Vocal Academy 2020

(photo credit: Scott Wishart – Mark Fewer, violin, Emily Hamper, piano, Sydney Baedke, soprano and Ben Bolt-Martin, cello)

Dates: Monday July 20 – Wednesday July 29

Faculty: Erin Wall, voice; Brett Polegato, voice; Phillip Addis, voice; Emily Hamper, vocal coach; Roger Honeywell, acting; Howard Dyck, conductor/lecturer (Oratorio) Jean-Marie Zeitouni, conductor

General Information:

Participants will study pieces from the opera and oratorio genres including role study and complete oratorio works, if desired. Individual repertoire will be determined with each singer once attendance has been confirmed. Instruction takes place in the Connie MacDougall Masterclass Series and private sessions. All students receive equal time with each faculty member.

Pianists will be matched with up to 4 singers, who they will accompany throughout the course. They will also receive skill-specific coachings with Emily Hamper, for which they may be assigned additional repertoire.

Arrival is Sunday July 19

Instruction will take place from Monday July 20 to Wednesday, July 29 at Avondale United Church, 194 Avondale Avenue, Stratford, Ontario

Participants should be prepared for several instructional opportunities in each day of the course (masterclass, private sessions, acting, etc)

Finale Concert with all participants will be on Wednesday, July 29 at 7pm at Avondale. Other performance opportunities, including a designated oratorio concert, are TBD. Concert repertoire, including arias, ensembles, and opera scenes, will be chosen by the Artistic Directors in consultation with the participants

Costs & Acceptance: 

Singers’ tuition is $1200 CDN, pianists’ tuition is $600 CDN, payable upon acceptance into the Academy. Closing date for applications is Friday, May 1 with notices of acceptance expected by Friday, May 15.

A 30% deposit is to be paid within one week of acceptance with the balance to be paid no later than, Sunday, May 31.

Successful applicants may seek funding from the Canada Council for the Arts –  “Professional Development Grants for Artists”.

Application Requirements: SINGERS (checklist) (Submissions will not be returned to unsuccessful applicants.)

• A completed application form
• A current résumé
• A current headshot (300 dpi)
• 2 OR 3 x MP4  video files ONLY presenting the applicant singing two contrasting opera arias in two different languages with piano accompaniment. OPTIONAL a third video featuring an aria from the standard oratorio repertoire may be submitted but is not mandatory. Remember to include your name in each file name! Only MP4 formats will be accepted.

Application Requirements: PIANISTS (checklist) (Submissions will not be returned to unsuccessful applicants.)

• A completed application form
• A current résumé
• A current headshot (300 dpi)
• A list of major vocal works studied and/or performed (pdf)
• 3 x MP4  video files ONLY of three performances/recordings by the applicant, as follows:

Accompanying a singer:  two contrasting opera arias OR one opera aria and one oratorio aria

Solo: Entr’acte, between acts iii and iv, from Carmen (Bizet)

All selections should demonstrate the applicant’s skills as an accompanist as well as their ability to render orchestral sonorities from the piano keyboard.

* Remember to include your name in each file name! Only MP4 formats will be accepted.

(photo credit: Scott Wishart – Anastasia Pogorelova, soprano)

Dates: Thursday July 30 – Wednesday August 5

Faculty: Nathalie Paulin, French mélodie, voice; Terry McKenna, Elizabethan song, lute/baroque guitar; Phillip Addis, voice; Emily Hamper, vocal coach

General information:

Participants will study French mélodie (art song) and lute songs from the Elizabethan period with emphasis on the artistic collaboration of a singer/pianist duo.

Singers and pianists may apply as duos, or individually. Individual applicants will be matched into duos by the Artistic Directors upon acceptance. It is possible that pianists will be paired with more than one singer throughout the course, depending on the number of applicants.

Duo repertoire will be determined in consultation with the Artistic Directors once attendance has been confirmed. Instruction takes place in the Connie MacDougall Masterclass Series and private/small group sessions. All students receive equal time with each faculty member.

Pianists should expect to fully participate in all aspects of the course, including the study of French texts and early song. As well as accompanying their assigned singer(s) in masterclasses, lessons, and performances, they will attend the lessons and lectures given by Mr. McKenna with their assigned singers. Skill-specific coachings with Emily Hamper will be offered.

Arrival is Wednesday July 29

Instruction will take place daily from Thursday July 30 to Tuesday August 4 at Avondale United Church, 194 Avondale Avenue, Stratford, ON

Participants should be prepared for several instructional opportunities in each day of the course (masterclass, private sessions)

Finale Concert with all participants will be on Wednesday, August 5 at 3pm at Avondale. Other performance opportunities TBD. Concert repertoire will be chosen by the Faculty and Artistic Directors in consultation with the participants

Costs & Acceptance:                                           

Tuition is $600 CDN per participant, payable upon acceptance into the Academy. Closing date for applications is Friday, May 1 with notices of acceptance expected by Friday, May 15.

A 30% deposit is to be paid within one week of acceptance with the balance to be paid no later than Sunday, May 31.

Successful applicants may seek funding for Art Song from the Art Song Foundation of Canada.

Application Requirements: SINGERS (checklist) (Submissions will not be returned to unsuccessful applicants.) *PLEASE INDICATE IF YOU ARE APPLYING WITH A PIANIST AS A DUO – on application?*

• A completed application form
• A current résumé
• A current headshot (300 dpi)
• 2 x MP4  video files ONLY presenting the applicant singing 1) a classical French mélodie, and 2) a song from the English song repertoire, both with piano accompaniment. Remember to include your name in each file name! Only MP4 formats will be accepted.

Application Requirements: PIANISTS (checklist) (Submissions will not be returned to unsuccessful applicants.)

• A completed application form
• A current résumé
• A current headshot (300 dpi)
• A list of major vocal works studied and/or performed (pdf)
• 3 x MP4  video files ONLY of three performances/recordings by the applicant, as follows:

Accompanying a singer in 1) a classical French mélodie, and 2) a song from the English song repertoire. Selections should demonstrate the applicant’s skills as an accompanist and understanding of the song texts.

Solo: a short (3-5 minutes) work from the classical solo piano repertoire. Work may be excerpted. Selection should demonstrate the applicant’s piano technique and musicianship.

*Remember to include your name in each file name! Only MP4 formats will be accepted.