This summer, Stetson University’s School of Music took the international stage at the 11th International Congress of Voice Teachers (ICVT) in Toronto, Canada. Held only once every four years, ICVT brings together voice pedagogues, performers, and researchers from across the globe. The last congress convened in Vienna in 2022, making this year’s gathering in Toronto a truly international event.

At the congress, Dr. Chadley Ballantyne (Associate Professor of Music, Voice), Dr. Ian Howell (Embodied Music Lab), and Sophia Maritz, a junior Music Education major at Stetson, presented their collaborative research, “Impact of Static Postures on Breathing Patterns for Singing.” Their work not only highlighted cutting-edge inquiry into singing and respiration but also demonstrated the strong tradition of faculty-student collaboration at Stetson.

A Spotlight on Undergraduate Achievement

In Toronto, Sophia Maritz served as the featured presenter, delivering the central portion of the talk on behalf of the team. Her poise, clarity, and command of the research drew praise from an audience of international scholars and professionals. Dr. Ballantyne and Dr. Howell each contributed key sections to the presentation, making it a true model of collaborative scholarship and mentorship. Together, the team embodied the spirit of Stetson’s mission: to give students opportunities not just to learn about research, but to step forward as equal voices in advancing the field.

The Research

The study explored how five static postures—standing, sitting, active rest (leaning forward), slouching, and lying down—affect singers’ breathing mechanics. Using the innovative RespTrack system, which measures rib cage and abdominal movement through noninvasive elastic belts, the researchers observed eleven undergraduate voice majors as they performed singing tasks ranging from sustained tones to repertoire excerpts.

Key Insights

The findings revealed that posture exerts a clear influence on breathing behavior. Sitting compressed the torso vertically, altering how both the rib cage and abdomen moved, often giving the abdomen the largest range of motion. Active rest proved particularly striking: rib cage circumference expanded to its highest level for all participants, while abdominal responses varied widely—suggesting that body morphology strongly influenced abdominal behavior in this posture. Slouching restricted rib cage movement, and lying down consistently reduced abdominal circumference, though some singers demonstrated surprising increases in rib cage expansion in this position.

Perhaps most revealing was that singers did not adjust their breathing speed to compensate for reduced lung volume, showing that posture shaped not only the amount of air available but the entire act of breathing.

Looking Ahead

This study, though exploratory, points to exciting new directions in understanding the complex relationship between posture and breathing for singers. Just as importantly, it demonstrates Stetson’s distinctive strength: pairing rigorous, evidence-based research with extraordinary student opportunities.

Sophia’s role as featured presenter—alongside the contributions of her faculty mentors—gave Stetson a strong and proud voice at ICVT. It was a shining example of how we prepare the next generation of music educators and researchers to take their place on the international stage.