Review of ‘A Rough Guide to Music Theatre’
17-19 March 2006
A brisk and clear St Patrick’s Day welcomed Mary to Belfast. It was quite brisk in St. Patrick’s too, until of course we started to warm the room up with our warm ups and our songs from Mr. Gershwin and Mr. Porter. Right from the start we were aware of the high calibre of tutor Tosini had secured for us. Some of us had of course had the pleasure of meeting Mary at the Charles Wood Summer School last August but the weekend provided us with an even greater opportunity to share in her love and passion for what she does and what we all aspire to do!
Central to the whole weekend was the simple fact that text above all must be paramount in Music Theatre. This is something that, in our desire for the perfect sound, sometimes can get put to one side. Not however with Mary in the room! It is not enough to have a pretty voice, of which there were many I might add. We must be able to transcend the voice to become the expression of the sentiment. It was easy to spot the teachers in the room as they scribbled furiously as Mary dealt with technical issues for each participant. Those of us who had the fortune of the Estill Level 1 and 2 courses organised by Tosini in October/November were certainly glad of it when it came to technical points. Tosini recorded each participant on CD as they worked on their songs which will no doubt be of immense benefit in the days ahead as we digest Mary’s suggestions.
Participants ranged in experience but we all shared an overwhelming desire to be better, which I feel helped us all bond and support each other over the weekend. Lunchtimes and tea breaks gave us further opportunities to get to know each other and also chase up music which tickled our fancy. Of particular joy was our introduction to the music of Maltby and Shire, with ‘Miss Bird’, handled amazingly from the talented Amy Harper (who learned it on the Saturday night to perform on the Sunday!) I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that in a few years time we will see Amy on stage in a lead role in a West End production as she certainly is a star in the making.
All our efforts were rewarded in our concert on Sunday afternoon for friends and family. I speak personally when I say it wasn’t one of my more ‘relaxed’ performances, as I furtively tried to remember all I had been told! We did ourselves proud however as Mary beamed up at us with encouragement throughout it all. For some of the participants it was the first time their family had heard them sing. What a début!
We were fortunate to have very talented accompanists over the weekend; Danny O Neill on Saturday and Sunday, and Elizabeth Bicker on Friday evening. Their expertise was invaluable in keeping us on the right course through the different styles.
Tosini very much look forward to welcoming Mary back to our vocal workshops in the CWSS this coming August. I know that all who met her this weekend will want the opportunity to renew the acquaintance and hopefully impress her with how much we have learned from this weekend. As a teacher, I had the privilege of watching an esteemed teacher work with a huge variety of singers, focusing on different aspects of their singing, with encouragement, continuity, reinforcement and progression. As a singer, I had the wonderful opportunity of having individual attention with Mary on four songs…‘Heaven, I’m in heaven’. Please forgive the lyrics but we certainly ‘faced the music’ this weekend …did we dance? I think so!
Mairéad Duffy
Participant, Teacher and Chairman of Tosini
