§ Background

Dr Trish Rooney

Ed.D · MA · BMus · FLCM · ALCM · LLCM

Voice lecturer and rehabilitation specialist — based in Cork, Ireland. Director of The Academy of Popular Music.

Trish Portrait
Dr Trish Rooney Cork · 2026

I hold a Doctorate in Music Education from the Institute of Education, London, and have over 20 years’ experience working in voice education, performance, and pedagogy.

I am a full-time lecturer at the MTU Cork School of Music, teaching across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in voice, vocal pedagogy, research, and popular music history. I am also Director of The Academy of Popular Music, Ireland’s dedicated second-level popular music school and examination board.

I am a published author in the field of vocal pedagogy and music education, a contributor to CoreSinging: A Joyful Approach to Singing and Voice Pedagogy, and serve on editorial and review boards for international academic journals. I regularly present my work at national and international conferences.

Alongside my academic work, I have extensive professional performance and industry experience, including working as vocal coach for RTÉ’s The Voice of Ireland and collaborating with artists, broadcasters, and Irish organisations across live performance, television, and education.

§ Training & Certifications

A clinical + creative training path.

My specialist training includes:

Doctore of Music Education - Voice

Advanced CoreSinging™ Teacher

Voice Rehabilitation Specialist training with Vocal Health Education, London

Certificate in Teaching Inclusively

Fundamental Anatomy

Counselling Skills for Singing Teachers

Endoscopic Evaluation

Kari Ragan Singing Voice Specialist Practicum Course

Foundations in Manual Therapy

MA in Flute Performance

VRS
Voice Rehabilitation Specialist — Vocal Health Education, London
ACS
Advanced CoreSinging™ Teacher
SVS
Kari Ragan SVS Practicum
FMT
Foundations in Manual Therapy — Walt Fritz
END
Endoscopic Evaluation — Kerrie Obert SLP
CTI
Certificate in Teaching Inclusively
EdD
Doctorate, Music Education — Inst. of Education, London
CSK
Counselling Skills for Voice Practitioners

Blending Vocal Intonation Therapy and CoreSinging Approaches to Enhance Voice - 4th MTU Creative and Performing Arts & Media Annual Research Forum (also accepted for presentation at PEVOC 2026, Istanbul

The ‘Breaking Free Conference’ - Vocal Health Education, London 2025

Northwest Voice Conference: Art and Science of the Performing Voice (ASPV), Seattle, Washington, 2025

Vocology in Practice Virtual Conference 2021

Title – Advanced Musicianship for CCM Singers

ISME (International Society for Music Education) World Conference on Music EducationSibelius Academy Finland (August 2020 – postponed due to Covid 19)

Title: Popular music education: effects of the implementation of electronic music devices into formal pedagogical practices.

2nd European Music School Symposium University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna – Round table discussion on “Talents – Bridging Music School and Professional Music Education.” Representing Ireland, alongside panel members from Finland, Iceland, Cyprus, Barcelona and Austria

Innovation In Music 2019 Conference - London College of Music

Title: The evolution of popular music education: the effects of the implementation of electronic music devices into formal pedagogical practices.

World Congress on Music Education – Dublin

Title: Embracing the Music of Our Time – Exploring The Formal Learning Practices of Popular Musicians

Abstract available:

https://infonomics-society.org/wce-2018/wce-abstract-5/

Voice Workshop Voice Geek Conference, London 2018.

Round table session: The Future of Vocal Pedagogy

Alongside voice experts Dfr. Jane Oakland, Dr Brianna Robertson-Kirkland, Dane Chalfin, Sara Gourlay, Ken Querns, Juliet Russell, Dan Miller and Dr. Jenevora Williams

SMEI Conference Dublin Nov. 2017

Presentation & Vocal Workshop

Title: Embracing the music of our time: an exploration of the educational, social and personal growth of musicians studying popular music at 2nd and 3rd level. A follow up study.

1st European Music School Symposium - University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, October 2017

Title: Teaching Popular Music: Formal and informal learning practices at 2nd and 3rd level.

Music Education Solutions Singing Strategy Symposium, Birmingham, 2016

Title: Developing teaching strategies for Contemporary Singers

Athens Institute for Education and Research, A World Association of Academics & Researchers, 17th Annual International Conference on Education, Athens, 2015

Title: The Understanding of Contemporary Vocal Pedagogy and the Teaching Methods of Internationally Acclaimed Vocal Coaches.

SMEI (Society for Music Education in Ireland), Cork School of Music, 2014

Title: The Understanding of Contemporary Vocal Pedagogy and the Teaching Methods of Internationally Acclaimed Vocal Coaches.

‘Stories’ Conference – Challenges and Innovations, Department of Education,

University of Oxford, 2013

Title: Embracing the music of our time : an exploration of the benefits of teaching popular music in small groups

Collaboration, research, or teaching?

I welcome enquiries from clinical teams, conference organisers, and fellow researchers.