The melodious singing and captivating tunes gently resonated through the college, as we embarked on a magical journey through the world of sound. On November 22, 2024, Ma Man Kei and Lo Pak Sam College (MLC) invited renowned soprano Professor Lu Miao to deliver a lecture as part of the Grand Beauty Lecture Series titled “Singing, Playing, and Hearing,” exploring the endless mysteries at the intersection of performance and listening.
Professor Yang Liu, the College Master of MLC, introduced the guest speaker, Professor Lu Miao, a distinguished soprano and visiting professor at Shandong University’s School of Arts. Professor Lu studied at the School of Music, Capital Normal University and Trinity College London during her youth. Over the years, she has held solo concerts and participated in major operas and musical performances in famous concert halls and venues in China and the UK, and toured major cities in Europe. She has won the Bel Canto Gold Award at the “China Future Lyricists, Composers, and Singers Talent Development Competition” organized by the China Musicians Association. In 2010 and 2011, she recorded and published solo albums for the “Chinese Singers Classics” series at the invitation of the People’s Music Publishing House: “Song to the moon” and “Love from far”, which have gained her international acclaim.
In her lecture, Professor Lu, with her profound academic knowledge and rich practical experience, delved into the subtle and profound connections between singing, playing, and auditory perception. She emphasized the importance of auditory skills in music learning and performance, noting that performers should focus on the sounds yet to be produced, using imagination to form muscle memory, thereby achieving a natural and smooth performance. The combination of hearing and imagination is key to enhancing musical expressiveness.
Professor Lu highlighted the crucial role of harmonious coordination with accompaniment in singing. She explained that performers must learn to listen to the accompaniment and maintain a high degree of consistency with its rhythm, melody, and harmony to achieve overall musical harmony and unity. Using the song “Motherland, Dear Mother,” she demonstrated the alignment of the upper and lower lines through a live performance, showing how accompaniment and singing can complement each other. Music is an integrated whole, and all parts must coordinate and cooperate to present a perfect musical effect. She further analyzed the emotional temperature and image shaping in music using “My Motherland and Me” as an example, emphasizing the importance of rhythm, cadence, tempo, and speed in music, and how to handle high notes in relation to the accompaniment to make the music more harmonious and unified.
During the interactive Q&A session, Professor Lu patiently answered various questions from students and teachers, including singing techniques, rhythm handling, maintaining coherence, and dealing with mistakes such as forgetting lyrics. She encouraged everyone to be brave in trying and making mistakes, as errors are an inevitable part of the learning process, and the important thing is to learn from them and continuously improve.
After the lecture, Professor Lu personally guided the students of the college’s Grand Beauty Melody on their playing and singing techniques, correcting pronunciation issues, demonstrating stability in high notes, emphasizing breath control and harmonious coordination with accompaniment, and encouraging students to relax and enjoy the music while improving their skills through practice.
The lecture concluded with enthusiastic applause, and College Master Yang Liu presented a certificate of appreciation to Professor Lu for her wonderful sharing. Afterwards, students and teachers took a group photo with Professor Lu.
This lecture not only deepened the students’ understanding of the importance of auditory skills and imagination in music learning and performance but also provided valuable methods and techniques for music learning. Professor Lu’s excellent explanations and live demonstrations offered important technical guidance to the college’s Grand Beauty Melody and pointed the way for students’ future music learning and practice.
Professor Lu highly praised the college’s achievements, especially its aesthetic education model, as well as the students’ artistic talents and qualities. This greatly inspired the teachers and students, fueling their enthusiasm and desire to strive for further excellence. It is foreseeable that under Professor Lu’s guidance, the students’ artistic levels will significantly improve and develop.