I spent last Wednesday afternoon at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance discussing with the new program director, Wolodymyr (Vlad) Smishkewych, what I want to do with my second year as a student in the MA Ritual Chant Program. I have decided to take the option to extend my MA program for second year. I learned so much in the first year, but feel as if I have only just waded in the shallow end. I want to immerse myself more fully. I have made progress with my studies and my singing and I want more time to research, learn repertoire, and continue to improve my singing technique.
My meeting was very satisfying. Vlad is a remarkably talented tenor who has “specialized in medieval song, chant, and new music since the mid-1990s, singing throughout Europe, North and South America, Australia, and Israel, and at acclaimed festivals such as BBC Proms, Tage Alter Musik Regensburg, Musikfest Berlin, the Edinburgh Festival, Sacrum+Profanum Krákow, Festival Internacional Cervantino, and the Early Music Festivals of Barcelona, Utrecht, Bloomington, and Boston” and much more. http://www.irishworldacademy.ie/smishkewych-wolodymyr/ I am very excited about working with Vlad. He is very open and very able to assist me in reaching my goals in year two, which include an increased emphasis on vocal studyand on the chant of many traditions, and a focus on the development of a personal performance repertoire. This will be the year of singing and I am so delighted that I will have the opportunity to continue to work with amazingly talented vocal teachers and colleagues.
Catherine Sergent lives in Paris and “ is a member of ensemble Discantus, an ensemble of women’s voices specializing in medieval sacred music repertoires, conducted by Brigitte Lesne. She records regularly with Discantus and with other ensembles specializing in chant and medieval polyphony. She teaches at the Centre for Medieval Music and the Centre for Polyphonic Arts in Paris as well as on the Masters programme in Chant Performance at Irish World Academy of Music and Dance.” I am pleased that I will have a second year of instruction with her. She has been immensely patient and instructive as I struggled through everything from sound placement and support, an unwelcomed vibrato and American English diphthongs! They still sneak in, but I am working on it.
Then there is Marie Walsh, a bright spirited and gifted vocal teacher, a former Irish opera singer. My work with her last year was rigorous. I had not had any consistent formal voice lessons since 1966. While I have been singing throughout the years, mostly community musical theater, I had to learn to sing all over again. I worked hard and the "a ha" moment happened in April, just as the year was finishing. I was just beginning to pull it all together, the work on vowels, the breath and support, the focus and placement of the sound and so forth. My goal is to become so solid in the technique that it becomes effortless. I am looking forward to working a second year with Marie, and with Catherine, and now with Vlad to accomplish my goals.
I must say that for anyone looking to study abroad, the University of Limerick is a very fine academic institution. Having worked in higher education, I am impressed with the vision, direction and academic quality of the programs.( www.ul.ie) In particular the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance offers a unique combination of research and performance programs at a high level. The MA Ritual Chant and Song Program is the only one of its kind in the world. Since its inception in 1998 it has graduated 60 students, half of them international from Asia, Europe, Mexico, and North America. It is a wonderful and very fine place to study and it is also a wonderful place to be. I feel so blessed and such joy that I can remain in Ireland to study a second year. If you have any desire for post graduate study in music or dance you should consider the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance. I highly recommend it.
Sending love from Glocca Morra.
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