Last Minute Vocal Masterclass Advice For The Top 24 Of American Idol Season Six

February 13, 2007 by Masterclass Lady 4 Comments


Well, after a cumbersome 3 week yawnfest better known as the tedious overview of auditioners from the pre-Hollywood rounds, we are finally moving on to Hollywood week. Yes siree everyone, tonight’s episode will finally highlight the progression toward the announcement of the Top 40 and then, tomorrow evening, it’s the dead man walking segment(if you didn’t watch last season, then this will make sense when you watch tomorrow’s one hour special) to find out which singers are eliminated from the coveted Top 24 spots.

Therefore, I would like to offer up some timely and, hopefully, beneficial advice, to the talented group of 24 as they prepare their debut Top 24 performances.

First and foremost, find a song that truly speaks to who you are as a performer. Do not try to be the next Celine, Shania, Elton, Elvis, etc.. Be yourself. However, at the same time, find a song that is new to the listeners’ ears – one that is identifiable and yet has not been performed endlessly over the past 5 seasons.

Secondly, pace yourself judiciously during your performance. Maintain a sense of control over the various elements within your song structure. If it is a fast song, ease into the accelerated pace and do not become over pumped in the early segments of your number. Work out your stage movements slowly, and allow them to accentuate, not detract, from your vocal performance. If it is a slow song, slowly build to the climax of the song and do not contibute too much vocal sound too soon. Your voice and demeanor will easily become depleted before the completion of your number if you expend too much energy at the beginning of your performance.

Additionally, do not sing with the same level of sound throughout your number. It’s all about creating a nuanced performance, one that highlights the beauty and power of your voice at every dynamic level. If your chest voice is too overwhelming, you will begin to have problems within your upper range, the area of your voice that requires more head voice and, therefore, an overall lighter sound.

Thirdly, internalize the emotion of your song. This is not easy to do given the abbreviated time frame of your performance; however, you must create a visual component for your song so that you will not become distracted and detached during your performance. Technical brilliance is important, but the artistic delivery of a song is even more important. And, believe it or not, many of the technical issues recede when you completely immerse your heart and soul in the song’s emotional message.

Finally, be gracious and adopt a genuine and accommodating demeanor, not only during your performance but also during the interview and judging segments. Remember, your 15 minutes of fame will be analyzed and scrutinized endlessly long after your performance is over, thanks to YouTube.Com, GoFish.Com and Google Video sites, to name a few. You want to create a memorable and favorable impression in the minds of the viewers aka voters and adopt new fans with this performance, so think before you speak and communicate your song with sincerity and credibility.

I look forward to providing Vocal Masterclass articles once the Top 12 performances begin. However, I will quite possibly provide abbreviated vocal masterclass articles for the Top 24. Stay tuned and please feel free to provide your comments below.

For all the lastest American Idol News, visit SirLinksalot: American Idol or the American Idol Official Site

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About Masterclass Lady

Rosanne (Giallonardo) Simunovic began her musical career in Timmins, Ontario. She studied piano with Anne Pizzale and later, at an advanced level, with Soeur Anita Vaugeois (Sister Cecile of Les Soeurs De L’Assomption in Timmins). Her vocal and accompaniment skills were nurtured by her aunt, the late Dorothea Mascioli. When Rosanne graduated from O’Gorman High School, she moved on to the University of Toronto where she continued her piano and vocal studies while attaining a Bachelor of Arts Degree. She was hired as a piano accompanist for several musical companies, most notably, the National Ballet Of Canada. She presently holds an A.R.C.T. Teacher’s Diploma in Voice from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. Rosanne has studied choral conducting with numerous well known Canadian Conductors, including Wayne Riddell of Montreal, Quebec and the internationally renowned Dr. Elmer Iseler. She has been a founding member of numerous community-based arts organizations: the Timmins Arts Council, later known as Arts & Culture Timmins, the Timmins Symphony Orchestra, and, the Timmins Youth Singers…as well as the TYS Alumnus choir, the Timmins Concert Singers. In 1987, she was also selected to be the conductor of the Timmins Board Of Education Choir, comprised of talented students from Grades 5 to 8. In 1988, she was elected to the Board Of Directors of the Ontario Choral Federation (now known as Choirs Ontario), where she served as Chair of the Festivals Committee for six consecutive seasons. In 1996, in honour of the Ontario Choral Federation’s 25th Anniversary, Rosanne was selected as one of 25 recipients of the OCF’s Distinguished Service Award for outstanding contribution to the choral art. The ceremony was presided by Lieutenant Governor, Hal Jackman. In November 1997, Rosanne Simunovic was selected by the Rotary Club Of Timmins to receive the prestigious Paul Harris Award for her years of dedication to the artistic development of young musical talent in Timmins. In August of 2002, Rosanne Simunovic was selected by the Board Of Directors of Choirs Ontario to serve as Conductor of both the Provincial Junior and Teen Choir Camps, now renamed in honour of the Camp Benefactors, Don and Lillian Wright. In November 2002, Rosanne was the one of the recipients of the Commemorative Medal for the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, honouring her work in the development of the arts in Timmins. Under Rosanne Simunovic’s direction, the Timmins Youth Singers and the Timmins Concert Singers have been featured in numerous choral festivals and performing opportunities outside of Timmins. In 1985, they were selected to partici
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4 Responses to “Last Minute Vocal Masterclass Advice For The Top 24 Of American Idol Season Six”

  1. Unknown's avatar
    angelia February 14, 2007 at 2:19 am

    I look forward to your critique of the hopeful Idol competitors.

    Like

  2. Unknown's avatar
    masterclasslady February 14, 2007 at 3:07 am

    Thank you so much. I look forward to sharing my critiques with you. It should be an interesting season. They all are!

    Like

  3. Unknown's avatar
    extrapolater February 14, 2007 at 9:39 pm

    I love American Idol in both the ironic and non-ironic ways. I find this very confusing.

    On the one hand, I truly enjoy it when a real singer belts one out, but on the other hand, when I step back and look at this, I realize it’s a competition for people to become the kind of singer I don’t really like – the pop star.

    I guess as long as I’m enjoying it on any level, I should just hang tight and not worry about why.

    Like

  4. Unknown's avatar
    masterclasslady February 15, 2007 at 12:29 am

    I don’t like the cookie cutter pop style either. I would much rather work with a talented singer who is capable of unique interpretive abilities. This is the kind of person I want to see on American Idol.

    Like