Effects of Opera Students' Music Listening Habits on the Vocal Training Process

Abstract

Opera is a rich and multi-layered art form that combines music, drama, and visual arts. This multi-layered structure shapes the skills that opera performers are required to possess. Therefore, for an opera performer to succeed, having merely a good vocal technique is not sufficient; they must also develop their musical expressiveness and acting skills. The training provided in the opera departments of conservatories aims to instill and enhance these abilities. In this context, the study aims to examine opera students' music listening habits and the impact of these habits on their vocal training processes from the perspective of the students. A survey model was adopted in the study, and data were collected from 18 students studying in the opera department of a conservatory in Turkey through a questionnaire method. The study group consisted of opera students from various grade levels. Data were gathered via a structured questionnaire and analyzed using frequency distributions. The findings indicate that students who regularly and consciously listen to classical music and opera are more successful in improving their vocal techniques and enriching their musical expressiveness. The study highlights the significant role of music listening habits in vocal training and recommends incorporating more practices to enhance the classical music listening skills of opera students. The findings suggest that similar studies should be conducted in the opera departments of other conservatories in Turkey. Accordingly, it is anticipated that broader data will contribute to developing new approaches to enrich the vocal training process.