The point of this master class taught by Dr. Jean-Ronald LaFond is to help the singer understand how the voice works anatomically and acoustically, in order to understand precisely the few things for which s/he is responsible during singing. Most of the physical functions of the voice are automatic and are based on the sound that the singer imagines and desires to produce.

Problem 1: Often the sound the singer has in mind is incompatible with the true nature of his/her instrument. We have enough scientific information to help the singer determine what that sound should be.

Problem 2: Most singers begin their training with a history that produces a voice out of balance. Our aim is to discover the imbalances and correct them. The imbalances are often muscular in nature. Anyone who has ever visited a gymnasium or fitness center knows that muscular training and strengthening takes time. The same is true of singing. The work of rebalancing a voice is often done by trial and error with the hopes that the ear will guide us to balance. In many cases the changes cannot be made immediately because of muscular weakness.

The point of this master class is therefore not about immediate final results but about understanding the workings of the vocal mechanism and where necessary devise a strategy to strengthen what is weak to achieve final results. Naturally, in some cases where coordination is the only problem, results can be acquired more readily, and certainly even the weakest instrument will show clear improvement when coordinated properly.

Problem 3: Some vocal issues are emotional and sometimes psychological. A singer develops a vocal identity early and may have difficulty shedding that identity if s/he discovers that that identity is against the nature of the voice. Although this class will concentrate on physical mastery, pedagogy is not done in a vacuum. Where helpful, these issues will be addressed.

The vocal instrument, like every other instrument is made of three elements: 1) A vibrator (the vocal folds, equivalent to the strings of a piano) 2) an actuator which causes the vibration (the breath stream, equivalent to the hammers of a piano) and 3) a resonator (the vocal tract, equivalent to the soundboard of the piano) that helps maintain the strength of the original vibration.

The class will consist of three days of instruction covering each of the three elements. The morning sessions will deal with anatomic and acoustic principles in a lecture/seminar format. The afternoon sessions will be in a standard master class format. On Friday the 19th, the master class will be preceded with a one-hour body warm-up led by Lauren Lee. The fourth day will consist of a musical coaching with Kanako Nakagawa in preparation for the final recital in the afternoon. (There may be changes to the daily schedule when participants are finalized).

Gala concert with highlights from operas and Christmas carols from around the world

Heimathafen Neukölln, Großer Saal
December 10th, 2009
8:00 pm
Entrance: 8/12 €

Berlin International Opera & Friends invites you to a gala concert with opera highlights on Dec 10th at the Heimathafen Neukölln.

Come join us for our unique rendition of the classic English carol “The 12 Days of Christmas,” staged through a selection of arias, ensembles, as well as traditional carols from around the world.  

Showcasing musicians from twelve different nations in entertaining and whimsical scenes, it will be a wonderful way to enjoy the holiday season.

The cast will perform arias and scenes from La Bohème, Hänsel und Gretel, Le nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni, Macbeth, and Die Fledermaus, as well as including an audience sing-a-long of beloved Christmas carols to get everyone into the holiday spirit.

With Kanako Nakagawa on the piano and Jean-Ronald LaFond, together with Anke Rauthmann to host the evening’s festivities.  After the concert, please celebrate with the ensemble at our Christmas party with holiday specialties from around the globe.

with:  Annette Betanski, Emily Dirks,Thorsten Huth, Tatjana Kiliani, Jean Ronald la Fond, Emmanuel Fort, Rebecca Fromherz, Lauren Lee,
 Kanako Nakagawa, Kristian Paul, Anke Rauthmann, Antje Marta Schäffer, Christian Schleicher, Tanja Simic, Sirje Viise, Alexej Wagner, Andrew Young and others.