance-related stress and anxiety. 
 
In addition to her vocal techniques education, Mel is a researcher and academic, holding a BA Hons in Creative Musicianship and an MSc Psychology. She is currently undertaking doctoral research through the Department of Culture, Communication, and Media with University College London’s Institute of Education, investigating the ongoing implications of music performance anxiety on the wellbeing of contemporary singers. 
 
Website 
Social Media: @meltoyvocalcoach 
🎁 Free Resource: Get your copy of How to Assess the Singer’s Voice with Confidence — a practical guide to help you understand what’s going on in any singer’s voice.  >>> DOWNLOAD HERE
At BAST Training, we help singers turn their experience into a meaningful teaching career. Building the confidence, knowledge, and real-world skills to teach with confidence, clarity, and compassion.
“The BAST Advanced Foundation has given me more than the tools I need to teach — it’s given me confidence, a community, and a future.” Jess McGlinchey, UK
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What does it really take to build a sustainable career as a performer? In this episode, Alexa is joined by performer and vocal coach Chris Killik for a warm, funny and refreshingly candid conversation about life in the performing arts. From memorable auditions and unexpected career opportunities to versatility, vocal health and the lessons that only come from experience, Chris shares stories from a career spanning musical theatre, Shakespeare, television and stages across Europe. They also explore how our priorities can shift over time, what it means to truly understand your voice, and why sometimes the most important career moments are the ones you never planned for. 
WHAT’S IN THIS PODCAST?  
0:44 What makes a good audition experience?  
1:44 Auditions gone wrong 
5:49 Chris’ journey into performing arts  
9:29 What did higher education not teach you? 
11:45 What does it mean to be versatile?  
16:28 The vocal crash 
26:57 Performing in the UK Vs Europe  
31:16 Setting up The Educated Voice 
35:30 Performing and being a Dad 
38:20 The remainder of 2026 
 
About the presenter HERE
 
RELEVANT MENTIONS & LINKS 
Royal Academy of Music 
Mary Hammond 
Jack Shepherd  
Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.112 Helping Musical Theatre Singers Build a Reliable ToolboxPhysio Ed 
Chris Johnson Vocal Coach 
Jeremy Ryan Mossman 
Tom Burke 
Anne Marie Speed 
Maureen Scott  
Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.241 Is Your Pelvic Floor Affecting Your Voice? A Deep Dive 
Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.263 The Creative Juggler: Singer, Songwriter and Teacher  
Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.197 Backing Adele and Beyond: The Art and Craft of Backing Vocals  
Singing Teachers Talk - Ep. Ep.69 Understanding Pregnancy for the Singer and the Self-Employed  
Associated Studios  
 
ABOUT THE GUEST 
 
Theatre credits include:Freddie Mercury inFriday Night Fever!(O2 Arena);Wish You Were Dead(National Tour);How to Build a Better Tulipand Return to the Forbidden Planet(Upstairs at the Gatehouse); Redemption Roomand Iconfidant(Online);Andrew Lloyd Webber Gala(European Tour);Twelfth Night, A Midsummer Night's Dreamand Much Ado About Nothing(Park Theatre); The Wind in the Willows(Kew Gardens); Private Lives(Playhouse Theatre, Stockholm); Chicago(City Theatre Stockholm);Jesus Christ Superstar(Turku City Theatre, Finland); The Hired Man(Old Laundry Theatre, Windermere); Love Story(Duchess Theatre); Ash(Arcola Theatre);Sail Away(Lost Musicals, Lilian Baylis Theatre, Sadler's Wells); Closer Than Ever(Cheltenham Playhouse); Closer(Helsinki Fringe) and Merrie England(Finborough Theatre). 
Concert credits include:Backing Singer for Elton John's Concert for Diana(Wembley Stadium) and Chess in Concert(Royal Albert Hall). 
Recording credits include:12 Tenors; Love Story(the musical); and his own original music, of which his debut song 'Who Will You Burn For?' reached no. 3 in the iTunes charts. 
Vocal Coaching 
Alongside performing, Christopher is a vocal coach who has studied a wide range of vocal methodologies over the years, weaving together the best of each into a rich, multifaceted approach to teaching singing. He previously founded The Educated Voice, a company that ran five-day intensive courses across Scandinavia, bringing over top West End vocal teachers to deliver cutting-edge training in voice technique to international students. He now runs his own vocal coaching practice from his studio in Walthamstow, London.  
Website 
Instagram: @christopherkillik 
🎁 Free Resource: Get your copy of How to Assess the Singer’s Voice with Confidence — a practical guide to help you understand what’s going on in any singer’s voice.  >>> DOWNLOAD HERE
At BAST Training, we help singers turn their experience into a meaningful teaching career. Building the confidence, knowledge, and real-world skills to teach with confidence, clarity, and compassion.
“The BAST Advanced Foundation has given me more than the tools I need to teach — it’s given me confidence, a community, and a future.” Jess McGlinchey, UK
Start with the foundations >>> ENROL NOW
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What’s the story behind one of the best-known vocal products on the market? In this episode, Alexa is joined by Maria and George from Vocalzone to uncover the fascinating history behind the century-old family business, and why its distinctive pastilles have become a backstage staple for performers around the world, including Tom Jones, Katherine Jenkins and Michael Ball.  
They also get into some of the debates that have divided singers and singing teachers over the years- including the ever-contentious question of menthol - tackling myths, misconceptions and strongly held opinions around vocal care. Expect fascinating history, practical insight and plenty of brilliant behind-the-scenes stories along the way. 

WHAT’S IN THIS PODCAST?  
1:55 The history of Vocalzone 
5:37 What’s it like working with family?  
7:45 What are the Vocalzone products?  
11:32 Safety checks 
16:54 What do Vocalzone products actually do?  
23:34 The menthol argument 
28:10 The other ingredients: myrrh tincture & peppermint oil 
31:46 How to properly use the Vocalzone pastilles  
38:07 What should singing teachers understand about Vocalzone?  
 
About the presenter HERE
 
RELEVANT MENTIONS & LINKS 
Vocalzone, Saviours or Destroyers?  
Line Hilton  
 
ABOUT THE GUEST 
Vocalzone is a vocal care brand with a history stretching back more than a century. Originally formulated in 1907 by William Lloyd for legendary Italian tenor Enrico Caruso, Vocalzone’s distinctive throat pastilles first went on sale in 1912 and have since become a familiar part of the toolkit for singers and professional voice users around the world. 
Today, Vocalzone produces a range of pastilles, teas and throat spray designed to support hardworking voices, utilised by everyone from singers and actors to broadcasters, teachers and public speakers. With its roots firmly in the performing arts, the brand continues to combine its remarkable heritage with a focus on the needs of modern voice users. 
Website 
Social Media: @vocalzonehq 
🎁 Free Resource: Get your copy of How to Assess the Singer’s Voice with Confidence — a practical guide to help you understand what’s going on in any singer’s voice.  >>> DOWNLOAD HERE
At BAST Training, we help singers turn their experience into a meaningful teaching career. Building the confidence, knowledge, and real-world skills to teach with confidence, clarity, and compassion.
“The BAST Advanced Foundation has given me more than the tools I need to teach — it’s given me confidence, a community, and a future.” Jess McGlinchey, UK
Start with the foundations >>> ENROL NOW
basttraining.com | Stay Updated

What happens when being a singer becomes more than what you do, and starts to define who you are? In this episode, Alexa is joined by vocal coach Claire Cannon to explore the connection between burnout, identity and life in the performing arts. They unpack the idea of identity foreclosure, the pressures of tying self-worth to success, and why burnout is about far more than simply feeling tired. From external validation and industry expectations to the importance of developing a sense of self beyond your work, this conversation offers plenty to reflect on for singers, teachers and anyone whose passion has become their profession. 
WHAT’S IN THIS PODCAST?  
3:04 What is burnout?  
12:29 Burnout and the self-employed  
19:41 Identity foreclosure  
26:01 How long does it take to feel burnt out? 
29:31 Language and identity  
38:15 Burnout and peer pressure 
 
About the presenter HERE
 
RELEVANT MENTIONS & LINKS 
Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.72 Become a Vocology in Practice Authorised Teacher with Claire Cannon & Kaya Herstad Carney 
Vocology in Practice 
Mental Health UK Burnout Report 2026 
 
ABOUT THE GUEST 
Claire Cannon is a professional vocal coach, mentor and performer based in Cheshire, UK, working with aspiring and professional singers both in person and online. 
 
A graduate of the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA), Claire holds a Diploma in Song and a Degree in Performing Arts (Music). She began her teaching journey with BAST in 2014 and has continued to develop her expertise in vocal pedagogy, achieving a Certification in Contemporary Vocal Coaching, becoming a Vocology in Practice (ViP) Authorized Instructor, Vocal Health First Aider and Mental Health Informed Practitioner. She also holds a Level 2 qualification in counselling and a master’s degree in Vocal Pedagogy, specialising in efficient, evidence-based approaches to vocal health and occupational wellness. 
 
Alongside her coaching, Claire brings more than two decades of professional experience across live performance and session work. Her professional credits include multiple single releases as lead vocalist and co-writer for electronic dance group ‘Flip & Fill’, as well as recording the female vocals for the Emerald Storm international tour. 
 
Through her private studio, Claire Cannon Voice, and her work in higher education, she specialises in developing healthy, resilient and authentic voices that can meet the demands of a career in the music industry. Claire has a particular passion for musical theatre and enjoys working with performers on repertoire selection and audition prep. 
 
Claire’s approach considers the whole performer, combining vocal technique with wellbeing, psychology and artistry. She believes effective coaching should help singers not only develop their voices, but also understand their instrument, build confidence and develop an authentic identity that can support them throughout their careers. 
 
Website 
Social Media: @clairecannonvoice 
🎁 Free Resource: Get your copy of How to Assess the Singer’s Voice with Confidence — a practical guide to help you understand what’s going on in any singer’s voice.  >>> DOWNLOAD HERE
At BAST Training, we help singers turn their experience into a meaningful teaching career. Building the confidence, knowledge, and real-world skills to teach with confidence, clarity, and compassion.
“The BAST Advanced Foundation has given me more than the tools I need to teach — it’s given me confidence, a community, and a future.” Jess McGlinchey, UK
Start with the foundations >>> ENROL NOW
basttraining.com | Stay Updated

What’s really happening inside the larynx when we sing? In this fascinating episode, Alexa is joined by laryngologist and singer Dr Jennifer Rodney - aka Singing Surgeon MD - for a rare look inside the voice in action. From vocal registers and tension to vibrato, breathiness, vocal fry and more, Jennifer brings vocal anatomy to life - and even scopes herself live to show us what’s happening in real time. Whether you’re a singer, voice teacher or simply fascinated by how the voice works, this is an episode you won’t want to miss. Listen to the full episode, or head over to YouTube to watch the live demonstrations.  
WHAT’S IN THIS PODCAST?  
3:19 Who does Dr Jennifer Rodney see in her clinic?  
5:44 The difference between rigid and flexi laryngoscopy  
7:46 Does flexi laryngoscopy hurt? 
10:51 Live scope! 
42:26 Why can some people sing well when others cannot? 
44:36 Does ‘everyone’ have a laryngeal abnormality? 
46:33 What does Dr Jennifer wish singers knew more about? 
 
About the presenter HERE
 
RELEVANT MENTIONS & LINKS 
Sin City Laryngology 
Jennifer’s Laryngeal Karaoke 
Singing Teachers Talk - Ep. With Nick Gibbins 
Vanderbilt University Medical Center 
Baylor Scott & White Health 
 
ABOUT THE GUEST 
Dr. Rodney grew up in Saint Petersburg, FL, and has sung professionally throughout her life. Her background in music led her to become a laryngologist. Dr. Rodney’s practice welcomes patients with voice, airway, and swallowing disorders. Her areas of expertise include medical and surgical care of disorders that affect the voice, professional voice, benign and malignant laryngeal lesions, and vocal cord paralysis. Dr. Rodney also has expertise in neurolaryngological disorders, such as spasmodic dysphonia. She works collaboratively with speech-language pathologists in The Voice Center to provide multidisciplinary care. She also enjoys training young physicians and has published many articles in the field of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery. In her spare time, Dr. Rodney enjoys singing, attending live performances, kayaking, traveling with her husband and spending time with her children. 
 
Social Media: @singingsurgeonmd 
🎁 Free Resource: Get your copy of How to Assess the Singer’s Voice with Confidence — a practical guide to help you understand what’s going on in any singer’s voice.  >>> DOWNLOAD HERE
At BAST Training, we help singers turn their experience into a meaningful teaching career. Building the confidence, knowledge, and real-world skills to teach with confidence, clarity, and compassion.
“The BAST Advanced Foundation has given me more than the tools I need to teach — it’s given me confidence, a community, and a future.” Jess McGlinchey, UK
Start with the foundations >>> ENROL NOW
basttraining.com | Stay Updated