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
October 12, 2011 
Masterclass Lady On MySpace.Com
Vocalist.Org
MasterClassLady.Com 
There will be no show tonight due to a rain delayed baseball game.
LikeLike
NOoOoOoOoOo!!! I have a ballgame on my X-Factor Channel…Whaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!
LikeLike
Gene,
No show at all tonight…??? House came on late the other night because of the game… 😦
LikeLike
I’m watching it here in Canada on CTV. Poor X Factor can’t cut a break. Last week, the news of Steve Jobs’ death hit the news at 8:00 and this week it’s a baseball game.
LikeLike
What is even worse is that the Detroit Tigers lost! :o(
Roseanne, I agree with your analysis of the Bootcamp rounds. I keep saying that The X-Factor has not lived up to the hype. I am impressed with young Rachel Crow and do see a future for her. I am not into the Hip Hop/Rap type artists.
I have heard that the show will expand 30 minutes tomorrow. It seems we will see 3 hours contained into two.
LikeLike
Kariann1 said:
“It seems we will see 3 hours contained into two”
That may be the best thing that could happen to this show. 🙂
If they trim the duff and the fluff and leave two hours of decent programming it should be much better than the first few shows were.
I wasn’t able to stretch my list to 16 who should make the next cut. There are several, maybe 8 to 10, who are interesting, but not at the 5 million dollar level.
LikeLike
The following information regarding schedule changes for this week’s shows was copied from the X-Factor US official website.
“The show will go on…part one of the judges’ houses show has been rescheduled for tomorrow Thursday, Oct. 13 8/7c. Part two will follow this coming Sunday, Oct. 16 at the same time, and part three will air, as scheduled, on Tuesday, Oct. 18, 8/7c. Got that?”
LikeLike
Okay from the crazy mix last night….and by the way, what a waste of two hours, we could have done without all of the fluff and watched all of them sing…but whatever???
I liked from the Overs…James (?) (the last one to sing for that group) he has a very relevent voice, I could hear him on the radio now!!! Dexter needs to just sing one time…I like his rocker tone, didn’t like that song to well. He should do some deff leppard or something like that. Liked the first lady singing Prince’s Purple Rain, but got a little too screamy for me, but I liked the first part of that song.
From the groups…I liked the last group that sang…the new girls group…Gene W. that was the other couple of blonds that I liked. They should have been in the girls groups instead of a few who are in that group.
Boys…I still like my crooner with the hat, and did he let the cat out of the bag, the mentors picked their songs??? Bad choice for all of the guys. My Elvis guy got a horrible song! those two were the only one’s I liked from that group.
Girls…Drew and Katelyn…WOW! I liked the girl with the tattoo’s, but couldn’t get past the tattoo’s. so two from that group!
LikeLike
I am not a fan of conspiracy theories, but most possibly all of the singers sounded pre-recorded. Singers with intonation issues in the audition rounds mysteriously had no issues; I have a really hard time believing that these singers have acquired such techinical proficiency in a couple of months.
The UK version of the xfactor had some controversy last year with autotuning during the audition rounds; so I wouldn’t put it past the show to try to pull something like that in the U.S.
LikeLike
Can’tthinkofusername: Welcome and thank you for adding your insightful comments. That is the first thing I thought when I heard these singers. The sound was too perfect at times and
I suspected auto tune as well. Many of these singers were singing to a pre- recorded track. Watch Drew – she is barely opening her mouth – no effort there at all.
LikeLike
Can’tthinkofusername…Hi and welcome!!!
Ugh! Really??? They did all sound really good for being outside, I was wondering about that but since I know nothing about acoustics thought it was normal…!?!?!?!? Bummer!
LikeLike
I also noticed that the vocals on this episode had a very “processed” sound, without the “raw” quality of an authentic live performance. Most of the performances had a studio quality sound that’s impossible to achieve without lots of sound manipulation.
Last year, the use of autotune in the U.K. version of X Factor caused a big controversy. Here’s an article about it:
X Factor Auto-Tune Scandal Deepens
http://tinyurl.com/27fol5s
After first denying it, the producers admitted that autotune, reverb, and other vocal altering technologies like Melodyne had been used. Simon claimed (not very convincingly) that he did not know about it and was “shocked” that his producers had used it, and he promised it would not be used again.
The Danish version of X Factor is notorious for its heavy use of autotune and other electronic sound manipulation. Check out this video of Jesper from last year’s contest (he came in 3rd).
His singing begins at 1:30. Autotune, added reverb, and volume smoothing are obvious thru the entire performance. Even when he’s running across the stage, his voice is smooth and flawless. The “raw” quality of a true live performance has been airbrushed away, making it seem more like a music video.
LikeLike
If the link to Jesper’s video above doesn’t work for you, try this:
LikeLike
i hadn’t read the comments about the autotune until this morning. but, sunday night (last night’s show) as i watched, i thought, ‘there is no way this is just fresh singing outside’. some of it was hard to watch because it just wasn’t ‘real’. i’d rather take the mistakes than the ‘canned’ appearances. 😦
LikeLike
Hi Malden…!!! 🙂
bee,
I agree, the all sounded like studio recordings!!! Plus, I didn’t like some of the song choices…especially when the judges make a comment about a song choice…like in Melanie’s case…why give her that song and then turn around and say what could she do with a more contemporary song?!?!?!?!?!!?
I think for me the boys would be the hardest group to pick only four from, Brennan, Marcus, Chris, and who would I give that last spot too, there are 3 more that I like!!!
The girls…I would pick Melani, Drew, Katelyn, and the little girl.
Groups…I have none!!!
Overs…Josh, James, the old guy, and gosh I don’t know who I would give that last spot too!
LikeLike
I started to watch X Factor but then quickly switched channels to the Steve Jobs tribute on the Discovery Channel.
I am not a fan of the processed performances on this show. It’s a total turn-off.
LikeLike
MCL…you didn’t miss a whole lot in my opinion!!! I’ll be glad when they get to the live rounds; but wonder if it won’t be much of the same!?!?!
LikeLike
wow, mcl, i was hoping for your input about the singers and i find it so interesting that the ‘processed performance’ was so much a turn off that you didn’t watch it at all!! will you watch it once the show gets going to the ‘real’ performances? i guess that is hard to say til we are there and we see what it is like.
i LOVED josh’s performance (the burrito guy), but it could be that i loved the song. he showed a lot more gentle side which i hadn’t seen before.
the editing was really really bad. the judges would say something good, and then immediately say something bad, totally contradicting what they’d just said and it didn’t follow in context. it seems they were trying to play coy with us, so we wouldn’t know who they picked, but it is more interesting to know what they really think, rather than toying with us through editing. bahhhh!! 😦
LikeLike
Bee – I will be more interested in the live shows but expect that there will be smoke and mirrors happening during these performances as well.
This show, for some reason, doesn’t seem real enough to me. It’s inexplicable but that’s how I feel.
LikeLike
Well alrighty then…?!?!?!?!?!?!
To watch X-Factor or not to watch…that is the question! Some great talent went home tonight!
LikeLike
I’m really disappointed that Rachel (the rugby player–maybe I have her name wrong) and Jazzlin went home–loved both of their voices. And I felt really sorry for Tim and Tiger. I thought Tiger was great last night.
But I do look forward to watching a number of people–Melanie, Drew, the 13-year-old female, Stacy, Josh, Leroy, and the guy who has the Michael Buble voice.
LikeLike
Louise – well first of all, no one has a Michael Buble voice except Michael Buble. Lol. He is one of my favorite singers ever.
But, you and Vonnie are right. Some of the best singers are gone. This leaves such a bad taste in my mouth and I couldn’t really watch the rest of this show.
LikeLike
Sorry about the Michael Buble comment–I love him too!
LikeLike
I’m so relieved that Simon changed his mind about Melanie. I was surprised that it come down to she and Rachel. In regards to some of the best singers going home tonight, I guess we have to remember that this isn’t American Idol. X-Factor seems to have different standards as to who’s “got it”. I hope you are both doing well, Rosanne and Vonnie!
LikeLike
Anita – I am doing very well but extremely busy with my grandchildren. I hope to be blogging more starting next week.
Yes, Melanie was a good save but perhaps they are over-thinking this X Factor thing. It should come to down to outstanding vocal talent plus outstanding stage presence and charisma.
To select a singer with pitch problems seems a step backward and a road that the music industry should strive to avoid. But they don’t and pretty much anyone is molded into a star. Pretty sad.
LikeLike
I’m not surprised by any of the final 17 picks. They correspond closely to the Simon’s past casting decisions with the British version of X Factor.
Simon’s standard practice is to choose 3 or 4 acts that would actually make credible winners, then fill up the rest of the cast according to certain quotas:
– 2 or 3 young teenagers
– 1 or 2 old people
– 1 or 2 acts intended to provide comedy value
– 1 or 2 diva characters with inflated egos included to add spice and controversy
– other acts chosen to provide a balanced diversity by genre, ethnicity, and age
Here is my (a little bit snarky) take on the finalists:
Simon’s preferred winner: Drew
Others who have the combination of talent and likability to make credible winners:
Melanie
Chris
Marcus
Josh
Included for comic value:
Dexter
Included because (a) Simon inexplicably finds her attractive and (b) she poses no threat of winning:
Tiah
Included to fill the female diva slot:
Simone
Included to provide reliably histrionic weeping each week:
Stacey
Included to fill the old person slot:
Leroy
Included for age balance and inflated ego:
Brian
Included for genre balance:
Philip
Manufactured groups included to fill up the cast with attractive young people who pose no threat of winning:
Lakoda Rayne
InTENsity
Sent home for posing too much of a threat to preferred winner Drew:
Caitlin
Included in the top 32 only for genre balance. Sent home because neither Simon nor LA Reid have any interest in male country singers (female country singers are tolerable if they’re sufficiently hot):
Tim
Skyelor
LikeLike
Hi Anita,
I am doing good too…busy as all get out though, but busy in a good way! How are you doing, are you having a great fall…?
I think that I was just as shocked as Brennan that he didn’t make it through as well as Katelyn, Tim, and James.
malden has it right I’m sure…they have a winner already crowned and chose the top 16 that could not interfere with that choice…the outcry over Melani would have been great enough that alot would not have tuned in…expecially when Simone and Tiah were chosen and Melani not…
I wish that I could say that only one judge made bad choices, but I can’t, all three made bad decisions!!!
So out of the top 17…my favs going through, the hat guy, josh, the little girl, melani, drew, and Leroy!!! I also like the Brewer brothers!
LikeLike
Malden made some really good points. I’ve never seen the British version of X-factor. I was shocked that Simon didn’t keep Caitlin. But now it makes sense. Caitlin is incredibly beautiful and talented–almost too good for X-factor. I hope she has a career without X-factor.
LikeLike
Yeah! Wouldn’t it had been nice to have an old fashioned competition; where the best actually made it through? Instead of a stacked deck in favor of the judges favorite?
LikeLike
Actually Vonnie I would love to see a plain, old-fashioned variety show similar to what Ed Sullivan produced back in the day. No competition. Just opportunity – a mixture of known and unknown artists.
LikeLike
MCL…that would be fun too!
They could call it “The Platform”, the people could come try out to be cast on that weeks show, have a host of recording producers on hand to sign those who make it on the show!
Just think if some of the guys who were sent home from X-Factor could have that opportunity!
LikeLike
Thank you, Malden for filling us in on the details. The way the producers handled the “Judge’s Houses” was a turn off, yet I was curious to see how this would be handled. There were scripted moments and manufactured singing. I agree, it was a turn off. The talent is there, why not let it be?
I thought Drew and Phillip were really good and could see them in a Top Ten “American Idol” line-up. Right now, Simon remains the most tasteless part of the show.
MCL and Vonnie, I love the concept of an old-fashioned variety show. Ed Sullivan’s tradition brought all my teen Idols to life from, Elvis to the Beatles. It was such good FAMILY television viewing. There were others… Sonny & Cher, Glen Campbell, Tony Orlando & Dawn, and even my beloved The Carpenters.
You know, I really liked Clay Aiken’s Christmas Special and Carrie Underwood’s variety special. We need more of that kind of entertainment.
LikeLike
MCL, since you are part of Word Press, are you using a new comment system?
http://www.disqus.com/welcome/
If you have an ID here already, you won’t have to sign up again.
If not, please delete my comment.
LikeLike
Hi Kariann:
Unfortunately I can’t use Disqus on the WordPress.Com platform. I have to be using the .Org platform and haven’t had a chance to fully explore the idea of self-hosting my site.
Thanks for the “heads up” though. 🙂
LikeLike
Vonnie – I love your name for the variety show concept – The Platform. You should copyright and/or trademark it ASAP. It’s truly inspired.
LikeLike
I know this isn’t the right place to post this, but did any of you see Scotty McCreery sing the National Anthem last night at the beginning of the World Series?
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/entertainment/2011/10/did-scotty-mccreery-flub-the-national-anthem/
The only problem I see with a variety show concept is that it seems that each week the participants would be different. Personally, I like seeing the same contestants week after week to watch them grow. If you could incorporate the two concepts, I’d love it.
LikeLike
Louise,
LOL…Never a dull moment is it!!! 🙂 Poor Scotty, I thought he sounded great!
MCL…I’m not sure I would have the know how to pull something off like a TV show…I’m better at watching; but maybe someone else will pick up my idea and pay me the royalty from it… 😉
LikeLike
LOL! Vonnie, you are so cute! I love your idea, but some may say we are over-saturated with song and dance shows. 🙂
Roseanne, you are so intelligent to just set up this place for us to share our thoughts!! Thank you!
I have checked the “notify me” button and didn’t get an email notifying me of your posts. I did send an email to you, MCL. I cannot figure out things to do on the computer; however, I brought one home several weeks ago and put it together. It took 5 hours, but that’s because I had to connect the Internet service. No more dial-up modem for me!
(My hubby is allergic to computers, although it was nice to get my Christmas present early!)
LikeLike
Kariann 1,
I would say that you are right, we are over-saturated with song and dance shows, but MCL’s idea of a Variety show would be great!
As a youngun’ my mom and dad would watch the Lawrence Welk show, Red Skelton, Carol Burnette (my favorite) and Ed Sullivan…I’m sure that I am missing a couple from that time, but my sister and I would watch with them and loved the shows…well, I say that, but when Lawrence Welk was to come on we would always say “no, not the bubble man” but we alsways ended up watching.
A modern day platform for up-coming stars would be fun to watch!
LikeLike
Kariann and Vonnie named some of my favorite variety shows from the past, but a few other musical variety shows came to mind with a little effort. Andy Williams, (gave us the Osmond Brothers, who gave us) Donnie and Marie, Perry Como, Hee-Haw, The Smothers Brothers, Dean Martin, Dinah Shore, Steve Allen, Johnny Cash ( Eric Clapton was on his show), Mitch Miller, Porter Wagner, (gave us Dolly Parton) The Captain and Tenniel (with the great mime act of Shields and Yarnell) and Barbara Mandrel.
How about Shindig, American Bandstand, Hullabaloo, Where the Action Is, or Soul Train. And who didn’t like Laugh In? (Which has nothing to do with this list) I know I’m forgetting some. My Mom and Dad told me about these shows; I didn’t actually see them!
It’s hard to believe, but Ed Sullivan was the coolest man in America.
LikeLike
Gene W,
I loved the Smothers Brothers, I had forgotten about them…was Laugh In the one where the old woman sat on the bench? That is all that I can remember from that, wasn’t Soupy Sails (?) on that show?
These are fun memories!!!
LikeLike
Vonnie,
Yeah, the old lady on the bench and the dirty old man were a regular bit on Rowan and Martin’s Laugh In. I can picture the two actors who did the bit but can’t recall their names.
That’s where Goldie Hawn and Lilly Tomlin got their starts and Twiggy was on now and then as well. Lilly Tomlin did the telephone operator spot that was hilarious; “we don’t care, we don’t have to. We’re the phone company.” Sock it to me” Judy?, “here comes the judge” by Sammy Davis Jr and on and on.
The Smothers Brothers’ show was comedy, often set to music. The top musicians of the day appeared on their show as did know comedians and unknowns like Steve Martin. Their political views were a little controversial for the network in those days which probably led to their demise.
LikeLike
One issue worth thinking about with X Factor is: how we should judge the contestants? What criteria should we use?
Compare X Factor to America’s Got Talent (the other U.S. show that Simon Cowell produces). With AGT, there is no explicit claim or expectation that the winner will achieve commercial success as an entertainer. As a result, when evaluating the singing contestants, neither the judges nor the voting public take into account their prospects for success as recording artists. Five of the six winners have been singers. Bianca Ryan, Neal Boyd, and Kevin Skinner all recorded albums with no commercial success. Prospects for the two most recent winners (Michael Grimm and Landau Eugene Murphy) don’t look much brighter. But no one regards this as a problem because AGT is not about finding a star. It’s intended as a light summer entertainment, similar to a student talent competition where the winner gets a prize but nothing more is expected of them.
But X Factor is explicitly advertised as intended to produce a recording star worthy of a $5 million contract. So is seems reasonable that X Factor contestants should be judged in a very different way than AGT contestants.
My family members have become fans of the show, and their favorites are Rachel, Stacy, and Leroy. I understand their appeal, and each might make a perfectly plausible and deserving winner of AGT. But to think they would be appropriate winners of X Factor just seems all wrong to me.
Rachel (age 13) – She might be great as a kid actor in a TV sitcom, but it doesn’t seem likely she would be any more successful at selling records than 11-year-old Bianca Ryan who won AGT.
Stacy (age 42) – She seems very much like a female equivalent of AGT 2011 winner Landau Eugene Murphy. Like Landau, her commercial potential as a recording artist is close to invisible.
Leroy (age 60) – The moderate success he’s already had for the last 30 years as a singer and songwriter seems entirely appropriate to his talent. Susan Boyle has inspired the idea that someone can becoming a platinum-selling pop star at a mature age. But the chances for this happening with Leroy are about one in a million.
For this show to have credibility, the winner must be someone who has a very good chance of becoming a successful recording artist. If the show has to give a $5 million recording contract to someone who fails at selling records (like AGT winners Neil Boyd or Kevin Skinner whose albums sold only a few thousand copies), it will be regarded as an embarrassing failure.
I like the concept of a show explicitly intended to find a recording star, but if viewers vote only for their “favorites” rather than someone who will actually sell records, it may become another popularity contest like AGT and up with similar results.
Disregarding who your personal favorites might be, which contestants do you think have the best prospects for success at selling records?
LikeLike
malden,
Great post and really great thoughts!
I wish that the judges on X-Factor had the same mind set that you do and would have selected the talent accordingly.
Had they put the best through and maybe in somes eyes they did, I don’t know, but I think with Brennan, Caitlyn, Tim, Melani, Drew, Josh, James, my hat boy, Stacy, and four of the top groups…the competition would have been stellar and gave the voting public alot to think about each week. The contestants then would have had to bring it each week or take the chance of going home!
Right now, I really don’t see any of these really worthy of a 5 million dollar recording contract.
LikeLike
Well said Malden. But, in my eyes, the only singer I see that is commercially viable is Drew.
However, the X Factor makeover is now beginning. Have you seen their recent makeover pictures? Stay tuned. I will post a blog topic about it soon.
And if the live shows benefit from the high production quality that we have come to enjoy on America’s Got Talent then I think we are in for some exciting surprises.
LikeLike
Malden,
I agree with your logic that the winner should be worthy of the 5 million dollar prize as a recording artist but that isn’t a criteria of the show. The winner, by fan vote, will receive five annual payments of one million dollars each year. This is their reward for winning the contest and is in no way tied to their success as a recording artist. In other words, when you win the contest you have earned the five million dollars. All expenses incurred in making them a recording artist are in addition to the cash prize. This is unlike the UK version where the prize is one million pounds and all of the recording expenses come from the prize money.
I said a few weeks ago that Caitlin was my personal favorite and that Drew, even though she was at that time about sixth on my list, was the likely, and worthy I might add, winner. I still think it is her’s to lose. I also said, and still believe that Melanie has the best voice in the competition.
Your previous post regarding why people were sent home is spot on. It’s also the method used at American Idol.
LikeLike
Vonnie,
I just recalled that Tom Jones had a show too.
LikeLike
Gene W,
I remember that…LOL I always thought he was kind of icky as a young girl, and not much has changed since I’ve gotten older; but my Mom…she loved him!!! Go figure!
LikeLike
I read somewhere that on this week’s X-factor they will decide on a wild card. I’d like to see Caitlin be the wild card–or Tiger. How about all of you?
LikeLike
Hi Louise,
Caitlin is my favorite of this season, so I would love to see her perform at least a few more times. I can’t see them adding yet another girl to the mix when that category is already one up on the others though.
The X has been downgraded to a DVR fast forward show for me. It’s strange to say but the best singing show on TV last week was “Dancing with the Stars.” I got to see Kelly Clarkson perform live twice, with a live band, real backing vocalist and no digital manipulation. The band Perry was ok too.
LikeLike
Gene – I agree with you. And, apparently, the show is 2.5 hours long tomorrow night. That is serious overkill.
LikeLike
Oh my. We should probably allow about 20 minutes to watch it!
LikeLike
Hi, Gene,
Since you mentioned watching DWTS, if I may, I’d like to ask you if you think Len Goodman has been too hard on Hope Solo this season. I believe he has. Week after week, he goes after her for every little thing, and rarely says anything positive about her. I get the sense that it’s something personal and he really dislikes her. He’s much more positive about Chaz and Nancy Grace. What’s up with that?
LikeLike
Hi Louise,
I agree that Len has been hard on Hope. My take on it is that it’s not personal but rather he is trying to push her to do her best. She brings a lot of attitude and seems to have a fear about appearing too feminine or sexy. There are little glimpses of that side of her but she doesn’t allow you to see it very often. Having her team mates in the audience may not be helping her. I thought last night was her best effort to be girly, but the dance had other problems. Some of Maks’ commentary probably hurt more than helped but he was correct about the way they judge on a curve. I think that is what caused two of the season’s best dancers o be cut early.
Regarding the X-Factor eliminations this week. I saw an advertisement on TV this morning saying that they would cut the field down to the top 12 tonight. That would suggest that Simon will have to give up his extra player, the judges will make the cuts, and there will be no wildcard. Wait and see what the DVR has to say I guess.
LikeLike
Thanks for the info, Gene.
LikeLike