Browsing Archive: October, 2013

The Choral Director and The Singing Teacher Can Be Friends

Posted by Patricia Callaway on Tuesday, October 29, 2013, In : Learning to Sing 
(Sung to the tune of "The Farmer and the Cowman Should Be Friends")

Well, I've been to Heaven.  I sat through a session this morning by Dr. Alan Zabriskie of The University of Central Missouri and then went straight to the Pepper booth in the exhibit hall to buy his book.  It's called Foundations of Choral Tone:  A Proactive and Healthy Approach to Vocal Technique and Choral Blend".  Dr. Z's bright idea is that rather than basing his choir's sound on the least skilled members' abilities, perha...
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NAfME National Convention in Nashville

Posted by Patricia Callaway on Tuesday, October 29, 2013, In : Warm Up 
So why am I in Nashville again?  I came up to experience the national convention of the National Association for Music Education (formerly MENC).  When my daughter and I get to go to the Georgia version, held every year in Savannah in January, we always have more sessions that we want to do than we can stuff into the available hours.  The choices are fewer here, at least for me, but they are good ones, and the shopping in the exhibit hall is good, too. 

Monday I went to an excellent session o...
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The Grand Ol' Opry

Posted by Patricia Callaway on Tuesday, October 29, 2013, In : Contemporary Singing Styles 
The last time I was in Nashville, I got to hear Earl Scruggs at the Ryman Auditorium, longtime home of the Opry, and it was terrific.  The Ryman reminds me of Pearce Auditorium on the Brenau campus; both are 100+ years old and have their issues.  So this time I thought I'd hike over to the new Opry House and see what's new.

It's a lovely theater with all the bells and whistles, and I'm sure that all the folks who deal with the realities of performing love it.  The young performers that I heard...
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Tosca and Urinetown in the Same Week

Posted by Patricia Callaway on Sunday, October 20, 2013, In : Hearing Music 
    It really sounds like from the sublime to the ridiculous, doesn’t it? Actually it was two interesting and engaging works each beautifully performed. The Atlanta Opera has really taken a step forward with their recent Tosca. It was beautifully directed by their new general manager Tomer Zvulun, who had directed some of their most visually interesting past shows, and who did not feel called upon to make a 10-minute curtain speech beforehand.

   
The voices were wonderful. Soprano Kara Shay...
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