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ADVANCING INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH IN SINGING (AIRS)SSHRC major collaborative research initiativeAIRS is a major collaborative research initiative (http://www.airsplace.ca) supported from 2009-2016 by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. It is directed by Dr. Annabel J. Cohen of the University of Prince Edward Island, where the project is based. The project brings together researchers from 16 countries to address questions about how singing develops in every human being, how singing is to be taught and used to teach, and how singing impacts well-being. AIRS researchers are addressing these issues from the perspective of what is universal to all people, what is dependent on cultural circumstances, and what is unique to each individual. AIRS aims ultimately to benefit society through research in singing. Messa di Voce (“placing the voice” in Italian) refers to a common vocal exercise performed on one single note by vocalists at all levels of study and performance. It too is a symbol of the focused efforts of the AIRS team in striving for excellence in all its endeavours.