Chamber visits University of KwaZulu Natala Music School

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.