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
March 2, 2010 
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Man, the judges are smoking something when it comes to Jermaine for some reason.
I have ears too…I listened to it, played it back and he sounded great to me!
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I thought the guys were much improved over last week–and I guess I’m surprised that you didn’t include Michael Lynche in your top 6. I was certainly happy to see some of the weaker guys from last week doing alot better this week (Alex and Tim). The performance I was most disappointed in was Andrew Garcia’s. I hope he isn’t sent home because I definitely think he has the potential to be much better than he was tonight. Lee Dewyze was probably my favorite of the night.
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Hi there! Just finished watching the guys. It was a much better night for them but I still don’t see any of them as The American Idol. I am proud of Alex and Tim for stepping up their game. I love the way they are reacting to the constructive criticism of the judges – very mature and professional! Aaron responded well too. I want to know what you think of his vibrado (spelling???). That’s the only thing that is bothering me about young Aaron. Otherwise he is one of my fav guys. I like Lee but am not crazy about him. I’m afraid David Cook has set the bar too high for these rockers that are bracing the AI stage (in my opinion) Yes I am still madly in love with him!! I agree with louis and hope Andrew can do better next week. Jermaine… you’ve had him on your list twice now. He has some really wonderful moments and I can tell that there is a good voice there. His high notes and crazy runs drive me crazy though. He screams too much. Overall, I thought the night was ok – nothing specatcular. I’m not happy with the song choices these guys are making. I can’t connect to many of the songs – they are strange and/or unfamiliar to me. Does anyone agree? I want to hear something that I can relate to…Can’t wait for tomorrow when the girls sing. Good night!
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Hi everyone:
I based my Top 6 picks on what I feel are the guys with the most potential to improve and surprise over the AI season. Jermaine has wonderful star power but he hasn’t quite hit his comfort stride. Michael Lynche = nice guy, nice voice, but I honestly don’t see him moving far up the ladder. I am not fully dismissing him but, right now, he is coasting on the phenomenal amount of airtime he was given in the earlier episodes.
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I just finished watching the men and thought I would give my thoughts while they are still fresh in my mind. This time I took some good notes, thank goodness.
I actually thought Michael Lynche was great this week. The thing with him is that I think he feels that he can rely on his considerable stage presence, charm and charisma. He also has to watch the attitude. He is sometimes bordering on arrogance just a bit. I like confident, but don’t get too carried away at this early point in the competition. I thought he did a great job with this James Brown song, made it his own. It remains to be seen if he is more flash than substance.
John Park picked one of my favorite songs, “Gravity”, however I much prefer Sara Bareilles’s version of the song. I don’t think it worked for him. I said last week his problem was not enough personality, but now I think it’s not enough voice, either. He had trouble with this song. I also do not see him connecting with the words and conveying the emotion. This is a powerful song if you get the meaning.
Casey was not good at all. That rock wannabe thing is not working for him. I sense that he will be this season’s Ace Young, but he is really not my type as far as looks. He was off pitch throughout the song.
Alex was a nice surprise for me. Singing John Legend isn’t a walk in the park, but he really pulled it off. I love the tone and timbre of his voice. There is something special about it. I think he needs a bit more confidence. Nice job!
Todrick just made one of those bad song choices. The guys and the girls really need to stay away from Tina Turner, especially a signature song like “What’s Love Got To Do With It”. He just could not pull this off. Be yourself, not a bad imitation of an icon.
Jermaine hasn’t really shown me enough at this point. What I think is killing him right now is those song choices, one bad one after another. I happen to love Marvin Gaye with my heart and soul. “What’s Goin’ On” was perhaps his greatest song. I just couldn’t bear to see Jermaine fail to connect with the meaning of this song. He has a voice, but you must feel the song and convey that to the audience. Listen to the words, for heaven’s sake and then give them life and meaning.
Andrew really disappointed me this week. That James Morrison song didn’t seem right for his voice. He seemed off pitch at points and struggling throughout. I got a sense that he was uncomfortable. That’s because this wasn’t the right song for his type of voice. I love the sound of his voice and hope for better things.
Aaron singing “My Girl” could have been a trainwreck. I wince when I hear these timeless songs being selected by kids who don’t seem to know what to do with them. I thought he had some pitch problems at points, seemed to be straining in places, but he was much better than last week. There is a voice inside this guy.
Tim chose a better song for himself this week. I don’t hear a really strong voice, but it’s amazing what the right song can do for your vocals. He’s a cutie, so I am assuming he will get through, but I don’t know if he has enough voice.
Lee Deweyze has really impressed me. He was a little off pitch in spots, but honestly, this guy has such strong stage presence that you almost don’t notice. I thought he totally connected with the song and made it powerful. I see enormous potential in him. He’s still a little raw and unpolished, as are so many of them, but the talent and performance ability is there. This guy is one to watch. I am saying this as someone who normally doesn’t love this kind of raspy, soft rock voice. The guy’s got “IT”!
Louise,
I read your comments and we seem to agree quite a bit. I agree with you about Andrew. I truly hope he stays, because the voice is there but he just can’t pick the right song. He doesn’t know how to use his instrument.
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James Brown, Tina Turner, the Temptations, and Marvin Gaye? I can relate to the music. I do like the newer songs too, but don’t know all of the artists. If Todrick and Jermaine had Michael Lynche’s voice, they would have been success. They have the package. I don’t think there is anything special about Todrick’s voice. It was rather bland. I think he’s in trouble.
Louise, I agree the guys were much improved over last week, and that’s a good thing. I am glad Alex and Tim are trying to overcome their nerves and follow the judge’s advice. Lee Dewyze probably did have the best voice for the night. I still like Casey and know he’ll be in the TOP 10. John is becoming a bit of a disappointment. He needs to have fun and sing an umptempo song next week.
Cookie, I understand what you are saying about Aaron’s voice. It is the ‘goat’ vibrato made famous by Carmen R. It takes away from his performance. Maybe if he could relax a little bit more it would help?
The judges did so much better this week. I still am not sold by Ellen’s judging but at least she made more sense this week. I was so happy to see Simon give Tim a break and build up his confidence more.
It was good that the guys went first. I hope Crystal is feeling better and will have her Diabetes under control. I am looking forward to seeing the girls perform.
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I still don’t understand why you like Jermaine, MCL!! To me, he is extremely boring and forgettable. And his voice isn’t great at all.
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Most of the guys are trying too hard to do a “David Cook” on their song choices. A lot of them tried to “beef” up great classics only to have these songs sound more outdated than the original. Three persons who have potential to do a “David Cook” would be Andrew Garcia (as shown in his YT videos … but unfortunately brought out a smoking gun too soon), Casey James (unfortunately too enthusiastic with his guitar prowess), and Lee Dewyze (would early be type-casted as a “rocker”).
But I’m still rooting and hoping that these 3 would bring on the “wow” factor that I’ve been waiting for this season.
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I was pleased to see the guys up their game this week. While there were still some pitch issues, overall the singing was so much better. Maybe they are more comfortable on stage now.
I am not a fan of Casey. I don’t hear much of a voice from him. I stand by my comment that he is this season’s Ace Young, until I see something more.
I agree with Erin when it comes to Jermaine. I am not hearing anything special with him. But that may have a lot to do with his unfortunate song choices. The guy is really hurting himself by trying to mimic Marvin Gaye. Not gonna happen.
Todrick seems to be stuck in the same rut as Jermaine. Don’t get me wrong, these are the songs I grew up listening to and loved so very much. But if you are going to do them, then either do it right or make the song your own with a new and fresh interpretation. They are classic songs that are pretty hard to improve or reinvent.
Right now I don’t see both Todrick and Jermaine getting through to the finals. I know popularity is a big factor on this show, but these two are quite similar and could split that fan base.
I agree with Kariann that Michael could have pulled off those songs. He seems to have the confidence and performance ability to make a song his own. I am very impressed with how he sang that James Brown song. It could have been a disaster, but he did a great job.
As far as the judges, I am liking Ellen more after hearing her this week. I think she is more comfortable, less nervous, getting into the whole vibe of the show. I don’t sense the tenseness that I did last week. I was pleased to hear Simon give Tim credit for improving over week one. You could just see how much it meant to Tim. I am not won over by his voice at this point, but great comments from someone like Simon can only help him feel better. If he ups his game, then good for him.
I still have an open mind. I have only heard these guys sing two times. I may well change my mind as the semi-finals progress. But Lee Deweyze has made the biggest impression on me so far.
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Okay, I finally finished watching the Tivo of the men! Sorry I am behind everyone else (and it is fascinating how many more posts there are on the women’s side.) I was glad to see the men perform better this week, as Week 1 was very ho-hum for me and I really worried about the men’s side of things this year. I mean, NONE of them really seemed suited to the Top Twelve.
I realize that the reasoning behind my picks in the Top 24 are different than in the Top 12. Right now, I’m looking for voice, but I’m also looking for performance skills. I want those who get into the Top 12 to at least have some notion of what entertaining is about. Those who can both perform and sing at this early stage will make it through without a problem (and perhaps win, as well), but I’d like to get the dreck out of the pool if I can. So I guess it isn’t surprising that MCL and I have a number of different picks, because of course, she is going to focus on voice, as she should.
i also have a different perspective on this than I used to. Moving to a national TV audience with a live audience is a whole new thing for most of these singers. You could see the nerves in Week One for many of the contestants. Not everyone can adapt quickly to this environment. I thought Alex Lambert shouldn’t have made it through Group Round, based on what I saw on TV, and Week One confirmed that, and yet this week he was much more relaxed and confident. I’ve decided that I need to trust that the judges saw something that made them pass these people through. Not everyone lives up to their potential, and adapting to this new situation takes longer for some than others. The “potential” that the judges may project onto them may exist solely in the judges’ minds, but I think it is probably fairer to assume that there is something there and that some people can’t get it together under the pressure and some can. And some people take a week or two to do so and some don’t.
I’m also starting to subscribe to the “what have you done for me lately” philosophy. If these people are learning and growing during this process, then what they did last week really doesn’t matter as much as what they did this week. And at this early stage, I am willing to cut them less slack, interestingly. So here are my thoughts:
My Top 12 men are: Michael, just because I love his energy and tone; Andrew, ditto for the tone and he’s done enough to interest me to want to see more; Alex (can’t believe I’m saying this), because he did a very creditable job this week; Toddrick, because I always find him interesting and entertaining to watch, and I thought he was mistreated by the judges this week; Aaron, who I think is the best male 16-year-old we’ve had, bar none; and Lee, who isn’t my personal fave but I can understand why everyone else likes him.
John Park showed signs of life this week and has a beautiful instrument, but it was really a matter of too little, too late; Casey was great with soul music, but yes, I agree that rock is not really his thing, and if he sticks with it, he will be nothing more than another wannabe; and Jermaine; well, I knew he was gone from the results show before I saw him sing on Tivo, and so what’s the point in saying anything? Tim I don’t like for one good reason and one stupid one. The good reason is that his voice is not, to me, “musical.” He hits the notes, he held that one note solidly for a while, but there is a hard-edge to his voice, and he isn’t a rocker, where he could take advantage of that. I like voices that are smooth and musical and draw me in.
The stupid reason is that I just don’t get this new fad among men of not parting their hair. I will excuse — just barely — Alex, because his hair is thin enough to get away with it (still don’t like it, but it’s palatable), but when you have a thick head of hair as Tim does and you let the bangs grow a little long to boot so that they curl up a little at the ends — well, I’m sorry, it just looks stupid. If he sang like Adam Lambert, I’d probably forgive him the bad hair, but he doesn’t and I don’t. I know he and Alex have the teenybopper vote, but I don’t have to put him on my list.
I think Lee does have, as Kara said, a great radio voice. It is raspy and nasally, both of which sort of annoy me, but which are good fits with rock, so I can get by that. And his physique is probably good for rock, too. But he looks like the student class president and the sort of boy you’d like your daughter to date, not like your basic rock star, and I am somehow having trouble with the disconnect between those things. But I understand why others like him and have no trouble with him in the Top 6.
I think one of the other things that is hard for these contestants is that the judges always want you to “make the song your own”, but that is a very flexible commandment. You can radically change it and, if you do it the “right” way (a la ‘Billie Jean’), you are praised to the skies, but if you do it the “wrong way” (‘What’s Love Got to Do with it?”), you get criticized. If you sing a song straight, you risk being told that you can’t compete with the original artist, but if you change it up TOO much, you’re told you should just sing it straight.
In other words, you’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t.
Personally, I liked Toddrick’s version of “What’s Love Got to Do with It”. Was it better than the original — no. But if he had sung it straight, he would have been hung, too, Randy’s comments notwithstanding. it was hardly the worst version ever done of that song, probably one of the better ones, and I have to give him props for it. And I like his voice and his performance skills.
But then, I’ve always hated both the song, “New York, New York” and Frank Sinatra’s version of it. Liza had to sing it; he didn’t, and I didn’t think he improved what was basically a trite song to begin with. So don’t ask me about covers.
I’m really going to be interested to see who goes next week.
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I wrote this post and for some reason it didn’t go through. It won’t come out as good the second time around, I’m sure, and I’ll do some editing, as well.
My Top 12 men are based on voice, but also on performance, rather than vocal potential. I’ve got plenty of time to winnow out the quality, right now I’m focussing on people I enjoy spending time with week after week.
I’ve decided that “what have you done for me lately” has validity in this format, where contestants are expected to grow as performers week to week. But I also understand that moving to a national tv audience and a live audience as well presents challenges that some meet more readily than others. If I accept that the judges did really see something in everyone, then it is just a matter of has that things shown through yet?
I loved the Casey who sang soul. If he is going to try to be a rocker, he will lose me. He is just a wannabe in that arena.
Jermaine — well. it doesn’t matter, as he’s gone. But John Park did finally start showing some emotion, but I’m afraid it was a little too late. Tim may have half the teenybopper vote, but his hair drives me nuts, and his voice is not at all musical to me. It doesn’t matter if you can hit the notes well if it isn’t a pleasure to listen to you.
Which leaves me with my Top 6 Men: Michael I still just enjoy watching, and ditto Andrew; Alex really surprised me this week; Toddrick I love to watch, and I think he has been mistreated by the judges; Aaron is the best 16-year-old guy we’ve had, hands down; and while Lee is raspy and nasally and not my type vocally, I agree with Kara that he has a radio sound. It’s hard to be a rocker when you look like the Student Council president, but maybe Lee can pull it off.
I do think that the contestants are between a rock and a hard place when it comes to “changing up songs”. Change it up too much (a la Toddrick Hall) and you get trashed and told to sing it straight. Sing it straight, and you risk being told that you can’t compare to the original artist. But change it up the “right” way (whatever that is), and you are seen as the Second Coming.
Personally, I didn’t think “What’s Love Got to Do With It” was that bad. I love watching Toddrick perform, and think his voice is very listenable, too. Don’t know why they are on him so much.
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