World Voice Day 2018
March 2018
Writer // Janelle Morrison Photography // Courtesy of The Center of the Performing Arts
World Voice Day is an annual celebration of healthy voices and highlights the importance of voice at work and in society. It began in Brazil and then spread to the U.S. and all around the world. World Voice Day, officially scheduled April 16, is a series of nearly 400 concerts and other events in more than 50 countries, organized by an international committee to raise awareness of the social, artistic, medical and scientific issues surrounding the human voice. The Center for the Performing Arts proudly participates in the global initiative by hosting its annual World Voice Day Celebration and open mic night on April 16. The Palladium event is the only official World Voice Day observance in Indiana.
Vocalists of all ages and skill-levels will enjoy three minutes in the spotlight, armed with only sheet music for the piano accompanist. The Palladium stage is transformed into a cabaret, and vocalists have the opportunity to belt out their favorite tunes in front of family, friends and other vocalists.
The event is sponsored by The Voice Clinic of Indiana, a supportive and important partner of The Center for the Performing Arts. The Voice Clinic of Indiana is a team of laryngologists, speech-language pathologists and support staff who are committed to providing patients with the best available care for voice, swallowing and airway disorders.
Corporate partnerships and sponsorships such as these are vital to the success and further development of the Center’s outreach and educational programs. Emily Meaux Lovison is the director of development – corporate and institutional at the Center. She discussed how partnerships with local organizations such as The Voice Clinic of Indiana are making special events like World Voice Day possible and available to people throughout the Hoosier state.
“The Voice Clinic of Indiana approached us back in 2015 with the idea of celebrating World Voice Day,” Lovison said. “They wanted to partner with us, and it’s been a great partnership. That first year [2015], we didn’t know if anyone would show up and were so happy when over 100 people showed up. People want to come and sing on the Palladium stage. The event is also an audience development tool for us as it brings people in that we normally don’t see throughout the season.”
Lovison went on to explain how the collaboration between the Center and The Voice Clinic of Indiana went beyond World Voice Day.
“As they are the experts in their field and offer the best practices in their industry, they became our preferred voice providers of the Center,” she said. “If we have an artist that has had something come up while on the road traveling and they need to see a voice doctor or have some issues, we’ll call The Voice Clinic, and Dr. Stacey Halum or Dr. Noah Parker will take care of the artist. It’s great having them on call and having that resource as part of our team.”
Additionally, The Voice Clinic of Indiana has partnered with the Great American Songbook Foundation. While the Great American Songbook Academy is going on in the summer, the clinic sponsors a seminar by one of its practitioners, Rebecca Risser, SLP, who talks with the students about voice care, exercises and things to avoid that might be harmful to the vocal chords.
“It’s one of the highly rated seminars by the students, so we keep bringing it back every year,” Lovison exclaimed.
For more information on World Voice Day, visit thecenterfortheperformingarts.org. For information on corporate partnership and sponsorship opportunities, contact Emily Meaux Lovison at elovison@thecenterpresents.org.
