Professor Steven R. Chicurel received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Estill Voice International at the recent 6th annual Estill World Voice Symposium at Harvard University.

The award recognizes individuals who have made contributions to the field of voice. Recipients have served as role models to others and have devoted their careers to the advancement of voice research, performance and/or voice education.Β 

In presenting the award to Chicurel, Estill Voice International vice president Mary McDonald Klimek noted Chicurel’s association with founder Jo Estill as a student, co-teacher, and co-researcher from 1988 until her death in 2011.Β Chicurel also has worked to establish the ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ as one of three Estill Voice Educational Affiliates worldwide.

Educational affiliates have at least two faculty members who are certified as course instructors. At ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½, professor Steven R. Chicurel is a certified course instructor and assistant professor Tara Snyder is a certified master teacher.Β 

The training program helps singers and speakers find a full range of expression in their voices, while promoting healthy vocal habits. The program was formalized in 1988 by Jo Estill, a classical opera singer who went on to research voice science.

Β β€œStudents of Estill Voice Training Systems succeed because they learn about identifying problems in singing and speaking and then come up with efficient and permanent β€˜fixes,’” Chicurel said. β€œEstill Voice Training provides a unique delivery system at the university level.Β Unlike traditional voice programs in music and theatre, where weekly private lessons are the norm from the first semester onward, students at ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ take the first two semesters of voice as a class.” 

The University has joined Motherwell College in Scotland and Mars Hill College in North Carolina as educational affiliates.