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REFLECTION ON SCHOLARSHIP

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SCHOLARSHIP: PUBLICATIONS

As I journey through my career as a Christian Artist, I want to give some context of how life over the last decade has mirrored art and how art has been intertwined into my faith and scholarly life. I wholly believe that singing is a direct expression of the heart in worship and praise to God. I can claim this in the best of times and in the hardest of times. Prior to my arrival in Texas I knew this, but I didn’t really quite grasp how my faith walk and my teach career quite intersected. However, this all changed and took on a much greater meaning as I settled in Abilene. Perhaps the greatest growth was born out of my deep pain and grief. In 2015 my mother was diagnosed with Kidney Cancer and immediately her doctors decided to remove a melon sized tumor from the space adjacent to her kidney. The margin came back clear, we thought all was positive, and the future looked promising. Fast forward six months later and the cancer had spread, and she was given several months to live. My mother passed away four months later in July 2016. This single event broke my spirit, my soul, and brought immense pain. However, I believe that God used my grief and sadness for good. It hard to comprehend how death can bring about something positive, but my mother’s passing did just that. As I prayed for guidance, direction, and purpose the Lord answered. Over and over, I heard HIS still small voice saying…make it count, invest wholeheartedly, work ceaselessly, and share GOD in all that you do. After a tough year following my mother’s death, I began to write. In 2019, I completed the first semester of a devotional for my singers. I entitled it, Let Your Song Spring Up! The Cross, The Vine, and the Branches. I know that God has called me to intentionally integrate faith into all that I do. Reflecting on and writing this devotional was not only healing in my life, but I hope that it shares God’s provision and love for all HIS children. This devotional also seeks to highlight that we are all on a journey and that this is not our home. We learn, grow, and strive to become more Christ-like even in our human frailty. Each week includes a personal testimony so students can see my truth and vulnerability. As I began to outline the second semester of the devotional, COVID hit in full force. So much of what we all experienced in the past several years stopped everything in its tracks. I am just now picking up work on the second semester devotional chapters. I have included a full copy of the first semester chapters/devotional in the body of the reflection on faith and teaching. Upon completion of the second semester chapters, I will work towards publishing it. 

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PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

American Guild of Musical Artists (current)

Musical Theatre Educators Alliance (current)

National Association of Teachers of Singing (current)

College Music Society (past member)

Texas Music Educators Association (past member)

Music Teachers National Association (State of Illinois Voice Chair 2006-2010)

American Choral Directors Association (past member)

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RECORDED PUBLICATIONS

Hamlet, Nancy Van de Vate

CD released 2011 on Vienna Modern Masters International label, Vienna, Austria

*Created the Role of Laertes

 

Where the Cross is Made, Nancy Van de Vate

CD released 2006 on Vienna Modern Masters International label, Vienna, Austria

*Created the Role of Nat Bartlett

 

PUBLICATION IN PROGRESS

Let You Song Spring Up! The Cross, The Vine, and The Branches

Semester One completed 2020 – Semester two work starting in the Fall of 2023

PDF copy is embedded 

 

SCHOLARSHIP: RESEARCH INTERESTS

I have found that my career has been filled with a breadth of many styles and skills. I am passionate about leading worship, directing opera, directing musical theatre, teaching classical voice, teaching musical theatre and commercial voice, as well as musical coaching and direction. I am a student of my craft and love to read and reflect on vocal pedagogue’s writings. A few of the highlighted pedagogical resources I utilize are Richard Miller’s books The Art of Singing, Solutions For Singers, Training Tenor Voices, and The Structure of Singing. Dr. James McKinney’s, The Diagnosis and Correction of Vocal Faults, Oren Brown’s, Discover Your Voice, Dr. Scott McCoy’s, Your Voice: An Inside View, and David L. Jones, A Modern Guide to Old World Singing. Each of the classical voice pedagogues have been an invaluable resource. I have also leaned into the techniques of Mary Saunders-Barton’s, Bel Canto, Can Belto and Wendy Leborgne and Marci Rosenberg’s, The Vocal Athlete. These works bridge so much of what I  teach from the classical tradition into a speech-based vocal mix in the crossover pedagogy tradition. I also have gained deep insight during my time at Shenandoah Conservatory’s Contemporary Commercial Music Institute where I was certified as a Level I, II, III CCM Vocal Instructor. This summer I have been invited to attend the Complete Vocal Institute in Copenhagen, Denmark where I will train in the CVT techniques. These approaches serve all vocal styles and are firmly rooted in evidence-based, science-based vocal pedagogy. My scholarship has grown and taken on a broader scope in the last decade as I have been called into teaching in classical, operatic, and contemporary commercial music styles.

 

As a director I have been challenged to grow. I have begun to utilize Stanislavski’s, An Actor Prepares; Meisner’s, On Acting; Brunetti’s, Acting the Song; Wesley Balk’s, The Complete Singer-Actor, and other resources.

 

Highlighted Conferences/Workshops/Masterclasses                                                                                              

Complete Vocal Institute                                                                                                                                                                               2023

*I attended the five day certified singer course in 

Copenhagen, Denmark. I studied the CVT method which is formed of evidence-

Based pedagogy and vocal science

 

Contemporary Alexander Technique                                                                                                                                                                      2022                                          

*I invited Robyn Avalon in 2022 – Master Teacher of Contemporary Alexander Technique 

To teach an overview of the fundamentals and skills of the Contemporary

Alexander tradition of bodywork. This workshop was offered to theatre and 

music students at ACU.

 

National Association of Teachers of Singing Regional Conferences                                                                                            2010-present

*I regularly attend this conference on the art of vocal performing and teaching.

There are artist series given by leading singers in the country, masterclasses

by leading master teachers, and workshops on vocal pedagogy topics as well.

I have attended Masterclasses given by Laurence Brownlee, Ana Maria Martinez,

Leona Mitchell, Nathan Gunn, and Twila Robinson 

 

Matt Edwards Two-Day Masterclass at Hardin-Simmons University                                                                                                            2018

*I invited Dr. Edwards, Associate Professor of Voice, Head of Musical Theatre Program

Shenandoah Conservatory to campus to lecture on the current trends in Musical

Theatre, Auditioning, Technical Preparation, Presentation, and Career Planning.

Matt is one of the leading pedagogues in this field and is a pioneer in

Contemporary Commercial Music training.

 

CCM Voice Pedagogy Institute, Shenandoah University, Winchester, Virginia                                                                                                2017

*Awarded Level I, Level II, and Level III Certified Contemporary Commercial Music Voice Instructor

 

Music Theatre Educators Alliance Annual Conference                                                                                                                           2017,  2019

*Attended four-day conference on all aspects of the Musical Theatre Business. Singing,

Acting, and Dancing. Learned about audition trends and vocal trends in the business today.

This conference allowed us to meet with Broadway notables and work with expert teachers

in the field of Musical Theatre. We were also able to attend The Color Purple, Kinky Boots,

Dear Evan Hansen, Great Comet of 1812, and Waitress, all presented on Broadway in New York City.

I plan to attend the Winter 2019 Conference in New York City. While at this year’s conference I

will attend My Fair Lady, Once On This Island, Frozen, Mean Girls, Pretty Woman the Musical, and The Band’s Visit.

 

Mary Saunders-Barton Masterclasses                                                                                                                                                  2013, 2014, 2016

*The HSU voice faculty invited Dr. Mary Saunders-Barton, author of Bel Canto Can Belto,

to teach a three-day masterclass on Musical Theatre vocal training. Mary has served as the

Head of Vocal Pedagogy/Musical Theatre at Penn State University. She is widely sought after,

and her students are regulars both on Broadway and in many Opera Companies throughout the world.

She specializes in Cross-over pedagogy. This is training that blends classical voice and contemporary voice

pedagogy in hopes to produce a healthy vocal technique and a versatile artist.

We have had Dr. Saunders-Barton come for three separate masterclasses.

 

Dr. Joyce Farwell Masterclasses                                                                                                                                                              2011, 2012, 2013

*Dr. Joyce Farwell is one of the most highly regarded Classical Voice Pedagogues today.

She has served on the faculties of Baylor, Rice, and Ohio State. Her singers are regulars in all

major opera houses throughout the world. She is also the former teacher of David Phelps from

the Gaither Vocal Band. We have had Dr. Farwell come to masterclass and teach the

HSU students while we observed. Her knowledge has greatly informed and transformed my teaching.

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OVERVIEW OF SCHOLARLY PRODUCTIONS & PRODUCTIVITY

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ACU Theatre produces 2-3 musicals a year, including the Homecoming Musical; ten musical theatre student recitals; spotlight concerts; ACU NYC Senior Showcase; National Anthem Singers for Athletics; and ACU Sing Song. As the Director of Musical Theatre, I work closely with my fellow theatre faculty to prepare and produce these productions and events. The ACU Homecoming Musical has a long-standing tradition in Abilene. The last two years I have also rehearsed and produced the musical theatre student recitals as well as coached our graduating seniors for ACU’s Senior NYC Showcase. The last two years we have brought a panel of talent agents and casting directors to ACU. From these showcases we have had solid success with many of our students signing with agents and getting hired. Off campus I have prepared students to compete at SETCs (Southeast Theatre Conference auditions) and UPTAs (Unified Professional Theatre Auditions). We have had a high number go through to the final round and most of those students have been hired for year-round or summer contracts. This year my students have been contracted in New York City, Sarasota, Florida, Atlanta, Georgia, Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, Ohio, Kentucky, South Dakota, Chicago, Illinois, Los Angeles, California, and Paju-si, South Korea. These students are performing on Broadway, Off-Broadway, Disney World, Carnival Cruise Lines, and many regional theaters throughout the U.S. 

 

One of the greatest joys for me has been my collaborations with colleagues. We are stronger when we pool our knowledge of the craft with other teacher-scholars. While at ACU, I have served as the Musical director for Five Musicals. My responsibilities have included preparing the singers for collaboration with the pit orchestra under the direction of Dr. Steven Ward for Homecoming Musicals. I collaborate with Dr. Ward and each director to establish tempi, musical cuts, and transition points in each show. I am also responsible for selecting and helping to contract any outside hired musicians when utilizing a small pit or chamber ensemble for our smaller shows. I have also organized, selected repertoire for each Musical Theatre major, and produced all student recitals. In total over two years there have been 18 recitals. We also produce each recital as a live stream and film these so our students may use these performances for their professional reels. I have also helped to provide singers for ACU Athletics to serve as National Anthem singers for home games.

 

The process of ACU’s tenure and promotion process has been rewarding. We don’t often take time to look back at the body of our work as we press into the future, striving to lifelong-learn and grow alongside our students. Perhaps what this process has done for me is remind me why I am so passionate about scholarship, research, co-teaching, and co-learning. As I learn, I grow! As I grow in my faith, I fail. And as I fail, in Christ, I can humbly own mistakes and shortcomings in order to learn from them. The longer I share my understanding and knowledge of the voice the more I realize that there is simply no way that I can absorb everything there is to know. However, I am still as hungry to know and share as I was the first day I taught. Perhaps I can say that I am even more passionate about my art now. I think it is through the moments I have failed, the moments of deep loss, the moments of brokenness that I have come to know that each day is a sacred gift from the Almighty. I try my very best to learn, teach, and serve with humility.

 

Dr. Seuss says it quite well “Today you are You that is truer than true. There is no one alive that "youer than" You.”

 

As simple as this statement is. I try to not only embody this in my scholarship, research, and thirst for knowledge, but to allow that knowledge to be used by the God’s Holy Spirit flowing through me.