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VOICE PROGRAM

Bridget Foley Steele, Chair
Bridget is from the Pittsburgh area and graduated from Gateway High School in Monroeville. She received a Bachelors in Music and a Bachelors in Speech Communication from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania and her Masters in Voice Performance from Bowling Green State University of Ohio. She continued to study Opera Performance in Florence, Italy where she studied with world-renowned tenor Franco Corelli. Some of her operatic roles include Mrs. Charlston, Dead Man Walking, with Pittsburgh Opera; Violetta, La Traviata; Donna Anna, Don Giovanni; Musetta, La Boheme; Fiordiligi, Cosi Fan Tutte; Adele, Die Fledermaus; Miss Wordsworth, Albert Herring. Some of her music theater roles include Desire, A Little Night Music; Julie Jordan, Carousel; Fiona, Brigadoon; Leah, Two by Two; Reno Sweeney and Hope Harcourt, Anything Goes.

She has sung the National Anthem for the Pittsburgh Steelers and many concerts in the surrounding area. She previously was Voice Professor at Slippery Rock University and Edinboro University and the Aural Skills Professor at Mercyhurst College and is a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing. Bridget has sung Pittsburgh Opera’s Summer Series Concerts and currently sings with Pittsburgh Opera’s Education Outreach program and the Pittsburgh Opera Chorus.

What you can expect from us
We treat the voice with great care. It is important to us that singers learn to use their voices in a healthy way that will allow their instruments to develop naturally. We do this by teaching age-appropriate repertoire and technique. Our goals are to develop technical knowledge of how the voice works and how to use it; develop musicianship and train students to become confident and expressive performers.

All incoming students will have an initial conference with the Voice Teacher. This is not an audition but an opportunity for the student and voice teacher to meet and determine the student’s level of voice training.

What we expect from you.
The Voice Faculty is committed to the success of our students and we ask for a commitment from them in return. Singers are expected to practice a minimum of four days a week. In addition singers are expected to enroll and demonstrate progress in appropriate workshops and musicianship classes from the core curriculum.

Performance Opportunities.
Students will give in-class performances. More advanced students with solos and students who have ensemble numbers may be invited to perform on the all-school recitals.

The Private Voice Program
Lessons of 45 minutes are arranged with an individual teacher. Designed for the more advanced student, the Private Voice Program is structured to reflect our commitment to developing strong performers. Students will receive 28 lessons during the year. During each lesson the student will work on exercises to improve technical skills and learn repertoire which is appropriate for that students’ ability. Repertoire will cover classical as well as popular song literature. All students are expected to learn and memorize songs in English and at least one foreign language.

Vocal Performance Workshop
The Vocal Performance Workshop (VPW) provides an opportunity for students to gain performing experience both as soloist and ensemble singers. Repertoire will focus on classical vocal literature both solo and ensemble, musical theater and operetta. Each singer will rehearse ensemble music each week and perform solo sings regularly in class. Students will receive vocal and

Students will receive vocal and ensemble coaching and study basic acting techniques and stage deportment. Singers must be able to sing in tune, one on a part, and be prepared to perform for one another in class. Students will perform over the course of the year in departmental and in-class recitals. Upper level students will participate in general student recitals.

This course is part of the Voice Program at City Music Center. It is open by audition or permission of instructor to students not studying privately at CMC, but enrollment preference will be given to those students enrolled in our voice program.

Faculty

Bridget Foley Steele, Chair
Richard Teaster, Bass-Baritone
Dean Kokanos, Tenor

City Music Center
of Duquesne University
Mary Pappert School of Music

Pittsburgh, PA 15282-1800
(412) 396-5872
www.cmcpgh.org

Sally Worsing, Ph.D
Executive Director
stone@duq.edu

Roberta K. Erickson
Business Manager
ericksonr@duq.edu

City Music Center at the
Anna L. Perlow School of Music
of the JCC of Greater Pgh.
(412) 396-5872