Nafa and Laselle vocal studies diploma/degree

[marcus-f]

Hi,

I would appreciate it very much if anyone who has experience with the Nafa diploma in music performance or laselle pop music diploma could tell us how you found the course? in particular if you majored in vocal studies?

For example,

did you find it beneficial or just a waste of time?
did u learn anything new from the course?
did it provide with a platform to help you improve on your own?
is it geared more towards helping people become good vocal coaches or becoming good vocalists? (teaching v. performing)

and anything else you would like to say about the course...good or bad...

thank you very much
have a nice day

 

[sage]

I'll speak from my experience over at NAFA;
It wasn't easy! Especially if you're handpicked to train under reknowned classical vocalists -_o

It's rewarding in the long run but training and studies can be quite tedious. You'll be surrounded by many vocalists who has been trained for years (or since young), and are apt with excellent and intermediate-expert skills in aural trainings and vocal techniques. Most of them have above-average vocal skills, and it sets a mark for impressing the examiners in your vocal practical exams.

"did you find it beneficial or just a waste of time?"
Beneficial in the long run, once you get past all your beginner-intermediate skills. The studies are independent as well, so you'll have to make your own efforts in booking say.. a room to practice a piece after school hours. Lots of self-study; they won't spoonfeed you.

"did u learn anything new from the course?"
I learned I had a lot to learn -_o You'll also meet a lot of musicians classmates who are classically apt and lead a motivated lifestyle to throughout your course of study; they eat live breathe by music theories and techniques. The lecturers are strict on self-discipline.

"did it provide with a platform to help you improve on your own?"
Yes. They'll throw you assignments and pieces to practice on which are usually above your capabilities and it's your job to keep up. They also offer extra classes should you need them.

"is it geared more towards helping people become good vocal coaches or becoming good vocalists? (teaching v. performing)"
If you're studying in music and majoring in vocals, it's a good mix of both. You will be required to learn piano as well if you haven't any skills in sheet music or side-reading. (something you'll have to catch up with and get help from other vocal-friends/seniors who know about piano. They will usually attach you to a senior and you'll have to arrange to work with them. Like I mentioned earlier -- no spoonfeeding).

If you excel, you can either be a good vocalist (since they're priming you up to be a classical vocalist/pianist, through individual practical studies, or through mass choir classes), or you could ace your theories and advance as a conductor one day. You'll be asked to choose a secondary instrument as well.

Hope that helps. Lasalle has vocal studies in jazz, and I'm not sure whether it's any different although I was assume they lie in the same route, although I find classical vocal and its regiment more strict and professional.

 

[marcus-f]

thank you for the comprehensive reply sage!

so is the nafa vocal studies course only suitable for classical singers or will non-classical singers benefit from it too?
will a singer be able to use the techniques learnt there in a non-classical context?

 

[sage]

To some degree, yes, but in time, your voice and classes are geared into classical music, so you'll be singing / using your "opera" voice / technique most (if not) all the time. You can use the techniques learnt in a non-classical context, but it will lessen the practice you need on your classical techniques (which are part of your studies). Also.. personally, other than some general basics, classical voice and non-classical (jazz, pop, blues etc) are very different..

It's useful of course, any vocal technique is useful :} You'll learn the basics of vocals. Just that maybe your voice would sound more.. "operatic" by default in time, because of how it's seasoned to sing during your classes and your voice developing into classical voice (you'll be singing a lot of classical pieces, in diff languages).

NAFA has a music access course, which is a course to prime vocalists up for the diploma studies' audition (you need to pass an audition of your instrument to start a diploma in music). The access course itself has an audition, which you can try out for if you have interest in trying it out and pursuing it. :}

 

[marcus-f]

thank you so much for your advice sage : )

 

[Chenglehung]

Cant you learn those things by having private lessons with professionals such as sls teachers

 

[ANDY82]

nafa

sage you from nafa? no wonder i thought i saw you before

 

[sage]

andy: For a while, but I backed out for personal reasons.

Cant you learn those things by having private lessons with professionals such as sls teachers

Nope, because the techniques and songs they train you along with are completely different. You'd need a choirmaster or an experienced classical vocalist to help you along there, so that they'll train you according to arias and not only how to improve your voice per se..

I'll give you an example; The guitar for instance -- anyone can play guitar, but it takes lots of practice and exposure to jazz songs to actually get the feel, scales and ideas for jazz improvs. It's the same idea here with classical vocals and its training.

 

[ANDY82]

oh

sage we chat about it next time

andy: For a while, but I backed out for personal reasons.

 

[sage]

^ Dunwan~ lol