Sun Y. Vocal improvisation in pop-music of the second half of the ХХ century

The study is devoted to the problem of vocal improvisation in pop music of the second half of the ХХ century. The vocal improvisation in pop music is characterized as an artistic problem. The theoretical aspects of vocal improvisation are outlined, the content of the basic concepts of the study is organized and revealed, and the author’s own features of vocal improvisation are presented. The historiographical basis of the dissertation is organized by chronological and problematic criteria. The article presents the historical development of vocal improvisation, the formation of which took place in pop music of the second half of the ХХ century. The stages of formation of pop music, in the context of which vocal improvisation developed, are highlighted: 1) nascent (1950) – the emergence of rock and roll, the creation of American rock bands; 2) countercultural (1960) – the emergence of British rock bands, motown and soul styles; 3) rise (1970) – the emergence of disco, glam rock; 4) innovative and progressive (1980) – the emergence of synthesizers, as well as the fusion of elements of pop, rock, electronic music; 5) alternative (1990) – the synthesis of pop music and rhythm and blues. The techniques and elements of vocal improvisation are considered. The features of vocal improvisation in American pop music of the second half of the XX century are analyzed. The specifics of vocal improvisation in the pop music of Great Britain in the second half of the XX century, where rock became the leading genre of popular music of the studied period, are revealed. The vocal improvisation in Ukrainian and Chinese pop music of the second half of the ХХ century is characterized. The peculiarities of the development of pop music and vocal improvisation in Ukraine and China are determined, the themes of the texts are clarified. Outstanding Chinese vocalists of the second half of the twentieth century (Teresa Teng, Fei Wong, Alan Tam, Cui Jian) are singled out.