Voice
Students are trained to be professional vocalists capable of functioning in any branch of the musical profession, both on the stage and in the studio. Therefore they learn to interpret and improvise in various jazz styles and in black music, rock, fusion, pop and Latin (Brazilian). All this is made possible by the vocal faculty's broad range of teachers, and regular guest teachers such as Kurt Elling, Peter Eldridge, Nancy Marano, Gretchen Parlato and Becca Stevens.
Teachers
Lydia van Dam coordinator
Sylvi Lane
David Linxregular guest teacher
Wiebe-Pier Cnossen technique
Lieve Geuens technique
Diana van der Bent technique
Bodhi Sykoramethodology
Lilian VieiraBrazilian
Sanna van Vlietimprovisation
Michelle Mallinger English/American diction
Eva Baggermanchoirs
Each student is taught by two principal teachers, for vocal-technical and artistic aspects respectively. The two teachers are jointly responsible for the end result. It is possible for vocal students to study with various teachers in the course of their four-year study.
Co-ordinator: Lydia van Dam
Admission
Admission
The first qualifying round
This round is the same for candidates from the Netherlands as well as from abroad. Candidates must upload a recording of three songs to the application form. Two songs are to be chosen from the jazz song list: one jazz-swing and one jazz-ballad. The third song is the candidate's choice. The accompaniment should be bass, drums and piano or guitar, but piano or guitar or a play-along will do. The recording doesn’t have to be made in a professional studio as long as the sound is clear enough to give a good impression of the performer. The recording may be an audio file, for instance soundcloud, it doesn't necessearily have to be a video.
Candidates from the Netherlands who pass this round will be invited to do a live audition. Candidates from abroad who pass this round will be invited to do an online audition.
It is not possible to correspond about the assessment of the recordings.
Candidates living in the Netherlands
Live audition
This is a live audition which will take place at the conservatory. The candidates will prepare the following songs and a solo:
- one jazz swing
- one jazz ballad
At least one of the two jazz songs must be chosen from the jazz song list; this must be a different song than the ones submitted for the first round. - one song chosen from the technique songlist
- an improvisation/solo, to be chosen from the following list. You will perform only the solo with accommpaniment.
- Lullaby of Birdland
- All of me
- It could happen to you
The conservatory will provide accompaniment by a trio of piano, drums and bass. Please bring your own microphone.
At the end of the audition the candidate will be told if he/she may be admitted to the first year of the bachelor’s programme and will be put on the waiting list.
Candidates living abroad
Candidates from abroad who have passed the preliminary round will be invited to do an online audition.
Online audition
During the online audition the candidate will present the following songs:
- a jazz ballad (may be performed with play along, with a pianist or guitarist, or a band, but no isntrumental solos)
- a jazz swing tune, theme with lyrics to be performed twice, second time with melodic/rhythmic variations (may be performed with play along, with a pianist or guitarist, or a band, but no isntrumental solos)
At least one of the two jazz songs must be chosen from the jazz song list; this must be a different song than the ones submitted for the first round. - an improvisation to be chosen from the following songs, only the solo (may be performed with play along, with a pianist or guitarist, or a band, but no instrumental solos):
- Lullaby of Birdland
- All of me
- It could happen to you - a classical song chosen from the song list (may be performed with the backing track on the website)
At the end of the audition the candidate will be told if he/she may be admitted to the first year of the bachelor’s programme and will be put on the waiting list.
Preselection
The candidate must submit via the application form three links (YouTube, Soundcloud etc) to recordings of jazz or jazz-related songs in which he/she can be seen and/or heard. On the basis of these materials, the committee will assess the candidate's level. If the candidate's level meets the requirements for the master's degree programme, the candidate will be invited to do a practical audition, either online or live.
Online Audition
The audition consists of a a 30-minute Zoom meeting. During this meeting you will perform the following:
- a song in a jazz-related style or an original composition (may be performed with piano or guitar or a band - keep the instrumental solos to a minimum)
- a jazz standard with a vocal solo on the whole chord progression (may be performed with play along of with a band, no instrumental solos)
- a technical exercise (this cannot be prepared in advance)
- a discussion of your research topic.
Live Audition
During the live audition meeting you will perform the following:
- a song in a jazz-related style or an original composition (to be performed with your own band or with accompaniment by a school band - keep the instrumental solos to a minimum)
- a jazz standard with a vocal solo on the whole chord progression (to be performed with your own band or with accompaniment by a school band - keep the instrumental solos to a minimum)
- a vocal-technical/musical exercise (this cannot be prepared in advance)
- a discussion of your research topic