Helena Daffern, Professor, School of Physics, Engineering and Technology
Helena received her BA, MA and PhD from the University of York.
She completed her singing training at Trinity Laban College of Music, London, and developed her own teaching practice whilst enjoying a career as a freelance oratorio soloist, opera and consort singer.
Her research in the University’s AudioLab combines the disciplines of performance, science, and technology to investigate the singing voice and musical performance.
In particular, she utilises virtual reality technology to deepen understanding of the processes and benefits of group music making and to increase accessibility to music participation and engagement.
email: helena.daffern@york.ac.uk
Our 60-second interview with Helena:
Could you please tell us what work you do in the field of mental health?
My work focuses on voice acoustics and I’m particularly interested in the health and wellbeing benefits of singing, especially group singing. A lot of the work I do looks at how we can use technology to better understand why we experience wellbeing benefits when singing in a group and to improve access to group singing for those who can’t engage in person.
What do you find most rewarding and inspiring in this work?
Seeing the passion, belief and commitment of the music practitioners that run community singing groups and charities that I partner with in my virtual choir work, as well as seeing first hand the tangible benefits for the singers who are involved themselves.
What is the most challenging or complicated aspect of this work?
There is a careful balance when using technology to ‘recreate’ or ‘enhance’ an experience that is fundamentally human and about human connectedness. Virtual choirs, whilst they have a lot of potential to improve access and inclusion to group singing could also be isolating. It is important that any models of virtual choirs are not seen as ‘replacements’ to in-person activities.
What impact do you hope your work is having - or can potentially have?
I want to enable people who are physically unable to attend group in-person singing activities (for whatever reason) to gain some of the same musical and social aspects of the experience.
Could you share with us one piece of advice that you follow for your own mental health?
I try to make sure that I read (fiction) at night, even if it’s only a few pages, to try to detach from my day before I go to sleep.