What is World Voice Day?
Since the inception of World Voice Day in 2002, voice health professionals and other people passionate about the voice worldwide have joined together to educate and raise awareness about the importance of the human voice. This year’s World Voice Day theme, “Connect With Your Voice” reminds us that our voice is essential for any number of basic activities that might be done on a given day, such as speaking with family or colleagues or placing an order in a restaurant. By maintaining and practicing good vocal health, we can put our best voice forward whenever communicating with others.
“World Voice Day provides us with a perfect forum to educate our community about the importance of vocal health for everyone,” said Dr. Terri Gerlach, director of The Voice and Swallowing Center at CEENTA. “We often take for granted our ability to communicate and to speak with a clear, strong voice until there is a problem. We all need our voices to interact with family, friends and colleagues. Those who are ‘vocal athletes’ require their voices to a much greater degree in public speaking, teaching, singing, preaching or acting. These are only a few of the vocations in which one’s livelihood is solely dependent on a well-functioning vocal mechanism. The more we can spread the word about how to keep this mechanism healthy and how to address any problems early and appropriately, the better.”
What Are We Doing This Year?
For this year’s World Voice Day, CEENTA and Carolina Voices have partnered with Sensoria 2013 at Central Piedmont Community College. This week-long celebration of the arts lasts from April 12-20, and on Thursday, April 18 the day’s events will feature a variety of talks in celebration of World Voice Day. There will be talks for classical singers and karaoke rockstars, but you don’t need to sing at all to benefit from these talks. Anyone who uses their voice and wishes to use it more effectively will find something of interest.
Whether you’re a classical singer, a Karaoke rockstar or just someone who wants to learn more about the importance of the voice and how to maintain it, there will be something for everyone. You can see the full schedule of World Voice Day events below, or you can you can view it as a PDF here.
The night will end with a performance by the Carolina Voices’ Festival Singers, Director Donna Hill and friends from the CPCC music department. The concert will feature a variety of music celebrating the voice – from classical to jazz. Included will be the premier of a newly-commission choral piece called “The Voice” by Dale Warland, and works by other renowned composers.
To learn more about World Voice Day, you can listen to this Charlotte Talks! segment that aired last year, or check out the video from Charlotte Today that aired just a few days ago.
