Bio
Dr Calvin Peter Baker is a voice scientist and singing-voice specialist, with a passion for all things ‘voice’. His research spans from singing-voice pedagogy to clinical assessment of disordered voice, with a particular interest in non-invasive techniques for voice analysis and biomarkers of voice dysfunction.
Calvin works as a post-doctoral research fellow at Universität Mozarteum Salzburg (Department of Vocal Studies), working alongside Dr Christian Herbst on the FWF-funded project ‘Singing Voice Maps’. He is concurrently a research fellow in the Speech Science discipline at the School of Psychology, University of Auckland (New Zealand), and lectures on Vocal Anatomy and Function for Singers, Musicians' Health, and Voice and Fluency. He has served as the voice lead at the UoA Swallowing and Voice Research Laboratory and as the Vice President of the New Zealand Association of Teachers of Singing (NEWZATS). Calvin holds a Bachelor of Music (Classical Performance – Voice), a Master of Music in Studio Pedagogy, and a PhD in Speech Science.
Calvin’s research examines the relationships between self-report and instrumental voice measures to identify tools that can effectively detect subtle changes in vocal function. This work has clinical applications for the prevention and rehabilitation of voice disorders in both singers and speakers. Calvin actively collaborates with international leaders in voice research, publishing in leading journals including Journal of Voice, Logopedics Phoniatrics Vocology, and American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology. He also serves as a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the International Journal of Voice Sciences.
Calvin is experienced in teaching a wide variety of repertoire across genres and enjoys teaching students of diverse ages and backgrounds at secondary and tertiary levels, and from a private studio. His voice-pedagogy research seeks to explore the connections (or misalignments) between traditional voice pedagogy and contemporary understandings of vocal function and acoustics.
Calvin is the owner and primary practitioner at VoCare Consulting.
Qualifications
• PhD – Speech Science (UoA Doctoral Scholar)
• Master of Music (with First Class Honours) – Studio Pedagogy
• Bachelor of Music, Honours (with First Class Honours) – Studio Pedagogy
• Bachelor of Music – Classical Performance: Voice
Research Positions
• Post-Doctoral Research Fellow (Senior Scientist; FWF WEAVE grant – Singing Voice Maps) – 2026 to 2029
• Research Fellow (Eisdell Moore Centre EAR Stage I Funded; UoA) – 2026 to 2027
• Research Assistant (Various Projects; UoA) – 2024 (Current)
Teaching Positions
• Professional Teaching Fellow – University of Auckland, 2020 (Current)
• Lecturer (Voice and Fluency, Speech Science) – University of Auckland, 2025 to 2026
• Artist Teacher (Classical Voice) – University of Auckland, 2020 to 2026
• University of Auckland, 2021 – Graduate Teaching Assistant
• Itinerant Voice Teacher – 2015 (Current)
• Private Studio Practice, est. 2015.
Memberships and Committees
• International Journal of Voice Sciences, 2026 (Current) – Scientific Advisory Board
• Centre for Brain Research, Early Career Researchers Committee (UoA), 2024 to 2026 – Committee Member
• New Zealand Association of Teachers of Singing (NEWZATS), 2018 to 2021 – Vice President
• NEWZATS, 2016 to 2022 – Council Member
• NEWZATS, 2016 to 2026 – Full Member
• Centre of Voice Studies, School of Communication and Culture (Aarhus University) – Member
Selected Research Outputs
Baker, C. P., Miles, A., & Allen, J. (2026). Task instructions significantly affect maximum phonation time. Journal of Voice. Article in press. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvoice.2026.05.024
Baker, C. P. (2025). Review of current practices and preliminary recommendations for instrumental singing-voice diagnostics. International Journal of Voice Sciences, 1. https://doi.org/10.2478/ijvs-2025-0003
Baker, C. P., Miles, A., Allen, J., & Herbst, C. T. (2025). Six-pack singing: On associations between anterior abdominal muscle activity and vital capacity percentage. Journal of Voice. Article in press. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvoice.2025.03.039
Baker, C. P., Sundberg, J., Purdy, S. C., Rakena, T. O., & Leão, S. H. de S. (2024). CPPS and Voice-Source Parameters: Objective Analysis of the Singing Voice. Journal of Voice, 8(3), 549–560. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvoice.2021.12.010
Baker, C. P., Brockmann-Bauser, M., Purdy, S. C., & Rakena, T. O. (2023). High and wide: An in silico investigation of frequency, intensity, and vibrato effects on widely applied acoustic voice perturbation and noise measures. Journal of Voice. Article in press. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvoice.2023.10.007
Baker, C. P., Purdy, S. C., Rakena, T. O., & Bonnini, S. (2023) It sounds like it feels: Preliminary exploration of an aeroacoustic diagnostic protocol for singers. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 12(15). 5130. http://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12155130
Baker, C. P., Purdy, S., C., Rakena, T., O., & Bonnini, S. (2023) An aeroacoustic index for objectively measuring singing-voice fatigue: A proof-of-concept study. Presented at the 32nd World Congress of the IALP, Auckland, New Zealand, August.
Baker, C. P., Brockmann-Bauser, M., Purdy, S. C., & Rakena, T. O. (2023, August 23). Fundamental frequency, intensity, and vibrato extent significantly affect traditional acoustic perturbation and noise measures. Presented at the 32nd World Congress of the IALP, Auckland, New Zealand, August.
Shields, I., Rakena, T. O., Baker, C. P., Keegan, P. J., & Watson, C. I. (2023). Towards a vocal and acoustic description of Kapa Haka. Journal of Voice. Article in press. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvoice.2023.04.013
Baker, C. P. (2022). Female adolescent voice change: Exploring tools for instrumental singing-voice analysis. [PhD Thesis, University of Auckland]. Auckland: New Zealand. https://hdl.handle.net/2292/63774
Baker, C. P., Sundberg, J., Purdy, S. C., & Rakena, T. O. (2022) Female adolescent singing voice characteristics: An exploratory study using LTAS and inverse filtering. Logopedics Phoniatrics Vocology. Article in press. https://doi.org/10.1080/14015439.2022.2140455
Baker, C. P., Rakena, T. O., & Purdy, C. (2022). Exploring perceptions and experiences of female secondary school singers in Aotearoa New Zealand. Research Studies in Music Education, 44(3), 491–508. https://doi.org/10.1177/1321103X221103788
Baker, C. P., Sundberg, J., Purdy, S. C., Rakena, T. O., & Leão, S. H. de S (2022) CPPS and Singing-Voice Analysis. [Conference Presentation]. 7th International Physiology and Acoustics of Singing Conference. https://ifvportal.com/pas7plus/
Baker, C. P. (2021). A Singing Life: Understanding Vocal Changes for a Lifetime of Voice Use. Webinar for Music Therapy New Zealand (MThNZ). https://doi.org/10.17608/k6.auckland.14669442.v1
Baker, C. P. (2020). Adolescent Voice Change (AVC). Online Presentation for the New Zealand Association of Teachers of Singing (NEWZATS). https://doi.org/10.17608/k6.auckland.12826661.v1
Baker, C. P. (2018). Releasing the body's potential: Laying the foundations for healthy singing in male adolescents. [Masters Thesis, University of Auckland]. Auckland: New Zealand. http://hdl.handle.net/2292/37755
Baker, C. P. (2018). Male adolescent voice change (MAVC). [Conference Presentation]. The Voice – The Journey: 25th Biennial NEWZATS National Professional Development Conference, Auckland, New Zealand. https://doi.org/10.17608/k6.auckland.14805699.v3