Chapter Events

WINTER2017/2018 www.natscascade.org Issue 23

President’s Notes:

Cont. page 3

Dear Members,

Holy moly, it’s December! I hope that you are weathering the sprint to winter break with charm and enthusiasm, or at least that you’re armed with good coffee and a holiday cookie or two.

We’ve been a busy chapter this fall! It was a pleasure to see many of you at the Music Sale and Party, the NW Regional Conference, and the recent Music Theater Student Auditions. Many thanks are in order for these events:

First, thank you to Pamela South and Sue McBerry for organizing and hosting the Music Sale and Party as well as the following sale at the MT Student Auditions, to Myra Brand and Judith Montgomery for generously donating their libraries to the chapter, and to Bonnie Johnson for transporting music and handling all the financial logistics. The chapter raised a total of $1,660, which will go into the board’s discretionary fund to be used for future chapter programs, etc.

Second, thank you to the Regional Conference staff Nancy Bos, Marieke Schuurs, Leischen Moore, and Yanik Giroux for helping to organize a very successful NW Regional conference! I attended several excellent presentations, strengthened connections with colleagues, and forged new connections with folks as high in the NATS food chain at National President Elect Karen Brunssen. Special thanks to volunteers from our chapter - Sue McBerry, Joannah Ball, Jill Soltero and Beverly Park - for their extra time and effort.

Third, a huge thank-you to Auditions co-chairs Beverly Park, Amy Hansen, and Jennifer Davies as well as site host Jill Soltero for a successful Musical Theatre Student Auditions Festival at Marylhurst University. We heard 181 singers and over 2000 minutes of music! The Honor’s recital was a beautiful representation of excellent teaching, collaboration between singers and pianists, and audience enthusiasm. Congratulations to Ryan Manhard, the 2017 recipient of the Brian Vester Swingle Scholarship Award for Music Theatre Performance.

I’m looking forward to connecting with many of you again at our Classical Student Auditions, held at the University of Portland on January 27th and 28th. Please note two significant changes to this festival, made after discussion at our November chapter meeting:

The chapter meeting will be scheduled over lunch on Saturday, from noon-

Cascade Classical

Student Auditions & Festival

Registration Deadline

Friday, January 5, 2018

Audition Date: January 27, 2018

Chapter Meeting January 27

Honors Recital January 28

Spring Workshop

April 28

Deadline for Student Auditions Video Submission is March 10th, 2018

Events

Regional

2018 NATS Winter Workshop- New York, January 5 - 7, 2018

NATS 55th National Conference - Las Vegas, Nevada June 22 - 26, 2018

The Art of Effective Practicing: an Alexander Technique Workshop Sunday, January 21, 2:30 -5 pm. Oregon State University, Corvallis, Benton Hall, Room 204 Presenter: Marieke Schuurs Students and NATS members free! (General Admission: $5 at the door)Sponsored by Willamette Chapter of NATS

National

WINTER 2017/2018 www.natscascade.org Issue 23

1. Where did you grow up, how did you get interested in music, and what college(s) did you attend for your music degrees? I grew up in Salem, OR. My parents were/are both musical (mom played oboe, clarinet, piano and sang; dad played guitar, piano and sang). I grew up listening to all kinds of music. I started piano lessons at age 6, then got interested in singing in middle school and joined choir and jazz choir. I continued to sing throughout high school, college and beyond. I attended the University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA where I received my BA in Music. I attended Portland State University briefly and took some post baccalaureate classes and lessons. I went on to receive my Master’s of Music in Voice and my Doctorate of Music in Voice from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM).

2. Where do you teach and what is your favorite thing about teaching voice? I currently teach at Resound NW: A Place to Sing in Portland, OR. I’m also looking to establish a studio in Salem, OR. There are so many aspects about teaching voice that I enjoy that it is hard to pick just one! I love encouraging and supporting my students while helping them navigate the process of learning to sing. I love being able to help my students create music in whatever capacity it means for them and to help them find a creative outlet in this crazy world.

3. What are your professional affiliations and what is your experience with NATS? (competitions, conferences, volunteering) My experience with NATS began in high school and college when I competed in several NATS competitions. I have enjoyed adjudicating at NATS festivals as well, most recently for the Musical Theatre auditions at Marylhurst University.

4. What repertoire do you like to sing the most? Who are your favorite singers? I enjoy singing opera and art songs, particularly in the German repertoire. Most of the recitals I presented during my DMA were focused on the pre-and post WWII works by German composers, including Hanns Eisler, Viktor Ullmann, Arnold Schönberg, and Paul Hindemith. I also love to sing opera arias and art songs by Richard Strauss. I love to sing musical theatre songs (mostly crossover repertoire) and I like to dabble in singing jazz standards and some popular music too. I’m currently working on starting a band duo with my dad! Some of my favorite singers include Diana Damrau, Ruth Ann Swenson, Anna Netrebko, Mirella Freni, Juan Diego Flores, Cecilia Bartolli, Kelli O’Hara, Julie Andrews, Dmitri Hvorostovsky and Pavarotti to name a few…

5. What is one of your most memorable performing experiences? (If you can name just one!) One of my most memorable performing experiences was while I was singing the role of Dorine in Mechem’s Tartuffe at Portland State. The stage director had me take a bite of an apple (a real one) during a scene. During one show, I took too large of a bite and I almost choked on said apple. Thankfully, I was able to keep swallowing and finish the bite before my next line…rookie mistake…

6. What are your favorite websites, mobile tools? I use musicnotes.com and Scribd quite a bit to get sheet music for my

New Member Profile-Claire Hudkins

students. I also use imslp.org and IPAsource.com. I use a keyboard app on my phone when I am practicing or warming up without a piano. (I encourage my students to do the same when there are no practice rooms to be found!) I also use YouTube, Spotify and Apple Music/iTunes to access examples of songs that I’m teaching and/or learning.

7. What are you listening to these days? Any recommendations? Currently, my playlists include songs by a variety of artists including The Avett Brothers, Bruce Springsteen, Linda Ronstadt, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Emmy Lou Harris, Coldplay, Mumford and Sons, Joni Mitchell, Ryan Adams, Walk the Moon, Beverly Sills, Regina Spektor, The Shins, Counting Crows, Imagine Dragons, The Killers, Portugal.The Man…the list goes on…

8. Who or what inspires you? I seek to find inspiration everywhere. Art in all its forms and mediums is inspiring to me. Music history is inspiring; I love to know the story behind things. People are inspiring; particularly those who are truly uninhibited and are true to themselves and their craft.

9. What are you currently reading and do you have any recommendations for our membership? I’m usually reading multiple books (mostly novels) simultaneously. I just finished The Wind is Not a River by Brian Payton. It is a wonderful story about an overlooked part of WWII history and has great writing! I am currently reading Mozart in the Jungle: Sex, Drugs and Classical Music by Blair Tindall because I got hooked on the Amazon Prime series of the same name. At first, I was not super impressed with the book but now that I’m further into it I like it more. It definitely shines an interesting light on the classical music scene and how arts organizations like the New York Philharmonic got their start. I also enjoy reading my NATS Journal of Singing. Seriously! There are all kinds of great tidbits in there! I often use it for reference and I think it is a great resource for teachers (and students) of singing. Thank you, NATS!

10. Do you have any recent performances and/or upcoming performances? For the last two years I’ve had the pleasure to be the soprano soloist for Handel’s Messiah with the Erie Philharmonic Orchestra in Erie, PA. I’ve been back in Oregon about two months, so I’m still working on some upcoming performances. However, I did perform at the Resound NW Fall Open House and will perform at the upcoming Resound NW Holiday Sing-a-long Spectacular in December! I’m looking forward to more performance opportunities in the Northwest! Stay tuned!

WINTER 2017/2018 www.natscascade.org Issue 23

President’s Notes cont.

November Student Auditions Results

First Place Anna Bakun Lower HS MT Women Room 1 Lana Sage Lower HS MT Women Room 2 Macey Trussell Upper HS MT Women Room 1 Emma Ditmore Upper HS MT Women Room 2 Matthew Doyle Lower HS MT Men Ryan Manhard Upper HS MT Men Sunday Manisto-Saari Lower College MT Women Dylan Lewis Lower College MT Men Avalon Bloodgood Upper College MT Women Alex Weingarten Upper College MT Men Cristina Kennington Adult MT Women Joel Thoreson Adult MT Men

Ryan Manhard, the 2017 recipient of the Brian Vester Swingle Scholarship Award for Music Theatre Performance.

Second Place- Christopher Cheek, Miya Corpstein, Paul Danowski, Jeremiah Dockweiler, Lindsey Donohue, Evan Llafet, Kristen Luna, Sam Majors, Melory Mirashrafi, Max Morter, Sam Shown, Aubrey Slaughter, Alice Somerville, Heather Williams

Third Place- Olivia Alfson, Sydney Allen, Hallie August, Jared Bower, Danielle Devall, Christian Doyle, Polly Doyle, Hannah Hurley, Kaydn Mertz, Phoebe Jacobs, Noël Oishi, Mason Siebers, Studios represented in these Cascade MT Fall 2017 honors: David Aakre, Lisa Actor-Leslie, Angelina Annello-Dennee, Linda Appert, Anton Belov, Amy Hansen, Jamie Jacobson, Kay Joham, Nicole Leupp Hanig, Mitchell Hutchings, Nick Larson, Sarah Maines, Karen Mallory, Erin McCarthy,

1:30 pm. This is an effort to increase attendance and reach a voting quorum. Please plan to attend this meeting: we need your vote!

First, second, and third place winners in each category will be invited to sing on the 3 pm Sunday Honor’s Recital. Only first place winners will receive checks. This is an effort to reward and increase opportunities for our highest scoring singers, whose scores are often separated by only a point or two.

Please also plan to attend and/or encourage your students to attend the workshops held at the Classical Student Auditions. I will be teaching a workshop on The Effect of Substances on the Voice, and Jill Soltero and the Programs committee are hard at work securing additional presenters. These are excellent, free opportunities for students, parents, and members.

Watch for more details about our spring program (date TBA), which will be a double-bill held at Willamette University. The purpose of our spring program is to provide continuing education for our members. Andrew Hann will teach a workshop on Early Music Ornamentation, and we will hold a book discussion, hopefully with live Skyped participation from the book’s author. Karen Brunssen’s book has been suggested, but if you have a specific book suggestions, please send your request to Jill Soltero at jillsoltero@gmail.com.

Finally, please plan to take advantage of discounted tickets offered to NATS members and students by Friends of Chamber Music to the Lawrence Brownlee recital, held on April 4th at 7:30 pm at PSU’s Lincoln Performance Hall. FOCM representatives will be selling tickets at the Classical Festival in January. Furthermore, I am delighted to announce that Friends of Chamber Music is once again inviting the NATS student who wins the Bel Canto Art Song Award for Vocal Excellence to participate in a masterclass with Lawrence Brownlee.

Friends, you inspire me with your love of our craft, your dedication to your students, and your open hearts. Let’s keep talking and listening to one another. I look forward to connecting with you very soon!

Best,

Sarah

Lawrence Brownlee Wednesday, April 4, 2018 • 7:30 pm Lincoln Performance Hall

One of the most in-demand singers, American-born Lawrence Brownlee captivates audiences and critics around the world. His voice, praised by NPR as “an instrument of great beauty and expression,” has brought him to the top of vocal world, ushering in “a new golden age in high male voices.” (The New York Times).

NATS members discount code NATS2018B to get the $29 (+ handling fee) ticket price in sections A and B only,

limit 2 per person.

Reminder—

Your National and Chapter dues must be

current in order to register student in the

Student Auditions

WINTER 2017/2018 www.natscascade.org Issue 23

Student Auditions Classical Festival

Student Auditions Structure At-a-Glance

REGISTER: Teachers complete registration online at www.nats.org FEES: Students pay their teachers $25; Teachers make online payment as part of registration. SCHEDULE: The audition schedule will be emailed to participants and posted on www.nats.org approximately 7-10 days after online registration closes. No changes, no refunds. AUDITION: RESULTS: First, second, and third place winners in each room will be posted by the registration table as results become available throughout the course of auditions. TIES: In the event of a tie for first place, both singers must be available to sing or forfeit their first place standing. HONORS: Top three singers in each room invited to perform at the Sunday afternoon Honors Recital. Only students re-ceiving a score of 90 or above are eligible to perform. PRIZES: First place singers of each room receive a monetary gift. One outstanding singer in the Honors Recital will be chosen to receive the Dagny Gustafson Scholarship Award for Young Singers, and one the Bel Canto Art Song Award for Vocal Excellence. Only those first place students who perform in the Honors Recital will receive the full monetary gift ($100) from the Cascade Chapter in recognition of their outstanding achievement. First-place singers who do not perform will be awarded $60.

The Cascade Chapter Classical Festival: January 27 & 28, 2017 University of Portland -5000 N Willamette Blvd, Portland, OR 97203

Registration opens on December 8, 2017. Registration Deadline is January 6 2018.

To register go to: www.nats.org

CATEGORY LENGTH OF STUDY AGE RANGE/LIMIT TIME REQUIRMENT

3A Lower High School Women No limit--- all HS 9th and 10th Grade 14---16 yrs old

10* Three contrasting selections from classical repertoire. One art song in English. One art song in a foreign language. One additional art song or aria.

3B Upper High School Women

No limit--- all HS

11th & 12th grade 16---19 yrs old

10* Three contrasting selections from classical repertoire. One art song in English. One art song in a foreign language. One additional art song or aria.

4A Lower High School Men

No limit--- all HS

9th and 10th Grade 14---16 yrs old

10* Three contrasting selections from classical repertoire. One art song in English. One art song in a foreign language. One additional art song or aria.

4B Upper High School Men No limit--- all HS 11th & 12th grade 16---19 yrs old

10* Three contrasting selections from classical repertoire. One art song in English. One art song in a foreign language. One additional art song or aria.

7 Lower College/Independent Studio Women

0-‐2 years post high school

22 yrs old 10 * Three contrasting selections from classical repertoire. One aria or art song. One art song in English. One foreign language art song.

8 Lower College/Independent Studio Men

0-‐2 years post high school

22 yrs old 10 * Three contrasting selections from classical repertoire. One aria or art song. One art song in English. One foreign language art song.

11 Upper College Independent Studio Women

3-‐5 post high school all as undergraduate

25 yrs old 12* Four contrasting selections from classical repertoire. One aria.One art song in English. One foreign language art song. One additional selection. At least three languages must be represented.

12 Upper College Independent Studio Men

3-‐5 post high school all as undergraduate

25 yrs old 12* Four contrasting selections from classical repertoire. One aria.One art song in English. One foreign language art song. One additional selection. At least three languages must be represented.

13 Advanced College Independent Stu-dio Women

4+ post high school 22-‐30 yrs old 15* Five contrasting selections from classical repertoire. One operatic aria. One oratorio/cantata aria. One foreign language art song. One art song in English. One additional selection from the classical reper-toire. At least three languages must be represented.

14 Advanced College Independent Stu-dio Men

4+ post high school 22-‐30 yrs old 15* Five contrasting selections from classical repertoire. One operatic aria. One oratorio/cantata aria. One foreign language art song. One art song in English. One additional selection from the classical reper-toire. At least three languages must be represented.

Adult Women no limit 22+ 10* Three contrasting selections from classical repertoire. One art song in English. One art song in a foreign language. One additional art song or aria.

Adult Men no limit 22+ 10* Three contrasting selections from classical repertoire. One art song in English. One art song in a foreign language. One additional art song or aria.

* Time listed represents the length of time a singer may sing. An additional 2 minutes will be added to each sutdent's audition time to allow for adjudicators to write comments and collaborative accompanists to get to move between audition locations.

WINTER 2017/2018 www.natscascade.org Issue 23

Student Auditions Workshops

Singing Sick: The Effects of Medications on the Voice with Sarah Maines When your body is your instrument, singing while sick is inevitable. Medications abound, but what is safe for your voice? What do laryngologists recommend and prescribe for singers? What should we avoid in order to stay healthy? This workshop will answer these questions and extensively cover the effects of various substances on the voice. Participants will leave with a thorough knowledge for how to care for their voice while sick and healthy, as well practical resources for researching prescriptions. Hailed as a “natural, most charming” performer, mezzo-soprano Sarah Maines’ favorite roles include Claudia in Nine and Maurya in Riders to the Sea. Dr. Maines is a member of the Portland Opera Chorus, voice faculty at the University of Portland, and serves as President of the Cascade Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing. She holds a BA in music from Berea College and MM and DMA degrees in voice pedagogy from Shenandoah Conservatory. As a practicing singing voice specialist, she administers voice rehabilitation to injured singers referred by Oregon Health and Science University and laryngologist Dr. James P. Thomas. She lives in Portland with Jasper, her faithful four-legged hiking companion. www.themainestudio.com

Bel Canto Award Winner

will get the chance

to be a participant in the

Friends of Chamber Music

Lawrence Brownlee

Master Class

Thursday, April 5 at 12:00 pm

The Old Church

French Diction Made Un Peu Easier Amy Hansen

Love those chansons by Faure, Debussy and Ravel? No chantez pas because of the language? Fear no more! Let's give you a few tools to make French approachable, doable even! Bring a song to class and walk out with a chart to help you navigate the exquisite subtleties and delights of le plus beaux of French repertoire.

AMY HANSEN, soprano. performs across the nation and around the world singing mostly opera. When she began studying vocal performance at Oberlin College Conservato-ry, she loved German and embraced Italian but thought French was not for her. Passing the minimum requirement, she planned to focus on repertoire that avoided the chal-lenges of French. However, her career did not take her to Germany and Italy as she thought. After landing her first several contracts to sing heroines of the French repertoire (Marguerite, Lakme and Leila), Hansen panicked and

vowed to become une bien aimee of Francais! Her many hours of coaching with top French experts (Tom Muraco, Gabriel Bacquier, Joan Dornemann and more) revealed the beauty and accessi-bility of the prized repertoire. Visit her

to learn more about her career and hear some French excerpts.

6 Places of Balance

Come develop an accurate mental map of the size and parts of the body used in singing. This workshop will help students identify, locate and expolore the six main point of balance in the body. Mezzo-soprano Christine Mead-ows, a native of Portland, grad-uated from PSU in Music Perfor-mance and went on to study at Indiana University. She has ap-peared in opera roles and con-certs across the country. Ms. Meadows teaches voice and vocal pedagogy and is Opera Program Director at PSU. Her students are often seen as win-ners of scholarships and vocal competitions and many of them have begun careers as singers and teachers.