Chrystal Williams and Robert Brown in Recital
Billed as "An Evening with Chrystal E,
An enchanting evening of exquisite arias, art songs and spirituals,"
the recital was once again held at the I.C. Norcom High School auditorium
on June 10th in Portsmouth, Virginia. Robert Brown was at the piano.
Chrystal Williams gave her first solo
recital in June of 2004 to establish a scholarship fund to help
students pursue a career in the performing arts. "It is my hope
and dream that in the future young performers will not have to worry
about funding for school, but will only have to worry about perfecting
their talent and sharing God's gift with the rest of the world.
It is also my hope and dream that more young performers from the
area will come to know that there are people who support them and
their budding careers."
The first recital was moderately well
attended and Chrystal became the first recipient of this scholarship
as she graduated from the Governor's School for the Arts and began
her work on a degree in vocal music at Carnegie-Mellon University
in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Her idea for a scholarship fund has grown
and the program booklet listed thirty patrons and over 100 sponsors.
This year the recipient of the scholarship is dancer Glen R. Lewis
who had just graduated from the Governor's School and I.C. Norcom
High School.
Ms. Williams and Mr. Lewis shared the
stage for this gala evening and she opened the program with Franz
Schubert's An die Musik (To Music) and Hugo Wolf's Verbogenheit
(Seclusion). In this repertoire Ms. Williams' voice is a light lyric
mezzo-soprano. Her ability to control her ample voice has grown
since last year and she sang with a pleasing, even tone. She closed
the set with Stefano Donaudy's O del mio amato ben. Voices
transition by developmental stages and there is a new carefulness
in her singing, more self-conscious and deliberate, replacing the
unbridled exuberance of the high school valedictory concert. She
has obviously been working very hard to learn new repertory and
gain control of her awesome natural instrument.
GSA vocal chair Alan Fischer, her mentor
and teacher, worked with her on this recital and commented that
she seemed pre-occupied tonight. Indeed she was. She left for Italy
at 6:00 AM the next morning to participate in the Opera Theater
and Music Festival of Lucca, Italy for five weeks. She will return
July 18.
Glen Lewis followed with his own choreographed
ballet "Unbrokenhearted." Timidly he gives a rose to the ballerina,
soon she slaps him and runs away. He dances out his distress to
resolution to the music of Dance Russe from Swan Lake
by Tchaikovsky.
Chrystal returned to sing In solitaria
stanza by Giuseppe Verdi, Pie Jesu from Duruflé's Requiem
and Mon coeur s'ouvre á ta voix from Saint-Saëns' Samson
et Dalila.
After intermission, Glen Lewis, who dances
with a natural elegance, performed Something Spanish to music
by Chick Corea. In the modern dance piece Day Danse we saw
another facet of this young man's talent.
In English Chrystal sang Rachmaninoff's
To the Children, Richard Hundley's Come Ready and See
Me, John Duke's White Dress and Alone, and yet alive!
from Gilbert and Sullivan's Mikado. Ms. Williams, wearing
her second elegant gown of the evening, captured the heart of her
audience with her warmth, dignity and ability to communicate in
a nuanced way the story behind each song.
Drawing on a rich history of Black culture,
our young artists presented dance and song. Mr. Lewis had choreographed
"A Tap Dance" using Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy by Raye and Prince
from the 1940s big band era and Ms. Williams sang spirituals. She
sang Harry T. Burleigh's Every Time I Feel the Spirit with
a new freedom of expression. To our ears the best of the evening
was Fix Me Jesus, arranged by William Farley Smith, where
her top range opened up leading us to conclude that she could equally
bill herself as a soprano.
The program had a fine finish as we heard
Stuart K Hine's How Great Thy Art and Hall Johnson's Ride
on King Jesus. These songs moved our hearts and the fellowship
afterwards at the reception continued this sense of celebration
of what had been accomplished and anticipated what is to come.
Governor's School Seniors Recitals
It is always an exhilarating experience
to hear the students of the Governor's School sing at the Senior
Vocal Recital and on June 7, 2005 at Chandler Hall we did just that.
Ten graduating students sang thirty solos songs and then joined
together to give a rousing Make Our Garden Grow from Leonard
Bernstein's Candide. Chairman of the Department of Vocal
Music and voice teacher Alan Fischer expressed it well: "It is like
having ten of your own children graduate together." The tears of
celebration and parting on stage and off as they took their bows
bound us together as a community of celebrants.
Erika Boney, in a lovely, high soprano
voice, sang The Singer by Michael Head (1900-1976). The text
of this song, new to this listener, is a love song, including the
line: "His eyes were changeful as the sea." She will be at VCU in
the fall.
Ashley Burroughs was a first place winner
in the statewide Bland Music Competition in 2005. Her rich voice
had a mature sound in Song to the Moon from Rusalka
by Antonin Dvorák. She will attend Carnegie-Mellon University in
Pittsburgh next year.
Jeremy Crum favored German lieder in
his selections and was excellent in Tit Willow (The Mikado)
by Gilbert and Sullivan. We could understand every word. He is undecided
about next year but committed to sharing what he has learned in
his high school music experience, whatever he chooses to do.
Catrice Farmer, who created the role
of Dido in the November 19, 2004 GSA production of Dido and Aeneas
by Henry Purcell, reprised When I Am Laid in Earth. Though
I was impessed with all of her selections, I loved best the bluesy,
cabaret energy of Margaret Bonds' Lord, I Just Can't Keep from
Crying.
Abbey Harr, who has a perfect voice for
Glitter and Be Gay from Bernstein's Candide, also
sang La Violette by Scarlatti. Our friend Shirley Thompson
said it best: "That is the best I've ever heard anyone do that song."
Miss Harr will attend Wheaton College Conservatory of Music.
Ashley Koncz, who is a good actress,
was very fine in Sondheim's Sooner or Later. The song opens
with rich low notes, gradually opening upward. Musical theater seems
a natural fit for her talents at this time. Her plans include attending
Hartt College of Music this fall.
Nichole Lewis sang Dat's Love
from Carmen Jones by Bizet/Hammerstein in a most convincing
performance and in a rich, deep seductive voice. George Mason University
is her destination this fall.
Adam Richardson is an expressive singer
with a beautiful vocal tone. My favorite selection was On the
Street Where You Live from My Fair Lady by Lerner and
Lowe. The song opens as if Adam were a bass but his voice becomes
a smooth, sweet baritone as the song developes. He will attend Carnegie-Mellon
University.
Katelyn Sexton opened the recital with
all three of her selections. My comment was "high voice, high spirits."
Victor Herbert's Art is Calling for Me completed her set
and she plans to follow that calling at George Mason this fall.
Allyson Wolf, who played the role of
the Sorceress in Dido and Aeneas in the GSA fall performance
of Purcell's opera, floated some lovely high notes in her selections.
This was especially impressive in Ombra mai fu by Handel.
She is headed to Longwood University.
The graduating class of 2005 came together
to present a thrilling performance of Bernstein's Make Our Garden
Grow featuring Ms. Burroughs and Mr. Richardson in the leading
roles. These young people have an incredibly good foundation to
build on, developed by their experience with the devoted vocal staff
in the vocal music department: Alan Fischer, department chair and
voice teacher; Robert Brown, chorus director, voice teacher.and
tonight's superb accompanist; Carin Cowell, acting and voice teacher;
Karen Hoy, voice teacher; Charlene Marchant, diction and voice teacher;
Michael Regan, chorus, coach and theory.
GSA Spring Scenes Concert
On May 7th at Chandler Hall we heard
the Spring Scenes Concert, featuring vocal music students at all
grade levels. The program opened with the Women's Ensemble directed
by Dr. Lee Tepley who also teaches music theory at GSA. Two madrigals
were followed by Rosemary, by Randall Thompson, a choral
cycle of three songs sung without pause: Chemical Analysis,
A Sad Song and A Nonsense Song. It was whimsical fun
with much emotional expression.
There followed scenes (accompanied by
Mr. Brown or Mr. Regan) from Don Giovanni, The Elixir
of Love, Hansel & Gretel, Carmen, The Magic Flute, Le Comte Ory
and The Merry Widow. The Ballad of Baby Doe by American
composer Douglas Moore, featured four first year students in Act
One's What do you intend to do, Augusta? Next season the
question will be answered when the GSA performs the fully staged
opera the second week in May.
It is such fun to watch these young people
grow and change year by year. What they lack in experience and polish
they make up for in energy and enthusiasm.
This season's opera was Henry Purcell's
Dido and Aeneas, fully staged and with the vocal student
body making up the chorus. Their singing was first rate and the
dancers, costumes and staging created a moving theatrical experience.
Other plans for the 2005-2006 season
include two Black Box Theater productions of a cabaret style jazz
evening and a Liederabend. See our Calendar for full details as
they become available.
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