Co-participation between researchers, artists, participants, and experts, with an audience –
"That's how we learn from each other the most.”
Evangelos Himonides
Professor of Technology, Education, and Music
Thomas Moors
Director of Shout At Cancer
Sweet music: creative collaboration with laryngectomy patients and Shout At Cancer
Leveraging facilities in our collective’s new Collaborative Laboratory for Building Sustainabilities (COLABS), Professor Evangelos Himonides crafted the “stage and furniture” for a groundbreaking laryngectomy Vocal Tract Organ, using reclaimed materials.
The Vocal Tract Organ was created by Professor David Howard (UCL Alumnus and Emeritus Professor of Electronics Engineering at Royal Holloway, University of London) using MRI scans of the vocal cords of cancer patients before undergoing laryngectomy, the surgical removal of the voice box (led by Professor Sophie Scott, UCL Brain Sciences and Professor Fred Dick, UCL BUCNI).
The Vocal Tract Organ was created for Shout At Cancer, a charity dedicated to supporting people after laryngectomy through voice training, including singing and performance in a choir, with a focus on rebuilding confidence.
Research Impact and Sector Influence
The founder of Shout at Cancer, Dr Thomas Moors and Professor Evangelos Himonides (UCL IOE), have been collaborating on various related projects for over a decade to critical acclaim:
1. Public engagement
Their project "Beat boxing after Laryngectomy" received the UCL Provost’s Award for Public Engagement.
2. Public performances
Shout at Cancer choir has made public performances at prestigious venues such as the Royal Opera House London, Amsterdam Opera, V&A, Barbican, and Bozar Brussels, and honoured by both the Prime Minister and The Queen.
Landmark Shout at Cancer concert at King’s Place on Sunday 26th October, 2025. The concert offered a deeply emotional journey into the psychosocial impact of laryngectomy, celebrating resilience, innovation, and the unbreakable human spirit through:
- Musical storytelling
- Poetry and new compositions
- The groundbreaking laryngectomy vocal tract organ
- A stunning collaboration with the award-winning Die Verdammte Spielerei Saxophone Band. Blending science, art, and human perseverance, the performance demonstrated that the voice is more than sound—it is identity, connection, and strength. This unforgettable production was made possible with public funding from the National Lottery through Arts Council England, Atos Medical and the The Delegation of Flanders to the United Kingdom and Ireland.
3. UCL Podcast
4. Publication
Moors, T. & Himonides, E. (2026). From silence into song: an art–science collaboration with survivor trees and laryngectomy singers. Frontiers in Psychology, 16:1747218, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1747218
5. UCL IOE Public Engagement Masterclass
Professor Evangelos Himonides and Dr Thomas Moors. Learn how sustained, large-scale public engagement can influence policy and practice, drawing on globally impactful programmes of research. 05 Feb 2026, 13:00 – 14:00.
Project team and collaborators
Professor Evangelos Himonides (Academic lead)
Dr Thomas Moors (Project Lead)
Professor David Howard
Professor Sophie Scott
Professor Fred Dick
Shout at Cancer
Selected Works
