Voice health, neuroscience and music - a visit from Wisconsin

From June 25 to July 4, 2025, Dr. Michael Hammer and Dr. Robert Gehrenbeck from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater (UWW) visited music colleges and universities in Hesse. Together with two students from UWW, they exchanged ideas with lecturers, staff and students about vocal pedagogy, voice science and their interdisciplinary links.

About the guests

Dr. Michael Hammer is Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders and an expert in vocal neuroscience and clinical voice physiology at the UWW. Dr. Robert Gehrenbeck is Professor of Choral Conducting and Artistic Director of the Wisconsin Chamber Choir. Both are experienced singers and have an interdisciplinary interest in vocal health - particularly in the area of teacher and vocal training.

Project and goals

The aim of their visit is a professional exchange on the connection between vocal pedagogy and voice science, especially in the context of different training structures in Hesse and the USA. While in the USA voice therapy and music are often taught on the same campus but in separate departments, in Hesse these areas are usually taught separately at universities and music colleges. Through the exchange, the guests would like to learn more about Hessian training practice and at the same time present their interdisciplinary approaches. The long-term goal is to establish a sustainable cooperation between Hesse and Wisconsin.

A guest at the HfMDK

On June 30, 2025, a meeting took place at the HfMDK Frankfurt with the vocal methodology lecturers and students of the vocal department, led by Prof. Michelle Breedt, the director of education of the vocal department. Dr. Hammer and Dr. Gehrenbeck presented their work and the project and discussed it with the participants.

The visit was supported by a scholarship from the Hessen Incentive Grant Program of the University of Wisconsin as part of the Hessen-Wisconsin Program.