声楽を学ぶことは、単に美しい声で歌う技術を身につけることではありません。呼吸、身体、言葉、感情を一つにつなぎ、自分自身の内面と向き合いながら、音楽を通して思いを伝える力を育てていくことです。
声は、一人ひとり異なる個性を持っています。同じ曲を歌っても、声の響きや言葉の表情、音楽の感じ方は人によって違います。声楽の学びでは、誰かの声をまねるのではなく、自分の身体に合った自然な発声を探し、自分にしかない声の魅力を育てていきます。
また、歌うためには、正しい呼吸や姿勢、発音、音程、リズムなど、多くの要素を丁寧に整えなければなりません。その積み重ねは、集中力や忍耐力を養うとともに、自分の身体の状態や心の変化に気づく力にもつながります。
声楽作品には、作曲家や詩人が生きた時代、その土地の文化、人生への思いが込められています。外国語の歌曲やオペラを学ぶことは、言葉の意味を理解するだけでなく、自分とは異なる歴史や文化、人々の感情に触れることでもあります。それは、他者を理解し、異なる価値観を受け入れる心を育てる大切な機会となります。
舞台で歌うことも、声楽を学ぶ大きな意義の一つです。緊張や不安を乗り越え、自分の声で作品の世界を表現し、聴く人と感動を分かち合う。その経験は、自信を育てると同時に、音楽は一人だけでは成り立たないことを教えてくれます。歌い手、伴奏者、共演者、指導者、そして聴衆が心を通わせることで、初めて音楽が生きたものとなるからです。
声楽の学びに、年齢や職業、経験の長さは関係ありません。専門家を目指す人にも、趣味として歌を楽しむ人にも、それぞれの学ぶ意義があります。声と向き合い、少しずつ成長していく過程そのものが、人生をより豊かにしてくれます。
東京国際声楽学会（TIVS）は、声楽を学ぶ人々が互いに刺激を受け、舞台で挑戦し、音楽を通して成長できる機会を大切にしています。声楽を学ぶことが、新しい自分との出会い、そして人と人、文化と文化を結ぶ一歩となることを願っています。
The Meaning of Studying Vocal Music — Discovering Your Own Voice and Inner Self
Studying vocal music is not simply about acquiring the technique to sing beautifully. It is about bringing breath, body, language, and emotion together, while looking inward and developing the ability to communicate one’s thoughts and feelings through music.
Every voice has its own unique character. Even when people sing the same piece, the resonance of the voice, the expression of the words, and the way the music is interpreted will differ from person to person. Vocal study is not about imitating someone else’s voice. Rather, it is a process of discovering a natural vocal technique suited to one’s own body and cultivating the distinctive beauty of one’s own voice.
Singing also requires careful attention to many elements, including proper breathing, posture, pronunciation, pitch, and rhythm. The steady practice involved not only develops concentration and perseverance, but also helps us become more aware of changes in our physical condition and emotional state.
Vocal works embody the eras in which their composers and poets lived, the cultures of their countries, and their reflections on life. Studying art songs and operas in foreign languages involves more than understanding the meaning of the words. It also enables us to encounter histories, cultures, and human emotions different from our own. In this way, vocal music offers an important opportunity to deepen our understanding of others and cultivate openness toward different values and perspectives.
Performing on stage is another important aspect of studying vocal music. By overcoming nervousness and anxiety, bringing a musical work to life through one’s own voice, and sharing its emotional impact with an audience, a singer develops confidence. At the same time, this experience teaches us that music cannot be created by one person alone. Music truly comes alive only when singers, accompanists, fellow performers, teachers, and audiences connect with one another.
There are no age, professional, or experience requirements for studying vocal music. Whether one aspires to become a professional or simply enjoys singing as a personal pursuit, everyone can find their own meaning in the learning process. The journey of discovering one’s voice and growing step by step can enrich life itself.
The Tokyo International Vocal Society (TIVS) values opportunities for those studying vocal music to inspire one another, challenge themselves on stage, and grow through music. We hope that studying vocal music will lead to the discovery of a new self and become a meaningful step toward connecting people with people and cultures with cultures.
