馬克.歐菲爾德 (Mark Oldfield)畢業於英國皇家音樂學院(Royal College of Music),現任教於英國皇家戲劇藝術學院(Royal Academy of Dramatic Art)。馬克有著精湛的演唱與表演技藝,曾在多家國際知名歌劇團擔任主唱,包括蘇黎世歌劇工坊(Opera Factory Zurich)、英國皇家歌劇團(The Royal Opera)、布魯塞爾皇家鑄幣局劇院(La Monnaie, Brussels)等。他被英國《每日電訊報》(Daily Telegraph)稱為「一位具有豐富表現力的男中音和成熟表演能力的歌唱家」(A singer with a richly expressive baritone and mature acting ability),同時英國《泰晤士報》(The Times)讚譽其「有著動人之聲」(Mark Oldfield is in fine voice)。
My experience and learning gave me the skills and platform to find an agent manager and have an international career as a baritone soloist in opera, concerts, and recitals. My focus is now as a teacher and vocal animateur for creative projects. My practice is informed by my own studies, career, and on-going training to support my undergraduate and masters singing students at two London Universities [Kingston and Middlesex] and actor-singers at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. My aim is to support each student in their individual learning and to provide tools for them to make informed choices in the delivery of their craft, with authenticity and sustainability for a professional career. To enter each course, students audition and must satisfy criteria designed to enable a good fit of student and course and to fully support learning.
The operatic scene in Europe has changed a lot since I graduated. It is now an international global industry. Singers have to be highly skilled singers, actors, linguists, and it helps to look good too to succeed. Broader tastes of society have ultimately affected how the craft is perceived and enjoyed. It is common for singers to travel a lot from project to project to keep working with only a few [often young singers] able to stay in one place on a longer term contract with a particular company. Financial restrictions always play a strong part in what is possible today, with different European countries having their own model for funding the arts. The arts environment is certainly not stable but always rich and enterprising; often initiated by passionate individuals and groups despite funding, policy changes and pandemic challenges.
An interesting point and I note it. From my experience and observation, pedagogy and practice have been changing over recent years with a move towards a more academic approach in universities. There should be no prescriptive rules. A brilliantly gifted performer or academic does not necessarily make for a good teacher. It is good to have a teacher who has personal experience of singing before an audience or audition panel to be able to empathise with students and understand possible scenarios and challenges facing a student singer. Teaching isn’t solely about imparting knowledge but a lot about facilitating and guiding a student through an experience for them to realise and learn for themselves for a more sustainable and authentic performance. A good teacher and a learning programme in related elements [ acting, movement, languages etc] are not always easily found in Higher Education the world over. It is a fine balance.
Yes, it is always sad when authorities curtail what is the essence of being human. I can only give my perspective on this question based on my lived experiences and observations. Music and, especially singing [vocalising an expression and/or narrative] are deeply embedded in many cultures. Because singing requires a depth of breathing and taps into an internal sense of oneself, it can nourish and unite individuals and groups in a profound way. This depth creates a sense of individual self-power, and the impact can be transformative and positive. It can also rock someone’s sense of control. All this, I can imagine, would be a dangerous phenomenon for those wishing to discipline true expression.
Over the past few years I have learnt more about non Western music. Working with international students and having travelled widely, have inspired me to learn and keep learning. I think more work has still to be done by practitioners and organisations of music, East and West, for us all to feel able to deliver each other’s music with confidence and integrity. I will say that collaborative projects are a positive outcome of increased communication and creative interaction across cultures. Long may this be.