Recital will feature the top three places in each category in the Musical Theater Competition and Art Song Festival.
When: Sunday February 28, 2021 • 2:00pm
Where / Mode: TBD
Recital will feature the top three places in each category in the Musical Theater Competition and Art Song Festival.
When: Sunday February 28, 2021 • 2:00pm
Where / Mode: TBD
Sabrina Learman’s enormous passion for teaching is undeniable. Her voice students have been heard and seen on (and off-) Broadway and in international tours; they have been accepted to prestigious, intensive conservatory and summer programs in opera and musical theatre, both nationally and abroad; and they have taken prizes in a myriad of local and national competitions.
Sabrina is on the voice faculty of Emerson College’s BFA Musical Theatre program, as well as New England Conservatory’s Preparatory School, where she created and taught their first-ever musical theatre classes for teens. She has presented master classes in performance and audition techniques at many colleges and music programs, and has been an adjudicator for countless competitions. Summer teaching/vocal directing includes Emerson College, Summer Institute for the Vocal Arts, My College Audition, Newton Summer Theatre, Fusion Arts Exchange, Hotchkiss Summer Portals Vocal Chamber program, and New York State Summer School for the Arts. (Former faculty posts: Entrepreneurial Musicianship, New England Conservatory; University of Massachusetts – Dartmouth).
Sabrina has enjoyed a career as a soloist with countless New England area chamber groups, choruses and orchestras – touring, championing new works, and collaborating with composers. She was a founding member of Chameleon Arts Ensemble of Boston for over 12 years. For over 25 years, she has performed with the prestigious Boston Baroque chorus, with whom she has also recorded and been a soloist. Sabrina has performed live on WGBH Radio and has recorded for Albany Records, the Discovery Channel, Cakewood Records, and the Zamir Chorale. Holding degrees from the Eastman School of Music and New England Conservatory, Sabrina’s teachers have included Kathleen Kaun, Ruth Falcon, Thomas Paul, Lucy Shelton and Tamara Brooks, with chamber music studies under the tutelage of Jan DeGaetani. She is a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing.
Jennifer Lefsyk is an American actor, vocalist, and artist based in Upstate NY. She holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from SUNY Fredonia (‘11) and has toured nationally directing & performing musical theatre for children. Some favorite past roles include Janet in The Rocky Horror Show, Sheila in HAIR, and Maria in The Sound of Music.
Jennifer has performed in many theatrical productions, web series, and short & feature-length films. She has also worked as stunt coordinator, stunt double, and fight choreographer on several projects.
Outside of performing, Jennifer has a passion for fitness, DIY projects, writing, and has been working on her drawing/painting skills. Recently, she became a first-time homeowner alongside her boyfriend John and their adorable rescue cat, Sora!
J. Michael Zygo was an original Broadway cast member/musician of the 8 Tony Award winning musical Once. Prior to that, he and his wife Jill performed (often together) in 49 of the 50 states in various national tours and regional theatre productions. His credits include: Broadway: Once, School Of Rock; Off-Broadway: Once (NYTW) Tours: Rock Of Ages – 1st National, The Wedding Singer, Bridges of Madison County – 1st National, Annie – 30th Anniversary tour, and Oklahoma! – 1st National. He has also directed, music directed, and choreographed several productions of Once, including Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, Virginia Repertory Theatre, The Fulton, and the most recent national tour which was a full restaging of the original Broadway production.
Mike is currently living in Burnt Hills with his wife Jill and 7 year old daughter Maizy. After Broadway life, Mike got his Real Estate license and is now a Realtor with the Jeffrey Keith Team at Keller Williams Capital District. www.gowithZYGO.com!!!
Directing credits include: Emojiland, the musical (The Duke Theatre, 2020; NY Times Critics Pick, 4 Drama Desk Award Nominations, Original Cast Recording on Broadway Records), Southern Comfort, the musical, (The Public Theatre; NY Times Critics Pick, Lucille Lortel Award & Outer Critics Circle Award nominations: Best New Musical), Dynamo: Seeing Is Believing (West End, U.K. Tour, Australian Tour); Brave New World, the musical, by Tony Award nominee Bill Russell & Grammy Award-winner, John McDaniel (NC Stage); Southern Comfort (Barrington Stage – Jonathan Larson & Glaad Awards – Best New Musical).
Broadway Associate Director credits include: A Christmas Carol, Groundhog Day, Matilda, Ghost, Mamma Mia!, Bombay Dreams, Follies and Master Class. Thomas directed the Broadway National Tours of Matilda, Ghost, and Master Class.
Other select directing credits include: David Blaine: Real or Magic (Asia Tour); Jack Heifner’s Earth To Bucky (Bay Street Theatre), the premiere of Terrence McNally and Israel Horovitz’s Off Season (Gloucester Stage), Shipwrecked, Clever Little Lies, Syncopation, Don’t Talk To The Actors, Greetings, Around The World In 80 Days, and Over The Tavern (Penguin Rep). Zombie (Off-Broadway), Don’t Talk To The Actors (Studio Arena Theatre, Buffalo – Cornell Award, Best Play), Master Class (TheatreWorks, Palo Alto); Diagnosis (The Play Company), Bingo (Off-Broadway); China Dolls (Ensemble Studio Theatre); Two Boys (Rattlestick);
Amanda Chmela, soprano, of Lindenhurst, NY, received her BFA in Musical Theatre from SUNY Fredonia and her MM in Opera Performance from Binghamton University. She attended the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College where she worked towards an Artist Diploma Certificate for Opera Performance. Ms Chmela is a member of NATS, NYSTA, NAfME, The Voice Foundation, and is Certified in Somatic Voicework™, The LoVetri Method. In addition to her collegiate teaching, she maintains a private voice studio, www.LongIslandVoiceLessons.com, where she specializes in teaching Contemporary Commercial Music with a strong focus on musical theatre and pop/rock styles. Since the summer of 2018, Ms. Chmela has been a faculty member at The LoVetri Institute for Somatic Voicework™, held at Baldwin Wallace University. Past teaching experience includes voice faculty at Rider University (2014-2018), voice faculty at Molloy College (2014), and adjunct faculty at Binghamton University (2010-2013).
Ms. Chmela has been the female vocalist for the Savoy Swing Band since August of 2013 and in 2020 joined Rock Island Sound as their female vocalist. She has participated in the Westchester Summer Vocal Institute and is an alumnus of Tri-Cities Opera’s Resident Artist Training Program. Performance highlights include Lucille (Parade), Anne (A Little Night Music), Nancy (Oliver!), Gretel (Hansel and Gretel), Josephine (H.M.S. Pinafore), Despina (Cosi fan tutti), Latitia & Ms. Pinkerton (The Old Maid and the Thief), Poppea (L’incoronazione di Poppea), Beth (Little Women), Hodel/Fruma Sarah (Fiddler on the Roof), Alice (Addam’s Family), Barbarina (Le Nozze di Figaro) and Fire Cover/Chorus (L’enfant et les sortilege). As a soloist, Ms Chmela had the opportunity of performing Antonín Dvořák’s Op. 55, Gypsy Melodies, at the Bohemian National Hall.
Mary McNulty is a New York based actor, coach, and voice over artist. Her career has given her the opportunity to perform in NYC and across the country. Reviews of her performances have described her as charismatic, vivacious, vulnerable, with excellent comedic instincts and a voice that is expressive, and effortless.
Mary has enjoyed select credits such as Guenevere on The National Tour of Camelot, June in Into the Breeches, Lilli/Katherine in Kiss Me Kate, Fiona in Brigadoon, Judy Denmark in Ruthless! The Musical, Portia in The Merchant of Venice, and Charlotte in A Little Night Music. Mary is a proud member of AEA and SAG-AFTRA.
Hannah Corneau made her Broadway debut as Elphaba in Wicked. She recently starred as Edna St. Vincent Millay in the critically-acclaimed Transport Group production of Renascence. Previously, she traveled around the country as Yitzhak in the First National tour of Hedwig and The Angry Inch. Her Off-Broadway and regional credits include Daddy Long Legs, Evita, Fiddler on the Roof, Harmony (Ovation nomination), Les Miserables (Joseph Jefferson Award), Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, and A Little Night Music. She is also a member of RANGE a cappella.
Who: High School seniors who will be completing college auditions for vocal performance, music education, musical theatre, and other similar majors. Juniors welcome to observe.
When: Friday, October 2, 2020 (Application Due: September 25, 2020)
Where: Virtual Zoom meeting, link to be shared with participant confirmation
Time: 6:30-8:45 p.m. (or later, if necessary)
Fee: Seniors who would like to complete a mock audition: $15; Any high school students who would like to observe: $10
Format: This seminar will give high school seniors the opportunity to complete a mock VIRTUAL live audition in addition to observing peer auditions. Topics addressed will be making introductions, recording tips, appropriate dress, and how parents can help support their child through the audition process, (among others). Students will receive both written and verbal feedback. Please dress appropriately for an audition. Parents are welcome to observe.
Song requirements:
Classical Auditions – Two songs in two different languages that represent contrasting styles and eras using piano accompaniment. One MUST be in English.
Musical Theatre Auditions – Standard 16/32 bar audition repertoire using piano accompaniment. Must include one up tempo and one ballad.
ALL PARTICIPANTS MUST USE PIANO ACCOMPANIMENT (EITHER PRE-RECORDED OR LIVE) AND USE ORIGINAL SCORES FOR ALL SONGS PERFORMED
Please direct any questions to Heather Baird.