Pillar 1
Interpretation and Technique

AIMS

• Skills and musicality: transfer what’s in the score (in all its details) to the audience; reducing in effective ways orchestral scores, which students can sing and play at the same time; sight-reading; knowledge of an extensive repertoire in different styles; coaching of individuals and groups;
• Languages: a good knowledge of the pronunciation and understanding of English, German, French, Italian and to a certain degree Russian;
• Professional attitude: a daily use of healthy habits towards the profession;
• Progress: prioritise reaching goals step by step.

PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE
Thorough knowledge of how to read a musical score and possess a secure technique. Knowledge of the required languages. Extra lessons (also outside the IOA) could be advised if some of these skills are not sufficient.

FORMAT
Practice study – collective & individual; Rehearsal; Performance

CONTENT
The main goal of the coaching sessions is to foster and explore imagination, interpretation and communication. The repertoire is analysed in detail, through in-depth study of both text and music, and the relationship between these. Translation, pronunciation, meaning, dynamics, expression marks, phrasing, intonation, vibrato, rhythm and many other components are discussed and brought together to arrive at interesting interpretations. In addition, the differences of styles are studied. The focus is always on how to communicate all of this and the meaning of the text well to an audience.
Lessons can be linked to an IOA production, or the repertoire can be entirely free of choice.
Repertoire can encompass opera, song, oratorio, operetta and musical theatre styles from early baroque to contemporary music. Some of the sessions will focus on ensemble singing and others on performing. (“Performance platforms”)
Students are given guidance for their preparation: in general, but also specifically for concerts, masterclasses or productions.
We monitor the development of thorough repertoire knowledge, through work in detail as well as the improvement of students’ sight-reading skills. Classes specifically aim to increase students’ ability to play and sing at the same time. Therefore, these are closely linked to the course ‘Singing Lessons for Repetiteurs’. Where necessary, students will be given initiation to conducting and following a conductor, in preparation for the conducting classes and productions. Duo and ensemble work with singers (together with coaching singers and vocal ensembles) is discussed and put into practice.

COURSE MATERIAL
Selection of the most important scores: Italian – Ricordi; French – Durant/Jobert; German -Baerenreiter/Peters; online IMSLP; IOA library; recordings Youtube – Spotify

EVALUATION
Continuous assessment/Permanent evaluation

AIMS
The overall aim is that during the first year of the Laureate Programme, each student acquires the tools to be able to pronounce, enunciate and express a vocal text in English. Successful communication of a text will be at the heart of each session.
Having mastered the technical foundations of the language, the focus of the second year will be on encouraging physical freedom in the student to enable students to fully communicate a text and inhabit a role in English.

PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE
For the second year of the Laureate programme: a good level of conversational English

FORMAT
Practice study – individual

CONTENT
English coaching classes will explore the nature of the English language in relation to the singing voice, focusing on vocal music from the opera, operetta, oratorio and song repertoire. English is the common language spoken between international students at the IOA and therefore it is all the more important that attention is given to ensure English is learnt and applied accurately when singing.
The technical elements of each session will focus on all aspects of diction, with the first year of the Laureate Programme concentrating on the correct pronunciation of vowels, diphthongs and consonants in sung English. The pace at which the sessions progress will depend on the ability and mother tongue of the individual student. The pronunciation of and differences between British Received Pronunciation and American Standard will also be addressed.
Ideally, by the end of the first year, the student should be able to apply their technical knowledge of the English language independently. Having mastered the technical foundations of the language, the focus will be on encouraging physical freedom in the student to enable them to fully communicate a text and inhabit a role in English.
English coaching classes in the second year of the Laureate Programme will focus on vocal music from the opera, operetta, oratorio and song repertoire in English. The technical elements of each session will continue to focus on all aspects of diction, concentrating on the correct pronunciation of vowels, diphthongs and consonants in sung English. In addition to these technical abilities, in the second year, students should have the knowledge and confidence to be fully able to express a vocal text in English. Successful communication of a text will be at the heart of each session. The pronunciation of and differences between British Received Pronunciation and American Standard will also be addressed depending on the repertoire.

COURSE MATERIAL
Variety of scores and other literature either available in the library or from the teacher.

EVALUATION
Continuous assessment/Permanent evaluation

AIMS
At the end of this course, the student should be able to play and sing at the same time with clear diction.

FORMAT
Practice study – individual

CONTENT
During French Language Coaching, teacher and student consider the language in relationship to the voice, the music and the meaning of the text. Classes are individual and based on each student’s growth and needs.
Repetiteurs will receive individual lessons during the first year, in order to gain basic French diction rules and to know how to phrase the words within the musical line. During the second year, emphasis will be put on playing and singing the text at the same time and on the primary issues for accompaniment of singers…

COURSE MATERIAL
Scores and online material

EVALUATION
Continuous assessment/Permanent evaluation

AIMS
By the end of the course, the student will have:

• flawless pronunciation and articulation;
• the ability to use the German language as an expressive means in both singing and speaking (on stage);
• a thorough understanding of the relevant German repertoire.

FORMAT
Practice study

CONTENT
During the German coaching sessions, we dive deep into the wonderfully complex relationships between language, text, music, voice, body, and imagination. When working on a piece, we explore the meaning of the text in its literary, cultural, and musical contexts; its sounds; its timing and rhythm; its articulation and dynamics, as well as its natural melody; aiming to achieve a deep understanding of the poetry that served as the point of departure for the composition.
The classes provide students with the following skills:

• flawless pronunciation and articulation,
• the ability to use the German language as an expressive means in both singing and speaking (on stage),
• a thorough understanding of the relevant German repertoire.

The course is thus closely linked to repertoire coaching and rehearsals with German repertoire.
Structure of the course: In individual coaching sessions, repetiteurs first build a thorough understanding of German phonetics and train their pronunciation in both speaking and singing. At this stage, the sessions are closely linked to the singing lessons for repetiteurs. Typically, by the end of the first or beginning of the second year, we start working on audition repertoire: training singing and playing together. Repetiteurs regularly play during the singers’ language coaching sessions, and they are encouraged to gradually take on a more active role: from “accompanying” to “collaborating” and perhaps even to “coaching.”

COURSE MATERIAL
Handouts made available through the student platform
Cross & Lanzrein: The Singer’s Guide to German diction (available in the IOA library)
Duden: Aussprachewörterbuch (available in the IOA library)

EVALUATION
Continuous assessment/Permanent evaluation

AIMS
Pianists are expected to absorb all of the information given to singers in order to understand their needs and build up a solid coaching background that enables them to understand the production process of an Italian opera; to correct singers in their pronunciation; to acquire that discipline that is necessary to work in detail. Students are expected to be committed, curious and proactive.

PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE
For the first year of the Laureate Programme: Not necessary but advisable. If there’s no knowledge of the language the student will get extra tasks during the year

FORMAT
Practice study – collective & individual; Lecture

CONTENT
During the first year, the course will focus at first on IPA transcription and correct reading of the language.

Every individual student will bring to class his/her repertoire to play. Any individual issues will be addressed in a holistic fashion, i.e. style-technical related issues might be addressed at the same time, in order to achieve the most complete result possible. During the second year focus will shift to recits, handling the theory of Recitativo practice first and then going deep into its performance (especially in small groups).

Pianists will receive the same information as singers, will have to improve their language/singing skills in Italian and will work on their pianistic/stylistic skills in Italian repertoire, also based upon a deeper understanding of the (con)text. During the Recit module they are expected to learn how to deal with secco recit accompaniment related to Italian prosody.

COURSE MATERIAL
Luciano Canepàri, Dizionario di Pronuncia Italiana
Accademia Italiana Attori, Basic rules
David Adams, A handbook of diction for singers

EVALUATION
Continuous assessment/Permanent evaluation

AIMS
This course aims to establish

• high end reading skills for sheet music;
• playing skills for (vocal) scores from baroque to contemporary.

The course further requires the student to master a lot of standard repertoire.

PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE
Good knowledge of different music styles
Excellent reading skills for sheet music
Being able to play prima vista without losing the basics of the musical flow
Well trained and “connected” ears
High technical skills on the instrument
Basic to well-developed conducting skills.

FORMAT
Practice study; Rehearsal

CONTENT
The student develops her/his conducting skills further related to the repertoire in class.

COURSE MATERIAL
Several vocal and full scores related to repertoire in class.

EVALUATION
Continuous assessment/Permanent evaluation

AIMS
This course aims to establish

• high end reading skills for sheet music;
• playing skills for (vocal) scores from baroque to contemporary.

The course further requires the student to master a lot of standard repertoire.

PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE
Good knowledge of different music styles
Excellent reading skills for sheet music
Being able to play prima vista without losing the basics of the musical flow
Well trained and “connected” ears
High technical skills on the instrument

FORMAT
Practice study; Rehearsal

CONTENT
This course teaches the art of reducing.

In this course, pianists that can read sheet music easy and very well learn to use the piano as an orchestra (communication) and not as a solo instrument.

COURSE MATERIAL
Several vocal and full scores related to repertoire in class.

EVALUATION
Continuous assessment/Permanent evaluation

AIMS
By the end of the first year of the Laureate Programme, the student should have developed a healthy vocal technique, have the ability to sing with good projection, and have the ability to sing and play the piano simultaneously. The student should be able to work in different languages in an assortment of relevant repertoire.
During the second year of the Laureate Programme, the student will continue to work in a variety of languages to develop her/his knowledge of operatic repertoire (arias and ensembles). The student is expected to approach their simultaneous playing and singing in all of these languages, with conviction and a high level of authority. The course aims to fully prepare the student for auditions and rehearsals so that they are easily able to transition to life as a professional repetiteur.

PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE
For the second year of the Laureate programme: a healthy vocal technique, the ability to sing with good projection, the ability to sing and play the piano simultaneously.

FORMAT
Practice study – individual

CONTENT
Singing Lessons for Repetiteurs aim to develop the voice and posture of each individual pianist and help students to prepare for specific professional situations including auditions, rehearsals and internships. There are various circumstances in which a repetiteur may be asked to sing an absent singer’s part. In this situation a repetiteur will often have to sing from offstage, possibly from the orchestra pit. Therefore, vocal projection, confidence and stamina are of great importance for any student training for this role. The course will prepare the student for precisely these circumstances.
Warm-up and voice exercises accompanied by the teacher will lay the foundation of each lesson. The student will gradually engage in simultaneous playing and singing, using repertoire relevant to her/his own personal journey.
At the outset of the course, the student will learn to sing and play songs and arias in a familiar language. Depending on the student’s potential, (s)he will then engage with operatic repertoire (arias and ensembles) in different languages. As a result, the student will start to become better acquainted with standard operatic and song repertoire.
During the first year of the Laureate Programme, audition and rehearsal circumstances will also be re-created during class. As the singing skills of the student improve, the lessons will pay special attention to specific repertoire necessary to prepare upcoming auditions, coachings and productions the training repetiteur may be involved in.
During the second year of the Laureate Programme, individual pianists will continue to develop the voice and posture. The course aims to help the student to prepare for specific professional situations including auditions, rehearsals and internships. The course focuses on the development of healthy vocal technique. Focus on posture, intonation, projection, the ability to sing and play the piano simultaneously and the use of different languages in an assortment of relevant repertoire continue to be central to each lesson. Building confidence, professional flexibility and stamina also play an important part in the lessons.

COURSE MATERIAL
Variety of scores and other literature either available in the library or from the teacher.

EVALUATION
Continuous assessment/Permanent evaluation