Expanding the Voice: Improvisation with Purpose
Led by Michelle Rounds – Vocal Innovator, Improviser & Performance Strategist
Course Description
Expanding the Voice is an advanced professional development course designed for singers
performing on public and professional stages who wish to expand their vocal abilities to
include improvisation, ad libs, harmonics and spontaneous variation.
The program approaches improvisation not merely as a technical device, but as an intuitive
and holistic practice. Participants are guided toward accessing a state of artistic presence
often described as being “in the zone” — understanding when to lead, when to hold back,
when to expand, and when restraint serves the music best.
This course is designed to encourage intuitive vocal expression. It explores how performers
can recognize their current abilities, transcend perceived limitations and move beyond
vulnerability into confident artistic ownership. The process is not purely thought-based or
analytical; rather, it integrates listening, instinct, embodiment and awareness. Participants
will be shown how to allow this intuitive dimension of their artistry to blossom safely and
constructively.
A crucial component of the curriculum is structured ear training and harmonic understanding.
Participants will work with chord progressions, scatting, harmonic layering and musical
responsiveness. Improvisation is grounded in awareness of structure, phrasing and tonal
context to ensure artistic freedom remains musically responsible.
The course enables participants to comfortably and securely expand their perspective of
what a song can be vocally through authentic self-expression. By the end of the program,
singers should feel confident to “sit in” within any musical situation — vocal or instrumental
— regardless of whether they formally know the piece or not. The aim is to empower them to
contribute meaningfully and positively to the overall performance.
Target Audience
● Lead and backing vocalists currently performing live
● Musicians interested in expanding their vocal contributions
● Artists performing in face-to-face concerts or via live streaming platforms
● Professional-level singers seeking deeper improvisational confidence
Course Conduct & Application Requirements
● The course will be conducted in English; therefore, a good working understanding of
the language is required.
● The workshop is not genre-specific. The skills acquired can be applied across styles,
including Arabic music traditions and cross-cultural performance settings.
Course Objectives
Participants will:
● Expand their vocal perspective beyond fixed interpretation
● Develop harmonic awareness and ear-training skills
● Strengthen intuitive artistic decision-making
● Learn when and how to apply improvisation responsibly
● Confidently engage in spontaneous musical environments
● Add positively and musically to ensemble performance contexts
Course Schedule
Improvisation and Experimentation – Voice
Program Type: Advanced / Professional Singers Development
Target Group: Public performance-level singers and professional vocal artists
Minimum Number of Participants: 10
Instructor: Michelle Rounds
Duration: 2 Days
Daily Timing: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Daily Breaks:
● 1 × 30-minute break
● 1 × 1-hour break
Day 1 – Foundations of Improvisation, Listening &
Artistic Decision-Making
11:00 – 11:30 | Program Opening & Orientation
● Welcome and program objectives
● Participant introductions (professional background and performance context)
● Instructor introduction: Michelle Rounds’ professional trajectory and industry
experience
● Overview of the program framework, methodology and expected learning outcomes
11:30 – 1:00 | Individual Performance Assessment Sessions
● Each participant presents a prepared vocal piece (up to 5 minutes)
● Structured observation by peers with guided note-taking
● Focus on musical structure, interpretative choices, phrasing and vocal presence
● Establishing a baseline for individual development
1:00 – 1:30 | Break (30 minutes)
1:30 – 2:30 | Guided Feedback & Peer Review
● Facilitated feedback session led by the instructor
● Peer-to-peer reflection and analytical discussion
● Identifying artistic strengths, expressive limits and development potential
● Framing feedback within professional performance standards
2:30 – 3:30 | Break (1 hour)
3:30 – 5:00 | Improvisation Frameworks & Musical Expansion
● Understanding harmonics and musical meaning in vocal performance
● Expanding and reshaping existing musical material with intention
● Presenting the same musical work through different interpretative approaches
● Principles of improvisation: timing, restraint and musical responsibility
● Introduction to professional terminology (riffs, phrasing, spontaneous variation)
Day 2 – Applied Practice, Performance Contexts &
Industry Insight
11:00 – 11:30 | Reflection & Strategic Warm-Up
● Review of key insights from Day 1
● Vocal and perceptual warm-up
● Alignment of individual learning goals for Day 2
11:30 – 1:00 | Applied Improvisation in Professional Contexts
● Improvisation within defined musical and stylistic frameworks
● Responding to live musical prompts and unexpected changes
● Balancing spontaneity with musical accuracy and clarity
● Individual and group-based application exercises
1:00 – 1:30 | Break (30 minutes)
1:30 – 2:30 | Performance Industry Perspectives
● Improvisation in live performance and broadcast contexts
● Artistic decision-making under pressure
● Live streaming for vocal artists: presence, positioning and responsibility
● Maintaining artistic integrity in digital and hybrid formats
2:30 – 3:30 | Break (1 hour)
3:30 – 5:00 | Sustainability, Monetization & Professional Positioning
● Building sustainable artistic practices
● Monetization strategies for professional vocal artists
● Improvisation as a strategic artistic and professional tool
● Distinguishing meaningful experimentation from unstructured jamming
● Final reflections, professional takeaways and program closure