Vocal Impro­visa­tion for Clas­sic­al Sing­ers

• Year of study: 1 semester, spring. Fridays, 10:00 – 11:00
• Final assessment: Assessment from the course instructor.
• Prerequisites: For classical singers.
• Language of instruction: Norwegian and/or English.

Course description

Vocal improvisation with the use of techniques from classical singing

Responsible department: Conducting, Voice and Church Music Department

Course instructor: Mona Julsrud.

Learning objectives

Upon completion of the course, students are expected to be

• well-acquainted with phonemes and able to use them in improvisation
• able to improvise together with other musicians, both singers and instrumentalists
• able to use improvisational effects like imitation, variation and contrast

Overview

Instruction is done in groups where students must demonstrate vocal exercises and use them to initiate improvisation. Students must record themselves frequently and use recordings actively when rehearsing on their own.

Structure

Group instruction. 60 minutes of lessons for 12 weeks.

Course requirements

1. Active participation in class is mandatory. More than 20 % absence from class will normally cause the student to fail the subject.
2. During the semester, students must contribute with improvisations to at least two concerts, public or in house.
3. Each student must log which exercises they have worked through and describe their experiences. Logs will be discussed in class and should make up the basis for further development of improvisations.

Final assessment

All course requirements must be fulfilled and approved before the student is given a final assessment.

Student assessment is based on the learning objectives. The final assessment will be given as a pass/fail mark, which will be determined by the course instructor based on each student's level of achievement throughout the course period.

New assessment:

Students that fail must re-take the course.