Sharing experience

European Music Week is a meeting of classical singers, namely students with their professors. During those seven days every day the participants worked on their vocal skills. As it turned out theoretical basis in singing is a crucial matter. Owing to them an artist sings so as not to damage her/his voice. During joint classes a Pole would learn about the vocal technique of a Finn and a German would learn from a Czech – each country has its customs. This is valid in life as well as in singing. Fans of classical music from the local community could observe these classes and owing to them learn new interesting things. Every day they could also benefit from individual consultations, during which they were listened to and exercised. Also concerts and performances were organized, during which the participants could present their work and skills.

The project itself had a character of training, however the methods and learning technique varied from the training tradition. The organizers made their effort to operate in a more activating mode, so that not only students but also local observers could acquire practical skills and not notebooks full of notes from the project. Every day from the morning till noon the participants had a non-obligatory dancing warm-up. On the first day they made bets with the professors about who would come to the morning non-obligatory classes. Great was their surprise when a whole group wearing track suits bought from the local Chinese got down to work. Before lunch there was a break and time for individual contacts. In the afternoon the students focused on five different techniques of singing related to different nationalities of the participants and again all was concluded with consultations. The evenings passed on integration, concerts, singers' and befriended choruses’ performances. All was ended on Saturday by a collective concert which could be watched at the Kudowa amphitheater.


Source of the photos: Polish National Agency of the Youth in Action Programme

TESTIMONIES

Chrystian – comes from Suwałki, has African origin, looks like a typical hip-hopper but can sing opera arias.
"I've always dreamt of singing. I based on the assumption that to do it you've got to know how. So I went to musical school to study vocals. I had no idea that it was going to be classical vocals. Out of curiosity I stayed and don’t regret it. I know a lot of people who had been beginning from classics and are currently pop, r&b or jazz music stars. Participation in such a project is an incredible experience. The possibility to gain knowledge from foreign professors broadens your horizons and helps you develop. Additionally you can show others that such a form of singing is great fun too. I decided to participate because singing and music are everything to me, they are my life direction."

Jakub – He reminded of a singer the most. Self-restrained, quiet, subdued but … he is an IT specialist!
"It seems to me that I have liked classical music right from the crib although in my family there are no musical traditions. I’ve always wanted to gain higher musical education. I was too old for the piano, I thought that I could try singing and I fell in love with it. In the learning to sing the most appealing is the fact that it is work over your psyche, over being a better person, over your interior. That is why vocal is to me a seriously treated passion."

Marcelina – does not look like a singer at all! Funny, a little twisted and surely busy.
"Singing is a whole life to me and now during the project I feel that I’m alive! Such project gives strength and endurance. In spite of tiredness and rush there is something wonderful, especially when the stage is good fun for you and the audience are your friends. My whole family sings: mother, father, grandmother. I grew up in the cult of classical music. As a child I went to musical school and later had a short break. However if you are “positively addicted” to something, you'll come back to it anyway."