Afrikaans art songs as teaching material for undergraduate classical singers a pedagogical guide

Abstract

This study investigated Afrikaans art songs as voice training material to address aspects of vocal technique in undergraduate singers. The Afrikaans art song is a vocal music genre for solo voice with piano accompaniment which originated in South Africa more than a century ago. Extensive contributions were made to the genre by historical figures such as Stephanus Le Roux Marais and Rosa Nepgen. Notable South African composers including Niel van der Watt, Hendrik Hofmeyr, and Martin Watt still contribute repertoire to the genre. Pedagogical investigation is needed to prepare 21st century voice teachers to teach these songs since they still form part of examination curriculum at many South African institutions. However, there is a significant research gap pertaining to their use as teaching material. A pedagogical guide containing analyses of 10 Afrikaans art songs by different composers stemmed from this thesis. The songs were analysed according to guidelines created for this study. This guide includes English translations, IPA, and demonstrations for studio use of the songs. It shows how each song may be used in its entirety as part of a repertoire-based approach to teaching singing. Potential technical challenges were identified and corrective exercises were suggested. Semi-occluded vocal tract (SOVT) exercises and kinesthetic singing tools were included as corrective exercises. In addition, the guide illustrated how passages from the songs’ vocal lines may be used as exercises for vocal development. This was done by translating the vocal line passages to numeric patterns and grouping them into categories of vocal exercises. This is a qualitative, literature-based study situated in an interpretivism-constructivism paradigm. A content analysis was implemented within an evidence-based voice pedagogy framework where voice research and practice knowledge were integrated throughout. Findings revealed that each song offers unique characteristics to target technical principles.