Program Overview

Program Overview

The Conservatorium Open Academy offers various programs, including Kids at the Con, Rising Stars, and Play at the Con. These programs cater to different age groups and skill levels, providing a comprehensive music education experience.

Kids at the Con

• Available Classes: This program offers a range of classes for children, focusing on music education and development.
• Holiday Workshops: Kids at the Con also provides holiday workshops, allowing children to engage in music-related activities during school breaks.
• FAQs: The program includes a section for frequently asked questions, addressing common queries and concerns.

Rising Stars

• Rising Stars Jazz: This program is designed for students interested in jazz music, offering a specialized curriculum and expert instruction.
• How to Apply: The application process for Rising Stars is outlined, providing step-by-step guidance for prospective students.
• Teachers: The program boasts a team of experienced and qualified teachers, ensuring high-quality instruction and mentorship.
• Testimonials: Testimonials from past students and parents are included, highlighting the program's effectiveness and positive impact.
• Semester Dates & Concerts: The program's schedule, including semester dates and concert performances, is provided.
• Fees, Scholarships & Bursaries: Information on program fees, as well as available scholarships and bursaries, is outlined.
• Electives: Rising Stars offers elective courses, allowing students to explore specific areas of interest and tailor their education.

Play at the Con

• Teachers: The program features a team of experienced teachers, providing expert instruction and guidance.
• Expressions of Interest: Students can express their interest in the program, allowing for personalized communication and support.

Short Courses

• Music Foundations: This course provides a comprehensive introduction to music, covering fundamental concepts and techniques.
• Composition: The composition course focuses on the art of creating music, teaching students the skills and knowledge necessary to compose their own works.
• Singing: The singing course is designed to develop students' vocal skills, covering topics such as technique, expression, and performance.
• Instrumental: The instrumental course offers instruction on a variety of instruments, allowing students to explore their musical interests and develop their skills.
• Ensemble: The ensemble course provides students with the opportunity to perform in a group setting, developing their skills in collaboration and musicianship.
• Music Technology: This course introduces students to the world of music technology, covering topics such as recording, production, and software.
• Jazz: The jazz course is designed for students interested in this genre, offering a comprehensive education in jazz music and performance.
• Online: The Conservatorium Open Academy offers online courses, providing flexible and accessible education options for students.
• Face to Face: The face-to-face courses offer traditional instruction, allowing students to engage with teachers and peers in a physical classroom setting.
• High School & Pre-tertiary: The program includes courses specifically designed for high school and pre-tertiary students, providing a comprehensive music education experience.

Workshops and Festivals

• Songwriting Holiday Workshop: This workshop is designed for students interested in songwriting, offering a comprehensive education in this area.
• Opera and Music Theatre Lab Intensive Audition: The opera and music theatre lab intensive audition provides students with the opportunity to develop their skills in these areas, with a focus on audition preparation.
• 3 Singers 3 Workshops: This workshop features three singers, each leading a workshop on a specific topic or technique.
• Music Theatre Audition Workshop: The music theatre audition workshop is designed to prepare students for auditions, covering topics such as technique, performance, and preparation.
• Jazz Audition Workshop: The jazz audition workshop provides students with the opportunity to develop their skills in jazz performance, with a focus on audition preparation.
• School Workshops: The program includes workshops specifically designed for schools, providing a comprehensive music education experience for students.
• Young Women's Jazz Workshops: The young women's jazz workshops are designed to promote jazz education and performance among young women, offering a supportive and inclusive environment.
• Beginner Shakuhachi Workshop: The beginner shakuhachi workshop introduces students to this traditional Japanese instrument, covering topics such as technique, history, and performance.
• Voice Works: The voice works workshop focuses on vocal technique and performance, offering students the opportunity to develop their skills in this area.

Sydney Con Jazz Festival

The Sydney Con Jazz Festival is a celebration of jazz music, featuring performances, workshops, and masterclasses.

Barayagal

Barayagal is a program designed to promote Indigenous music and culture, offering a comprehensive education experience for students.

Professional Development

The Conservatorium Open Academy offers professional development opportunities for teachers and music educators, providing a comprehensive education experience and supporting the development of music education in schools.

Vocal Workout

What is Vocal Workout?

Vocal Workout is a voice technique course devised by Nadia Piave, open to all singers and voice users. The course focuses on healthy phonation, spending time on vocal drills and exercises.

Who does Vocal Workout suit?

Vocal Workout is a beginners' voice course for people who wish to improve their knowledge of vocal technique for application to singing. It will suit professional and amateur solo singers, choristers, and speakers who lack technical approaches to vocal delivery.

What do we do in Vocal Workout?

The program features vocal drills of various styles devised by great voice teachers, past and present. In Vocal Workout, students will learn to:

• increase flexibility and agility in the voice
• sing scales and modes smoothly and with accurate intonation
• use vocal devices such as staccato, messa di voce, legato, and scat
• develop breath control in florid or improvised passages
• extend their range

Why spend time on vocal drills?

A muscle will only grow with repetition of specific drills, and the same applies to voice work. The repetition of technique-specific drills will instill a practice and maintenance regime necessary for continued care and longevity of the human voice.

Upon successful completion of the course, a student's outcomes will include

• knowledge of a range of vocal methods and their uses
• proficiency in vocal exercises
• improved range extension, agility, and flexibility
• understanding of breath management techniques
• ability to devise a regular practice regime

About Nadia Piave

Nadia's teaching experience is vast, having worked with adult, teen, and junior voice users for over 25 years. As a performer, Nadia has explored vocal styles from Renaissance to operatic and classical, to 'world', jazz, and contemporary art music, and most recently, spoken word.

What students say about this course

• Nadia makes this very technical vocal practice vibrant and intriguing.
• Nadia was fabulous. Lots of handouts and scales to practise.
• Nadia Piave was such a brilliant teacher. I did not know a thing about singing, but she taught the basics really well, and in an imaginative and inspiring way (with a quirky twist).
• Nadia Piave is a very good tutor with much patience and enthusiasm.