Institute of Vocal Advancement’s 10th Anniversary

Where We’ve Been… And Where We’re Going

Happy Birthday! Can you believe it’s been ten years since we began the Institute of Vocal Advancement?

In that time, we’ve had the opportunity to connect with teachers, performers, and voice scientists from around the world. We’ve built global communities of music teachers who have been very generous with their knowledge and expertise. And we’ve had the pleasure of hosting conferences where educators get to sharpen their teaching skills — and show off their prowess at the karaoke machine.

As we look toward the next ten years, we thought it would be fun to look back at how far we’ve come since we were just a group of ten people looking to make a difference in music education. Get ready to enjoy some fun memories… and discover what really happens when you put a large group of performers and voice teachers in the same room.  

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. What we wanted IVA to be when we first founded the group ten years ago. 9:20 
2. How we’re evolving our programs moving forward to benefit teachers 13:44
3. The close-knit communities that form within an IVA conference 16:15
4. What happens when you put a group of music teachers in a bar that plays live music 23:40 
5. The generosity you can expect at an IVA conference where everyone — from veteran teachers to newcomers — have valuable knowledge to share 31:35 
6. The principles IVA was founded on that foster open conversations about the vocal world and a constantly expanding knowledge base 34:26
7. Why IVA is being taken seriously by voice scientists 36:10
8. What Tom and Heather are most looking forward to in the next ten years for IVA 37:13
9. How IVA training helps music teachers develop an ear for identifying issues in their students’ voices 40:40
10. How sharing your teaching techniques with others improves your own teaching skills 43:25
11. How advances in AI, voice apps, and VR may shape voice lessons moving forward 45:07

Do you have a favorite IVA experience you’d like to share? Post your memories (and photos!) on our Instagram page by looking for the hashtag “#IVA10.”

And be sure to email us your stories by contacting us on our website! We look forward to hearing from you!

About the Institute for Vocal Advancement

At IVA, we provide the teaching tools to help you offer the type of functional training voice students need. Our trainers teach from the empathic mindset students benefit from, showing you how to be a better vocal coach by example. Join the Institute for Vocal Advancement and you’ll be able to participate in webinars and online courses used by teachers in every part of the music industry. 

See what’s coming up in our list of upcoming events and learn how our Teacher Training Programs can help your career. Use the code “iva20percent” to get 20% off your first year’s course membership fee!