Course Information

Voice Performance and Teaching Workshop:
Teaching Sopranos

June 2-7, 2008

Please see the links on the left for all details of this workshop

We have openings for participants - we have no on-campus housing available as of today 5/7/08

A Guide to the Successful Development of Soprano

and Mezzo-Soprano Voices

There are no spaces left for student singers 2/18/08

The Indiana University Jacobs School of Music strictly prohibits all forms of video or audio recording, or the taking of any photographs in this workshop

FACULTY:

Paul Kiesgen, Director and Principal Clinician

With master classes by IU Jacobs School of Music Voice Professors
Carol Vaness, Costanza Cuccaro and Patricia Wise and featuring special guest clinicians, Richard Miller and Stephen Robertson.

Registration will take place on June 2, 2008, 8:30-9:30 a.m. in 

(Clouse's Lounge, Jacobs School of Music in between Merrill Hall

and the Music Addition. See Map.)

Workshop will end on Saturday, June 7 at 12:30.

This workshop will provide important information about the ways that female voices differ from male ones.  It will give scientific explanations for the differences and will offer a guide to both men and women for successfully developing the voices of their female students.

Each day, Paul Kiesgen will offer explanations and analysis of the various areas of vocal function and discuss how they should be treated when teaching various soprano and mezzo soprano voices.  Discussions will include observation of both student and professional singers through video examples, the use of real time feedback in the voice studio, and teaching methods from the bel canto period to the present.

Topics for discussion will include:

             Breath: How is breathing different for men and women?

             Phonation: What happens in the male larynx vs. the female larynx?

             Do Differences in Glottal Resistance Mandate Different Breath Pressures?
        Resonance Strategies for Women

        Vowel Formants in Men and Women

        The Upper and Lower passaggios for Women

        Chest Voice in Female Singers

        Proper Resonance for High Notes

        Finding a Balance Between Beautiful Tones and Clear Diction

Teaching Methods: Is whistle voice a valuable pedagogical tool for teaching female singers? Vibrancy and Vibrato, Range and Fach, Working with the Zwischenfach singer, Choral Singing, Choosing Repertoire for female singers, Evaluating Singing –Objective listening, Using external devices to evaluate singing –The 21st Century Studio (Real time audio feedback, Realtime visual feedback), Declarative vs. Procedural Learning Modes,  Passing it on (Teaching Teachers)

Afternoons will offer sessions with IU voice faculty professors, Carol Vaness, Costanza Cuccaro and Paul Kiesgen. All three will offer teaching demonstrations with female singers and Prof. Kiesgen will preside over a session on presenting an effective master class as part of a job interview.  

Richard Miller, the world renowned voice pedagogue and author of Training Soprano Voices, will return to the workshop to present a master class and will answer questions on singing and teaching during the final round table discussion on Saturday.

Evening sessions will begin with a get-acquainted dinner for all participants on Monday evening. On Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, Patricia Wise will tell us how to prepare for a successful audition and Stephen Robertson of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music will present a class on interpretation entitled, Finding the Artist Within.  Both student singers and teacher participants will be invited to participate in a recital on Thursday evening

A limited number of university-level sopranos and mezzos will be accepted as student singers for the workshop.  They will work with workshop participants and workshop faculty in the master class sessions and will be able to attend all classes throughout the week. The final event of the workshop will be a two-hour roundtable session with all participants and the entire faculty.

What participants had to say about the 2007 Vocal Performance & Teaching Workshop on Teaching Men to Sing

• "This is the most fantastic course I have ever taken on vocal pedagogy"
  
  
• "Paul Kiesgen delivered his pedagogy sessions with grace and ease. Very useful and worthwhile seminar. "
  
  
• "I found Paul to have a very clear manner of explaining the complex ideas, and I was glad to be updated on several things."
  
  
• "I feel as though I have a better understanding how I as a soprano, can effectively and efficiently teach male voices."
  
  
• "I used those new techniques for my adult male students.  It was just amazing that I was speaking the "male" language.  They left my studio very happy!  I have a better understanding of the female voice now too.  I hope this technique stays with me."
  
  
• "The master class sessions were fantastic."
  
  
• "I believe that participation in this seminar on male vocal pedagogy has been one of the most worthwhile education opportunities that I have ever had."
  
  
• "One of the most comprehensive seminars on singing I have ever attended.  I have been to two international congresses and most NATS conventions, but this surpasses all of them.