Aspects of leading a choir
This course enables students to explore diverse aspects of directing a choir.
It also enables them to experiment with both the reality of being present in front of a group, and managing your work with the group. The students participate in the choir, and it serves as a basic element of their work as a conductor. They therefore take turns being choristers and conductors. The practice of choral singing is essential in terms of understanding the fundamentals of working as a choir director. It also enables the students to develop musical, vocal and human qualities, to be familiarized with the idea of sound awareness (suppleness, phrasing, homogeneity, intonation) and the text (meaning, projection or linearity). Lastly, it encourages working on listening and awareness of others.
Contents and form of the teaching
- Work on gestures
- Listening to polyphony
- Pedagogy and performance
- Vocal work
- Personal work on an individual score
Target audience and admission criteria
For all musicians wanting to acquire competencies in the field of directing a choir.
Admission is based on CV and an interview with the instructor.
Forms of participation & certification
Active participation and assessment
Tutor
Natacha Casagrande
Born in Geneva, Natacha Casagrande initially studied the violin then also studied, in parallel to that, singing, directing a choir and directing an orchestra at the Conservatoire Supérieur de Musique de Genève.
From 1990 to 2002, she was a professional member of the Ensemble Vocal de Lausanne, featuring as a chorister, soloist and deputy director under Michel Corboz. Since 1995, she has directed the Cantus Laetus in Geneva, with which she performs a repertoire that ranges from the Baroque period to the 20th century, focusing on the exploration of original œuvres that are not widely known by the general public. In 1999 she joined the Cercle Bach de Genève, with whom she performs works from the great choral repertoire with an orchestra or an organ. She regularly collaborates with the Orchestre de la Suisse romande (OSR), the Orchestre de Chambre de Genève (OCG), the Ensemble instrumental de l’EVL, the Sinfonietta de Lausanne, the Orchestre de Cannes PACA, the Ensemble Baroque du Léman and the Capriccio de Bâle.
In parallel to her activities as a singer and conductor, she dedicates a lot of time to teaching (singing and choral directing) as a private tutor and at the Music AMA, and also at the Haute école de musique de Genève, where she has been teaching choir directing since September 2004. She also teaches summer courses (Abbaye de Noirlac, Fondation Hindemith) and is hosted by the Choir Conductor Associations of Vaud and Valais, where she leads workshops on conducting and choral singing.
