Deirdre Michael
,
Credentials
PhD, CCC-SLP

Assistant Professor
Biography

Bio

I have been a Speech-Language Pathologist specializing in voice and upper airway disorders for over 30 years.  I have also been a singing teacher for over 45 years, and continue to perform in a variety of venues.  While my research passion is the perception of voice quality, my educational passion is to make voice science accessible to the lay singing community.  Along with Dr. George S. Goding, I co-founded the Lions Voice Clinic in 1995.

Expertise 

Voice disorders, functional breathing disorders, cough and other functional upper airway disorders

Education

  • Undergraduate: B.A, Music Education and Psychology, Hamline University, St. Paul, MN
    Graduate School: M.A., Speech-Language Pathology, University of Minnesota; 
  • Ph.D., Communication Disorders (area of specialization: voice science), University of Minnesota

Certification

Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association

Awards and Recognitions

  • Lifetime Achievement Award from the Minnesota Speech-Language Hearing Association, April 2023 

Professional Associations

  • American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)
  • Minnesota Speech-Language-Hearing Association (MNSHA)
  • National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS)
  • Pan American Vocology Association (PAVA) 
  • National Federation of Music Clubs/Apple Vallery Music Teachers Association 
  • Thursday Musical

Research Summary

Acoustic and perceptual measures of voice quality; perception of intonation in singing; effects of voice treatments on voice quality; various others

Publications

  • Michael, D.D., Gilman, M. (2021).  The Myth of Intonation as an Objective Measure of Singing Quality. Journal of Singing 77 (5)
  • Michael, D.D. (2014).   Dispelling Vocal Myths, Part 5: Sniff to Raise the Palate!  Journal of Singing 71 (3)
  • Heman-Ackah YD, Michael DD, Goding GS. The relationship between cepstral peak prominence and selected parameters of dsyphonia. J Voice 2002;16(1);20-27.