There Are Rainbows in Spooky Places!
an article by Beverly Patton
When Carol Westcott joked that she was a "recovering opera singer" when introducing herself at the BEL CANTO CAN BELTO workshop she explained that as her professional career in opera was phasing out, her private voice studio in Baltimore was growing and demanding more emphasis on musical theatre singing. She was at a loss and needed more "hands on" information on Belting, repertoire, auditioning: "The Works". She came to the three day intensive held at PennState on August 17-19 and wasn't disappointed. After experiencing speech-based singing, the key for musical theatre vocal sounds which was completely foreign to her, she happily exclaimed to the other workshop participants, "There are rainbows in spooky places!"
Dr. Barbara Korner, Dean of Arts and Architecture, welcomed the participants with a recollection on her own singing training:
"Growing up in Kansas City, I had the great opportunity in high school to study with a voice teacher at the University of Missouri, Kansas City conservatory who understood that classical and musical theatre did not mean "either/or." So often the two fields are at odds from a pedagogical standpoint. ItŐs refreshing to work with voice and theatre faculty who help train teachers and students in the "both/and" approach. Faculty at PennState teach students that through proper training of vocal technique, you can belt on Broadway as well as sing an aria."
Twenty nine university, high school and private voice studio teachers from all over the country assembled in the Citizens Bank Theatre on Allen Street to study with Mary Saunders, Beverly Patton, Raymond Sage and Norman Spivey. They listened and compared recordings for unique singingl sounds, learned new pedagogical (aka teaching) language, refreshed their old vocal skills and learned new ones. Participants included voice teachers from the University of California San Diego, University of Florida, University of the Arts, University ofSouth Dakota plus noted speech therapists from Harbor-UCLA Medical Ctr, Torrance, Ca and the University of Pittsburgh Department of Otolaryngology. Other private voice teachers came from Connecticut, Kentucky, Indiana, New York, and Pennsylvania, Virginia and New Jersey.
Beverly Patton served as accompanist and teacher and gave a session on Repertoire. Raymond Sage addressed Men's Voices and Mary Saunders taught the session on Women's Voices. Norman Spivey opened the workshop with "It Sounds to Me Like..." . In the time called, "Sing Out" all of the conference participants who volunteered received individual vocal instruction.
In addition to the day long teaching session registrants enjoyed a banquet at the Nittany Lion Inn. seniors Jamila Sabares-Klemm and Mike Schultz plus sophomores Alison Morooney and Paul Jordon Jansen joined the faculty in a Vocal Dessert cabaret at the end of the meal. The next day all four students helped the faculty to demonstrate vocal sounds for the workshop. "Those people were so brave", said Jamila. "It was clear that they were really comfortable in their classical voices but musical theatre technique for most of them was all new. I loved seeing them succeed. I really enjoyed participating in this event".
Joanna Pickett, choral music teacher at The Friends Seminary in Manhattan said who frequently directs musicals said, "The environment was very nurturing. Everyone who tried to Belt for the first time felt nervous. We were trying this in front our peers! But all of the faculty were so patient and encouraging. Plus, they really know how to teach, choosing the right words and examples for each individual person. It was great to see everyone succeed in this new singing technique in their very own way".
A FACEBOOK status quote from LA speech therapist Patti Gomeztreijo summed up her experience:
"Just came back from a fabulous conference at PennState on Belt singing..an amazing faculty, vocal gods and goddesses..they know what they do and they do it well. Highly recommend Mary Saunders Beverly Patton, Raymond Sage, Norman Spivey for your musical theatre needs. Incredible faculty. check out www.belcantocanbelto.com Thanks for sharing your knowledge with me."
Plans are under way for next years BEL CANTO CAN BELTO: Teaching Musical Theatre Singing. Please tell your friends. Or, better yet, come and join us!