VASTA.ORG -Membership

History

In August 1986, a nucleus of voice and speech trainers met in New York City. They were motivated by a common concern -- the need for an organization to advance the cause of voice and speech training through the promotion of better training programs and the development of more highly trained voice and speech teachers.
At this meeting, the Voice and Speech Trainers Association -- VASTA -- was born. VASTA held its first conference in New York City in June 1987, where a Constitution and by-laws were approved. Incorporation took place the following month.

Although the founding group was particularly concerned with actor training, a broader vision for the organization quickly evolved when it became clear that vocal communication skills were not only paramount for the actor, but for all professional voice users. So as the idea of the professional voice began to reach into sectors far beyond the actor's stage, VASTA strove for greater advocacy through the creation and dissemination of numerous training and informational aids. Annual conferences became a mainstay for those wishing to enhance and/or improve their practical and teaching skills, while the inclusion of voice science grew to be core. VASTA quickly grew into a mature service organization for its members, and in so doing created an organized and structured identity for the voice and speech profession.

As the voice and speech profession's identity became more widespread, VASTA's outreach pursued the inclusion of any and all practitioners who serve the functional voice, and any and all those interested outside the United States. Most recently, VASTA conferences are venturing beyond US borders, and the organization is reaching out with a committed effort to connect and exchange ideas and practices with related organizations and minorities.

Today, VASTA has nearly 400 active members including academics, actors and singers, voice and speech pathologists, medical doctors, and private studio trainers and healers. Members hail from 10 different nations, and clients range from actors and singers to auctioneers to lawyers to politicians to the clergy, to CEO's -- to anyone for whom the voice and vocal communication are important.

VASTA Members...

serve as vocal coaches for
Broadway shows,
Reperatory theatres and
Shakespeare companies

work with leading producers and directors

provide voice and speech training for
Professional Actor Training programs,
Theatre & Music Conservatories,
major corporations and
leading media

are faculty members at
leading colleges and universities

are recognized specialists in private practice

Mission Statement
VASTA is poised to become an exciting international organization and is actively planting seeds for global networking, other cultural involvement and resource-sharing.

Our mission is to:
x Practice and encourage the highest standards of voice and speech use and artistry in all professional arenas.

x Serve the needs of voice and speech teachers and students in training and practice.

x Promote the concept that the art of the voice and speech specialist is integral to the successful teaching of acting and to the development of all professional voice users.

x Encourage and facilitate opportunities for ongoing education and the exchanging of knowledge and information among professionals in the field.

VASTA is all about

Vision
Artistry
Standards of conduct
Training enhancement and
Advocacy for our profession.

VASTA Statement of Principles

The Voice and Speech Trainers Association expects the following of its members:

1. Offer instruction, advice, and guidance based on their ongoing pursuit of the best information, thought and practices available in their respective specialization.

2. Acknowledge teachers and colleagues who have contributed to their work.

3. Present accurately the nature and duration of their training and experience.

4. Respect the right of colleagues to advocate approaches with which they may not agree and allow students freedom to choose practices which may best meet their needs.

5. Take responsibility for the emotional climate of their classrooms, fostering an atmosphere conducive to their studentsÕ optimal growth.

6. Refer a student to a specialist (physician, psychologist, speech pathologist, singing teacher, voice and/or speech teacher, body alignment expert, etc.) whenever the need arises, except in cases where doing so could be detrimental.

8. Give students ongoing, objective assessments, as well as informed opinions of their abilities and progress.

9. Acknowledge the primacy of the director in matters of interpretation and addressing any questions or differences with the director in private.

10. Dedicate their teaching and practice to enhancing the art of communication, nurturing individual creativity in all its differences, developing empathetic abilities as an essential component of voice teaching, and going beyond facile standards of right and wrong, correct and incorrect in assessing the human voice.

Membership Benefits
There are many benefits to being a member of the Voice and Speech Trainers Association.

Individual

A voice and vote at all VASTA business meetings and the opportunity to improve the visibility and prestige of your profession through a dynamic organization which shares your commitment to quality voice and speech training.
FREE subscription to VASTA Voice e-Newsletter, which is published 5 times a year
Members who are current on August 14 in the year of publication will receive the Voice and Speech Review, VASTA's Journal. Journals will be published in odd years.
Reduced rates to the Annual Conference
Valuable networking opportunities with other voice and speech professionals in North America and abroad.
Timely information about exciting national and international workshops and conferences on Classical speech, Dialects, Musical theatre, Radio & TV techniques, Shakespeare, Singing and speech, Speech sciences, Voice and speech techniques for business, media and other professional voice users

Institutional - All the above plus,

Reduced rates for "position available" advertising in the VASTA Newsletter.
Preferred rates for renting the VASTA membership list.

Conferences and workshops

Each year VASTA hosts a conference to coincide with the ATHE - Association for Theatre in Higher Education - conference (usually the weekend before). Though incorporated as an independant entity, VASTA is technically a "focus group" of ATHE. You can get an idea of what our conferences are like by reading the details of last year's conference. When information about this year's conference is released, look for details on the VASTA Home Page.

VASTA has hosted many sessions at ATHE (and other conferences) in the past. Check out our listing (by topic) of sessions and presenters over the history of our organization.

Membership information

Categories:
Full VASTA Member:
Has voting privileges, receives the VASTA Newsletter, Membership Directory and VASTA Guidelines. Eligible for reduced VASTA conference fees. Annual Dues: US$75

Student Member:
Currently enrolled in a training program. Receives same benefits as Voice/Speech Professional. Annual Dues: US$45

To become a member you must snail mail in an application which you can print out from here, or you can pay and join online. Got Adobe Acrobat Reader? Get the PDF version here.