The secret of difference: A technical and cultural investigation and comparison of Western classical singing methods for beginners and early stage singers in China

Wang, Xiaoqing 2024. The secret of difference: A technical and cultural investigation and comparison of Western classical singing methods for beginners and early stage singers in China. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University. Item availability restricted.

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Abstract

In the twenty-first century, the development of Western classical singing in China has steadily advanced, with an increasing number of individuals embracing this singing style. However, it is noteworthy that a significant number of students still choose to study or further their training abroad rather than in China. Moreover, many of these students feel that their singing technique improves markedly after studying in Western countries, with these advancements primarily reflected in better resolution of long-standing issues in their training and education. Therefore, this thesis will draw upon my five years of study and life in the United Kingdom, to put my experiences in dialogue with Chinese singers who are just beginning their Western classical singing studies in China. It aims to explore the issues faced by Chinese beginners and early-stage singers from both a technical and a cultural perspective. In Chapter One, I outline the current research on Chinese students’ Western classical singing and how my study builds upon existing research and how it fills the gaps and contributes to current knowledge. I will also justify the selection of the two vocal pedagogues, Manuel Garcia and Xiaoyan Zhou, whose vocal techniques are analysed in detail. Chapters Two and Three provide an overview of the cultural background of Western classical singing developments in China and introduce the biographies and treatises of Garcia and Zhou. Chapter Four presents a comparative analysis of selected key vocal techniques from their treatises. In Chapter Five, I outline the methodologies of autoethnography and v participant observation and how I apply them to my research. In Chapter Six, I compare my own training and reflections with those of my participants to form a dialogue between our experiences. This chapter will be supplemented by a video recording of a lecture-recital where I sing through the vocal exercises under study and explain the issues at stake, alongside my own experiences of them. Chapter Seven provides a critical analysis of the principal phenomena emerging from this project, including language, culture and education, adopting a novel perspective and revealing the relationships between culture, politics and classical singing. Lastly, Chapter Eight illustrates how the techniques of the two vocal pedagogues are reflected in the performance of specific repertoire chosen for the final recital.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Date Type:	Acceptance
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	Schools > Music
Subjects:	M Music and Books on Music > M Music
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	28 March 2025
Date of Acceptance:	30 June 2024
Last Modified:	28 Mar 2025 14:08
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/177232

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