Teaching the Bel Canto Technique: A Practical Guide - with Anecdotes from Africa

Biographie de Colleen Philp

Colleen Philp was one of South Africa's leading lyric coloratura sopranos in over three decades, in a professional singing career that featured foreign tours, gala soloist performances with major orchestras, and a long tenure as a classical recording artist on the country's national broadcaster, the SABC. In parallel, for 36 years she also served as one of the region's leading voice teachers (teaching well over 300 singers in South Africa), and was senior lecturer at OSCA (the Opera Studio and Choral Academy) at UKZN for 26 years.
Many of Colleen`s students were awarded scholarships to esteemed schools overseas, and went on to stellar international careers; among them, sopranos Nozuko Teto and Dr Bronwen Forbay. Having studied the Bel Canto voice technique under South African opera doyen Joyce Barker, Colleen is dedicated to spreading this richly fruitful method to singers around the world. Before writing this practical guide, she interviewed and sent questionnaires worldwide to ear, nose and throat specialists, voice teachers, professional singers, producers and directors of opera and musicals, and choral conductors.
Her own singing career focused on a recital and oratorio repertoire, as well as opera in concert. One of Colleen's most celebrated performances was the soprano role in a major production of Haydn's Nelson Mass at St Paul's Cathedral in Durban, which can be heard at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMF4LRLlopII4PKxM_NfLBm1ZazLqI1hZShe lives in Durban with her beloved husband Garry, and is devoted to her three children, six grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter.