Aims of
the Visit were to:-
1. To provide an environment that allows the students and choir members of UL Choirs to improve their level of choral musicianship.
2. Establish
ways and means of developing Music Program at the University of Limpopo through
collaboration with staff and students from the UKZN Music Department.
3. To
establish how to improve the quality and output of Choral Music at UL
4. To
foster relations between music clinicians from UKZN.
The
objectives were met by:-
1. Visiting the Music Department at the University of
KwaZulu-Natal (Howards College Campus) and interacting with students and staff
in the Choral and Opera School.
2. Have music clinic with choral and opera soloists and
staff at UKZN.
3. Establishing long-term relations and collaboration with
music authors and composers from UKZN.
4. Giving students from UL and opportunity to interact and
hold discussion with students and staff in the UKZN Choral and Opera School.
Outcomes
of the Visit were as follows:-
1. Visited the Vocal Jazz Department: We visited
the Vocal Jazz Performance Department at UKZN(Howards College Campus), held
discussions with the HOD and used their facilities to learn how to structure a
Vocal Performance Room. We explored how a rehearsal room should be arranged and
structured for effective learning of the music and also how the stage is
supposed to be set fro best results.
1. Interacted with postgraduate students in
Music Department: UKZN offers a wide range of undergraduate
and postgraduate degrees and programs in Music. They have the Music Department
which is composed of various disciplines. The Choral Music Department and the
Opera School form an integral part of the Music Department. We got an opportunity
to not only visit both Department to learn how their infrastructure is planned
for effective learning. We also met a postgraduate Ms Vuyi Ka-Madlala gave the
group a snapshot of what it takes to pass auditions for admission, how the
music program is organised, how the undergraduate program is structured. We
also learned how the post-graduate degree program is outlined for Honours,
Masters and PhD degrees. We also met students who specialize in music
instruments such as a Cello and Piano accompaniment.
2. Interacted with Music Composer,
Adjudicator and Educator: We had a privilege of meeting SBP
Mnomiya, a well-renowned music composer, educator, trainer and composer. Mr
Mnomiya shared with us some of the dynamics in the Choral Music world. The
group had an opportunity to sing for him and he made valuable observations and
inputs towards improving our performances. He also shared woith us how the
music department at UKZN is organized. Mr Mnomiya was also kind enough to even
demonstrate the use and importance of Piano Accompaniment in the success of the
Choral Music department. We observed that
each rehearsal music room and all music teaching rooms were equipped
with a Piano and several basic teaching aids. Mr Mnomiya emphasized the love
for Music and the most important requirement to produce good quality Choral
Music.
It is through these interactions that
were formulated the following Music Program for our main University Choir for
2013 in an attempt to raise the standard of Music at our University.
