Masterclass Thoughts About the American Idol Season 10 Milwaukee and Nashville Auditions

January 29, 2011 by Masterclass Lady 17 Comments


This blog topic is accompanied by a video blog. The video is not my finest hour. I am in desperate need of a make-up artist and I need to, perhaps, get rid of the final remains of my cough.

Nevertheless, it’s a start and an effort to reach my readers on a more personal basis.

I really fell in love with many singers from the Milwaukee auditions. Scott McQueerie Scott McCreery, 16-years-old, really astounded me with the depth and richness of his bass voice. It was great to hear a male artist embrace the lower area of his range and, yet, still feel comfortable and relaxed to highlight his upper voice.  For his age, this young man possesses a remarkably mature voice. Very impressive!

I also loved 15-year-old Thia Megia. Didn’t she sound amazing? She is very talented and phrases her melodic line so musically. I actually googled her and found out that she has enjoyed an impressive amount of stage experience, including a performance in the company of David Foster.

I enjoyed Mollie deWolfe, who is  an intern at the White House and a Harvard Graduate. Her sultry version of Sittin’ On The Dock Of The Bay was most impressive and she navigated her range seamlessly, from her smoky contralto sound to her translucent soprano voice.

It was nice to see that 18-year-old Haley Reinhart was given a green light to Hollywood, after being rejected during last season’s American Idol auditions. She has a bluesy quality to her voice and is very fluid with her riffs and runs.

Didn’t you just love Rowan Strong’s Twistin’ The Night Away?   It was an energetic, rhythmically secure performance and he looked and sounded relaxed and confident. His vocals were strong and resonant.

I also loved the classically trained sound of 27-year-old Steve Beghun, followed by the gorgeous, fluid voice of 22-year-old Scott Dangerfield.  Scott looked and sounded so relaxed and showcased great style and substance during his audition. Rocker Ali Jackson sang a gritty version of The Beatles’ Come Together followed by Aerosmith’s Dream On. She has great style and sings with heartfelt passion. If she makes it through to the Top 20, she will stand out and be noticed.

And then there was 26-year-old Chris Medina accompanied by his heartbreaking story. I think time stood still when his fiancée, Juliana, who suffered a horrendous accident, chauffered into the audition room. What a triumphant story of love conquering tragedy. And, the best news of all, Chris sang beautifully as his voice wrapped seamlessly around the melodic line of his song. He has such a gorgeous voice and is intuitively musical.

Moving on to Nashville, the auditions weren’t quite so exciting and some of the better singers were rushed during the editing process.  Who were those three guys who sang in succession? They were amazing. I never had a chance to jot their names down, so I hope my readers can help me here.

The first duo that appeared, Rob Bolin and Chelsea Oaks sounded better together than apart, but I think they both have solid voices. However, something quite magical happened when they sang together -the harmonies were impeccable and their voices had the perfect blend. Just beautiful!

I also enjoyed 22-year-old Adrienne Beasley. She has a great voice – full and passionate – and gave a very genuine and expressive audition. Matt Dillon, 27-years-old, showcased his beautiful tenor voice while singing the Josh Groban favorite, “You Raise Me Up“.  I loved his tenor voice – I wasn’t expecting to hear this level of singing, so it was a very pleasant surprise.

Then 15-year-old Lauren Alaina ended the Nashville auditions. She is without a doubt a very musical and vocally gifted young woman, but she really needs to work on her breathing. Her phrases were pretty fragmented due to the fact that she breathes far too often for my taste.  But, she is a very enthusiastic, personable young singer and sings with confidence despite her technical problems.

That’s my Masterclass take on these auditions. Please feel free to add your comments.

American Idol, American Idol Season 10, Entertainment, Music, Television, Vocal Masterclass Discussion, Vocal Masterclass Discussion For American Idol Season 10
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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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17 Responses to “Masterclass Thoughts About the American Idol Season 10 Milwaukee and Nashville Auditions”

  1. Unknown's avatar
    Wanda January 29, 2011 at 11:12 pm

    Hi MCL!

    I also loved the 3 guys that you are referring to in the Milwaukee auditions. I particularly liked Paul McDonald… the one with the beard. I loved his voice! Here is a link to the 3 auditions: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeyys_3GkLU

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  2. Unknown's avatar
    Wanda January 29, 2011 at 11:16 pm

    I meant to say the *Nashville* auditions…LOL! Sorry abt that!

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  3. Unknown's avatar
    Masterclass Lady January 29, 2011 at 11:33 pm

    Thanks Wanda. Much appreciated. I loved all three.

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  4. Unknown's avatar
    Sue January 30, 2011 at 2:00 am

    Love, love, love your video blog. You have such a sparkling personality and infectious enthusiasm.

    Since the judges and producers seem so intent on sending on as many 15 and 16-year-olds as they can, I hope that the final 20, and especially final 10, get more guidance in selecting songs and genres that best suit their voices and personalities. I’m hoping for no more repeats of Kara’s “I just don’t know who you are” criticisms.

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  5. Unknown's avatar
    Masterclass Lady January 30, 2011 at 9:37 am

    Thank you so much Sue. It was fun to do and gave me an excuse to play with IMovie.

    I agree with you. I hope that these young singers are guided properly. However, truth be told, unless the younger singers are truly exceptional, I prefer to hear the older singers in their
    20s.

    The judges seem to be pretty fair and rational, so I can’t see them changing their strategy. However, they do have a favorite already, so who’s to say? It shall be interesting.

    Like

  6. Unknown's avatar
    NatashaM January 30, 2011 at 12:56 pm

    I enjoyed the New Jersey and Milwaukee auditions more than the Nashville auditions. With the Nashville auditions, I felt the program fell back into the old style of AI auditions, which I had been avoiding the last 2 years. I had really been enjoying the AI auditions up til now.
    I enjoy your blog very much. Loved the video! Nice touch! I have an igoogle homepage and have the RSS feed of your blog posted there! It’s a nice and quick way to check for updates.

    Like

  7. Unknown's avatar
    bizzee247 January 30, 2011 at 3:52 pm

    I love the video. 🙂

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  8. Unknown's avatar
    Malcolm Davis January 30, 2011 at 4:58 pm

    Did you not enjoy Naima Adedapo? I thought her rendition of that song was quite nice, at least in league with many of the other Milwaukee renditions.

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  9. Unknown's avatar
    Masterclass Lady January 30, 2011 at 5:23 pm

    I did enjoy her but I found she had some pitch problems. Not one of my favorite auditions but she does present a complete package, so who knows? She may do well.

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  10. Unknown's avatar
    Erin February 1, 2011 at 12:08 am

    MCL, you loved David A. and he was a young singer! Just saying. : )

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  11. Unknown's avatar
    Masterclass Lady February 1, 2011 at 1:24 am

    Erin-David was the exception to the rule. He is enormously gifted and his vocal training is impeccable. Few can compare.

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  12. Unknown's avatar
    Erin February 1, 2011 at 2:50 pm

    Very true! His voice is golden! : )

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  13. Unknown's avatar
    Louise February 2, 2011 at 1:37 pm

    Loved your video, MCL–it make this blog very personal. You definitely don’t need a make-up artist because you look real!!! Cute haircut too!

    I’m really looking forward to Idol tonight.

    Like

  14. Unknown's avatar
    Masterclass Lady February 2, 2011 at 5:28 pm

    Thank you so much, Louise. It was fun to do and I hope to add many more the the future. You wouldn’t want to see me today. I am having a bad hair day and a touch of the sniffles. 🙂 I have to do my hairdresser proud!! He is the best!

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  15. Unknown's avatar
    Louise February 2, 2011 at 6:21 pm

    So sorry to hear you have the sniffles. Take care of yourself and get over it soon. I had that last week and fortunately it didn’t last long.

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  16. Unknown's avatar
    .. February 5, 2011 at 11:27 am

    His name is Scott McCreery not Scott McQueerie. 🙂

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  17. Unknown's avatar
    Masterclass Lady February 5, 2011 at 12:23 pm

    Oh dear – sorry for the ridiculous typo on my part. Will correct it now!

    Like