Robert Sawilla
German Diction
Robert Sawilla is a singer, vocal coach, speech, voice and breath therapist and yoga teacher who has been helping singers with their vocal problems and disorders for over 25 years. Two years ago he also began offering an online course with a cleverly constructed didactic approach in order to accompany singers facing a career crisis.
At the age of 18, Robert Sawilla received his first speech training for stage language in German, led by Professor Herta Korcak at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz. He completed his studies in voice at Johann-Josef-Fux des Landes Steiermark in Graz with Professor Gerhard Schmaranz. Donald Books and Beata Formanek accompanied Robert Sawilla at his recitals with works from Schubert, Schumann, Mozart, Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, Brahms, Beethoven as well as pieces by Professor Franz Zebinger.
The Graz-born Tenor was regularly invited by cathedral music director Josef Döller to sing Masses by Haydn, Mozart, Schumann and Schubert. One example, among others, was his solo part in Misa Criolla by Ariel Ramirez which took place as a part of the World Youth Day. As a member of the Graz Operetta Ensemble, Robert Sawilla toured eastern Austria and sang in the Finkenstein Castle Arena, among other venues.
A special highlight of his singing career was the performance in front of Pope Benedict XVI with Claudio Monteverdi´s Ave Marie Stella in the Maria Zell Basilica in 2007. Musical productions at the Graz Opera under Heimo Smola and Albert Seidl round off his ensemble and solo appearances.
As a chorister Robert has sung in various productions under conductors such as Roy Goodman, Andres Orozco-Estrada, Andreas Stöhr and Patrik Hahn.
Currently, Robert sings in the additional choir of the Graz Opera (Extra Choir) under the conductor Ronald Kluttig and will be part of the Graz Opera choir in the international opera production of Carmen with Elina Garanca in the summer of 2023.
His experience in singing is complemented by training as a functional vocal coach with Michael Heptner. He has worked as a speech, voice and breath therapist for the Vienna Boys‘ Choir and is a lecturer at the Konservatorium Steiermark, as well as at the Kunstuniversität in Graz. He deepened his knowledge of the German language and linguistics at the Akademie für den phonologisch-audiologisch-logopädischen Dienst. So far, more than 2,500 singers and speakers have been accompanied and treated by Robert Sawilla as a vocal coach and speech therapist in his institute in Graz, regardless of vocal style and level.
Robert´s trademark is the guitar, with which he prefers to lead and accompany exercises for his students. Robert Sawilla, born in Graz, lives and works in his hometown with incredible pleasure and love for the city – and often sits in one of the nice coffee houses in the old town.