The Africa Voices Trust is a non-profit organisation created to support the development of highly talented and deserving young African musicians and singers across all styles and genres. Its primary goal is to identify, educate and grow future stars as well as to create the potential for their employment. Africa has an abundance of rare talent that, although very accomplished musicians and singers, lack the vital skills needed to turn their talents into an outcome or product that empowers them to have a financially sustainable and meaningful career - skills such as professional studio techniques, high-level stagecraft and an understanding of the local and global industry context.
The trust's programmes teach through practical experience and high-level mentorship. With the support of the entertainment industry, it strives to create an ever-increasing beneficial environment within which it can empower its participants. Its goal is to help young deserving musicians grow, master their chosen fields and become future leaders and mentors within their communities - using this invaluable wisdom, as well as a growing trust in their own abilities, to empower others. Successful participants work in the largest and best-equipped studios in the country and receive coaching and support from sound engineers, mixing engineers, programmers, producers, managers, arrangers, entertainment lawyers, agents and other industry professionals.
The 2014 programme is structured to build upon knowledge and experience already gained by dedicated up-and-coming artists in the genre of opera and musical theatre. The Africa Voices Programme is a "master class" to fast track and elevate talented local artists to international standards and will be valuable to both individuals who have gained experiential skills and individuals who have pursued academic studies in this field.
Both opera and musical theatre are live performance-based genres, and so the programme will be focussed on refining live performance skills as well as training participants to function as effective, professional artists in this often high-stress and audition-based world. Both genres require of artists to be able to work in many different environments, and so participants need to be prepared for a very intense and high-level programme designed to prepare them to work anywhere in the world, under the most challenging career conditions possible.
The programme is seeking recommendations of potential participants that come highly recommended by respected individuals and entities within the creative industry. They would like to invite you to let them know of someone you feel is showing great promise, someone you believe in and who has the potential to develop into a standard bearer as an artist with the right guidance and support.
There is no academic requirement that needs to have been achieved to gain entry to the programme - unlike many other professions, musical talent and potential are not effectively determined by academic accomplishment alone. However successful vocalists must display remarkable musical talent, execution, charisma and ambition distinguishing them from hundreds of applicants. Selection is not only based on musical talent - Africa Voices candidates must display creative energy, a drive to succeed and the courage to hold themselves to the highest standards.
The Africa Voices Programmes are currently held in Cape Town, but it is its goal that similar programmes will be held in Joburg in the near future. It will also be actively sourcing and calling for submissions from other sub-Saharan African countries.
Participation in the programme itself is at no cost to successful applicants as funds for these expenses are raised by the Africa Voices Trust.
The programme will consist of eight to 12 young lead singers. All voice types are welcome.
Prospective candidates will need to be formally nominated by either a music professional or an educational or other music institution by means of submitting a recommendation form. Initial selection is made from all received recommendation forms, upon which selected artists will be contacted to submit a participant application form as well as a motivational essay. Once all participant applications have been reviewed, a shortlist of prospective candidates will be required to attend a live audition and interview in front of an independent panel of judges.
Refer to the online recommendation form at africavoicestrust.typeform.com
The closing date for recommendations is 30 June 2014.
