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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. 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.
serve as vocal coaches for work with leading producers and directors provide voice and speech training for are faculty members at are recognized specialists in private practice
Mission Statement Our mission is to: 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
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
Institutional - All the above plus,
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.
Categories: Student Member:
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. |
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maintained by VASTA Director of Technology,
Michael J. Barnes, with assistance from Chris
Neher. |
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