Graduate Studies

 

First Advisor

Kevin G. Hanrahan

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Committee Members

Angela Dietsch, Rhonda Fuelberth, Suna Gunther

Department

Music (Vocal Pedagogy)

Date of this Version

8-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Citation

A dissertation presented to the Graduate College of the University of Nebraska in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy

Major: Music (Vocal Pedagogy)

Under the supervision of Professor Kevin G. Hanrahan

Lincoln, Nebraska, August 2025

Comments

Copyright 2025, Elisa Ramon. Used by permission

Abstract

The body of lyric diction literature, particularly on Italian, has grown substantially in the second half of the twentieth century. Lyric diction courses are now a required part of many voice programs across the United States. The widespread use of International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) transcriptions and transcription rules has significantly contributed to the field. However, relatively few sources focus on the pedagogical strategies needed to teach and modify Italian consonants effectively.

This two-phase exploratory sequential mixed methods study identifies the features of Italian consonants that differentiate the lyric diction of novice singers from that of native speakers. It also proposes guidelines and exercises to improve the pronunciation of Italian consonants. The first qualitative phase examines the practices of Italian diction coaches based in the United States and Italy, all with experiences teaching college-level students and coaching professional opera companies. Their insights informed the creation of a set of targeted exercises for the quantitative phase.

Nine voice majors, seven who self-identified as women and two as men, aged nineteen to twenty-two, participated in the study. Each attended a lecture on Italian consonants and completed four testing sessions: a baseline, two coaching sessions targeting specific consonantal features, and a post-coaching recording. Acoustic data from pre- and post-coaching recordings were collected using the Kay-Pentax Computerized Speech Lab (CSL 4500) and analyzed with PRAAT. The same recordings were rated by a panel of native Italian speakers for perceived accuracy.

Advisor: Kevin G. Hanrahan

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