Professor Helping DU and Other Music Students Abroad

Dr. Guenko Guechev’s passport has seen a lot of action lately—from the United States to Beijing, China in April, then back to the U.S. in May and off to Rome, Italy in June. But the jet setting for Guechev, associate professor and chair of voice in the Mary Pappert School of Music, has all been in the name of helping students.

Guechev spent nearly two months as a visiting professor at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, the biggest school of its kind in China, where he worked with a small group of undergraduate and graduate students studying voice there.

“This was a great honor—not many professor from abroad are invited to the Conservatory,” said Guechev. “And those who do get invited, are only from the best schools, so I think that it says a lot about Duquesne and the music school to have a professor there to teach at that level.”

Guechev, who speaks some Mandarin, said that he was worried at first. “It was challenging,” he said, “But I was able to express myself in technical terms, and most of the students speak some English.”

Guechev, who also had the help of a student translator, worked with his pupils on their vocal techniques and on the language and diction of Western vowels. He also worked with two conservatory faculty members, who requested his help with their diction.  “Western vowels are a challenge for the Chinese,” said Guechev. “We worked on how to generate vowels, tongue position and also interpretation.”

His work at the conservatory concluded with a recital featuring his students. “It was great, and very well-received,” Guechev said. “The faculty noted an overall improvement in the students’ performance.”

After returning stateside for just eight days, Guechev left for Italy with a small group of students from the School of Music and Choral Organizations Director Christine Jordanoff to participate in the Lirica Roma program. Founded by Guechev in 2011, the program provides students two weeks of study at Duquesne’s Italian campus, which includes singing master classes and Italian language lessons for which they receive credits.

While last year’s Lirica Roma participants focused on Italian composer Giacomo Puccini, the current group of students are studying Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi who is best known for the operas La Traviata and Aida. They will attend scholarly lectures on the life of Verdi and take a trip during which they will follow in the “footsteps” of the composer.

In addition, the students will perform a public concert in Rome and in Florence. They’ll also attend a general audience with Pope Benedict XVI, during which they’ll have the opportunity to sing a short portion of Ludwig van Beethoven’s Ode to Joy.

“The Lirica Roma program is really a great mix of leisure and learning for the students,” explained Guechev, who will be in Rome through June 25. “For some, the trip is a life-changing experience.”