NZ SINGERS TAKING FLIGHT' RESEARCH REPORT

Key conclusions

1. There is a need for ongoing monitoring of the standard of tuition and training
available in the UK and for a service providing up to date and objective
information and advice for young New Zealand singers who are considering
travelling abroad to advance their studies.

2. While the general level of technical vocal training in New Zealand is
comparable to that available in the UK, there is a shortage in New Zealand of
coaching skills in vocal repertoire, languages and diction. Investment in this
area will improve overall standards and ensure that New Zealanders are better
prepared when they head overseas.

3. New Zealand students often have more performing experience than the local
students but this counts for little in the UK. It is vital to build a performing
profile in the UK and to be seen performing there by potential employers. It
follows that New Zealanders need to be ready on arrival in the UK to compete
with their international rivals for those precious performing opportunities, and
that the easiest way to gain this profile is through an institution or advanced
level programme.


Recommendations

1. Coordination and cohesion
This series of recommendations addresses the reality that, due to New Zealand's
small size and inevitably limited resources, we have to be extremely efficient and
well-coordinated in order to ensure that resources are allocated in such a way as
to maximise the prospects of international success for young singers.



Firstly we need to gather accurate and reliable information, and find appropriate
means to distribute it:

Recommendation 1.1:
That ongoing research be carried out, at least biennially, into
the standards and offerings of institutions in the UK and other
countries regarded as centres of excellence for the professional
training of classical singers.

Recommendation 1.2:
That an information and guidance service be established in
New Zealand to provide information and to help students in
their preparations and decision making with respect to
overseas study, passing on the findings of the ongoing research
and establishing a central contact point for students, teachers
and overseas institutions.
Secondly we need to forge links between all major institutions in New Zealand
involved in supporting and training young singers, with a view to developing a
national consensus on priorities and strategies to best support singers with
professional potential.

Recommendation 1.3:
That discussion take place between all the organisations within
New Zealand that are involved in awarding funding grants and
fostering or providing advanced study for young New Zealand
singers, with the aim of achieving consensus on national
priorities and strategies for the support and training of singers.

2. Improved training support in New Zealand
These recommendations address fundamental training deficiencies identified in
the report, which hamper the prospects of success for young New Zealanders
studying in the UK.

Vocal coaching
New Zealand students tend to have had little vocal coaching within New Zealand.
If they were to have more of this within New Zealand they would arrive more
fully prepared as singers and also be able to make better use of their time with
vocal coaches in their overseas courses.

Recommendation 2.1:
That strategies be developed to improve substantially the
quality and quantity of high level specialist vocal coaching
available to student singers in New Zealand.

Recommendation 2.2:
That strategies be developed for the development of vocal
coaching practice in New Zealand through support, training and
mentoring of potential vocal coaches.

Language training and English diction
New Zealand students will always lack the opportunity to 'pop across to the
continent' and experience the European languages in their native environment in
the way that the UK students can. New Zealand singers also grow up speaking in
an accent which has specific attributes that are quite foreign to UK teachers and
coaches, so they need to have a good understanding of English diction and how it
relates specifically to the 'Kiwi' accent, as well as more knowledge of French,
Italian and German language and lyric diction.

Recommendation 2.3:
That strategies be developed for the improvement of the
amount and levels of language and lyric diction training
available to singers within New Zealand, both within existing
institutions and schools, and specialist training courses that
focus on these aspects, so that higher levels of training in
English diction and European languages and diction are available.


Note: A complete copy of the 'New Zealand Singers Taking Flight' research report is on the Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation website - www.kiritekanawa.org