For more information about The University of Alabama Singing Linguistics Workshop, contact Dr. Alexis Davis-Hazell at adavishazell@ua.edu.
Announcing the 2023-2024 Workshop for Professional Development Credit!
Rescheduled for February 2024 – Stay Tuned for the new date!
Teaching Diction in the Choral Rehearsal
Take your choir to a new level with this refresher course on teaching diction and the International Phonetic Alphabe t to ensembles. Led by singing-actor and teaching artist Dr. Alexis Davis-Hazell and facilitated by choral conductor-educator Dr. Morgan Luttig, this workshop will be professional development that gives you tools you can use immediately in your rehearsals. Network with colleagues and gain continuing education credit and breathe new life into your choral rehearsals!
Course Objectives: This session will reinforce the value of baseline knowledge of introductory phonetics to support the performance of literature in multiple languages (which is central to formalized western vocal music practice.) The voice is a phonetic as well as a melodic instrument, and elocution
training is essential for meaningful communication while singing. The instructor will establish skill priorities for idiomatic and aesthetically pleasing formation of language sounds, to be explored with choral educators by way of: vocal tract anatomy review, speech articulator development, listening exercises, tongue and jaw exercises, articulation drills and group collaboration.
A recommended reading list of resources will be provided.
Previous Guest Lecturers
Maestro Henri Venanzi (of Cincinnati Opera & Arizona Opera) was in residence at the School of Music October 28-30,2019 for the first Lyric Diction Workshop.
Maestro Venanzi coached vocalists on French, Italian, and German repertoire of all genres. He is fluent in all three languages and known for his extraordinary linguistic and performance practice insights when preparing singers and choruses. He is an excellent future recommendation letter writer for Young Artist Programs or other auditions/competitions for which students may be preparing. He is a good ally to young singers looking to start the career!
Henri Venanzi has been Chorus Master for Cincinnati Opera since 1974 and Chorus Master at Arizona Opera since 2010. Venanzi coaches the young artists of the Marion Roose Pullin Arizona Opera Studio and is also currently Music Director of the Cincinnati American Arts Program.
A graduate of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, Maestro Venanzi has toured with and accompanied Metropolitan Opera stars Martina Arroyo, Jerry Hadley, Mignon Dunn, Kathleen Battle, Italo Tajo, and Sandra Radvanovsky in such prestigious venues as Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, The Tonight Show and The Châtelet (Paris), among others.