Voice
The high level of teaching and the dedication of its teachers and students, both past and present, has made the Classical Voice Department a cherished place for young singers. A great number of our alumni have gone on to make their mark on today’s professional practice at home and abroad.
Teachers
Arnold Marinissen head of voice
Sasja Hunnego principal subject
Jeanne-Michèle Charbonnet principal subject
Selma Harkink principal subject
Claron McFadden coaching modern repertoire
Alexander Oliver opera literature class, audition training
Hein van Eekert opera literature class, audition training
Flavio Aulino Italian
Valentina di Taranto Italian
Sára Gutvill German
Muriel Corradini French
Fajo Jansen movement
David Bollen vocal coaching répétiteurship
Phyllis Ferwerda vocal coaching répétiteurship
Mirsa Adami vocal coaching, répétiteur
Virág Deszö physical acting
Mees Christeller drama
Sinan Vural methodology
Michael Tweed-Kent Feldenkrais Method
Especially in the first years of the bachelor's programme, the vocal-technical and craft development and artistic growth of the voice student are central. Each student receives one hour of singing lessons every week (45 minutes for students in the preparatory programme) and 45 minutes of correpetition (30 minutes for students in the preparatory programme). The students also receive regular group lessons with their principal subject teacher.
Voice students also take language/diction classes in German, French and Italian. Much attention is paid to the physical and theatrical side of singing; for example, students take courses in Physical Acting, Drama, Movement, Feldenkrais and Alexander Technique. In the second and/or third year of the bachelor programme students take a course in how to teach singing.
Throughout their voice studies, students participate in many projects focusing on specific aspects of vocal practice and repertoire, often in collaboration with other CvA departments. Monthly voice concerts allow students to perform their repertoire for an audience. Every year, Alexander Oliver and Hein van Eekert give the course 'The Great Singers', showcasing important singers from the (recent) past. Furthermore, there are masterclasses by guests such as Margreet Honig, Anne Murray and Eva Maria Westbroek. Ira Siff is a regular guest teacher of the CvA Voice Department.
In the first an second year of the bachelor programme, the students follow the Lied Class course, working in two periods with Pierre Mak on interpretation, text treatment and expression in selected Lied repertoire and the interplay with the pianist. These periods focus on German, French or English/American Lied repertoire and are concluded with a Lied concert.
In the bachelor 3 Opera Class, the students work on selected opera repertoire with Roberta Alexander and Alexander Oliver. This course is concluded with a semi-staged performance.
In bachelor 4, the students follow the Oratorio Class, taught by Pierre Mak. They focus on the stylistic aspects of oratorio and work on the interpretation of selected repertoire. The Oratorio Class is concluded with a concert.
Ensemble singing is also a part of the study programme; during projects and the compulsory choral project in the third bachelor year, attention is paid to ensemble repertoire. Voice students can also audition for the internship programme of the Dutch Groot Omroepkoor.
Application, preselection and live auditions
Candidates will be pre-selected by means of a video recording of representative repertoire which will be assessed by the selection committee. This repertoire is the same as for the live auditions; see below. The deadline for application, and for submitting the videos, is February 1st. The selected candidates receive an invitation for a live audition.
For the live auditions you are requested to carefully consider the specific entrance requirements and make sure to be well-prepared. The entrance requirements are:
- two songs and two arias (oratorio, opera), to be sung from memory, in different styles (Baroque, Classical, Romantic, contemporary), in three different languages, one of which must be Italian
- a short poem or (literary) text of your choice, to be recited from memory
- an interview with the selection committee about your motivation to follow a voice studies at the CvA
- a good vocal basis
In the two-year master studies in Classical Voice, convincing musical and artistic qualities and excellent vocal technical abilities form the basis for further development and deepening. Each student has a weekly one-hour voice lesson and 45 minutes of répétiteurship. There are also regular group lessons with the voice teacher. Students are coached in German, French and Italian diction in relation with the studied repertoire. The physical and theatrical side of singing receives much attention; the student has weekly Drama lessons and can participate in Physical Acting, Drama, Movement, Feldenkrais and/or Alexander Technique. Students can choose from a broad range of master's elective courses to deepen and widen their knowledge and abilities in a wide range of subjects. Through a master's research project, the student acquires deep insights into a topic directly related to their future practice. After concluding their master's studies, CvA voice alumni can participate in and contribute to the professional music world at home and abroad.
Throughout the master's studies there are many projects focusing on specific aspects of the vocal practice and repertoire, often in collaboration with other CvA departments. Monthly voice concerts allow the students to perform their repertoire for an audience. Every year, Alexander Oliver and Hein van Eekert give the course 'The Great Singers', showcasing important singers from the (recent) past. Furthermore, there are masterclasses by guests such as Margreet Honig, Anne Murray and Eva Maria Westbroek. Ira Siff is a regular guest teacher of the CvA Voice Department.
In both master's years, the students work in the Opera Class on selected opera repertoire with Roberta Alexander and Alexander Oliver. This course is concluded with a semi-staged performance.
Master students also can participate in the Lied Class and/or Oratorio Class courses taught by Pierre Mak. These courses focus on stylistic aspects, interpretation, text treatment and expression in a selected repertoire, and are concluded with a concert.
Admission requirements
Candidates will be pre-selected by means of a video recording of representative repertoire which will be assessed by the selection committee. This repertoire is the same as for the live auditions; see below. The deadline for application, and for submitting the videos, is February 1st. The selected candidates receive an invitation for a live audition.
For the live auditions you are requested to carefully consider the specific entrance requirements and make sure to be well-prepared. The entrance requirements are:
• the candidate has succesfully concluded a Bachelor voice studies
• a programme of at least 30 minutes of music, covering at least two of the three categories of Lied, oratorio and opera, from different style periods, and at least partly performed from memory. The programme needs to include one work in the candidate’s mother tongue, and involve at least three other languages. During the audition, the committee makes a choice from the repertoire.
- the candidate has succesfully concluded a Bachelor voice studies
- a programme of at least 30 minutes of music, covering at least two of the three categories of Lied, oratorio and opera, from different style periods, and at least partly performed from memory. The programme needs to include one work in the candidate’s mother tongue, and involve at least three other languages. During the audition, the committee makes a choice from the repertoire.
- a short poem or (literary) text of the candidate’s choice, to be recited from memory
- an inteview with the selection committee about the candidate’s motivation to follow a voice studies at the CvA, including thoughts on a possible master research topic
- • excellent vocal technical abilities and convincing musical and artistic qualities