1-Year Singer Course (full course description)

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The 1-year singer course is aimed at singers who wish to improve their singing skills. The course is open to singers from all genres of music. On completion of the course, the participants will have achieved a higher professional level of singing ability. Improvement of the individual singer's technical and artistic development will be the primary goal of this course.

The components of the course

Personal vocal development
Solving one's own and other singers’ common technical vocal problems
Different teaching methods and their psychology and practical application
Training auditive analysis, recognition of singing techniques and common problems.
Stydying of vocal problems i.e. hoarseness, prevention of problems, and emergency aid.
Musical and artistic approach to singing
Music business related issues and exchanging of experience

The course will be taught in groups in an atmosphere of openness and trust. Participants will share in-depth knowledge about the learning processes, and artistic strengths and weaknesses of the other participants. The course is intense and efficient, and it will enable the individual singer to use his or her skills immediately after completion.

Personal vocal development

Focus will be on the individual singer’s technical as well as artistic development. Each singer will acquire thorough knowledge of his/ her own voice, and will be able to realize the potential of his/ her voice, as well as dealing with problems.

Solving common vocal problems

Study of singing technique includes the use of The Three Overall Principles, and the four modes Neutral, Curbing, Edge, and Overdrive, in singing as well as speaking. Working with sound colour and effects will be included. Emphasis is put on self-study. Participants should decide on areas they wish to work with, how this is done and which results they wish to achieve. A plan will be produced during the course.

Different learning methods and practical application

How to practise, muscle memory, parameters for defining notes, ready-and-able skills, and centering will be introduced and discussed.

Training auditive analysis, recognition and use of singing techniques

It is important that singers are able to recognize the various modes used live and on recordings in order to achieve a desired sound.

Studying for vocal problems i.e. hoarseness, prevention and emergency aid

Identifying and solving hoarseness, nodules, irregular mucus excretion, and throat constriction. Training prevention and cure.

Musical and artistic approach to singing

The singer’s technique should facilitate the message. Therefore, working on expression and performance is central to the course. Included will be work with intonation, improvisation, phrasing, and other means of expressions.

Music business related issues

The course will include discussions on business related subjects, in order to enable the participants to navigate in the artistic and the commercial parts of the business. Topics such reviews, and ambitions.

The course

Emphasis will be put on the participants’ individual vocal work. Participants will study singing theory and methods in detail:

Breathing.
Support. Working with supporting muscles, understanding the very backbone of support, different sensations of support, support training, understanding the necessary energy needed, detailed study of using support.
Anatomical and physiological study of the vocal organs, the importance of having an open throat.
Detailed study of pronunciation and the importance hereof.
Opening of the mouth for different notes.
Principles for completing a note and for various attacks.
Study of different volumes and safe methods of producing them.
The Three Overall Principles
Theoretical and practical study of range and types of voice.
Voice register, including vocal flageolet, flute register and solving unintentional vocal breaks.
Principles of intonation.
The importance of physical exercise and introduction to the 4 vocal modes: Neutral, Curbing, Overdrive, and Edge. In-depth exposition of these modes in connection with pitch, sound colour, volume and vowels. Transitions between the modes giving the participants general overview of the modes.
The modes in different singing styles. Modes related to different musical genres. Combined with the different types of sound colour, this serves practise better recognition and understanding of the potential of the voice.
Speech technique.
Exposition of sound colour and the importance of the vocal tract, specifically the possibilities of epiglottis funnel and adjustments of the larynx, the tongue, the mouth, the palate, and the nasal passage. Furthermore, various sounds will be combined in order for the participants to get a full overview of the possibilities of sound colour.
Microphone technique (optional).
Study of various effects in theory and practice: distortion (sounding hoarse without being hoarse), growling, vocal breaks, air added to the voice, screams, creaks, vibrato, and ornamentation technique.
Introduction to interpretation and performance. Solving of difficulties in hearing your own voice and the pratical challenges of singing. The differences in using the modes in acoustic singing, studio singing and live singing. Performance and audition training. We will focus on the artistic resources and limitations of the individual participant, and support him/ her in finding his/ her identity as a singer.

Study groups
All participants are encouraged to form groups for the duration of the course. Working in study groups will help all singers in pracitising and developing.

Methods

The course will combine work on practical singing technique with theoretical lectures. Included will be exercises in solo singing, as well as singing with others. Working in groups will be oriented towards process as well as result, and theory will relate to the techniques and exercises worked on in the group. From the start of the course onwards, the participants will be singers as well as audience in the group.

Talks, introductions, discussions

Classes will include talks about theory of singing, and the participants will also be able to put theory into practice. Various subjects the participants feel should be included will be introduced and discussed.

Pianist

A pianist will be present for accompaniment during certain parts of the course.

Evaluation during the course

All subjects will be evaluated and adjusted according to these evaluations, as well as according to the individual participant's abilities.

Auditive analysis

Auditive analysis will be introduced during the class as singing exercises recorded on CD as well as a via live performances.

6th seminar & graduation concert

The Group can choose to do the 6th seminar and the Graduation Concert at CVI in Copenhagen. This will give the Group a great chance to optimize their focus on the singing and have a great time in Copenhagen. You will meet Cathrine and Henrik, CVI teaching and administrative staff, enjoying the atmosphere and meeting many other singers enrolled in other CVI-courses. There will be an audience of singing colleagues from around the world and others who love good singing. Please let us know no later than the 3rd seminar, if you would like to do the 6th seminar and the Graduation Concert at CVI in Copenhagen.