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Pielachtal Summer Academy

for Singers

The Pielachtal Summer Academy for Vocal Music is a week of intensive training of the voice, in a choir, ensemble, but also with solo repertoire and individual voice training.

Having fun while learning is the essential element of the Academy. Its setting within the serene foothills of the Austrian Alps provides an ideal environment for a change of intensive learning and recreation.

Program

In between choir rehearsals individual voice lessons with professional voice trainers are scheduled for every participant.

In addition, everyone is invited to compose music, alone or in a group. With the help of our tutors the last several years saw impressive creations by both young and old participants performed towards the end of the workshop.

To balance the intensive training sessions we offer a series of recreational activities as well such as Austrian folk dance, collective outings and bonfire, even building your own musical instruments.

The workshop culminates in a grand finale public concert where the results of the week’s efforts are presented on stage.

Pielach valley

Venue of PSA is the Pielach valley, a mere 50 kilometres away from Vienna, the capital of Austria. Placed in its centre, the Steinschalerhof Hotel is an over 300 year-old traditional-style house, which has been lovingly converted to a romantic holiday residence by modern standards. As a landmark of sustainable tourism, meals include a variety of regional culinary delicacies. In the gardens children are given plenty of space to roam and play, while adolescents and adults can find room to retreat.

Besides the acquisition of repertoire from various musical genres and epochs, the Academy’s plenary choir rehearsals include:

  • Exercises to loosen up the body – as singing goes beyond the use of the vocal chords
  • Breathing exercises
  • Warm-up exercises for the voice
  • Practice of articulation
  • Acoustic differentiation
  • Training of sight-reading
  • Elements of music theory in connection to the repertoire at hand

for Children

Workshops for young singers at beginners, intermediate, or advanced level.

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Pielachtal Summer Academy for Children

In a relaxed environment children can enjoy a week of high-quality singing and music while having lots of fun.

PSA offers children the premises and guidance to develop their voice and musical talent as well as the possibility to express their creativity through music. At our courses play and fun are integral parts of the learning process. These features give children important impulses for their individual, vocal and musical development.

As part of the plenary choir the young students sing together with adults and choir directors. They experience being a member of a grand mixed choir. In other sessions they practice as a group of similar ages and abilities to enable training at respective levels. Additionally, the children attend individual voice lessons and composition guidance.

The crowning finale concert at the end of the week includes repertoire of the plenary choir, as well as ensemble pieces, solos, duets, trios, and every remaining part worked on in the previous days.

Who can participate?

The workshop is suitable for young people from 8 years on. Experience beforehand is not required as we focus on building individual levels. Prerequisite is merely the love for music.

We provide

  • Choir singing
  • Ensemble singing
  • Individual voice training
  • Rhythm training
  • Musical and aural training
  • Vocal resonance training
  • Training of body awareness and breathing
  • Sight reading “prima vista”
  • Song composition

Besides the musical aspects we offer games, day-trips, the yearly bonfire, and daily arts and crafts. Together we build our own instruments, design wimac T-shirts, and learn Austrian folkdance.

for Adults

Individual lessons and choir ensembles pick you up at any level of skill.

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Pielachtal Summer Academy for Adults

Our courses incorporate vocal training, tone awareness and aspects of sight-reading, using the Wirth Method [link]. With benefits noticeable and long lasting, the adults spend a fun and harmonious week filled with music and close collaboration with PSA’s children and choir conductors.

Gerald Wirth [link], president and Artistic Director of the Vienna Boys Choir, with his team of top-educated and experienced choir directors and voice trainers, ensures that every participant of the workshop is met at their individual level of singing, with their individual voice character, and receive the important impulses for the vocal and musical development.

Who can participate?

Everyone, who loves music and singing. Singers of every age, who wish to work intensely with professionals to develop their voice. All those interested in vocal music are welcome at the Academy.

Prior knowledge is not required. We focus on the individual level.

We offer

  • Singing in a grand plenary choir
  • Ensemble singing
  • Musical coaching
  • Instruction for correct breathing and body awareness
  • Sight reading for adults
  • Body awareness
  • Training for voice and speech
  • Vocal resonance training

Adult participants attend the plenary choir rehearsals together with the children, adolescents, and choir conductors. Lessons are also held in separate groups and ensembles, formed according to vocal skills and character. Also solo repertoire will be performed at the finale concert.

Besides the musical schedule, everyone is invited to join recreational activities such as Austrian folk dance, day-trips, building instruments, and the yearly bonfire.

Master Class

Intensive courses for advanced and professional singers.

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Pielachtal Summer Academy Master Class

Our Master Class for Vocal Music provides advanced singers with an environment for intensive training with professional tutors to take skills to the next level.

Daily individual voice lessons with voice trainers from the top level of Austria’s musical establishment and choir singing under the direction of Gerald Wirth, president and Artistic Director of the Vienna Boys Choir, constitute a large step in vocal development within a week.

Working with demanding musical repertoire for choir, ensemble, and solo, as well as the demonstration of techniques for warm-up or strategies for acquiring scores that may be new to you, further contribute to personal progress.

Who can participate?

Professional and semi-professional singers of all ages, who want to maintain and progress on their level of skills, or broaden their horizon with new techniques.

We offer

  • To be part of a large plenary choir instructed by Gerald Wirth
  • Individual voice lessons with selected trainers
  • Musical coaching
  • Singing in ensemble and solo
  • Training of body awareness and breathing
  • Sight reading and music theory connected to rehearsed repertoire
  • Training of articulation and speech
  • Vocal resonance training

The plenary choir rehearsals are attended by all participants of PSA. Specific training and rehearsing is organized in plenary choir subdivisions by skills, as well as by the individual voice lessons.

The Master Class culminates in a finale concert, at which the week’s progress is presented on stage together with all other PSA students.

Besides the musical training sessions, all participants are invited to join recreational activities such as Austrian folk dance, day-trips around the Pielach valley, the yearly bonfire, and building instruments.