Students and faculty from the Musical Theatre and Vocal Performance divisions switched roles on Sunday, April 10, to participate in the Opera & Musical Theatre Soiree. The musical theatre majors will sang classical arias, while the vocal students will performed Broadway show tunes.
Hosted by the Benjamin T. Rome School of Music, the soiree showcased undergraduates, faculty, and several graduate students from the two divisions. The event was an opportunity for students to grow from working on a different repertoire.
“I wanted the musical theatre students to work on legitimate vocal pieces and I thought it would be good for the vocal performance students to work on text-based songs,” said Tom Pedersen, head of the Musical Theatre Division.
During the performances the audience enjoyed the gems of each genre, Pedersen said. It also was a chance for faculty and students who are musical theatre and vocal performers to sing alongside one another.
“In the two years that I have worked with my voice teachers here at CUA, I have studied a variety of different styles of songs and musical genres,” said sophomore musical theatre major Carrie Kirby, who will be performing at the soiree. “This kind of basic training has given my voice a clearer timbre and purer sound, which can help with other styles of singing such as belting and using a mixed voice.”