Exposition

“Play like a singer and sing like an instrumentalist!” (2016)

Sven Weyens

About this exposition

Name: Sven Weyens Main Subject: Classical Singing Research Supervisor: Kathryn Cok Title of Research: ‘Play like a singer and sing like an instrumentalist!” Research Question: What are the main differences between vocalists and instrumentalists? Is it an advantage to have an instrumental background as a singer and vice versa? Summary of Results: I am a professional cellist in the Residence Orchestra of The Hague, but I have always been singing next to my career as a cellist. When I started my Masters in classical singing in 2014, I was confronted with the fact that in many ways singing is really different from playing an instrument, as well physically, technically as mentally. But in some ways it feels the same. The question arose: are there real differences between singing and playing an instrument, and what are they exactly? This Research paper gives an answer to the question what the differences are between playing an instrument and singing, and explains them. In seven chapters I compare the physical instrument, the location of pitch, text versus musical language, personality, etc… I found that it is an advantage to have an instrumental background as a singer and vice versa. There are also big differences between singing and playing an instrument. The research is based on a questionnaire, interviews, books and my own experiences as a cellist and singer. Biography: Sven Weyens (°1974, Antwerp) started playing the cello at the age of ten with Frieda Celis. He studied in Antwerp, Leuven, Ghent, Zwolle and Detmold under Jaap Kruithof, Hans Mannes, France Springuel, Jeroen Reuling and Marcio Carneiro. In 1998 he obtained his Masters Degree with great distinction. He also took masterclasses with Harro Ruysenaars, Schmoel Magen, Francois Guy, Wolgang Laufer, Valentin Erben and Thomas Kakuschka. He is a member of the Residence Orchestra (The Hague Philharmonic) since 2004. Besides that, he has specialised in chamber music. He performed with a.o. the Josef Aschtak Trio, with whom he toured in the U.S. and Portugal. Sven gave masterclasses in the U.S. and Switzerland. In September 2014 Sven Weyens started a masters in Classical singing with Sasja Hunnego at the Royal Conservatoire of The Hague. Since then, he has performed regularly in the chamber music series of the Residence Orchestra and sang the part of “Te fish” in the summer of 2014 in "Vom Fischer und seiner Frau" by Otmar Schoeck, at the Grachtenfestival Amsterdam. In November 2014, Sven performed “Dover Beach” by Samuel Barber live for NPO4. In January 2015 he sang the role of Bartolo in a production of Le Nozze de Figaro at the Dutch National Opera Academy, and the role of Don Alfonso in Cosi fan Tutte in Festival Opera Aan Zee. He also sang the part of Moses in C.P.E. Bach’s “Israelieten in der Wüste", the bass arias in J.S. Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, the baritone soli in the Fauré”s Requiem and in the 9th Symphony of Beethoven. He is currently preparing his master's final recital, where he will perform “Kindertotenlieder” of G. Mahler, accompanied by members of the Residence Orchestra The Hague.
typeresearch exposition
date13/11/2015
published23/08/2016
last modified23/08/2016
statuslimited publication
share statusprivate
licenseAll rights reserved
urlhttps://www.researchcatalogue.net/view/227146/227147
published inKC Research Portal
portal issue3. Internal publication


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id name copyright license
258710 Master Paper Finale versie 2016 Sven weyens All rights reserved
258141 Master Paper Finale versie 2016 Sven Weyens All rights reserved

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