Executive Overview
The intersection of vocal pedagogy, scientific inquiry, and practical performance has reached another significant milestone. The National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) and The Voice Foundation have jointly announced that Dr. Nicholas Perna has been selected as the prestigious 2025 Van L. Lawrence Fellowship Award recipient. This high-distinction honor includes a $2,000 research grant designed to directly support Perna’s ongoing, cutting-edge investigations into vocal tract mechanics, alongside a formal invitation to present and attend the upcoming 54th Annual Symposium: Care of the Professional Voice, scheduled from May 28 to June 1, 2025, in Philadelphia.
The Van L. Lawrence Fellowship is among the most sought-after and respected accolades in the professional voice community. It is specifically crafted to reward individuals who demonstrate excellence in both pedagogy and voice science, bridging the often-wide gap between clinical research and studio instruction. Perna, an associate professor of voice, director of vocal pedagogy at the University of Colorado Boulder, and an active NATS leader, embodies this dual commitment.
His winning research proposal addresses a persistent, nuanced question in vocal physiology: velopharyngeal opening (VPO) variability in collegiate treble singers. By investigating how nasality, nasal airflow, and velopharyngeal mechanics adapt as singers ascend into higher registers—and comparing these behaviors across Western Classical (WC) and Musical Theater (MT) performance styles—Perna’s work promises to unlock vital insights for voice teachers, choral directors, and performing artists alike.
This comprehensive report examines the significance of the 2025 Van L. Lawrence Fellowship, details Perna’s academic background and leadership footprint, explores the precise mechanics and broader implications of his VPO research, and contextualizes this achievement within the broader landscape of modern vocal science.
Detailed Chronology and Background
To understand the weight of the Van L. Lawrence Fellowship, one must examine its historical roots and the rigorous trajectory of its recipients. Named in honor of Dr. Van L. Lawrence—a passionate otolaryngologist and champion of interdisciplinary collaboration between voice scientists and voice teachers—the fellowship has, for decades, served as a launchpad for pivotal vocal research. It honors professionals who ask difficult questions about how the human voice functions under the extreme demands of artistic performance.
Dr. Nicholas Perna’s journey to this milestone is characterized by sustained dedication to both institutional service and empirical research. A prominent member of the NATS Colorado/Wyoming Chapter within the West Central Region, Perna has long transcended the traditional boundaries of a studio voice instructor. His current leadership responsibilities on the NATS Board of Directors as Vice President for Outreach (spanning the 2022–2026 term) place him at the forefront of national organizational strategy, member engagement, and educational dissemination. Furthermore, his hands-on contributions to the broader academic community are evident through his service as the poster paper coordinator for numerous NATS national gatherings, including the heavily attended 2024 conference in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Beyond traditional organizational service, Perna has embraced modern digital platforms to democratize vocal pedagogy. He serves as co-host of VocalFri, a weekly podcast produced alongside Sarah Welch Pigott. VocalFri operates under the umbrella of NATSCast, the official podcast network of NATS, providing an accessible, research-informed dialogue for voice professionals worldwide.
The announcement of the 2025 fellowship arrives at a particularly poetic juncture in Perna’s professional life. Having recently transitioned into his role as the Director of Voice Pedagogy at the University of Colorado Boulder, Perna notes a profound historical continuity in receiving the award. The institution’s storied vocal program was founded by Berton Coffin, a legendary figure in vocal pedantry who historically collaborated with Dr. Van L. Lawrence himself. By receiving this fellowship in his inaugural year at CU Boulder, Perna symbolically and practically continues a decades-long legacy of scientific inquiry into the mechanics of singing.
Supporting Context & Metrics: Unpacking the VPO Research
At the heart of Perna’s fellowship is a rigorous, targeted research initiative focusing on velopharyngeal opening (VPO) variability in collegiate treble singers. To the uninitiated, the velopharynx—the valve comprising the soft palate and the pharyngeal walls—controls the degree of acoustic coupling between the oral and nasal cavities. Managing this valve is essential for producing balanced resonance, avoiding unwanted nasality, and executing stylistic shifts in both classical and contemporary commercial music (CCM) settings.
The Core Research Questions
Perna’s project is built upon three primary investigative pillars:
- Pitch-Based Variability: Do collegiate treble singers systematically vary their velopharyngeal opening as their fundamental frequency (pitch) increases?
- Stylistic Comparisons: How do the velopharyngeal behaviors of Western Classical (WC) singers differ from those of Musical Theater (MT) singers across equivalent ascending pitch ranges?
- Acoustic-Aerodynamic Correlations: Is there a measurable, correlative behavior in these singers’ contact quotient (CQ)—derived from electroglottography (EGG)—as pitch increases alongside changes in VPO?
The Musical Theater "Mixed Voice" Hypothesis
The impetus for this study stems from a combination of clinical curiosity and widespread pedagogical observation. As Perna notes, significant anecdotal evidence suggests that treble musical theater singers may systematically increase their velopharyngeal opening as they ascend in pitch and transition into their "mixed voice."
In musical theater, achieving high, climactic belts or soaring mixed-belt phrases requires immense acoustic optimization. Performers must navigate narrow acoustic windows while maintaining vocal health and expressive integrity. If Perna’s study confirms that intentional or physiological VPO adjustments facilitate this transition, the pedagogical implications will be transformative.
"Investigating nasality, nasal airflow, and velopharyngeal opening have been central to my research agenda my entire career," Perna emphasizes. "If that [hypothesis] is true, this study could aid singers and voice teachers to better understand how to execute climactic higher pitches in an easier and healthier production, specifically in MT styles."
Interdisciplinary Collaboration
High-level voice science rarely occurs in isolation. Recognizing the complexity of measuring aerodynamic and acoustic variables in real-time performance, Perna has assembled a robust, interdisciplinary support team. He credits Dr. Joshua Glasner of the prestigious Lions Voice Clinic for invaluable assistance with research design, ensuring methodological rigor. Additionally, the project relies on the active participation of two graduate research assistants, Alice Del Simone and Benjamin South, whose day-to-day data collection and analysis will bring the study to fruition.
Official Statements and Institutional Perspectives
The announcement of the 2025 fellowship has drawn widespread acclaim from the leadership of both sponsoring organizations, reinforcing the symbiotic relationship between NATS and The Voice Foundation.
In a joint statement released to the academic and professional music communities, representatives from both entities underscored the importance of supporting researchers who challenge conventional wisdom.
"The National Association of Teachers of Singing and The Voice Foundation are delighted to announce Nicholas Perna as the 2025 Van L. Lawrence Fellowship Award recipient," the joint release stated. "This prestigious honor includes a $2,000 award to support Perna’s research and the opportunity to attend the 54th Annual Symposium: Care of the Professional Voice, May 28-June 1, 2025, in Philadelphia."
The leadership bodies praised Perna not only for his innovative research design regarding VPO variability but also for his tireless advocacy within the profession. Through his leadership on the NATS Board of Directors, his coordination of national poster presentations, and his educational outreach via the VocalFri podcast, Perna has consistently modeled the ideal of the "pedagogue-scientist"—an educator who refuses to separate the art of singing from the science of anatomy and acoustics.
Colleagues at the University of Colorado Boulder have likewise echoed these sentiments, celebrating the alignment of Perna’s arrival as Director of Voice Pedagogy with this national recognition. The convergence of institutional support, grant funding, and clinical mentorship positions CU Boulder as an increasingly vital hub for modern vocal research.
Future Outlook: Implications for Voice Pedagogy and Performance
As the voice science community looks ahead to the 54th Annual Symposium: Care of the Professional Voice in Philadelphia, the anticipation surrounding Perna’s forthcoming data is palpable. The implications of this research extend far beyond academic journals; they reach directly into private voice studios, university classrooms, and musical theater rehearsal halls.
Bridging Studio Teaching and Clinical Science
For generations, voice teachers relied almost exclusively on subjective imagery—metaphors such as "singing into the mask," "lifting the soft palate," or "placing the sound forward." While these pedagogical tools often yield positive artistic results, they can occasionally mislead students or obscure the true physical mechanisms occurring within the vocal tract.
By quantifying exact physiological shifts like VPO variability across diverse singing styles (Western Classical versus Musical Theater), researchers like Perna provide teachers with objective, empirical frameworks. This does not replace artistic imagery; rather, it validates, refines, and demystifies it.
Modernizing Musical Theater Training
The explosive popularity of contemporary commercial music and musical theater training programs in higher education demands pedagogical strategies rooted in empirical evidence. Belting, mixing, and high-register treble singing place unique mechanical demands on the vocal tract. By isolating how velopharyngeal control interacts with contact quotient and pitch ascension, Perna’s research will directly inform how coaches teach young artists to navigate demanding scores without vocal fatigue or injury.
The Path to Philadelphia and Beyond
With the financial backing of the $2,000 Van L. Lawrence Fellowship grant, Perna and his research team—including Dr. Joshua Glasner, Alice Del Simone, and Benjamin South—are well-positioned to complete their data collection and analysis ahead of the Philadelphia symposium. Presenting these findings at the gathering will subject the work to rigorous peer review and discussion among otolaryngologists, speech-language pathologists, laryngologists, and master voice teachers.
Ultimately, Nicholas Perna’s recognition as the 2025 Van L. Lawrence Fellow underscores a golden era of collaboration in vocal arts. By fearlessly exploring the hidden mechanics of the human voice—from the subtle movements of the velopharynx to the broader acoustic demands of the theatrical stage—Perna continues to elevate the standards of teaching, research, and performance for generations of singers to come.
