From Vocal Physiology to the Broadway Stage: Visit by Professor Dr San-ky Kim to Vilniaus Kolegija
From 5 to 9 October 2026, Professor Dr San-ky Kim (USA) visited the Department of Performing Arts at the Faculty of Arts and Design of Vilniaus Kolegija / Higher Education Institution. The intensive five-day programme of lectures and practical sessions gave students and lecturers of the Musical Theatre study programme an opportunity to gain deeper insight into American musical theatre training traditions, the professor’s teaching methods, and his approach to contemporary performer training. The visit was organised at the initiative of Associate Professor Eglė Juozapaitienė, Chair of the Musical Theatre Study Programme Committee.
How do music and words help tell a story? What can modern technologies reveal about the human voice? How can a convincing character be created through singing? These and many other questions were explored during the professor’s lectures, which consistently combined theoretical knowledge with practical exercises. The programme covered a wide range of areas essential to musical theatre performers, from vocal physiology, breathing, and vocal technique to musical score analysis, stage interpretation, character development, and movement. Students were introduced to digital voice analysis tools and their potential applications and explored the relationship between music and dramaturgy.
The practical sessions were particularly valuable, giving students the opportunity not only to hear the professor’s insights but also to put them into practice. Individual sessions focused on musical interpretation, vocal expression, and the performer’s ability to convey a character’s emotional world. Topics related to future professional careers were equally engaging, including audition preparation, self-presentation, Broadway musical theatre traditions, and emerging directions in this performing art. The professor encouraged students to view musical theatre not merely as a combination of singing, acting, and movement, but as an ever-evolving art form in which each performer’s individuality plays an important role.
The visit was also valuable for lecturers of the Musical Theatre study programme. They had the opportunity to attend the lectures, observe the professor’s teaching methods, gain insight into his pedagogical approach, and draw inspiration for their own teaching practice. Professional exchanges of this kind encourage the sharing of experience, reflection on established teaching methods, and the exploration of new creative possibilities.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Professor Dr San-ky Kim for his professionalism, openness, attentiveness to students, and willingness to share his knowledge and experience. Opportunities to learn from artists and educators from other countries are invaluable: they broaden professional horizons, inspire creative exploration, and strengthen the international connections of the Musical Theatre study programme.
Photos by Emilija Jaksibogaitė and Livija Janulionytė
