Reviews

The Governor's School for the Arts, 2006-2007 Season

      "Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood . . . Make big plans, aim high in hope and work." (Daniel Burnham, a builder of one of America's first skyscrapers). This quote could well be a statement of purpose for the GSA Vocal Music Department staff. The season of public performances showcasing the sparkling energy of the talented high school students still leaves me enthralled. Many voice students graduate from college with less stage experience than the GSA students.

      Lets follow a year of performances by the vocal music students and gain a wider perspective on how their talent is developed. On December 16 and 17, 2006 a joint performance by the vocal and instrumental students of Franz Schubert's Mass in G, a choral piece with orchestra, offered fine short solo sections though the high point was the group of thirty-seven students united in Schubert's beautiful choral work supported by the chamber orchestra. Six weeks later in late January the students were on stage once again presenting a cabaret evening. Two months later a Liederabend, an evening of solo performances of art song, challenged the students with greater musical complexity. A month later they were again on stage presenting two one-act operas. Six weeks later an evening of opera scenes gave all the students a chance to act, sing and/or direct. A few days later the seniors held their closing recital before graduation. All in all it was a breathtaking amount of work for students and faculty.

      A full evening of cabaret on January 27, 2007 (also the 28th) was presented at Chandler Recital Hall by students of the Governor's School for the Arts with Robert Brown at the piano. Alan Fischer, Vocal Department Chair, directed the performance as if the singers were patrons in a dimly lit club, with students seated at intimate tables on the stage while a spotlight highlighted the performer. In a smoke free environment the only thing that was smoking was the vocal sound in a diverse selection of songs. The voices were miked which gave a good balance of piano to voice.

      Sophomore Courtney Johnson is all the buzz with her lovely, powerful voice and years to work with the talented staff at the school. We are excited to have the privilege to listen as her talent develops. Her poise on stage in Blue Skies (Berlin) and the closing duet with Frederick Ballentine in Bess, You is My Woman Now (Gershwin) was impressive. More recently we have seen Frederick using his beautifully resonant voice in the chorus of Virginia Opera's production of Cavaliera Rusticana / I Pagliacci.

      Senior Matthew Gay's Try to Remember (The Fantasticks) was heart moving. His pianist was fellow student tenor Michael Protacio who later sang Love to Me from Guettel's Light in the Piazza.

      The program opened with a Cole Porter song I Hate Men by Victoria Crump in a smooth as silk voice and with real excitement. My New Philosophy (You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown), sung by Stephanie Kincaid, was incredibly well done. Brittany Dubay offered us another well sung Porter selection, My Heart Belongs to Daddy. Senior Shannon Smith's Come Rain or Come Shine (Arlen) had an excellent, polished delivery. Then there was Grayson Heyl singing In a Restaurant by the Sea (Bucchino) who then played the piano for LaTetra Lewis when she sang Summertime (Gershwin). In the twenty-six selections sung there were many other moving performances though I can't list them all in a brief review.

      Not every performance was polished cabaret style - that is far too much to expect. What is important is that the students get stage experience and that we listeners have an opportunity to see the students grow in vocal performance ability, in stage poise and in the ability to shape a song. By senior year they are often more advanced than many college voice majors we have heard.

      The Sunday performance included some other selections and other singers, though not all of the vocal students took part in the cabaret. My one suggestion would be that the mike be placed so it did not block the performer's face. The whole body, including facial expression adds to the communication of singer to audience.

The annual Liederabend (an evening of art songs) is scheduled next. I can hardly wait.

      A grand selection of art song was presented on March 23rd and 25th at Chandler Recital Hall by the Vocal Music Department of the Governor's School for the Arts. Frederick Ballentine, Alexandria Gray, Marshall Gunter and Shannon Smith did not sing since they were busy performing with the Virginia Opera Chorus in Cavalleria Rusticana/ I Pagliacci.

      The program opened with Franz Schubert's Ständchen sung by the Advanced Vocal Ensemble directed by Lee Tepley. LaTetra Lewis was soloist supported by the voices of Emi Lee Frantz, Liane McCullough, Grayson Heyl and Janessa Lewis. The individual vocal parts were clearly laid out and there was a beautiful blending as the parts came together in this lengthy choral piece. Later each of these young women presented a solo selection.

      The program was laid out in a classic art song format, clustering the selections into language groups - Spanish canción, German lied, a generous serving of American songs, French mélodie, Japanese songs and eight Italian songs to close.

      It was pleasing to hear Spanish songs included on the program. A young alto Tatyanna Johnson sang Rodrigo's ¿Con qué la lavaré?. A young soprano Rachel Morales sang Montsalvatge's Cancion de cuna para a dormir a un negrito (Cradle song for a small black child) with a strong sense of rhythm in this sultry song.

      In the section of German lied LaTetra Lewis captured the drama in Hugo Wolf's Das verlassene Mägdelein while Emi Lee Frantz's open-hearted and lovely singing gave us Richard Strauss' Allerseelen. Katie Grant had intense power in Wolf's Verborgenheit.

      In the set of American songs Janessa Lewis sang the poem I'm Nobody by Emily Dickinson set by Vincent Persichetti with a rich, low voice and appropriate hand gestures and a smile. A lovely and poised Grayson Heyl dramatically sang Hageman's Do not go, my love. A glamorous Brittany Dubay sang John Duke's I carry your heart. I was especially pleased to hear Heart by Jean Berger sung by Shondera Willis and Paul Bowles' Heavenly Grass sung by Tatyanna Johnson. Matt Gay in his deep voice sang When I have sung my song by Ernest Charles. Exavier Artis sang Shenandoah to close the first half of the program.

      After intermission Mia Francis gave us a lovely Beau soir by Debussy followed by Martin Schreiner's fine tenor solo of Fauré's Ici bas. Accompanied by Michael Protacio, Katie Grant sang in Russian the Tchaikovsky song None but the lonely heart.

      In the Italian set a young tenor with a lovely voice, Kelvin Gooding, sang O cessate di piagarmi by Caccini. Baritone Jonathan Champ sang Caldara's Sebben crudele with the beginning of Baroque styling. Haleigh Busby sang Amarilli by Caccini with an accomplished Italian style. Heather Yarbrough sang with expression using voice, face and hands effectively in Gluck's O del mio dolce ador. Alto Kate May sang Giordani's Caro mio ben. Bridget Cooper, Kevin Ellingwood, Stephanie Kincaid, Victoria Francis and Gaelyn Young performed the following evening. Bononcini's Per la Gloria d'adorarvi was sung by Rebecca Ryan with some very fast vocal lines. Michael Protacio was her pianist. Courtney Johnson closed the program with a powerful Pieta Signore by Stradella. A most impressive evening!

      Henry Purcell's Dido and Aeneas. Dido (Courtney Johnson) is melancholy. Is she feeling the hand of fate? Aeneas (Martin Schreiner) has sailed into Carthage on his way to Italy. They see each other. He is immediately in love; she is a bit more cautious. The Sorceress (Kate May) and her loyal witches can't stand to see another woman's happiness and are delighted that fate will spoil their romance. They first conjure a storm and then have Apollo appear to him in a dream telling him that he must sail away that very night. Before dying Dido laments her fate and asks her confidant Belinda (Heather Yarbrough) to remember her. On Saturday, April 28th, Dido was Alexandria Gray, Aeneas - Matthew Gay, Sorceress - Katie Grant and Belinda - Brittany Dubay. Jacob Kritz played a sailor (April 28 - Kevin Ellingwood).

      In this third production of the opera at the GSA, Alan Fischer, conductor and stage director, has moved the action into the future. Aeneas arrives by space ship. The Sorceress is now a scientist seeking to overthrow Dido. The witches are now the secret police ready to enforce their leader's commands. Evil does triumph over good; in the end the Sorceress sits on Dido's throne.

      Gian Carlo Menotti's The Medium is set in an Eastern European city in the 1940s. Madame Flora (LaTetra Lewis) is a phony medium preying on parents eager to communicate with their deceased children. "Baba" (Madame Flora) lives with her teenage daughter Monica (Grayson Heyl) and Toby (Marshall Gunter), a mute Gypsy boy. Baba is touched by a hand around her throat during a faked séance and becomes ever more mentally unstable, locking up her daughter and beating and throwing Toby back on the street. He returns and she is so terrified, thinking that he is from the other world, that she shoots and kills him. It was amazing to watch the transformation of LaTetra Lewis in the role of Madam Flora. In the beginning she struts around with confidence only to become a confused basket case after she murders Toby. On Saturday the 28th, Liane McCullough was Madame Flora, Emi Lee Frantz - Monica and Toby - Michael Protacio.

      Two love songs and a humorous piece by Orlando di Lasso, sung by the Advanced Vocal Ensemble led by Dr. Lee Tepley, set the tone of the evening. We were amazed to hear the Flower Duet from Act II of Puccini's Madam Butterfly sung by two sophomore students: Courtney Johnson is Madam Butterfly and LaTetra Lewis is her servant Suzuki.

      The personal triumph of Ms. Johnson was still settling in for her when we congratulated her afterwards. As late as the Wednesday before she was still saying the piece was just too difficult, that she "just couldn't do it." Mr. Fischer used a simple staging (two music stands close together near the front of the stage, the singers in elegant contrasting gowns) so the singers could concentrate on their singing.

      Alan Fischer's belief in and challenge to his students is not without controversy, even though what he asks of his students is based on their past accomplishments. Many other voice teachers have a go-slow approach. As a listener and observer what I see is the enormous success of the program. The stage time they have in this program makes them seasoned performers beyond their years. Obviously this builds poise and self-confidence.

      Anja Silja sang at the Met in February, 2007 in Janácek's Jenufa. I had not heard of her before but her story is relevant to my point that a vocal education should always be tailored to the individual. Taught singing by her grandfather, Silja at age ten gave a recital of German lieder by Brahms, Wolf and Schubert. That was the first half of her program which she followed with big opera arias appropriate to her high coloratura voice. At thirteen her grandfather was taking her to audition at various opera houses. At sixteen he took her to Bayreuth. They listened. She returned each year to audition. In a pinch they gave her a leading role in The Flying Dutchman; she was 19 years old. None of this hurt her voice. She is now 67 and a living legend. "Her silvery voice and svelte beauty propelled her to the vanguard of German opera productions." (The Wall Street Journal, February 14, 2007, Barrymore Laurence Scherer).

      The static Madam Butterfly staging was in contrast to the often whimsical and sometimes more elaborate staging of other scenes. Each student in the Stage Direction class had to choose a scene they wished to direct. They were allowed to update the staging if they wished and had to prepare and rehearse their scenes. Using student directors, the variety and freshness of approach kept the entertainment at a high level all evening.

      In an Act 1 scene from Mozart's Don Giovanni staged by graduating senior Brittany Dubay, there was the authentic excitement of a young woman showing off her engagement ring to her friends and we see her fend off advances from Don Giovanni who attempts to seduce her away from her boyfriend.

      In the Act II tavern scene quintet of Bizet's Carmen, junior Michael Protacio gave new meaning to "musical chairs." Using only a half-dozen chairs, he had his singers often moving and resettling in various configurations, striking poses that commented on the action, bringing the story to life. Junior Grayson Heyl was director of the Magic Flute scene where Tamino is given his mission and a magic flute while the three Ladies remove the padlock from Papageno's lips (his boasting untruth got him in trouble). He is given magic bells and the pair are sent on their quest to free the Queen of the Night's daughter.

      In the next scene junior Katie Grant staged the Act II bedroom scene from Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro. Seniors Shannon Smith as the Countess, Emi Lee Frantz as Susanna and Frederick Ballentine as the Count were joined by Ms. Heyl as the page Cherbino in this scene's clever intrigue.

      Senior Marshall Gunter directed a scene from Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado, with James Senson at the piano, Melody Batten as Yum Yum and Michael Protacio as Nanki Poo. The smitten couple discuss the difficulties placed on them by her engagement to Koko arranged by her father. A park bench, a Japanese parasol and Gunter as a passerby made a clever visual.

      Junior Melody Batten directed the opening scene of Hansel and Gretel by Humperdinck. The pitcher became a plastic gallon jug and the kids' playing and dancing about are, as she demonstrated, universal, even when updated to our time. Tatyanna Johnson, in what is called a "trouser role" played the boy and Mia Francis was the girl.

      James Senson, who teaches sight singing and is a vocal coach/accompanist, shared the responsibility with Chorus Director and Principal Accompanist Robert Brown at the piano. Karen Hoy and Charlene Marchant teach diction and applied voice; Oscar Ortiz and Dionne Wright teach sight-singing; Arnel Senson teaches theory and is a coach/accompanist; Dr. Lee Tepley teaches theory, sight singing and directs the Advanced Vocal Ensemble.

      Alan Fischer, who staged the other six scenes, is Vocal Department Chair, and teaches Vocal Survey, Opera Workshop, Acting and Applied Voice. He says "I am very proud of their work, their professionalism and their staging." The unselfconscious naturalism of their singing and acting, all with a sense of fun still makes me smile to remember how in a short scene they were able to create a lasting impression of each character. The unspoiled enthusiasm kept the entertainment level high.

      It came as no surprise when we learned that Frederick Ballentine, Jr. will be attending the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music this fall. The emotional validity of Make Them Hear You from Ragtime by Flaherty was a high point of the whole evening for many in the audience. From his solo in the Schubert Mass to the role of a grieving parent in The Medium to Porgy in scenes from Porgy and Bess he did outstanding work all year. He carries himself with surety in his gift whether singing a Hugo Wolf lied or becoming Count Almaviva in the Marriage of Figaro.

      Liane McCullough has been accepted at Peabody conservatory as a vocal performance student. Catching the emotion of each song is her strength. In the repeating lines of Black Swan (Menotti) each time felt fresh and new. The expression in her face said so much. She seems to have an affinity for French melodie. This applies even to her Japanese art song Yoimachigusa (Evening primrose) by Ohno which had a French feel to it. The primrose opens to love for only one evening. She also sang Shibata's Hiru no Yume. Though we did not see her performance we understand she used her well-developed power of expression and her lovely low notes to the create the role of Madam Flora in the April 28th performance of The Medium.

      Mezzo Alexandria Gray previously created the role of Dido and sang the lament from the opera Dido and Aeneas in the recital and was Carmen in the Opera Scenes. She sang Arlen's The Man that Got Away with a naturalness of expression. I especially enjoyed her Dream Variation by Margaret Bonds.

      In the opera scenes from Marriage of Figaro Shannon Smith created the role of the Countess. All of her performances have fearlessness about them. She has a strong voice and stage poise. In the Senior Recital she did a showpiece from the Merry Widow, a French art song by Poulenc and a bluesy I'm a Stranger Here Myself by Kurt Weill. She has been accepted by Mannes College, the New School for Music.

      Kenneth Marshall Gunter will attend Shenandoah Conservatory to study musical theater. We were impressed by his staging of The Mikado. As an actor, his role as the deaf/mute Toby in The Medium showcased his acting ability.

      Exavier Quinn Artis reprised Shenandoah, and sang a selection from a Bach Cantata. His lyric bass sound was fine in Debussy's Beau Soir. He plans to attend Tidewater Community College and major in computer science. Hopefully he'll continue to sing locally.

      As Zerlina in Don Giovanni, Belinda in Dido and Aeneas and singing Farewell Little Table from Manon, Brittany Noel Dubay is an impressive actress and singer. She plans to get a degree in business with a minor in vocal performance at George Washington University.

      Emi Lee Frantz sang Adele's Laughing Song from Die Fledermaus and her voice created the sparkle of those champagne bubbles. She was emotionally impressive when she sang Still Hurting by Brown from The Last Five Years and she captured the sensuality in Fauré's La Rose. She will be a student in the up-and-coming vocal program at Christopher Newport University this fall.

      Matthew Bernard Gay has a quiet self-contained energy and loves to perform art songs by Brahms. He was Aeneas in Dido and Aeneas and the Count in scenes from The Marriage of Figaro. He is headed to Shenandoah Conservatory this fall pursuing a degree in vocal performance.

      Heather Holland Hobbs will also attend Shenandoah in the vocal performance program. Debussy's Mandoline and roles in Mozart operas and I Loved You Once in Silence from Camelot and Out of My Dreams from Carousel are songs she sings well. Unfortunately, by chance, we heard her less often because most programs feature different students on alternate nights. We wish each of the ten graduating seniors a long and happy life with lots of good music. We look forward to the time when you'll return and give dazzling recitals.

Grammy Foundation Award Given at
Governor's School for the Arts Spring Pops Concert

      This annual end-of-the-year concert opened with Astor Piazzolla's Histoire du Tango: Night Club 1960 played by the Orchestra da Camera. The piece opens with Craig Perry's guitar setting the mellow mood. After a few measures, Melanie Libbey joins in on flute followed by a sultry dance hall tune on solo violin played by Caitlin Ormsbee. James Brown at the piano is joined by cellos and a new rhythm emerges. The music and forces keep changing as the piece unfolds, mixing street and dance-hall music with more familiar classically disciplined sections. The evening was off to a good start!

      The energy was high and the audience was well entertained by a diverse program. Jason Brown was joined by Kelley Eaton at the piano for La bal galop written by Georges Bizet (1838-1875) from Jeux d'enfants piano duet for four hands followed by the moody Ballade in F minor by Frederic Chopin. Simeon King, with his sleeves rolled-up, gave a muscular performance with dazzling finger work in the finale.

      Patti Watters, Chair of the Instrumental Music Department, emceed at the Roper Theater on Friday, June 1, 2007. Nationwide, there were twenty-two Grammy Signature awards given this year. The GSA Guitar Program received one of three grants of $5000 furnished by the Gibson Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Gibson Guitar Corporation. With the money they will purchase two new guitars: a bass guitar and an electric Gibson guitar; what else!

      Jeff Smith, who has created an excellent Jazz Studies program at GSA, presented the GSA Combo playing Thelonious Monk's I Mean You with Mark Steinert, piano; Calum Macpherson-Smith, bass, Cory Fonville, drums and Rocket Jackson, Jr. and Nathan Sachs, saxophones. All of these fine, young players graduated this spring except for drummer Fonville who you can hear again next season.

      The school's Big Band program followed with the GSA Combo players included in seven selections ranging from arrangements of songs by Miles Davis to Vernon Duke, Stevie Wonder and Charles Mingus, featuring lots of solo work. I especially enjoyed the alto saxophone playing of Wynton Davis in Miss Fine, written by Oliver Nelson, Ronald Nash on trombone as the "vocalist" in April in Paris and Katherine Sachs and Nathan Sachs in My Cherie Amour.

      A plaque was given to Jeff Smith for making the Jazz Program such a success from 2000-2007. He has accepted a full-time position at Cape Henry Collegiate next year. Mr. Smith's response to the award was to play his saxophone in Gershwin's S'Wonderful arranged by Tommy Newsome and backed by the full Big Band. Keith Philbrick, recently retired from the Navy, will lead the program next year.

      After intermission the 82 piece GSA Orchestra played the rest of the program. GSA alumnus Jeffrey Phelps is the new conductor and has just completed his fifth season as Music Director and Conductor of the Williamsburg Youth Orchestra. He will make his Alice Tully Hall debut this fall as the newest member of the Tarab Cello Ensemble. His undergraduate degree is from the Cleveland Institute of Music in cello performance and his masters degree in conducting. He was a student of Raymond Pancarowicz at GSA in 1993-1995.

      His work on the podium was impressive in a program that began with Bernard Herrmann's (1911-1975) coloristic North by Northwest with its interesting and exotic percussion. Three concertos followed, highlighting the accomplishments of three youthful soloists. Johnathan Spence on violin was featured in Allegro moderato from Max Bruch's Concerto No. 1 in G Minor. He is a senior and will continue his violin studies at East Carolina University in the fall. The program told us that he matches his high notes on the violin with high jumps on a friend's trampoline.

      I just noticed that trombonist Ronald Nash was mentioned for his solo "voice" in the Big Band's April in Paris. Here he was featured in Allegro maestoso - Marcia funebre from Ferdinand David's (1810-1873) Concertino No. 4 in E-Flat Major. A senior, he will continue his trombone performance studies at North Carolina School for the Arts this fall. In the meantime he will have a chance to audition for a national competition in Detroit after winning a Gold Medal for the NAACP ACT-SO regional program. His playing has a wonderful feel to it.

      Dara Hankins, who will return to GSA as a senior this fall, created a fine, pleasant cello sound throughout Camille Saint-Saens' (1835-1921) Allegro non troppo from Concerto No. 1 in A Minor. Someday she wants to play at Carnegie Hall. So far she has played in the Senior Regional Orchestra, All-State Orchestra and Bay Youth Orchestra (2002-2007). She will continue her studies with Leslie Fritelli at GSA and as a private student of Jeff Phelps.

      The full orchestra played wonderfully backing the soloists and in Modest Mussorgsky (1839-1881) Night on Bald Mountain, a meaty, coloristic piece. In the midnight section things really got scary in this piece so well suited to these enthusiastic young people. The sparkling sound continued in John Williams's The Asteroid Field from The Empire Strikes Back with its special effects and xylophone. The orchestra demonstrated its ability to play lyrically in Hector Berlioz's (1803-1869) Hungarian March from The Damnation of Faust.

      In conversation Director Patti Watters, pointed out the welcome challenge of finding a stage big enough for such a large orchestra for their performances and the expense of hiring the hall. One big show per year does limit stage time for these budding musicians.

      Next season there will be a joint performance of the GSA Vocal and Instrumental students at the new Sandler Center for the Performing Arts at Town Center in Virginia Beach. Scheduled for mid-January, 2008, we will have details on our calendar as soon as they are available. Hope to see you there.