The purpose of this study was to determine how three exemplary voice teachers: David Adams, Stephen King, and Patricia Misslin, address specific vocal pedagogy with their students and to find out what advice they have to share with other teachers and singers. Procedures for this study included the identification, interviewing, and observation of the three mentioned voice pedagogues. Identification of the voice teachers included a variety of steps. Information was gathered from 81 of the 100 winners of the Metropolitan National Council Auditions from the past fifteen years. A list of 119 teachers was generated; eight of these teachers had three or more students win the Auditions. The three teachers, Adams, King, and Misslin, were from various parts of the country—respectively Cincinnati, Houston, and New York/Boston. The three teachers were also various voice types: Tenor, baritone, and soprano.

The researcher observed each teacher give five lessons, interview them, and interview five of each of their students. Data were collected and organized into three individual case studies. The case studies were then compared and in the final chapter teacher consensus and differences and the researcher's conclusions were offered.

When the researcher first started working and analyzing the data it appeared the teachers were diametrically opposite in many ways. It appeared on the surface that Adams' philosophy was a polar opposite from Misslin's, and that King was in the middle. However, after comparing and studying the data, all three philosophically are very similar; they are all after very similar results, and clearly their students sing well because of it. However, their teaching techniques—especially their use of terminology—vary tremendously from each other. The greatest discrepancy found between the teachers was their approach to training their students. King and Adams spent a great deal of lesson time working on vocal technique. Misslin did not; she spent more time building her students' overall musicianship.