So You Want to Sing Music Theater: A Guide for Professionals - by Karen Hall
In some ways, the successor of vaudeville and an extension of the opera and operetta, the stage musical has evolved into a worldwide juggernaut. Musicals are staged not only across the globe but are offered in a variety of settings, from the high school stage and major theater to the big screen. The stage musical has become a staple for the professional singer and the object of close study by students of singing. In So You Want to Sing Music Theater: A Guide for Professionals, singer and scholar Karen S. Hall fills an important gap in the instructional literature for those who sing or teach singing to those seeking their fortunes in music theatrical productions. Developed in coordination with the National Association for Teachers of Singing, this work draws on current research from the world of voice scholarship to advance the careers of singers seeking to make a foray into or already deeply embedded in the world of music theater.
So You Want to Sing Music Theater covers a vast array of topics. It includes a brief history of music theater; the basics of vocal science and anatomy; information on vocal and bodily health and maintenance, from diet to exercise to healing techniques; advice on teaching music theater to others, with focuses on breath, posture, registers, range, and tone quality; repertoire recommendations for voice and singing types, from female and male belting to classical and contemporary styles; a survey of music theater styles, such as folk, country, rock, gospel, rhythm and blues, jazz, and pop; insights on working with other music theater stakeholder, from singing teacher, vocal coach and accompanist, to acting teacher, director, dance instructor, composer, and music director; and finally sage advice on working with and without amplification or microphones, auditioning tips, and casting challenges.
So You Want to Sing Music Theater includes guest-authored chapters by singing professionals Scott McCoy and Wendy LeBorgne, as well as audio and visual examples available from the website of the National Association of Teachers of Singing. This work is not only the ideal guide to singing professionals, but the perfect reference works for voice teachers and their students, music directors, acting teachers, dance instructors and choreographers, and composers, and conductors.
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University Press of Kentucky plans to release a revised, third edition of 'Trapped! The Story of Floyd Collins' by the late historian Robert K. Murray and renowned cave explorer Roger W. Brucker, on April 15.
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South Street Seaport Museum's monthly book club will continue in February. Seaport Museum staff and special guests will stir up lively discussions informed by our shared love of literature, history, and preservation.
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The Drama Book Shop in association with Jay Michaels Global Communications will present 'How To Sing Without Thinking' with Gabriel Weiner, a talkback, signing, and live podcast recording. Learn more!
Ari Axelrod's A Place for Us: A Celebration of Jewish Broadway – is available on CD and digital formats now. Learn more about the album and about Axelrod's upcoming performances.
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