Recital Hour Sep 16, 2021
Taylor Wolf- “Someone Like You” - Jekyll and Hyde
I noticed the first few lower notes were on the breathy side, but it seemed to be a stylistic choice because that didn’t continue into the rest of the song. It could have also been because these notes were on the low side. Maybe they could have been more spoken? Once she worked a little higher the song was sitting very comfortably in her voice. There was a great sense of power without feeling pushed on the money notes of the chorus, especially after the key change. The high “And I feel so alive” was very free and effortless.
Faith Beasterfeld- “As Time Goes By” Herman Hupfield”
I love how her comfort and confidence bloomed once she started singing. The sound felt like it was sitting in a comfortable, resonant place. I wish in a few places it would have come out to the audience slightly more, because I felt like that was occasionally lost.
Tim Stewart- “Confrontation” Jekyll and Hyde
This was a different vocal style than I had ever heard from Tim, which seemed to fit the character of the song. I love the gravelly rasp, and I would be curious to know how that feels on his voice. I don’t know how to make that sound in a healthy way. I loved how he was able to so easily transition into pure open sounds to contrast the two characters. I think the changes in physicality to contrast the two characters were impressive. I would have loved for them to be even more dramatic.
Maribelle Taylor- “When I Look at You” Scarlet Pimpernel
Today is a Frank Wildhorn day. Immediately I noticed the rich colors in her voice because of the natural lifted space. She was able to navigate leaps in such an effortless way. She also never seemed like she was thinking about singing. It came naturally and second nature to the acting. I really enjoyed just sitting in this one.
Kennan Thompson- “Fezir d”amore” Giovanni Martini
HIs sound has opened up so much, and it has a richer resonance than I have previously heard. I can hear a lot of the same vocally I have struggled with in my own lessons. How do we find a natural authentic starting place for the sound? Is it a matter of thinking too much about breath instead of letting it come naturally? I love hearing him sing in this lower register because I have only really ever heard the higher rep. There was a great sense of character in this one.
Lawrence Laureano- “Losing My Mind” Stephen Sondheim
He has a very wonderful light vibrato. He is able to access the lighter end of his voice in a very effortless way. It always is light and never forced. My natural inclination would be to perform this with a slightly darker color, but I love that he did this in a way that highlighted his strengths and leaned closer to a contemporary sound as opposed to traditional musical theatre. I would be curious to see what it sounds like to ever have more of a chest sound on “you said you love me” even if it is just for one repetition.
Collin Crook- Melio? Michael Head
He has a great color in his voice. It is deep and rich. What would happen if there was more movement in the airstream so that more vibrato came in? I also think that would help the sound carry more so that we could hear better over the piano. Exaggerated diction could help with this as well.
Julia Crowther- “A Little Broken” Original
Sung with tenor ukulele. She has more of a pop sound. I love how she is so connected to such a vulnerable song. The sound is a little pressed in the upper ranges, but it doesn’t always sit in that place. It seems like those choices could be very stylistic as well. There is one chord that she uses to end the chorus and move into the postchorus. It’s not what I expect but it’s delightful.
Riah Becker- “My Favorite Things” Sound of Music
They were so connected emotionally that I really just had fun the whole time.
Kristina Carter- “How About a Dance” Bonnie and Clyde
I notice the same tendencies that I have as do many of Laurie’s other students. She seems to be finding a nice resonating place, but the sound seems overpressurized. I think if there was a little less thought on breath and that slightly more natural breathing, the sound would amplify in its pierce factor even another notch.
Madelyn Hamilton- “Lover Come Back to Me” New, New Moon
Her mixed voice sound was delightful. There is a nice consistency and flutter in her voice. I would love to see that even slightly more amplified if there were fewer nerves. At times the sound got a little closed off, but even thinking of opening the mouth would help give it that boost of space.
Meghan Hatfield- “More Than You Know” Rick Walters
She has a rich, sultry sound. I love how she was able to carry through consistently each of the phrases. The sound was nice and resonant, and at times leaned into a bit of nazality. This made it harder to access the richness when it fell into this pocket. This happened more as she was singing higher, and seemed to go away some when she was in her lower register. There were some ver
Kaylee Borchert- “Das…
The sound was so small, but stunning. Her acting and focus were top notch. I would have loved a slightly greater sense of the sound carrying consistently throughout the phrases. Even so, the notes were effortless and deliberate. She has two distinct colors when she sings high versus when she sings low which is interesting to me. The high sound is so pure and piercing. She has such incredible control in those moments.
Mary Barlow- “Quiet” Jonathan Reid Gealt
I love love this song! This is a contemporary musical theatre song I didn’t know. She navigates the riffs here flawlessly. Her voice is focused and effertless in a nice mixed sound that is rich, consistent, and effortless. I would have loved if her body believed it as much as her voice did because her physicality appeared nervous.
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