A
MUSON scholar performing during the MTN sponsored masterclass held at
the MUSON centre recentlyMasters – aficionados in a particular subject
teach a masterclass. Right? That's exactly what happened at the MTN
Foundation sponsored Masterclass for students of the Music Society of
Nigeria (MUSON), many of whom are also beneficiaries of the Foundation’s
music scholarship. Masters changed all we thought we knew about
singing. See, we listened to people sing their hearts out, and we
marvelled at the enabler that could possibly live in their lungs
propelling them to sing like that! They reached pitches we had never
heard before. Opera is a peculiar taste that takes some getting used to.
We know. It’s not for everyone. We know. We were like you a month ago,
but now we are fans after watching young people exhibit superhuman vocal
chords at the masterclass held at the MUSON Centre, Onikan
Lagos! People sang and we were gobsmacked! “That was awesome”, someone
whispered from behind us. We really thought it couldn’t get better than
that. Well, all that changed the moment the ‘masters’ stepped on the
stage. Daniel Taylor, a countertenor and Ellen McAteer, a professor of
voice at the University of Toronto and a two-time recipient of the
Richard Bradshaw Graduate Fellowship in Opera, showed us the meaning of
‘master’. Kai! And here comes a stunner. Daniel walked up to one of the
performers who had blown us away and told her to squat when she sang a
line. We raised our brows in question. Singing was now exercise? If only
we had known. The next time the young woman opened her mouth, we simply
stared. She sang better and everyone marvelled at a new revelation that
was previously known only to the gods. It’s possible to sing better
just by squatting! So now, before we sing we do some form of exercise
ooo! We know better now.
A MUSON scholar performing during the MTN sponsored masterclass held at the MUSON centre recently.
Daniel Taylor giving lessons to MUSON scholar during the masterclass.
Daniel Taylor giving lessons to MUSON scholar during the masterclass
An excited MUSON scholar during the masterclass.
Daniel Taylor teaching during the masterclass
Ellen McAteer teaching during the masterclass
