Vocal Health and Pedagogy Seminars
Kathryn Cowdrick is a graduate of Pennsylvania State University and Columbia University with degrees in speech and voice pathology. She went on to complete her vocal studies at the American Opera Center at Juilliard and was an Adler Fellow with the San Francisco Opera. Before turning to singing full time, she worked in private practice as a speech an voice therapist in New York City. She continues to relish her role as a performer-teacher and is an Associate Professor of Voice at the Eastman School of Music where she teaches studio voice and graduate vocal pedagogy. She was awarded the 1984Outstanding Alumni Award from Penn State University College of Arts and Architecture. She resides in Rochester, NY with her husband, tenor Robert Swensen – also an Eastman faculty member – and their son Matthew.
She has been a contributor and adjudicator for the National Association of Teachers of Singing and Classical Singer Magazine. With her extensive knowledge of pedagogy and passionate interest in vocal health and wellness, Miss Cowdrick serves as a consultant and therapist for singers undergoing vocal recovery. She has created a graduate pedagogy program for Eastman that not only addresses structure and function issues but also presents classes on teaching through the vocal ages,
psychology of performance and diagnostics and remediation. She believes very strongly that many times young singers are allowed to sing on sheer talent alone and is committed to reinforcing a strong knowledge of how the voice works from the moment a young student enters their early college years. All performers will be presented with a challenge sometime in their career but knowledge of how one’s instrument works promotes longevity. She also frequently gives lectures and master classes to universities and apprentice artist programs on Vocal Health for Singers, Performance Pedagogy and Vocal Health Issues for Music Educators. She has co-taught the Eastman Sings pedagogy week seminar for voice teachers with Dr. Robert McIver. She has also participated in the University of Rochester’s Interdisciplinary Teaching Initiative master class program with Dr. Susan Conkling.