For cis-females, voice maturation doesn’t end in the teen-age years. Some singers will go on to experience somewhat predictable voice fluctuations during the menstrual cycle, which is relatively well-known in the voice community.  However, the 8-10 year-long menopausal transition’s potential effects on singing voice remain subject to a “strange secretiveness” in the pedagogic and performance communities. In order to swing the door wide on the issue, Cate Frazier-Neely, Nancy Bos and Joanne Bozeman interviewed 56 female singers of various genres and backgrounds, ages 40-88, and reviewed associated research and professional opinions. The result was Singing Through Change: Women’s Voices in Midlife, Menopause, and Beyond (2020, StudioBos Media), a book written for singers and those who support them.  In this PAVA forum, the authors will discuss the book’s historical context, voice research on the menopausal transition, and Singing Through Change’s ongoing, international outreach to female singers in midlife and beyond.

Join Rachel Velarde as she moderates a discussion with Cate Frazier-Neely, Nancy Bos, and Joanne Bozeman on May 25th at 8:00pm EDT.