Here are some people who have encouraged me to sing and to continue singing:
My mom. She was always supportive and encouraging to me in so many ways. Specifically she and I attended concerts of Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops, operatic tenor Nicolai Gedda, the late Danish pianist and comedian Victor Borge, and Judy Collins when I was a child and young adult. In December 2003 my mom heard me sing in the Holiday Chorus with the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra during our concert at the Centrum Center in Worcester, Massachusetts. That turned out to be the final performance of mine that she attended; she passed away in August 2004. I thank God for the role my mom played in my life--both personally and in encouraging my musical interests.
My dad. During his lifetime, he often complimented my singing and taped my live radio performances from home.
My wife. She continually encourages me in my community theatre and singing activities, even though it requires her to spend more time caring for our children on her own during rehearsal evenings.
My children. They have seen many of my performances since 1996, and requested that I sing songs to them at their bedtimes when they were younger. In 2005 two of my daughters starred starred in the musical Annie Junior at their middle school--as Daddy Warbucks and his secretary Grace. My youngest daughter intends to make a career of the performing arts.
My dad. During his lifetime, he often complimented my singing and taped my live radio performances from home.
My wife. She continually encourages me in my community theatre and singing activities, even though it requires her to spend more time caring for our children on her own during rehearsal evenings.
My children. They have seen many of my performances since 1996, and requested that I sing songs to them at their bedtimes when they were younger. In 2005 two of my daughters starred starred in the musical Annie Junior at their middle school--as Daddy Warbucks and his secretary Grace. My youngest daughter intends to make a career of the performing arts.
Jane Cormier. Her ecstatic feedback about my vocal gifts has motivated me to seek further vocal challenges. Her casting me in the role of Archibald Grosvenor in Patience in the spring of 2003 was a dream-come-true for me, even though at my age I had given up hope of playing a lead role in a musical. Jane and fellow opera singer/music director Carlos Martinez co-founded and ran Operafest! of New Hamphshire for 10 years.
Here are some singers--past and present--from whom I have learned and whom I admire:
Krisanthi Pappas. Hearing her song clips at motivated me to attended a concert of hers early in the summer of 2006. Her joy of entertaining an audience has had a great, positive impact on me, and her warmth and sincerity have continued to impress me since then. She truly knows how to make a song her own, and her performances are unforgettable.
Hayley Westenra. From the first song I heard her sing as an already-famous 17-year-old soloist (), the purity of her tone and expressive quality of her voice greatly impacted me. In my life Hayley holds the rare distinction of bringing tears to my eyes with her singing--while I was on stage with her as a member of the Boston Pops Holiday Chorus. The song: "We're Walking in the Air." The location: The New Jersey Performing Arts Center. I greatly enjoyed the privilege of singing as a chorus member in 9 concerts with her.
Mario Lanza (1921-1959). Just as I do, Lanza sang in a wide variety of styles--tender love songs, dramatic operatic arias, and Broadway show tunes. I bought two used albums of his one summer ("The Student Prince" and "The Desert Song") and absolutely fell in love with his singing. I then diligently searched for more used LPs of his, and I thank God that I now own 24 of them. Studying these Lanza recordings has led to an improvement in my singing performance.
Placido Domingo. He sings with intelligence, precision, clarity, and sensitivity. A good song becomes a great song when sung by him.
Jane Olivor. An international favorite primarily in the 1970s and early 80s, her recordings demonstrated to me how a song could be a work of art when filled with passion and wide-ranging dynamics. Jane has returned to the concert stage, and she performed at the Berklee School of Music in November 2003--just a few blocks down the street from Symphony Hall, where I sang in the Holiday Chorus just one month later.
Fats Waller (1904-1943). Demonstrated a remarkable combination of wit and professionalism in his compositions, piano-playing, and singing. He clearly enjoyed his own performances and, as a result, his recordings are a delight to listen to even today.
Marcia Taylor. An aquaintance of mine whom I met at a local coffeehouse, Marcia impressed me with an incredibly warm spirit that put energy into her singing and guitar-playing and a smile on my face. Back when I was single, Marcia visited me at my parents' home, and we sang a duet of "Blue Skies" for my mom on that day in 1987.
Priscilla Herdman. I've seen her in coffeehouse concerts more often (about 10 times between 1982 and 1999) than any other singer. Her clear and expressive voice and sincerity and warmth when relating stories to us in the audience make her a enduring favorite of mine.
Jane Olivor. An international favorite primarily in the 1970s and early 80s, her recordings demonstrated to me how a song could be a work of art when filled with passion and wide-ranging dynamics. Jane has returned to the concert stage, and she performed at the Berklee School of Music in November 2003--just a few blocks down the street from Symphony Hall, where I sang in the Holiday Chorus just one month later.
Fats Waller (1904-1943). Demonstrated a remarkable combination of wit and professionalism in his compositions, piano-playing, and singing. He clearly enjoyed his own performances and, as a result, his recordings are a delight to listen to even today.
Marcia Taylor. An aquaintance of mine whom I met at a local coffeehouse, Marcia impressed me with an incredibly warm spirit that put energy into her singing and guitar-playing and a smile on my face. Back when I was single, Marcia visited me at my parents' home, and we sang a duet of "Blue Skies" for my mom on that day in 1987.
Priscilla Herdman. I've seen her in coffeehouse concerts more often (about 10 times between 1982 and 1999) than any other singer. Her clear and expressive voice and sincerity and warmth when relating stories to us in the audience make her a enduring favorite of mine.
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