Voice
OVERVIEW
The Voice is an instrument that everyone is born with, but few learn to use their voice to it's maximum potential. Everyone has the ability to sing. Those who say they “can't sing” are usually just shy and/or have no idea how to use technique to improve their voice. Learning to sing well requires intense focus and understanding of one's body as well as a healthy understanding of music theory and harmony.
VOCAL HISTORY
Along with percussion, the human voice is the oldest known instrument. As long as humans have made noise with their vocal chords they have been “vocalists”. It is also a form of music that animals participate in. Many different animals and birds are able to “sing” and vocalize in a musical way. Humans starting becoming much more systematic in their approach to singing around the 13th century when they defined the “chest” and “head” voices and began using the voice like a classical instrument.
WHEN TO START
Obviously, young children sing all of the time. There are many skills required of a vocalist like good rhythm, counting and conducting that can be taught at a very early age. To make sure that pitches are correct in practice it is also typical to use a keyboard, and light note reading is something every vocalist needs to know. So it's never too early to start and vocals are a great way to ease a young child into the world of music.
VOCAL INSTRUMENTS
Everyone's got one!
VOCALISTS
Inspiration for singing can be found everywhere in music. There are pop vocalists like Beyonce, Madonna, and Michael Buble, opera singers like Birgit Nilsson and Luciano Pavarotti, rappers like Jay-Z and Eminem, and hard-rockers like Mick Jagger and Steven Tyler.
ADVANCED TECHNIQUES
For those who already sing and would like to try a different style there's chorale and choir singing, solo singing, back-up vocals, opera, theater, improvisation, barbershop, rap, etc...
Alexandra Schiano
Ms.
Claire Connelly
Claire Connelly (soprano) has been repeatedly praised in the Cleveland Plain Dealer for having “dulcet tones,” singing with “bright assurance,” and being “a fine soprano with a vivacious presence.” She is comfortable on stage performing both musical theatre repertoire as well as opera. She has performed with regional companies in Oklahoma such as Cimmarron Circuit Opera Company and Light Opera Oklahoma and in Ohio at the Fairmount Center of the Arts, Garfield Heights Theater, and with Apollo’s Fire.
Damien Price
Damien has been playing drums and bass guitar in NE Ohio since the mid 1980s. Studying Jazz at Berklee College of Music in Boston opened his mind to musicianship beyond the instrument you are playing at any given moment. "There are usually several other musicians on stage and an audience that are depending on you to be musically interesting but also blend and play together as a group. The drums and the bass work together to establish the groove. When the band hits the groove just right it doesn't much matter what style you're playing. Everyone will be having a good time!"
Amy Davis
Amelia Davis is a native of Wilmington, NC. She has sung in a variety of styles and venues which range from opera and musical theatre to performing on cruise ships. Praised for her "expressive and captivating" delivery (Encore Magazine review of her performance as Julie Jordan in Carousel), Amelia was a recipient of the Finalist Honorarium and Encouragement Awards from Palm Beach Opera's Vocal Competition at just twenty years old.
