WAAPA v. The Con

Hi everyone,

I am a prospective Music Theatre WAAPA student. I am, however, keen in not limiting myself to just doing musicals for my career. I am interested in what people have to say about the possibility and/or fesebility of completing the music theatre course but having a classically trained voice.

My biggest predicament seems to be that I don't particulary want to go to a conservatorium where I would get no training in any dancing, which is somewhat crucial as a music theatre performer.

On the other hand, I would miss out on subjects like diction and language coaching that I would recieve at the con, if I were to get accepted to WAAPA.

My ideal situation would perhaps to go to WAAPA but have the access to classical voice training, whilst still completing all the other aspects of the music theatre course, like dancing. Would it then mean my voice wouldn't be up to scratch for things like light opera? I mean, who's ever heard of an opera singer who went to WAAPA? Perhaps my ideal situation would be attending the con and doing dance training? But where (sydney or brisbane con, that is).

Or, I could do an opera course after WAAPA like a post grad study of opera performance. Perhaps I wouldn't be good enough for it though!

God, you can see how confused I am!

Please, I'd appreciate any input.

"...who's ever heard of an opera singer who went to WAAPA?"

I have... Rachelle Durkin went to WAAPA...she's quite good, or atleast the Metropolitan Opera seem to think so. So I think your voice would be in good hands whatever path you want to head down.

Maybe you should consider taking dance and acting classes outside of your intensive classical voice training at a conservatorium. A lot of professional musical theatre performers come from a classical voice background, with supplementary training in Dance and acting.

I think maybe you should contact the staff at WAAPA and have a chat about the possibility of combined training, I imagine they would be more than willing to help.

I believe classical voice training is a good base for music theatre.

You may already know this, but as well as offering a Music Theatre course, WAAPA offers courses in Classical Music as well.

I don't really know much about other institutions, but i do know a fair bit about the waapa classical course.
If you're wanting classical voice training the courses offered by the classical department aren't bad, however they aren't as specialised as the music theatre course, ie they train you to become a musician as opposed to an opera singer.
For the advanced diploma in classical (voice) you take classes in voice, italian, aural, form and analysis, second study (piano), orchestration, harmony etc as well as attending sessions every week of a major and minor ensemble (eg chorale, chamber ensemble etc) concert practice, and vocal workshop. In addition there is also a main house opera and a smaller scale operatic production each year.
If you were thinking of a course like this in preparation for music theatre, my advice would be to take up dance/movement and acting lessons outside the course.

hope some of that helps!

Hi,
Rachelle Durkin actually studied at the Con but Dimity Shepherd and Deanne Flatley are graduates of Musical Theatre at WAAPA who are working/have worked extensively in opera. Emma Matthews, also a graduate of the Con, used to do some of the Musical Theatre acting and dance classes with my year. (This was, to the best of my knowledge, by special arrangement with the then head of MT. I don't know of anyone else ever doing this but I graduated a long time ago). Good luck whatever you decide to do.
Gill

I know of someone who is doing the classical course as well as certificate in MT...so it can be done...

Just to let you know

Paul O'neil did music theatre then he went on to do a degree in classical music and is then joined WA Opera he is now going to europe on a $100 000 schloarship so it can be done

cheers

Yeah Paul was a bit of a champ. Also Aldo Di Toro is a classical muzo graduate and is now one of the most sort after Tenor voices in Europe. He's back here at the moment actually and came to give some workshop to us instrumentalists and the actual vocal kids during our production week.

If you are wanting to do both, like someone said before, I know lost of people that do the cert in MT and the cert in Classical (voice) some of the 3rd years in Classical now did the MT course before they started classical and visa versa, it just depends on what course you want to do, as there wouldnt be enough hours in the day to do and ADPA or BPA in classical plus an MT course aswell.

But the singers that do classical ARE trained to be opera singers, not just musicians for an ensemble situation, just the same as the intrumentalists are trained to be soloists, rather than just for a band situation. All the other units like aural, harmony, history are crucial. As you can't expect to deliver a convincing performance if you have no idea of the background of music and where it came from or actually be able to sing on pitch. UWA also has a Classical music department, but they only offer Bachelor courses. I'm not exactly sure what their vocal stream is like. I think the majority of singers are here at WAAPA.

I dont think you can go past the aural training that WAAPA has to offer here. The lecturer in Aural, Micheal McCarthy, has been trained at one of the leading music schools in the world, that pays particular interest in this subject. That being the Kodaly Institute in Hungary.

Definately worth looking into. Even if you just end up getting lessons with the teachers in Classical. I think you'll find they're quite willing to help out anyone whos eager enough. Admins the tough part haha.

Hmmm... these are all interesting points, but i'm going to add my two cents worth. I have both a friend currently doing third year musical thatre at WAAPA and a friend in second year Bachelor of Music at the University of QLD (which some consider to be better than QLD's con), and both are looking to make a career out of musical theatre and both swear by their prospective choices. WAAPA does many many shows and UQ is absolutely second to none in it's intensity. I realise that you are looking at not making a career primarily in musicals, but as you (hopefully, according to UQ girl) see, cons and music theatre are not mutually exclusive.

[%sig%]

Hi, I'm a Perthian that is currently in 1st yr Music theatre at the academy and upon reading the posts thought I would offer my feelings on this matter...
WAAPA Kid said....

"there wouldnt be enough hours in the day to do and ADPA or BPA in classical plus an MT course aswell."

Not true. It is hard but it can be done. In 2003 I did the Classical ADPA and the Music Theatre certificate course at WAAPA together. It was great because I was getting classical training aswell as the introduction to MT that the Certificate course gives you and it made it very clear to me which line I would persue. Don't limit yourself by putting yourself into the opera/music theatre shells. Every bit of training helps and the combination of classical and music theatre gives you so many different options when it comes to choosing repertoire.

Goodluck to all those auditioning this year.

Suzie
xxxx

Hi Ed,

I see where you stand, coming from a similar predicament. I have been training as a classical vocalist for 6 years, dancing for 7 and acting for 8. I want to keep them all up to scratch and do musical theatre, but still be able to do opera.

It is possible! Where you will be getting the dance and acting training at WAAPA, you will most likely be able to keep up languages outside class time. In know that there is a classical course you can do at WAAPA so i'm sure there will be someone there who can coach you! And perhaps a voice teacher with a classical or operatic background would be best for you and maybe you would be able to request one?

I, however, want to be able to do everything, inclusive of opera, musical theatre, jazz, pop, all of it. I think its more than possible going to WAAPA to do all of it, more difficult at the con, although at the con you could take external dance classes at Sydney Dance or something. Its always possible to do what you want to do, you just have to make the room.

Go for Gold Ed!

Look, sorry to be a bit of a boring depressing voice in all of this BUT:
1. I have a full time career in opera both here in Australia and overseas.
2. I teach voice students in music theatre at WAAPA

What can I deduce from these two seemingly opposed activities?

THAT:
1. Basically, technique is the same old same old, whether for Classic/Opera or Music Theatre

BUT:
2. You need to specialize - not this year or even next year but by the time you are early 20's YOU NEED TO SPECIALIZE. The idiomatic differences are too great to be surmounted easily. SOME singers manage it - 90% try and fail. Either you are a Music Theatre singer or you are not. Do not try to be a chocolate cake AND a vanilla cake. Choose which one and go for it - there is some cross over repertoire and you might want to aim for that. BUT Paul O'Neill, Emma Matthews, Rachelle Durkin et al have all SPECIALISED to become successful - and that, bluntly, is the truth.

You can be successful if you commit to an artform, or you can be Sarah Brightman - jack of all trades, master of ......

Go figure it out yourself....

Wow!

Thanks so much to everyone. A LOT of great advice there. I hear what you're all saying -- very valid points. One more thing, though -- how good at dancing do you have to be to get into the Music tehatre course at waapa? Like, I dance but am not a dancer -- I do sydney dance company classes, broadway jazz, some ballet and funk.

I am compenent at beginners and OK in intermediate. Your thoughts?

Ed