Jo Estill
Encyclopedia
Josephine Antoinette Estill (née Vadala; 25 April 1921 – 9 December 2010) known as Jo Estill was an American
singer, singing voice specialist and voice researcher. Estill is best known for her research and the development of Estill Voice Training
, a programme for developing vocal skills based on deconstructing the process of vocal production into control of specific structures in the vocal mechanism.
, USA
. She sang professionally on the radio in Pittsburgh from 1939–1940, and 1940–1947 in Hollywood. After marrying Thomas Estill of Colorado Springs, she toured Europe in 1953 with a lieder concert tour including programmes in The Hague
, Amsterdam
, Copenhagen
, Oslo
, London
, Zurich
, Geneva
and Paris
. Estill then had 13 years of performance as a soloist in Colorado Springs, Colorado
, with the Air Force Academy Choral Concerts, Colorado Springs Symphony, Colorado Springs Opera as Dido, Sr. Angelica, Aida, Tosca, among others.
In 1969, Estill received a BA in Liberal Arts from Colorado College
, Colorado Springs, and in 1971, Estill received an MA in Music Education from Case Western Reserve University
in Cleveland, Ohio
. During her studies at Case Western Reserve University, Estill took 30 hours of speech and hearing elective classes, marking her introduction to voice science.
From 1972–1979, Estill was appointed Instructor in Voice in the Department of Otolaryngology, at the Upstate Medical Center, Syracuse, New York
. It was here that Estill worked under Dr. Ray Colton, and Dr. David Brewer, two of the top voice researchers in the United States and began her pioneering research on her six voice qualities: speech, falsetto, sob, twang, opera, and belt. Colton, Brewer and Estill presented many papers on their research to the 'Care of the Professional Voice' conferences of the Voice Foundation.
Between 1980 and 1984, Jo enrolled in the City University of New York
PhD graduate programme in Speech and Hearing. She completed all of her PhD course work and withdrew without submitting her dissertation.
Estill's interests and voice research led to the development of Estill Voice Training
and in 1991 Estill founded the company 'Estill Voice Training Systems' to protect the work and begin uniform certification of instructors.
On 10 September 2004, Estill was awarded an Honorary Doctorate, Doctor of Letters
(LittD), from the University of East Anglia
.
Estill died in Santa Rosa, California
on 9 December 2010 of natural causes.
system.
system all over the world. For example, Estill has presented in London
by invitation of The Voice Research Society and the British Voice Association, and on courses organised by Gillyanne Kayes. Estill is reported to have made a big impact on the theatre scene in the UK because she offered an alternative approach to the traditional way of singing training.
Many authors and performers have acknowledged Estill and Estill Voice Training
in the development of their own work including: Gillyanne Kayes, Deirdre Trundle, Mary McDonald Klimek, Donna Soto-Morettini, Joan Lader, Lise Olson, Dane Chalfin
and Klea Blackhurst
.
Marni Nixon
recalls 'fighting with this wonderful teacher, Jo Estill' when she began to explore belting and pedagogy.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer, singing voice specialist and voice researcher. Estill is best known for her research and the development of Estill Voice Training
Estill Voice Training
Estill Voice Training is a programme for developing vocal skills based on deconstructing the process of vocal production into control of specific structures in the vocal mechanism...
, a programme for developing vocal skills based on deconstructing the process of vocal production into control of specific structures in the vocal mechanism.
Biography
Josephine Antoinette Vadala was born on 25 April 1921 in Donora, PennsylvaniaDonora, Pennsylvania
Donora is a borough in Washington County, Pennsylvania, south of Pittsburgh on the Monongahela river. Donora was incorporated in 1901. Donora got its name from a combination of William Donner and Nora Mellon, banker Andrew W. Mellon's wife. Agriculture, coal-mining, steel-making, wire-making, and...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. She sang professionally on the radio in Pittsburgh from 1939–1940, and 1940–1947 in Hollywood. After marrying Thomas Estill of Colorado Springs, she toured Europe in 1953 with a lieder concert tour including programmes in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
, Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
, Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
and Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. Estill then had 13 years of performance as a soloist in Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, with the Air Force Academy Choral Concerts, Colorado Springs Symphony, Colorado Springs Opera as Dido, Sr. Angelica, Aida, Tosca, among others.
In 1969, Estill received a BA in Liberal Arts from Colorado College
Colorado College
The Colorado College is a private liberal arts college in Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States, in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. It was founded in 1874 by Thomas Nelson Haskell...
, Colorado Springs, and in 1971, Estill received an MA in Music Education from Case Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University is a private research university located in Cleveland, Ohio, USA...
in Cleveland, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. During her studies at Case Western Reserve University, Estill took 30 hours of speech and hearing elective classes, marking her introduction to voice science.
From 1972–1979, Estill was appointed Instructor in Voice in the Department of Otolaryngology, at the Upstate Medical Center, Syracuse, New York
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
. It was here that Estill worked under Dr. Ray Colton, and Dr. David Brewer, two of the top voice researchers in the United States and began her pioneering research on her six voice qualities: speech, falsetto, sob, twang, opera, and belt. Colton, Brewer and Estill presented many papers on their research to the 'Care of the Professional Voice' conferences of the Voice Foundation.
Between 1980 and 1984, Jo enrolled in the City University of New York
City University of New York
The City University of New York is the public university system of New York City, with its administrative offices in Yorkville in Manhattan. It is the largest urban university in the United States, consisting of 23 institutions: 11 senior colleges, six community colleges, the William E...
PhD graduate programme in Speech and Hearing. She completed all of her PhD course work and withdrew without submitting her dissertation.
Estill's interests and voice research led to the development of Estill Voice Training
Estill Voice Training
Estill Voice Training is a programme for developing vocal skills based on deconstructing the process of vocal production into control of specific structures in the vocal mechanism...
and in 1991 Estill founded the company 'Estill Voice Training Systems' to protect the work and begin uniform certification of instructors.
On 10 September 2004, Estill was awarded an Honorary Doctorate, Doctor of Letters
Doctor of Letters
Doctor of Letters is a university academic degree, often a higher doctorate which is frequently awarded as an honorary degree in recognition of outstanding scholarship or other merits.-Commonwealth:...
(LittD), from the University of East Anglia
University of East Anglia
The University of East Anglia is a public research university based in Norwich, United Kingdom. It was established in 1963, and is a founder-member of the 1994 Group of research-intensive universities.-History:...
.
Estill died in Santa Rosa, California
Santa Rosa, California
Santa Rosa is the county seat of Sonoma County, California, United States. The 2010 census reported a population of 167,815. Santa Rosa is the largest city in California's Wine Country and fifth largest city in the San Francisco Bay Area, after San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, and Fremont and 26th...
on 9 December 2010 of natural causes.
Research
Estill studied various qualities associated with different styles of singing, using techniques including EMG, electroglottography, voice signal analysis, X-rays of the phonating larynx, laryngeal fibre endoscopy, acoustic measurements and simultaneous videostroboscopy. This led to the development of a series of exercises to develop specific control over individual muscle groups and structures in the vocal mechanism. For example, Estill's endoscopic video recordings of the vocal tract during voicing demonstrated deconstriction techniques such as the 'silent laugh' that encourage the false vocal folds to retract. These exercises are now included within the Estill Voice TrainingEstill Voice Training
Estill Voice Training is a programme for developing vocal skills based on deconstructing the process of vocal production into control of specific structures in the vocal mechanism...
system.
Influence and impact
Estill has presented courses and workshops on her research and the Estill Voice TrainingEstill Voice Training
Estill Voice Training is a programme for developing vocal skills based on deconstructing the process of vocal production into control of specific structures in the vocal mechanism...
system all over the world. For example, Estill has presented in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
by invitation of The Voice Research Society and the British Voice Association, and on courses organised by Gillyanne Kayes. Estill is reported to have made a big impact on the theatre scene in the UK because she offered an alternative approach to the traditional way of singing training.
Many authors and performers have acknowledged Estill and Estill Voice Training
Estill Voice Training
Estill Voice Training is a programme for developing vocal skills based on deconstructing the process of vocal production into control of specific structures in the vocal mechanism...
in the development of their own work including: Gillyanne Kayes, Deirdre Trundle, Mary McDonald Klimek, Donna Soto-Morettini, Joan Lader, Lise Olson, Dane Chalfin
Dane Chalfin
Dane Chalfinis one of the UK's leading contemporary vocal coaches working in music, theatre and television. He is Principal Lecturer in Pop Voice at Leeds College of Music and a director of the British Voice Association ....
and Klea Blackhurst
Klea Blackhurst
Klea Blackhurst is an actress best known for Everything the Traffic Will Allow, her tribute to Ethel Merman that debuted in New York in 2001. Among many accolades, this production earned her the inaugural Special Achievement Award from Time Out New York magazine...
.
Marni Nixon
Marni Nixon
Marni Nixon is an American soprano and playback singer for featured actresses in movie musicals. She has also spent much of her career performing in concerts with major symphony orchestras around the world and in operas and musicals throughout the United States.-Biography:Born Margaret Nixon...
recalls 'fighting with this wonderful teacher, Jo Estill' when she began to explore belting and pedagogy.