On April 28th – 30th, 2026, lecturers of the Musical Theatre study programme from the Faculty of Arts and Design, Assoc. Prof. Dalia Babilaitė-Abarė and Assoc. Prof. Povilas Butkus, shared their pedagogical experience with acting students at the ERAM University School of the Arts (Escola Universitària de les Arts ERAM) of the University of Girona, in Catalonia, Spain. The lecturers visited this higher education institution in 2023 as part of a staff mobility for training, during which cooperation between Vilniaus Kolegija / Higher Education Institution and the University of Girona was established. As before, they were warmly welcomed and pleasantly impressed by the future actors, who are still gaining their creative experience at university but already demonstrate strong motivation and a desire to improve.
Assoc. Prof. Dalia Babilaitė-Abarė, a lecturer in Solo Singing, drawing on her extensive teaching experience and her original vocal pedagogy methodology, having trained a number of well-known performers and supported music school teachers across Lithuania in their professional work, presented the topics “Breathing and Vocal Methodology – A Healthy, Naturally-Sounding Voice” and “Singing and Speech Skills in the Work of a Musical Theatre Actor”. Through practical exercises assigned by the lecturer, students developed a natural yet well-projected voice not only in singing but also in intense speech, using different emotions and characters. The lecturer was pleased with the participants’ enthusiasm and engagement in the active learning process, while the future actors were excited about the results achieved.
Assoc. Prof. Povilas Butkus, a lecturer in Musical Ensemble Singing and Stage Practice, presented ideas accumulated through his extensive practical experience, which contribute to excellent results when working both with professional performers and with students of Vilniaus Kolegija/ Higher Education Institution. The lecturer provided practical tasks while analysing the topics “Breathing and Phrasing in Ensemble Singing” and “Coordination of Body and Voice: Combining Singing and Movement on Stage”. The unique methodology of teaching these topics, integrating principles of breathing, singing, and stage movement simultaneously, posed a considerable challenge for the future actors; however, they enthusiastically carried out the practical tasks, which they will be able to apply consistently in their future professional activities.
The lecturers of the Department of Performing Arts of Vilniaus Kolegija/ Higher Education Institution were pleased that their international colleague, a well-known Catalan singer and lecturer in Singing and Stage Interpretation of ERAM, Assoc. Prof. Nuria Garcia Duran, not only closely observed the intensive masterclasses but also actively and enthusiastically participated in the process, noting that she would certainly apply the acquired knowledge in her own teaching practice. During the visit, future cooperation opportunities were also discussed with Assoc. Prof. Nuria Garcia Duran, the students, and the ERAM’s Erasmus+ coordinator Anna Soler, with the aim of strengthening the involvement of both institutions in the Erasmus+ exchange programme.
