Current position: Postgraduate Courses: Postgraduate Studies in Vocal Coaching for Pianists
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Postgraduate Studies in Vocal Coaching for Pianists

Organizer: Department 2, Chair of Piano Chamber Music

      Head:   Professor Maja Nosowska


  1. Time: October 2008 - May 2010

  2. Objective:The purpose of these studies is to train professional pianists to work with singers, both in the role of teacher as well as in their entire career as artistic performers. It is practically impossible to train a singer without a pianist, and most of the singer's artistic activity involves a pianist. Very many pianists find great fulfilment co-operating with singers.
    The piano coach co-operates with the singing educator at every level of training and with the conductor at the operatic theatre.
    The piano coach is independent. He/she works with beginners and mature performing artists alike.
  3. Syllabus:
    • Playing opera scores
    • Simultaneous score playing and singing
    • Language articulation
    • Introduction to voice emission
    • Introduction to score reading, including playing in clefts
    • Realization of figured bass and baroque recitative, elements of rhetoric
    • Introduction to conducting
    • Operatic history
    • Internship in opera theatres (preparation of spectacles)
    Total hours: 230. (Year 1: 130 hours, Year 2: 100 hours)
  4.   Practical courses among others are taught by Mrs Anna Marchwińska, a graduate of the Stanford University and the Juilliard School of Music and a former worker of the Juilliard School of Music and the Metropolitan Opera in New York (City).
  5. Minimal Requirements:
    • diploma in graduate piano studies
    • written application
    • CV (including address, telephone number and e-mail address), 3 passport-size photographs and photocopy of identity card
  6. Fee: 4 282 PLN per semester (total cost 17 128 PLN)
  7. Application: Please submit your application by 15 September 2008, via standard mail or email
    By standard mail to:
              The Fryderyk Chopin University of Music
              Department 2, Chair of Piano Chamber Music
              Okólnik 2
              00-368 Warszawa, Poland
    By email to:
             wfkio@chopin.edu.pl or nosek@chopin.edu.pl
  8. The qualifying examination shall include:
    • performance of a solo piece
    • playing a vista (sight reading)
    • performance of a piece with a singer
    • performance of the Act 2 Finale of W. A. Mozart's Le Nozze Di Figaro
    • performance of an Italian operatic aria (playing and singing)
  9. Information: Telephone +48 22 827 72 41 ext. 262


It is also possible to complete the so-called training in vocal coaching. In this case the programme of the training would include the following classes: in the amount of 1 or 2 individual classes per week for 1-2 year(s) and training in the opera theatre (about 30 hours per year).
The approximate cost of the training amounts to 3600 (or 1800) PLN per semester - depending on the number of hours of individual classes.






Compiled by: The Fryderyk Chopin University of Music