Danae Bletsa develops an activity of advanced vocal coaching and masterclasses grounded in her international career as a composer, lyrical soprano, and researcher in music. Her pedagogical work emerges organically from an active practice of opera creation, performance, and artistic research, and is addressed to singers and musicians seeking a deep, stylistically informed, and artistically engaged approach to vocal interpretation.
Her coaching is shaped by a rare dual perspective — that of the composer-performer — allowing her to work simultaneously on vocal technique, musical structure, text, rhetoric, and dramaturgy. Particular emphasis is placed on the relationship between voice, speech, and musical meaning, across a wide repertoire ranging from early music to contemporary creation.
Artistic Research & Academic Teaching
Danae worked as a Research Assistant on the project Rhetorica at the Haute école de musique de Genève (HEM) from 2021 to 2024, examining the rhetorical connections between early music and contemporary performance and composition.
Within this framework, she has delivered specialised masterclasses to singing and composition students at the Haute école de musique de Genève (HEM), in collaboration with Elizabeth Dobbin and Marcin Habela, including:
- Rhetorica
- L’art de bien chanter
- Contemporary and Baroque Singing
- Application of the speaking voice (Sprechstimme) in vocal technique
- Contemporary vocal composition
She has also taught alongside Georges Aperghis in a dedicated masterclass on the interpretation of his repertoire at the HEM :
Her pedagogical activity further includes engagements as Visiting Lecturer at the Koninklijk Conservatorium Antwerpen, as well as lecture-recitals at the Baroque Biennial 2023, the Department of Music Studies of the Ionian University, and the Faculté des lettres – Département d’histoire de l’art et de musicologie, Université de Genève.
Full seminar « Qu’est-ce que le théâtre musical ? » with Nicolas Donin, Georges Aperghis and Danae Bletsa, project « Aperghis : Trouvailles — retrouvailles » (2023-2024, Unige/HEM/Contrechamps) :
https://mediaserver.unige.ch/play/215290
Teaching Activity in Paris
In parallel with her academic and research-based work, Danae is actively engaged in music education in Paris, working within international and conservatory environments.
She is currently:
- Leading the Drama Club – Musicals at the International School of Paris (ISP) and Marymount International School, Neuilly-sur-Seine.
- Vocal instructor and composition tutor at the American Conservatory of Paris and vocal instructor at Ermitage International School, Maisons-Laffitte.
- Piano instructor at the Conservatoire slave de musique in Montreuil
Coaching Approach
Danae’s coaching and masterclasses are addressed to:
- professional and advanced amateur singers
- composers working with the voice
- performers interested in contemporary repertoire
- musicians seeking stylistic depth in early or modern vocal music
Sessions are individually tailored and may focus on:
- vocal technique and healthy vocal production
- interpretation and rhetorical approach
- text, language, and musical meaning
- contemporary vocal notation and extended techniques
- preparation for auditions, performances, or specific repertoire
Coaching is offered in individual sessions or in the context of institutional masterclasses.
Areas of Expertise
Alongside her artistic and academic activity, Danae offers guidance for a range of specific musical and educational contexts, including:
- Preparation for ABRSM and Trinity College vocal and theory examinations (classical and contemporary styles)
- Entrance preparation for American universities and French conservatoires
- Coaching for musical theatre auditions
- Development of projects combining voice and writing
- Support for young singers and musicians in artistic development
These areas are approached with the same attention to musicality and individual development, adapting the work to the needs and level of each student.
Contact
For enquiries regarding individual coaching, institutional masterclasses, or artistic-pedagogical collaborations, please get in touch via the contact form below.