Breakout Session
Working Less for More in the Music Theater Studio: Connecting Expectations from the Industry with Practical Solutions for Young Singers
Saturday, June 23 • 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Presenters: Christianne Roll, Jeanne Goffi-Fynn
Introduced by: Cindy Dewey
Location: Trinidad 1-3
This participatory session will acknowledge the current demands of the music theater industry for the young singer, as well as its trickle-down effect on the competitive college audition process, and focus on effective, attainable vocal strategies and exercises to use in the voice studio for meeting these expectations. How do we, as a profession, balance expectations with the needs of a young singer? We’ll analyze successful strategies and required skill sets and reflect upon the “why”. Is it the voice training or a natural instinct? Is the success due to an innate pacing which doesn’t “over-do”? Personality, voice use, middle voice training, and mix voice versus belt voice training that address the challenges of singing contemporary music theater repertoire will be the primary focus of this session.
About Christianne Roll
Christianne Roll, Ed.D.C.T., is an expert on the female belt voice. She studied music theater at New York University and her doctorate is from Columbia University, where she focused her research on musical theatre vocal pedagogy. A member of the Actors’ Equity Association, Christianne has performed at the Goodspeed Opera House, the Lucille Lortel Theatre, the York Theatre, and as the principal singer for Norwegian Cruise Lines. She has soloed at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and has sung the national anthem on The Roseanne Show and for the Philadelphia Eagles. Christianne competed in the BBC’s international vocal competition, Voice of Musical Theatre, in Cardiff, Wales, and was a finalist of that competition. Currently, she heads the Musical Theatre Program of Florida Southern College. Christianne is a workshop presenter at The Voice Foundation, the Musical Theatre Educators' Alliance, and has served as music director for Norwegian Cruise Lines.
About Jeanne Goffi-Fynn
Jeanne Goffi-Fynn, Ed.D., M.M., is senior lecturer and director of the Doctoral Cohort Program in the Program of Music at Teachers College, Columbia University. Her areas of interest include performance training for young singers, studio teaching, voice development and pedagogy across styles, and choral singing. She is also a singing voice specialist, specifically in the retraining of singers, with MTD a specific area of interest. She has presented workshops and pedagogical presentations with NATS, The Voice Foundation, NYSTA, CMS, ACDA, NYSSMA, ICVT and ISME. She is currently a member of the American Academy of Teachers of Singing (AATS) and serves with Opera America on their Singer Training Forum, Board of Overseers and Strategic Committee. She also is currently Vice-President of NATS-NYC where she is piloting a new Mentorship Program. Finally, she serves on the board with Every Voice Choir, working as singing voice specialist with children ages 7-16 in workshop settings of music theater, and audition preparation. Her website is JeanneGoffiFynn.com.
