Cours de chant

Description du cours

The main goal of the Singing Lesson in the Preparatory Year is to give the best preparation possible to the singing students for the professional program that follows. It is a group lesson that consists of theory, and practice. Mental preparation for singing, breathing exercises, various vocal warmups, sight reading, repertoire, as well as initiation of improvisation. Students are able to sing both solo as well as in duets or the whole group (depending on the exercise or the song). There are songs that are imposed and mandatory as well as songs that are free personal choice of every student (if it’s a group, a group choice).

Compétences acquises/objectifs

The objective is to enable the students to: have correct intonation, be able to read a simple lead sheet, have enough stamina to sing at least one hour of concert, have basic understanding of the different styles in jazz: swing, latin, world music. Have basic understanding of the form of varius standards: 12 bar blues, rhythm changes (AABA). Training how to efficiently learn a song: lyrics articulation, develop memory of melodies,

Pré-requis

audition préalable à l’entrée de l’école

Évaluation

• 20% – Assiduité – La présence est obligatoire (3 absences injustifiées provoquent le renvoi du cours
• 20% – Quizzes, exercices at school, active participation
• 20% – Examen en mars (exercices et chansons)
• 15% – Devoirs, relevés de solos
• 25% – Final MAO project

Notes​:

A: superior – maîtrise du matériel vu en cours et application musicale excellente

B: good – bonne compréhension du matériel, bonne réalisation musicale

C: average – assimilation correcte du matériel, réalisation musicale acceptable

D: poor – assimilation assez pauvre du matériel, réalisation musicale passable

E: not passing – assimilation du matériel insuffisante afin de permettre une réalisation musicale au minimum passable

Programme

The program is based on the Song Cycle I have invented that serves as a guide to learning new songs:

T1 – VOCAL TECHNIQUE, INTRODUCTION TO JAZZ

The first trimestre we are learning the very basics of singing (although the level can vary from student to student). The exercises are as following:

• Mental preparation before singing + breathing
• Exercises for expanding the vocal stamina
• Expanding the vocal range
• Intonation and how to sing properly in the three sections of one’s voice – How to form the sound from various places: stomach, nasal, throat etc.
• Initiation to rhythm – very basic rhythmic exercises
• Sight Reading – initiation to a lead sheet and all its components
• Intervals
• initiation to improvisation- question and response

Repertoire impose

• Blues
• Rhythm changes

Goals:

• To correct the vocal technique (correct the mistakes they make) and make a habit of the new vocal technique
• Extend the range – find the comfortable zone
• To get used to the harmony of blues and rhythm changes

T2 – INTERPRETATION, STAGE PRESENCE

By the second trimester the student should be able to write a partition by hand in transposition to his/her proper tonality. Now the main focus is on communication and work with a group of instrumentalists that will accompany every class. Every student chooses his song, and also there is a repertoire which is imposed.

Genres that are analysed and learned:

• Modal jazz
• Bossa Nova

Exercises:

• More advanced breathing exercises
• More advanced rhythm exercises
• Paraphrasing
• Triads
• Relevé de solo – Miles Davis
• Modes: Dorian, Lydian

Goals:

• How to deliver an emotion, how to act on stage, how to get relaxed, how to open the emotions etc.
• How to write a good readable partition
• How to make a basic arrangement (intro, theme, etc)
• How to communicate with the band: explaining one’s vision for the song, leading the band: counting in the song, giving stop sings, signs to end the song)

T3 Group work colab with MAO

Third trimester is applying all the theory that we learned in T1 and T2 in action, the student has more liberty to choose and arrange the song in his taste. Here the main focus is how to work with other singers, not just singing, but coordination, adjustment, cooperation, sharing ideas, supporting the others and so forth. The students can choose a repertoire from the following genres:

• Ballad
• Swing
• Funk/pop/rnb (contemporary music)
• World music (cuban, portugais, arabic, indian) exercises:
• Breathing, vocal flexibility
• Movement on 2-5-1 chords (minor and major)
• improvisation, more on paraphrasing
• Modes: Phrygian, Locrian
• Circle choir songs: creating melodies on the spot, improvising with rhythm and singing in harmony

Goals:

• How to work in a group
• How to manage an MAO project
• How to communicate with other musicians

Travail personnel

After every lesson, there is homework to do: practice a song, the various exercises that are learned in school, sight reading, rhythmic exercises, a lot of listening (I point out artists and albums the student should listen to at home).