Founded by singer and vocal coach Le Nhu Ngoc Mai, the name 'Sing with Mai' is no longer unfamiliar to those who enjoy singing. Sing with Mai not only attracts students with its new and profound vocal teaching method, but it also lays the groundwork for a loving 'Yen Ca' community.
When the term "vocal" is mentioned, most amateur singers immediately think of techniques for singing, which Sing with Mai does not provide. Ngoc Mai has created a completely different picture of vocal training in the contemporary music period by assuming that all techniques are rooted in emotions.
Studying with our own emotions
Ngoc Mai, a vocal lecturer at the Ho Chi Minh City Conservatory of Music, decided to follow her heart and find a place to nourish her soul. She believes that art stems from the most genuine human emotions, and that only heartfelt messages can reach out to other hearts. To sing well, people must first understand what they have, where they are, and what they most need.
The first Sing with Mai class, titled 'Discovering vocal potential,' was held on March 1, 2021. Since then, Sing with Mai has opened three more classes within a month, primarily for students aged 18 and up. It wasn't until the pandemic that Sing with Mai began to broaden the age range of online students. As a result, teacher Ngoc Mai only accepts tutoring for students under the age of 18 whose organs have not fully developed.
Age is the only criteria that Sing with Mai uses for recruiting students, since teacher Ngoc Mai will apply a different approach for each student. Many people do not believe that there will be tears and laughter after every singing lesson, but this is completely normal when studying with Ngoc Mai. More than a lecturer, Mrs. Ngoc Mai describes herself as a person who inspires others through art.
Ngoc Mai's method for teaching singing focuses on developing emotional intelligence. "We can only theoretically learn the concept of emotional intelligence because it is something we have to gain through personal experiences", Ngoc Mai was quoted as saying. That is why, in addition to the eight official sessions, teacher Ngoc Mai usually spends 1-2 sessions to confide in and better understand each of her students.
Mr. Phan Le Hoang Phu (26 years old, Ho Chi Minh City), a student of An class, stated, "I signed up for Sing with Mai to improve my poor singing skills, but now my soul has been restored". He shared his experiences, saying that he enjoys singing but is constantly rejected for his singing voice. That's why he came to Sing with Mai, hoping to improve his vocals. However, when he began taking singing lessons, he realized that he had received something far more valuable than some "out of reach" techniques. He gained a better understanding of the worth of the soul and found the right path for himself.
Singing to heal the entire community
Singing with Mai only has two classes with two levels, so in order for students to continue participating in weekly activities, Mrs. Ngoc Mai founded the Yen Ca – sing for the clarity of mind. Yen Ca community has over 260 members after more than 8 months of operation. The first impression of "Yen Ca" is of people who are emotional, happy, and always strive for positive life values. Yen Ca has reaped great spiritual merits by accompanying many programs and charity funds completely free of charge.
In addition to classes for students of all ages, Sing with Mai offers a very special class: a singing class for cancer patients. “Not only do we sing well and properly, but we also sing to help people relieve stress and open their hearts to life”. Every Saturday morning, a class of 34 cancer patients will gather to sing and share life stories in order to encourage one another to overcome obstacles. This membership is still gradually growing, as is the gratitude of those who have bravely overcome the disease.
"We don't learn to sing for a better or happier voice; we don't sing just for ourselves", Ngoc Mai asserted. Ngoc Mai hopes that Yen Ca can be a common home for good souls to develop together because human personality is always built up from various external factors. For Ngoc Mai, "Yen Ca is completely dedicated to the community".
Ms. Tran Hoang Anh Thy (24 years old, HCMC) said that after more than two months of accompanying Yen Ca, she realized that, despite her young age, her cognition was too negative. "I understand that even though I am not perfect and my soul is still panicking in the face of everything, there are still people like Mrs. Ngoc Mai and the community who are willing to listen and share with me".
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Yen Ca also gave away what they had. As a result, the community of Yen Ca and Mrs. Ngoc Mai has deducted a portion of the community fund and the student's tuition money to purchase food for charity kitchens.
After the epidemic is over, lecturer Ngoc Mai will open classes in order to share and inspire those who truly want to learn and cultivate their mind and soul. Ngoc Mai believes "There is nothing better than helping people prepare for adversity because each of us only needs to train ourselves, society will change".
Singer and vocal coach Le Nhu Ngoc Mai, founder of the Yen Ca community, and Sing with Mai, ambassador of the foundation Cung em det uoc mo. She previously worked as a lecturer at the Vocal Department of the Ho Chi Minh City Conservatory of Music, as the Head of the Choir of the Bong Sen Music and Dance Theater, and as a member of the Mat troi moi Singing Group. She won third place in the National Opera and Chamber Singing Competition in 2009, a Silver Medal in the National Music and Dance Festival in 2009 and 2015, a Gold Medal in Tieng hat duong 9 xanh in 2010, and numerous other awards.
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