Singing Lessons

by Irina Vasilyevna Raspópova

Singing lessons in Wageningen
Professional singing lessons at all levels and styles.

Are you looking for singing lessons? I give singing lessons in Wageningen. In my classes I can help you a solid vocal technique to master or to you to prepare for auditions for a musical example training / conservatorium.We will work with me at the piano singing exercises and then work on songs that you chose or I propose.
The lessons are suitable for everyone from beginners to singers with (some) experience. I am trained as a specialist in regional styles of traditional Russian music. I graduated from the Moscow Institute of Culture as a conductor of folklore groups. I did and do field research on voice and repertoire in different villages of Russia.

I kept courses in Finland at the Sibelius Academy of Music and the Faculty of ethnomusicology at the University of Tampere. After that, k from October 1993 courses and masterclasses in the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, France, Wales, USA and Russia.

You can always call or email me if you have some questions or to schedule a first lesson to make!

Regards,

Irina Raspopova

31+(0)6-15147414
31+(0)317-425401
raspopova@gmail.com

The individual lessons of Irina Raspopova
are meant for everyone interested in folkmusic, traditional singing from Russia and the Balkans and Slavonic, Byzantine, medieval and classical singing. The use of the voice in Russian traditional singing differs from Western traditions, but shows a lot of similarity with other non-western singing traditions, as the Arabic and Turkish singing and is often decorated with so called “melismas”. In many songs singers use mixed registers with a lot of nasalisation. By imitating the sounds of the cow they try to achieve pure tones in natural scales.

Methods used during the lessons (see also the book of Irina on the page Publications):
use of the voice in different scales (also discant) and styles for men and women
different singing techniques
articulation
breathing
nasalisation and the use of overtones
decoration of tunes, for example melismas
clear singing and the recovery of intonation

Opinions of students and specialists

Dr. Rebecca Stewart:

Head of Schola Cantorum Brabantiae, Fontys Academy of Arts, Tilburg.
Irina Raspópova is passionate: in Russian music, dance and voice; in all kinds of music, dance and use of voices connected with living music whereby the human soul is able to speak. I’ve participated her work only twice, but I’m acquainted with her instruction book about singing and her cds, as well as her influence on one of my students. However, I normally work with medieval and renaissance music, I can see that my way of working is almost the same as Irina’s way. I call my way “modal”, Irina calls her way “oral”. But in fact they are the same, both ways try to give the voice a chance to speak for itself, strong and convincing. And not from the small western classical limitations.
Irina Raspópova is also a very sincere, honest and 100% living woman. For those who can manage it, go for it! You will never be the same anymore (if you ever wanted that!), be happy!

Maria Wieggers from Tilburg:

As a student of Old Vocal Ensemble music at the Fontys Academy of Music I was looking for a teacher who could help me training the very specialised techniques necessary for performing the early Western singing traditions. Specially the nasalisation and working with overtones are a very solid base for this kind of singing.
Irina is a very enthusiastic and competent teacher. And also it is very enriching that she is from a country with living modal traditions.

Tony de Munk from Nieuwerkerk ad IJssel:

Before I started studying with Irina Raspopova, I even didn’t know I was able to sing. After a workshop with her she surprised me a lot by asking me to participate in her choir.
I started with individual lessons and soon I was allowed to participate in the amateur choir. In the beginning I thought she expected too much because she asked me to sing parts of which I thought they were far too difficult for me. But through her stimulans and a lot of practice I acquired the techniques and to trust on her sense and knowledge of the level of her students. She stimulated me to trust myself and not to be afraid for making mistakes.
Irina teaches in an attractive creative and vivid way and makes the Russian singing accessible for Dutch singers without knowledge of the Russian language. Now I have been singing four years with Irina and sometimes I have an individual lesson to improve my technical level.
In spite of the distance of 60 km I’m going with pleasure to the choir every week!

Rates

Cost per private lesson:

60 minutes: € 45.00

Cost p.p. in group lessons:

60 minutes: € 45.00

Trial lesson:

45 minutes: € 30.00

10 lessons cards (60 minutes):

€430 can buy 10 lessons card. These 10 lessons must be followed within 3 months.